Sure, you’ll find all the standard foodie staples in the Mile High City — burgers, pizza, steak, sushi — but there are also plenty of out-of-the-ordinary eats.
Buckhorn Exchange
The Wild West certainly lives on at this Denver institution! Opened well over a century ago, Buckhorn Exchange is Denver's oldest restaurant. Here, you can try fried alligator tail, red chile marinated rattlesnake, elk medallions and, perhaps the house specialty for the very, very brave, Rocky Mountain oysters.
The Fort Restaurant
For the ultimate Colorado delicacy, head to The Fort Restaurant in Morrison and order the Rocky Mountain oysters. You’ll also find roasted bison marrow bones, buffalo tongue on crostini and antelope, rabbit and rattlesnake sausage on the menu.
Machete Tequila + Tacos
Huitlacoche, also known as corn smut, is a fungus that grows on corn after rainstorms. It's considered a delicacy for its unique taste — a cross between a truffle and sweet corn kernels. Try it in the Huitlacoche Quesadilla at one of Machete's three Denver locations.
La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal
If you’re lucky, you’ll hit James Beard-nominated chef Jose Avila’s LoDo restaurant during his Festival de Bichos (Festival of Bugs) menu, when crickets, ants, scorpions and worms are the stars of the menu. Even if you miss the insects, the five variations of pozole made with house-nixtamalized corn are all very special.
Captions: Buckhorn Exchange and roasted bison marrow bones at The Fort.