9 Best Denver Airport Restaurants To Try Before Your Next Flight
Gone are the days when airport food choices consisted of a dry, questionable ham and cheese sandwich from Hudson News or a $20 burger with the texture of a hockey puck from the sports bar closest to your gate. Airports all over the United States are getting hip to the fact that travelers are ready for higher-quality dining options, and Denver International Airport is no exception. With Denver's population steadily climbing and airport traffic projected to hit 120 million yearly travelers by 2030 (per Governing), the 30-year-old airport is long overdue for some infrastructural upgrades. Major renovations to DEN's main terminal and C concourse may be inconvenient for travelers, but the addition of some killer local restaurants is well worth the nuisance, if you ask me.
I've been a Denverite since 2018, and as someone who travels fairly frequently for both business and fun, I've been thrilled to see some of my favorite Denver haunts opening outposts in the airport. There's something for everyone, whether you're hankering for an early morning bagel after passing through security, popping into a local brewery for a lunch beer before boarding, or seeking a full-on steakhouse to pass the time during a lengthy layover. While this list is not an all-encompassing collection of every restaurant and bar at DEN, I have personally visited most of these restaurants and believe them to be the cream of the crop. The next time you find yourself flying to or from Denver, here's where you should be eating at the airport.
Bar Dough
From upscale concepts like A5 Steakhouse to ultra-Instagrammable hotspots like Señor Bear, Culinary Creative Group has brought some magnificent new dining experiences to the greater Denver area, and more recently, to Denver International Airport. In addition to Aviano Coffee and Mister Oso (a sister restaurant to Señor Bear), weary travelers can now chow down on gourmet Italian cuisine at Bar Dough's airport outpost near the C gates.
The original Bar Dough opened its doors in 2015 in the bustling, trendy Highland neighborhood and is one of the best spots for pizza in Denver. Its current Executive Chef, Stefy Devita, spent years training under Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-decorated chefs, and her knowledge and expertise have helped catapult Bar Dough's high-end Italian cuisine to the top of many Denver foodies' favorite pizza lists.
Although Bar Dough is decidedly low-key, a fine dining element shines through in the brilliant simplicity of Bar Dough's menu, proving that you don't need to drown everything in truffle oil, mutate vegetables into neon-colored foams, or top a pizza with caviar to deliver high-quality dining at a reasonable price point. Open daily from 6 a.m. – 10:30 p.m., Bar Dough's airport outpost is an excellent choice for families with kids (hello, pizza and pasta!), groups of friends, or solo travelers looking for a laid-back, yet elevated, bite and beer.
(303) 342-6623
Mercantile
Sustainability in fine dining is a beautiful thing, and James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Seidel integrates it seamlessly in his elegant but unassuming restaurant, Mercantile. By fostering relationships with Colorado-based farmers, ranchers, and other vendors, Mercantile slings plates that capture the wild, rugged spirit of the West and showcase the state's diverse plant and animal life. While the original location in Denver's LoHi neighborhood is thriving, Mercantile opened a second location at DEN in 2022.
Located in the A concourse at Denver International Airport, Mercantile is open daily from 6 a.m. till midnight, making it a fabulous option for both early morning and late-night travelers. On the breakfast menu, you'll find everything from a simple fresh fruit bowl to thoughtfully designed plates like a croissant sandwich (eggs, bacon jam, cheese, and chili crisp) and a pork belly biscuit with fried eggs and gravy. Shareable plates like the charcuterie-style market provision board or lamb meatballs are a great way to experience a bit of everything. If you're dining solo, the Korean fried chicken sandwich is a treat, or spring for pan-seared halibut or the Angus strip loin if you're starved.
(303) 668-8324
Tocabe
Considering how delicious indigenous food is, it's kind of shocking how few restaurants in the United States specialize in this type of cuisine. In fact, despite Colorado's significant indigenous population, there is only one indigenous-owned and operated restaurant in the Denver metro area. Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery opened its doors in 2008 and has been cranking out incredible indigenous food with a modern twist ever since. Tocabe operates similarly to Chipotle — customers order from a counter and choose a meal style (fry bread taco, salad, stuffed fry bread, or nachos), then deck out their plates with toppings galore.
Tocabe has experienced a lot of well-deserved praise over the years, including shoutouts in the New York Times and on the Travel Channel. In April 2025, Tocabe opened up a location in the A concourse of Denver International Airport. Beleaguered travelers passing through DEN can now perk up with options like a fry bread taco loaded up with braised, shredded bison, Osage hominy, and sweet corn, or munch on a melting pot salad with grilled chicken, roasted green chiles, and elderberry vinaigrette while waiting at the gate. Don't skip a cup of Iko's green chile stew, and the dessert fry bread nuggets are not to be missed.
(303) 642-6725
ChoLon Modern Asian
When Chef Lon Symensma left the hustle and bustle of NYC for the far more low-key Denver, he knew he wanted to combine his fine dining skills and knowledge of Southeast Asian cuisine, and thus, ChoLon Modern Asian was born in Denver's hip LoDo area in 2010. ChoLon quickly rose to prominence as a favorite in the Denver foodie community, serving up spectacular Asian fusion dishes like the infamous French onion soup dumplings, crispy chicken spring rolls, and kaya crème brûlée with soy ice cream. ChoLon earned a coveted James Beard Award nomination for best new restaurant in 2011, just a year after opening, and has continued to garner recognition from esteemed publications such as Westword, Food & Wine, and 5280 Magazine.
In the last decade and a half, Symensma and his team have opened a number of additional restaurants under the ChoLon Restaurant Concepts Umbrella, including a ChoLon outpost at Denver International Airport in December 2024. If you're seeking something fresh and unique while passing through the Denver airport, this is the spot. Snack on crispy lentil crackers with tomato-chili jam, dive into Thai Brussels sprouts with minced pork, or give the Vietnamese breakfast sandwich a whirl — you really can't go wrong at this modern Asian fusion eatery.
(303) 342-6726
The Bagel Deli & Restaurant
Three generations of the same family have owned and operated Bagel Deli since 1967, and it is arguably one of the most iconic sandwich shops in Colorado. The Bagel Deli has an adorably quirky and wholesome history. Many of its staff members stay on for years, if not decades, and the humble shop has earned recognition and acclaim ranging from a feature on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" to a proclamation of "Bagel Deli Day" by Governor John Hickenlooper in 2017.
Serving Jewish deli classics like bagels and lox, matzo ball soup, and killer pastrami sandwiches, The Bagel Deli has been capturing hearts for over 50 years, and now, Denverites and travelers to the Mile High City can get their fix without even leaving the airport, as the Bagel Deli opened a second location at Denver International Airport in late April 2025.
Conveniently located in the A concourse, Bagel Deli is open from 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily, making it a prime option for early-morning travelers. Those who don't want to settle for a microwaved breakfast sandwich from Starbucks can now feast on fresh bagels and several cream cheese options (plus lox), but don't let the business's name fool you; the deli's offerings don't stop with bagels. Indulge in Bagel Deli's fried matzah with preserves or honey, take an adventure by way of the cold beet borscht, or — if you're really hungry — challenge yourself with the hot corned beef, pastrami, brisket, and Swiss cheese sandwich.
(303) 642-6725
Elway's
If you're in a rush at the airport, a full-on steak dinner probably isn't something you're going to have time to do. However, if you have a flight delay or long layover at DEN and want to kick off (or end) your vacation in style, there's no better place than Elway's. Arguably one of the best steakhouses in Denver, Elway's was opened in the upscale Cherry Creek neighborhood in 2004 by former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway and his business partner, Tim Schmidt. While the original location was sadly shuttered in 2024, the Elway's brand still has a strong presence in Colorado with locations in downtown Denver, Vail, and two separate restaurants (one in concourse A, the other in B) at Denver International Airport.
Both Elway's Taproom and Grill (A gates) and the standard Elway's (B gates) are open from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m., meaning jet-lagged DEN travelers can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at this Denver staple. Enjoy Elway's signature Bloody Mary with steak and eggs or short rib breakfast enchiladas, a glass of crisp pinot grigio with a lunch of roasted corn and chicken chowder, or the delightful Asian chicken salad; or go all out with the Colorado burger (green chiles, asadoro cheese, and an over-easy egg) or a USDA prime filet for dinner. Don't forget to check out Elway's DIA beverage list — the outposts in both the A and B terminals offer wine and beer alongside classic and signature cocktails and mocktails.
(303) 228-0747
Root Down
When it comes to culinary groups changing the landscape of the Denver dining scene, Edible Beats should not be overlooked. The 100% employee-owned group is responsible for operating some of the Mile High City's most sought-after hotspots, including Linger, El Five, Vital Root, and Root Down. Each one of these fabulous restaurants is a vibe and a half, and since 2013, the Edible Beats team has been slinging delicious, sustainably sourced bites via Root Down at DIA. Root Down's airport branch is a full-service restaurant occupying an impressive 4,000-square-foot space in the C concourse. As is customary for Edible Beats' concepts, Root Down at DIA is decked out with vibrant colors, eye-catching accents, and an overall funky atmosphere — it's nearly enough to make you forget you're in an airport.
Open from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m., Root Down specializes in globally inspired cuisine with both breakfast/brunch and all-day lunch and dinner menu options. Chow down on churro French toast with pineapple jam and a mimosa (or two) before an early morning flight. Stop in for a Mile High Margarita and chickpea pozole for lunch. Tear into a banh mi turkey burger, black bean arepas, or green chile cornbread bites during a dinnertime layover. Don't forget to finish off with a giant Oreo topped with mascarpone cream for dessert. A major bonus is the restaurant's commitment to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options — while there's plenty of meat, dairy, and gluten to be found for those who want it, Root Down is a tremendous option for travelers with food allergies, dietary restrictions, or special preferences.
ediblebeats.com/restaurants/root-down
(303) 342-6959
Uncle
Colorado winters may not hold a candle to those in the northern states and Canada, but Denver experiences plenty of frigid temps... and what's more comforting on a cold winter night than a piping hot bowl of ramen? There are plenty of ramen shops to be found in the Mile High City, but Uncle is hands-down one of the absolute best spots for ramen in Denver. Uncle opened the doors to its humble LoHi establishment in 2012, quickly gaining repeat customers with vibrant shareable plates, legendary bao buns, and unbelievable broths. Uncle's operators focused on attracting customers with high-quality food rather than a dizzying ambience curated for social media — a simple strategy that's paid off in a big way.
The restaurant is a local legend and now has a second location in Washington Park as well as an outpost at the airport. Uncle's airport location can be found in the A terminal, and unlike its Denver metro stores, which are not open for breakfast or lunch, Uncle at DEN is open from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.. Unfortunately, an official menu for Uncle's airport restaurant could not be found online, but in 2022, when What Now Denver asked owner Tommy Lee about what breakfast at a ramen restaurant might look like, Lee mused, "I think we'll just have a couple of items that are breakfast-centric. But also, in Japan, ramen is eaten for breakfast." Likely, Uncle's airport shop serves many of the favorites from the Denver stores, such as the Chinese eggplant steamed buns, the chilled tofu shared plate, or the delightfully complex duck ramen.
(303) 342-6645
D Bar
Flight delays, cancellations, lost luggage, temperamental personnel — whether you're a JetBlue loyalist who always springs for first class, or snatching up $39 flights from Spirit (we don't judge, but we pray for your back and your sanity), travel can be a stressful affair. In times of stress, many of us turn to comfort foods, and if you're looking for comfort food at Denver International Airport, D Bar is a no-brainer. D Bar was conceptualized by the Food Network-famous Chef Keegan Gerhard and his business partner, Lisa Bailey, in Denver's cozy Uptown neighborhood in 2008. The Uptown location shuttered in 2024, but the concept lives on through the business's second restaurant in Central Park and, as of April 2025, at DEN.
The "D" in D Bar stands for drinks, dining, and dessert, and you'll find all three in abundance at this fun, laid-back restaurant. Although D Bar is known for its desserts (in fact, we named it one of the best bakeries for chocolate cake in the United States), the restaurant also features a large selection of fun and creative breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner plates. D Bar does not list its airport location's menu online, but DEN's official website asserts that it sells both desserts and classic comfort foods. Assuming the menu at DEN is similar to that of the store in Central Park, travelers passing through Denver may enjoy menu items like a French farmhouse breakfast casserole, pizza salad sandwich (a personal favorite of mine), or blackhawk wagyu beef sliders — and it's definitely worth stopping by if you need something sweet, like a boozy gelato milkshake or a gelato panini. D Bar at DEN can be found in the A concourse, and is open from 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.
(303) 642-6725
Methodology
Since moving to Denver, Colorado, in 2018, I've been traveling more than ever, which means I spend quite a bit of time sitting at Denver International Airport. In the last few years, I've noticed more and more restaurants opening up at DEN, and to my delight, it's not just chains — quite a few of my favorite local restaurants now have a location at the airport. I selected the restaurants on this list primarily based on my own experiences. I have personally visited either the Denver or DEN locations of every restaurant on this list except for Elway's and Mercantile, both of which I've heard fantastic things about and hope to try soon.
Of all the dining choices in my home airport, it is my opinion that these nine eateries have the most creative and tasty food, excellent cocktails, fabulous staff, and unique ambience. I am also very passionate about sustainability in the food and restaurant industry, and found my way to several of these eateries based on their commitment to sustainable practices. I would gladly eat at any of these restaurants again and enthusiastically recommend them to any fellow foodie travelers.