Iconic Eats Within DU’s Reach

Denver is home to many historic and well-loved eating establishments that have stood the test of time—and Yelp reviews

Today, Denver is known as a foodie city, but it’s also where you’ll find many iconic restaurants that have outlasted dining trends and defined the eating out culture in the Mile High City. From burgers and pizza to wild game and ethnic cuisine, many of these restaurants are within a 10-minute walk, drive, bus or light rail ride from DU.    

Check out seven of the most well-loved places to satisfy a craving, fuel up for your next marathon study session or experience a slice of Colorado history.

Credit: Nick Loyless

Beau Jo’s Pizza

Credit: Nick Loyless

“In Colorado, every day has the potential to turn into an adventure, and we think your pizza should be just as exceptional,” Beau Jo’s proclaims on its website. They’ve been slinging their famous Colorado “mountain pies” for adventurers and common folk alike since opening their doors in Idaho Springs in 1971—and, luckily for DU pizza lovers, their newest location is right across the street from campus. Known for their mile-high crusts that double as dessert when dipped in honey, Beau Jo’s pizza is ordered by the pound (1 lb., 2 lb., 3 lb. or 5 lb.) and is also available with cauliflower or gluten-free crusts. 

2110 S. University Blvd., Unit D

Mustard’s Last Stand

The unassuming brown and yellow building with the picnic tables out front has been serving up Chicago style hot dogs, polish sausages, burgers, Italian beef, homemade fries and more on University Blvd. since 1978. For the uninitiated, a proper Chicago dog is Vienna Beef topped with mustard, tomato, relish, onion, pickle, sport peppers, celery salt and some sauerkraut. Founded by Windy City native Dan Polovin, the walk-up restaurant adds a Colorado twist to the menu, offering solid vegetarian and vegan options such as veggie dogs and burgers, tofu Reubens and veggie chili. If you ask nicely, you can even get your dog topped with Chicago bright green relish.  

2081 S. University Blvd.

Credit: sfgamchick

Bonnie Brae Ice Cream 

Credit: sfgamchick

As you head north on University Blvd., it’s impossible to miss the red and white striped awnings and lit-up statement sign of Bonnie Brae Ice Cream. The retro-looking shop at the corner of University and E. Ohio Ave. opened in 1986, but the vibe and the homemade ice cream—with daily-made flavors like lemon custard, chocolate almond croissant and blueberry pinot chip—is worth standing in line for. Fun fact: “Bonnie Brae,” the name of the mini neighborhood where this shop and several other namesake shops are located, is not a person—it means “pleasant hill” in Gaelic.

799 S. University Blvd.

Blue Bonnet

Denver is home to more than 300 Mexican restaurants, but few have been around as long as the Blue Bonnet. Originally opened in the 1930s as an American cafe by a family from Texas, it was one of the first restaurants in Denver to obtain a liquor license after Prohibition. In 1968, it was bought by the Mobell family, who kept the name—after the state flower of Texas—and introduced their own brand of TexMex cuisine. One of the oldest family-owned restaurants in Denver, Blue Bonnet is known for its long-serving employees, award-winning margaritas and outdoor patio lined with flower boxes.

457 S. Broadway

Credit: Wally Gobetz

The Cherry Cricket

The 1950s-era neon sign standing tall above the door of the Cherry Cricket might be as iconic as the food at Denver’s most popular burger joint. As you step inside, you leave the upscale Cherry Creek North shopping district behind and settle into the Cricket’s homey sports bar vibe, with a wide range of Colorado craft beers on tap and a menu of both standard and creative specialty burgers, with toppings like peanut butter, mac and cheese and bacon jalapeño jam. While no one knows for sure where the name Cherry Cricket came from, it’s one everyone in Denver has known for almost eight decades.

2641 E. 2nd Ave.

Jerusalem

This small but mighty restaurant at the corner of Evans and High Street has been introducing Denverites to the world of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine for 46 years. Founded by Said and Urayb Wahdan, who immigrated to the U.S. from Jerusalem, the late-night hotspot has a menu full of traditional recipes handed down through generations, including baba ghanouj, fattoush, tabbouleh, stuffed grape leaves and more. If you’re looking for a place where the atmosphere will delight your senses as much as the food, this is it.

1890 E. Evans Ave.

Credit: Jeffrey Beall

The Buckhorn Exchange 

Credit: Jeffrey Beall

A visit to the Buckhorn Exchange, established in 1893 and considered Denver’s oldest restaurant, is as much as about taking in the ambiance of the Old West as it is partaking in its meaty menu including steak, bison, elk, ostrich, rattlesnake and, its specialty, Rocky Mountain oysters. A National Historic Landmark, the Exchange was founded by Henry H. “Shorty Scout” Zietz—who was lifelong friends with Buffalo Bill Cody and Chief Sitting Bull—and is known for its taxidermy collection of more than 500 animals and birds and display of museum-quality memorabilia from Colorado’s early days. Visitors over the years included not only silver barons, railroad workers and Native American chiefs, but also a parade of celebrities and five American presidents, from Teddy Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan. 

1000 Osage St.