COLORADO
From Tacos to Tasting Menus: The 15 Best Restaurants in Colorado Springs
By Maria Rodriguez | Aug. 20, 2025
503W
AUTHOR BIO: With a day job that requires constant travel, Maria Rodriguez is likely a frequenter of your favorite restaurant. She’s reviewed restaurants since 2007 in publications from Barcelona to Bakersfield.
I come to Colorado Springs often for work, which means I’ve eaten my way across this city like a traveling insurance adjuster with a per diem.
At some point, it became a personal challenge: try every single restaurant in Colorado Springs, the good, the bad, the ones that make you wonder if “restaurants near me in Colorado Springs” should come with a warning label.
Out of all those meals, a few stood out not just as memorable, but as the places I find myself drawn back to whenever I return. These are the best Colorado Springs restaurants right now—the truly great spots that make the city worth eating through all over again.
503W
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503W isn’t just a gastropub—it’s a place where you’ll find dishes as colorful as the cocktails they’re paired with. The Korean fried chicken is crispy perfection, doused in a sweet-and-spicy glaze that’ll have you debating whether to share. The bar program is inventive but never over-the-top; think fresh herbs and unexpected flavor combos that somehow just work. It’s lively, a little loud, and exactly where you want to be on a Friday night.
Best for: Asian fusion dishes and a beer list that could double as a textbook
Ambli Global Cuisine
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Ambli is where you go when you want a passport without leaving Colorado Springs. Their Turkish Old Fashioned feels like Istanbul in a glass—fig-infused and smooth enough to convince you to order another. The menu hops around the world, from Spanish tapas to Indian curries, and the dining room manages to feel sophisticated without making you feel like you need to whisper. It’s the kind of spot you’ll want to linger, ideally with dessert and one more cocktail.
Best for: A globe-trotting dinner without leaving Colorado Springs
Bonny & Read
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Chef Joe Campana’s longtime flagship finally brings the coast inland—and does it with style. The seafood (from halibut and oysters to crab and lobster) is flown in fresh and MSC-certified, plated alongside steaks and inventive cocktails under chandelier-lit warmth. When I’m craving reliably fresh fish or a bold halibut taco, this is where I head first—and always leave thinking, “Yep, worth coming back.”
Best for: A luxe seafood fix that makes land-locked Colorado feel coastal
Dos Dos
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Brothers Jason and Kris Wallenta launched Dos Dos as a fast-casual sibling to their original Dos Santos, with one goal in mind: deliver handcrafted Mexican-inspired bites that feel both approachable and sharply delicious. They grind their own masa, press fresh tortillas, and hand-craft tacos, burritos, and standout breakfast burritos like the Birria-Egg-Cheese and Bacon-Egg-Tater Tots options—all of which taste like they were built for repeat visits. Every time I’m “looking for restaurants near me in Colorado Springs,” Dos Dos is the spot I circle back to—bright, flavorful, and never trying too hard.
Best for: Breakfast burritos in the morning, tacos and tequila at night
Ephemera
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Chef and Colorado Springs native Ian Dedrickson runs this inventive tasting-menu experience tucked into the CO.A.T.I. food hall. The very reasonably priced $75 tasting menu is a constantly evolving art piece (think daily shifts in courses and plating), and the space feels like punk-rock fine dining with local art rotating through the walls. Every time I come back here, I get a new, creative surprise—and wish I could stay longer.
Best for: A chef-driven tasting menu that changes with the season
Four by Brother Luck
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Chef Brother Luck (yes, that’s actually his name) has built this downtown Colorado Springs spot around the concept of four—four seasons, four local sources (farmers, fishers, hunters, and gatherers), and a rotating four-course tasting menu that changes with what’s fresh and local. The kitchen, led by chef de cuisine Ashley Brown, serves creative Southwestern-style dishes like blue cornbread with wojapi and seasonal entrées that make you feel in step with the region. I come back not just for the food, but for the storytelling—every time feels like a new chapter in Colorado’s culinary narrative.
Best for: Ambitious four-course menus from talented chefs
Monse’s Pupuseria
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For me, this tucked-away Old Colorado City spot serves up Salvadoran comfort food with sincerity and simplicity—think pupusas stuffed just right, with gluten-free and vegetarian options that don’t skimp on soul. It’s the kind of place where “restaurants near me in Colorado Springs” almost doesn’t do it justice—you discover the name, find yourself there, and leave planning your next visit.
Best for: Heart-and-handmade pupusas that hit like home
Odyssey Gastropub
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When locals talk about the downtown spots that made Colorado Springs feel like a real dining city, Odyssey always comes up. Chefs Thomas and Darlene Compton built it around upscale pub food—think shrimp and grits with a Sriracha kick, Korean BBQ tacos, and a killer burger menu—paired with craft beer and cocktails that make lingering too easy. It’s the sort of place where happy hour stretches into dinner, and dinner turns into one more round.
Best for: Elevated comfort food and late-night cocktails downtown
The Rabbit Hole
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Walking in here feels like slipping down a Wonderland rabbit hole—only the ceiling isn’t falling, it’s just dripping with weird, gothic charm. Tucked beneath downtown, this spot pairs upscale New American small plates—think rabbit meatloaf, duck wings, and chorizo-stuffed bacon-wrapped prawns—with haunting cocktail creations like the Duchess or White Rabbit. There’s an edge to it: dramatic, immersive, a place I always end my work trip at when I want the night to feel like something otherworldly.
Best for: A whimsical underground spot serving cocktails and late-night bites
Skirted Heifer
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Owners Kevin and Suzette Megyeri built something quietly brilliant: grass-fed, grass-finished burgers wrapped in a crispy skirt of cheddar, served on house-baked buns with in-house condiments. Their Hangover Burger—piled with cream cheese, bacon, and a Bloody Mary–spiked tomato sauce—earned Guy Fieri’s approval on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. Whenever I need comfort food that feels like a hug and a high-five, this burger joint pulls me in.
Best for: Cheeseburger fans craving cheesy theatrics with local flair
Spring Rollin’
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This is the kind of place where every spring roll, egg roll, and pho bowl is custom-made on the spot—no batches, no shortcuts. Between the build-your-own pho offerings, gluten-friendly banh mi, and ultra-fresh shrimp and pork spring rolls, it's quick eats with serious flavor. Whenever I’m typing “restaurants near me in Colorado Springs,” this low-key Vietnamese spot pulls me in for something fast, comforting, and freshly made to order.
Best for: Fast-casual sushi burritos and poke bowls on the go
Sushi Row
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On the city’s east side, Sushi Row has become a reliable stop for sushi that balances playful creativity with solid technique. The menu stretches from classic nigiri and sashimi to rolls like the Flaming Dragon—jalapeño, spicy tuna, and salmon, seared and finished with eel sauce—that prove the kitchen isn’t afraid to go bold. It’s the kind of sushi bar where I’ll sit at the counter, order a roll too big to finish, and never regret it.
Best for: Creative rolls and Japanese plates in a sleek setting
Till
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Till runs on a farm-to-table ethos that feels less like a gimmick and more like an everyday practice. Chef Brian Meiler sources from local producers for plates like Colorado lamb shank with mashed potatoes, or seasonal vegetarian dishes that actually stand up to the mains. It’s the kind of neighborhood spot where you can sit down for a weeknight dinner and still feel like you’ve eaten something thoughtful and rooted in the region.
Best for: Farm-to-table plates with a neighborhood hangout vibe
The Warehouse
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Housed in an old warehouse space just south of downtown, this restaurant doubles as a gallery, with rotating local art lining the brick walls. Chef James Africano brings a Southwestern edge to the menu—elk tenderloin with green chile glaze, bison short ribs, and wild game specials that make the place feel distinctly Colorado. It’s not just dinner but a reminder that food and art can share the same room, each making the other a little better.
Best for: Southwestern fare served alongside local art in an industrial space
Zocalo
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Zocalo leans into modern Mexican cooking with a menu that feels both lively and familiar. The tacos—like carne asada with charred salsa or crispy cauliflower with crema—are worth lining up for, but the enchiladas and stacked nachos make it easy to stretch a quick meal into a full evening. Add in margaritas that don’t skimp on the tequila, and you’ve got a spot that’s equal parts casual hangout and night-starter.
Best for: Modern Mexican food and margaritas with friends
