As I reflect on the past year’s meals, curating my list of favorite dishes is always a delight. It’s a chance to revisit the moments of joy, surprise, and comfort I’ve experienced dining out.
So, what makes a dish a “favorite”? This year, I’m focusing on those that sparked a sense of wonder or unexpected ease – the ones that ground you in the experience and leave you coming back for more. These dishes often become a restaurant’s signature, the kind that make you feel connected to the kitchen and curious about where the chef will take you next.
The criteria for the list included:
- 2024 was the first year I tried this particular dish
- Restaurant does not appear on my Best New Restaurants of Denver 2024 list
Italian Baguette Sandwich at Bakery Four
More than a few desk jockeys know how quickly a great lunch can turn around a bad day – but finding a go-to spot? That’s the trickiest part. Those already keyed into Bakery Four’s baguette sandwiches are likely feeling smug that their hunt for something reliably delicious is over. Available Wed – Sun starting at 10:30am, once you grab one, you’ll need both hands to crack these crusty bread behemoths into manageable halves. On my last visit, I went with the Italian: a pleasingly tangy baguette piled with Riverbear ham, coppa, and lomo, pickled apple and red onion slaw, and arugula. Even if you make your first bite a big one, the calabrian chile mayo will squeeze out the sides and onto your palms. But hey, isn’t that what napkins are for?
Arctic Char at Stone Cellar Bistro
Fish skin is the sort of thing my grandma always insists I eat because it’s packed with vitamins and minerals. I dutifully consumed it without much thought, never demanding more than it simply be edible. That is, until the Arctic char at Stone Cellar Bistro made me realize the folly of my utilitarian expectations. Prepared separately to achieve a parchment paper-like texture, the skin is carefully placed back onto the cooked fish, perfectly aligned as if it had never been removed. While the smoked mussel chowder and a side salad of perfectly cooked greens with bacon and sunchoke made fine companions, I couldn’t stop admiring the crispy skin. When the light hit just right, it shimmered like a glittering sea jewel, before being broken off and eaten as the perfect smoky-charred complement to the tender fish.
Rye Tagliatelle at Pasque
Ian Wortham enjoys the creative freedom pasta offers. With diners more open to unconventional flavors when it comes to noodle-based dishes, there’s room to experiment. The dish combines the comfort of beef stroganoff with a Middle Eastern twist in the form of a lamb ragu with a hint of cumin, all grounded by the nutty rye tagliatelle. The cheese was recently swapped from feta to ricotta salata, bringing the dish closer to its Italian roots, while fresh mint adds balance. So twirl that pasta well – you’ll want to get a little bit of everything with each bite.
Wildflower Focaccia at Wildflower
We may have hit peak bread course a few years ago, but the focaccia at Wildflower has me appreciating it all over again. The bread delivers the aromatic flavor of rosemary in every spongy bite. Each slice is crowned with a single preserved tomato, offering concentrated umami and acidity to balance the herby bread. A quenelle of whipped garlic butter completes the dish, inviting you to spread it into every nook and cranny for an irresistible finish.
Seasonal Pasta at Nest Café at Nurture
A friend brought me to Nest Café at Nurture for smoothies, but it was the seasonal pasta that won me over. As someone who dines out often, it’s rare to feel both satisfied and light, but this seasonal pasta hits that sweet spot. The confit-garlic sauce, coating brown rice fusilli and roasted vegetables, is so crave-worthy you’ll want to figure out how you can make industrial amounts of it at home. It’s healthy, comforting, and surprisingly satisfying, making this café the perfect spot to work remotely while enjoying a delicious dish.
Pastelito de Natilla at Café Tres
Michael Magluta Solis, founder of Café Tres, comes from a family of bakers who opened one of Miami’s first Cuban bakeries. After moving to Denver in 2014 and struggling to regularly find Cuban pastries, he opened his own shop. While his regular pastelitos menu offers classic fillings like guava and ham and cheese, the natilla special is worth grabbing a couple extra to share with friends (or keep for yourself, I won’t judge). The pastry, with its beautifully twisted, flaky layers, gets a dollop of the vanilla custard and is finished with a dusting of cinnamon. It pairs perfectly with an espresso or dark coffee. After a successful run at the City Park Farmers Market, Café Tres pastries are now available at Nowhere Coffee during the off-season.
Pear Compote and Vegan Bagel Sandwiches at Odell’s Bagel
Odell’s Bagel takes a distinctly American take on the open-faced sandwich. The hand-rolled, naturally-leavened bagels boast a taut, golden exterior and a chewy crumb with just the right amount of resistance. For the sandwiches, they’re cut in half and topped generously like a round Jewish smørrebrød. Even the simplest-sounding combinations are deceptively complex: a sesame bagel topped with pear compote delivers a honeyed tang that pairs beautifully with silky cream cheese, while chopped shiso leaves add a bright, aromatic finish. On the savory side, the vegan carrot lox is a revelation – thinly sliced, perfectly smoked, and an eerily convincing facsimile for the fish. These aren’t just bagel toppings; they’re full-fledged meals, thoughtfully layered on perfect halves.
Chilled Tofu at Uncle
The beauty of the dish is evident as soon as it arrives. Silky white bars float in a rich brown sauce, with a bridge of wakame — the satiny seaweed with a crisp briny flavor — and finely diced scallions connecting them. The coolness of the tofu balances the slick soy vinaigrette, offering a refreshing contrast, while toasted puffed pearls crackle and crumble into fine powder as they dance around your mouth. Simple yet stunning, this dish will make you fall in love with the ingredients (and perhaps the person who ordered it for you) if you haven’t already.
Wings at Point Easy
When I first spotted them on a neighboring table, I immediately flagged down our server and asked how I could get an order of whatever they were eating. I thought it was a whole chicken, but it turned out to be the happy hour wings. There’s no delicate way to eat these, so roll up your sleeves, dive in, and place your napkin to the side of your plate for easy hand wiping. The sticky fish caramel that coats the wings eventually gets all over your fingers and palms as you bite into the juicy meat. Once finished with our set, the server came by with some humorously small wet wipes. Instead, I had to hose myself down in the bathroom to avoid stamping the crisp white tablecloths with orange-colored handprints – but at least I was already supremely satisfied with my meal. I can still remember the scent and crispy texture of the garlic topping.