13 Best Restaurants in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a lively college town in the northern part of Colorado. It is the home of Colorado State University. With its walkable center and wide range of restaurants, Fort Collins has become one of the best places in the state to eat. The city has a wide range of restaurants, from simple cafes to high-end restaurants.
The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
Type of Cuisine: Mexican
Atmospherics: Lively, festive, traditional
Signature Dishes: Enchiladas, Margaritas, Tableside Guacamole
What Makes It Stand Out: Fort Collins favorite for authentic Mexican cuisine, signatures cocktails and hospitable service since 1986.
The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant has been providing traditional South-of-the-Border cuisine in a lively and festive atmosphere to the people of Northern Colorado since 1986. Located northwest of Old Town and housed in a renovated 1903 Victorian house, the service’s warmth is matched by the vibrant interior design, string lights, and airy patio.
The scratch kitchen dishes up classic Tex-Mex fare like tacos al pastor and chimichangas, but the Rio Grande enchiladas, baked in red or green sauce and served with housemade frozen margaritas, are especially well-liked by patrons. Some highlights are the guacamole that is prepared at the table, the Tres Leches cake, and a wide selection of tequila that is ideal for enjoying a Sunrise in Sangre de Cristo. The Rio Grande offers a genuinely lively Mexican dining experience with a harmonious blend of warmth, history, and flavor.
The Regional
Type of Cuisine: New American Tavern
Atmospherics: Sleek, modern, gastropub
Signature Dishes: House fries, Braised rabbit cavatelli, Grass-fed burger
What Makes It Stand Out: Local epicurean ingredients fused into elevated gastropub dishes meant for sharing, with craft whiskey cocktails.
The Regional is a modern gastropub on Elizabeth Street in Fort Collins that offers bespoke drinks and a hyper-regional, seasonal New American menu. The mood inside the sleek, modern space is reminiscent of an upscale neighborhood bar, with wood and brick accents. The menu highlights locally sourced, premium ingredients via sophisticated, comforting dishes that are meant to be shared.
Small meals bursting with vibrant flavors and textures, such as grilled cauliflower and five spice duck wings, entice the senses. More substantial options that highlight the kitchen’s skill with local flavors include the seared scallops, braised rabbit cavatelli, and grass-fed burger. A vast selection of craft whiskeys pairs well with the cuisine, showcasing aged spirits in both traditional and contemporary cocktails. The Regional introduces Old Town Fort Collins to a cutting-edge new gastropub experience with its harmonious blend of refinement and coziness.
Silver Grill Cafe
Type of Cuisine: American
Atmospherics: Historic diner, bustling, old-fashioned counter seating
Signature Dishes: Cinnamon rolls, Omelets, Hash browns
What Makes It Stand Out: Long-running Fort Collins institution open since 1933 serving classic no-frills American diner fare in an nostalgic setting.
Visit the Silver Grill Cafe, a treasured Fort Collins landmark that has been open since 1933, to travel back in time. When you walk into this historic diner, you’ll be greeted by owner Mark Fingerson, who acquired the grill from his father, and his kind demeanor. Expect retro sodas, substantial omelets, and enormous cinnamon rolls. The restaurant’s seats are made of aged red leather.
Both locals and visitors come here for the cinnamon rolls—delectable, fluffy pastries served warm and oozing with frosting—which are a local favorite. Not only does their scratch kitchen produce baked products, but they also make classic diner fare like omelets, chicken fried steak, hot beef sandwiches, and bread pudding utilizing recipes that date back to the restaurant’s founding. In Northern Colorado, the Silver Grill Cafe delivers a delightful flavor of timeless Americana, whether you grab a seat at the counter or in a booth.
Blue Agave Grill
Type of Cuisine: Mexican Fusion
Atmospherics: Modern, intimate, upscale casual
Signature Dishes: Shrimp sope, Chimichangas, specialty margaritas
What Makes It Stand Out: High-end modern fusion of Mexican and Southwestern flavors using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Known for seafood and signature margaritas.
Blue Agave Grill in downtown Fort Collins serves elevated Mexican food in a stylish but casual setting. Chef Ian Hinton takes traditional Mexican and Southwestern U.S. methods and products and changes them in a modern way. His starters, like crispy shrimp sopes with mango salsa, and main dishes, like short rib chimichangas, show how well he can combine tastes and textures while letting the best products shine.
On the menu, which is mostly seafood, you can find dishes like halibut cooked in the way of Veracruz and salmon with roasted poblano cream. The cozy dining room is lined with colorful modern art, and the warm woods and candles make it feel warm and inviting. The bar menu, which includes specialty margaritas and a large collection of tequilas, goes well with Blue Agave Grill’s bold, sophisticated flavors.
Jax Seafood Restaurant
Type of Cuisine: Seafood
Atmospherics: Nautical-themed, lively, fish house
Signature Dishes: Jax Famous Lobster Roll, Cajun Ribeye, Oysters Rockefeller
What Makes It Stand Out: High quality fresh seafood and wide-ranging menu also featuring steaks in an energetic Colorado fish house setting since 1993.
Fresh fish and hearty steaks are what Jax Fish House is known for, bringing a taste of the coast to Fort Collins in a warm and lively setting. The dining room and oyster bar have a nautical theme and have served high-quality, sustainable seafood from U.S. seas and other places since 1993. A lot of people come here to try Jax’s famous fried lobster roll with brown butter on a toasted split-top bun. It’s one of their most popular dishes, along with mustard barbecue salmon, seafood cioppino, and Alaskan halibut.
Jax always has seasonal deals and a wide range of the best friends of the caught catch, from aged beef from the Midwest to trout and elk from the Rocky Mountains. Craft beers and small-batch wines from the area round out this “fish house and steak place.” Jax is still the best place to eat in Old Town Fort Collins because of its friendly staff, lively atmosphere, and delicious fish.
The Crooked Cup Coffee House
Type of Cuisine: Coffeehouse
Atmospherics: Cozy, studious, laidback
Signature Menu Items: Pour over coffees, teas, pastries
What Makes It Stand Out: Specialty coffee drinks and teas served in a studious, relaxing environment conducive to studying, reading and connecting.
The Crooked Cup is a cozy, thoughtful place in Fort Collins’ Laurel Village where you can get pour over coffee, loose leaf tea, and baked goods made from scratch. Come for the high-quality coffee that comes from direct trade; stay for the community vibe that has made The Crooked Cup a popular spot in the area.
The multi-roaster coffee program prepares single origin beans using techniques like pour over and French press, making complex brews that are best enjoyed while relaxing in their comfortable chairs or on the patio. They also serve nitro cold brews, signature lattes, and a tea menu that comes directly from farmers. The Crooked Cup puts quality over quantity, so you can play card games, study alone, or just enjoy baked goods from The Fox and the Crow.
Totally 80’s Pizza
Type of Cuisine: Pizza, Arcade
Atmospherics: 1980s nostalgia, lively, family-friendly
Signature Menu Items: Specialty pizzas, arcade games
What Makes It Stand Out: Spacious pizzeria with choice arcade games serving creative pizzas in a vibrant, 1980’s-themed setting.
Totally 80’s Pizza is a fun place for the whole family to eat because it has retro video games and creative pizzas that take you back in time. When people walk into the high-energy room filled with 1980s souvenirs, it might be hard for them to decide whether to order the famous Mac Daddy mac and cheese pizza or race to play classic games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders.
After picking out one of their full-flavored specialty pizzas, like Thai chicken or Hawaiian, customers can play Skee-Ball, Pinball, and other classic coin games in the large, two-story room. Totally 80’s Pizza is a great place for birthday parties, friend get-togethers, or parents who want to introduce their kids to old-school fun while enjoying great pizza. Prices are reasonable, service is quick, and the food is expertly prepared.
The Still Whiskey Steaks
Type of Cuisine: Steakhouse
Atmospherics: Swanky, intimate, upscale
Signature Dishes: Filet mignon wrapped in bacon, whiskey flights and cocktails
What Makes It Stand Out: Classic high-end steakhouse fare alongside extensive whiskey cocktail offerings within a sophisticated setting.
People go to The Still Whiskey Steaks in Midtown Fort Collins to get well-aged steaks and small-batch whiskeys served in a retro-glam setting. Still’s cozy interior of tufted leather seats, drapes, and chandeliers makes you think of steakhouses from the Mad Men era. It’s the perfect setting for executive chef Jason Shaeffer’s modern takes on steakhouse classics.
Guests enjoy bacon-wrapped filet mignon, creamed spinach, and old-fashioneds made right at their tables, along with fresh oysters and piles of raw seafood. As the number of distilleries in Colorado grows, the bar team makes its own infusions for unique whiskey flights and drinks. Still Whiskey Steaks has both formal service and a casual atmosphere. The food is classic restaurant fare, and the drinks are modern craft cocktails
Social
Type of Cuisine: Gastropub
Atmospherics: Sleek, modern, trendy
Signature Dishes: Bar bites like avocado fries and deviled eggs, artisanal brick oven pizzas
What Makes It Stand Out: Hip downtown gastro lounge fusing updated American bar fare and brick oven pizzas within an ultra-chic industrial setting.
With its trendy atmosphere and modern gastropub food, Social definitely lives up to its name as a place to see and be seen in downtown. The ultra-chic industrial space is right in the middle of Fort Collins’s nightlife on Mountain Avenue. Executive chef Matt Vawter’s bar-focused small plates and handmade brick oven pizzas are meant to be shared.
There are black velvet booths with soft lighting that give you a great view of mixologist Dane Thorn’s impressive bar lab, where seasonal craft drinks are made and served on tap. At the bar, you can get creative snacks like avocado fritters with sweet corn salad and harissa cream or duck fat fries. For a heartier meal, brick-oven-fired pies like the truffle mushroom pizza use high-quality ingredients to make flavor combinations that will make you want more. With its clean lines, constantly changing menu, and lively atmosphere, Social continues to be the talk of Fort Collins when it comes to food.
The Melting Pot
Type of Cuisine: Fondue
Atmospherics: Upscale, intimate, romantic
Signature Dishes: Cheese fondue, chocolate fondue
What Makes It Stand Out: Elegant fondue dining destination providing a variety of broths, cheeses, and chocolate fondue options. The menu also includes salads, meat, seafood and vegetable entrees for cooking tableside.
The Melting Pot is the only place you need to go on a date night in Fort Collins. With dim lighting and cozy booth seating, this high-end fondue restaurant has a cozy and romantic feel. Guests can pick from a wide range of gourmet chocolate and cheese fondues, which come with fresh fruit, veggies, and breads to dip.
Meats and fish can also be cooked right at the table in bubbling broth fondue pots for the main course. At The Melting Pot, you’ll have a wonderful multicourse meal, from the first cheese course to the rich dessert.
Snooze an A.M. Eatery
Type of Cuisine: Breakfast
Atmospherics: Laidback, colorful, vibrant
Signature Dishes: Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes, Cornmeal Crusted French Toast
What Makes It Stand Out: Specializing in unique and creative breakfast and brunch options, from sweet to savory. Known for signature pancake flights and specialty coffee drinks.
The funky retro decor and unique breakfast foods at Snooze an A.M. Eatery make it stand out in Fort Collins’s breakfast scene. The menu has surprising takes on classic breakfast foods, like pancake flights and rich Benedicts.
Signature dishes like the sweet and tropical Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes or the vanilla crème anglaise-topped Cornmeal Crusted French show how good the cook is at making food taste good. The lively and relaxed atmosphere at Snooze makes it a great place to start the day, whether you choose savory dishes like breakfast pot pie and tacos or sweet ones like cinnamon rolls and drinks.
The Welsh Rabbit Bistro
Type of Cuisine: European Bistro
Atmospherics: Cozy, rustic, cheese-centric
Signature Dishes: Welsh Rarebit, Cheese Boards, Fondue
What Makes It Stand Out: Specialty grilled cheese sandwiches and extensive artisanal cheese selection accompanied by wines, beers and ciders.
The Welsh Rabbit Bistro is a great place to get imaginative grilled cheese sandwiches and fondues in a cute setting. This cozy restaurant is in an old house in Old Town Fort Collins with exposed brick walls. It serves European comfort foods and has a large cheese and beer menu.
Their famous Welsh Rarebit is made with melted cheese, mustard, beer, and spices spread on country bread. It shows how good the cook is at bringing out the flavors of cheese. The bacon and fig jam melt, broccoli cheddar soup, cheese boards, and seasonal fondues are some of the other dishes that people love. At the Welsh Rabbit Bistro, you can find comfort in the form of cheese, bread, and community. They serve local wines, craft beers, and gluten-free choices.
Conclusion
After eating at 13 of the best places in Fort Collins, we’re done with our excursion. These restaurants offer great food in warm settings, with a range of dishes from comfortable classics to modern standouts. We wanted to show off the variety of restaurants in Fort Collins’ food scene by highlighting must-try spots like steakhouses, coffee shops, and Mexican food.
Our list gives you a taste of some of Fort Collins’s most famous restaurants, whether you’re planning a special night out or just looking for a good meal. These restaurants show why Fort Collins has become a popular place for foodies: Snooze’s creative brunch menu, the Silver Grill Cafe’s classic American fare, the creative cooking at chef-driven restaurants like The Regional and Blue Agave Grill, and the mouthwatering seafood at Jax Fish House.
So take a seat and enjoy your meal at one of these 12 top places in Fort Collins, Colorado. Just show up hungry and ready for a great meal.