If recent accolades are any indication, The Mile High City is quickly gaining recognition as one of the best cities in the nation for food and drink. The gourmands at Zagat ranked Denver fourth on their list of the "30 Most Exciting Food Cities in America in 2017," above traditional gastronomic heavy hitters like New York and New Orleans. WalletHub followed suit in 2019, ranking Denver No. 15 on their list of the "Best Foodie Cities in America."

Denver is also known for its craft beer scene, gracing nearly every list of the top beer cities in the U.S.

Whether you want to grab a bite from a food truck, sip cocktails at a Prohibition-style speakeasy, or treat yourself at a restaurant helmed by a James Beard award winner, you can fulfill all your foodie dreams in Denver. But with so many options — and only so many meals in a day — it can be tough to choose! Luckily, these food and drink tours let you sample a smorgasbord of the city’s culinary delights. 

 

Stranahan's was the first distillery in Colorado since Prohibition. It began when volunteer firefighter Jess Graber responded to a barn fire in Woody Creek, Colo., and met the owner, George Stranahan.

Stranahan was Hunter S. Thompson’s friend and neighbor and had already started Flying Dog Brewery in Aspen. Every year, Stranahan distilled some small-batch whiskey for Christmas presents. He and Jess got to talking, and in 2004, they opened Stranahan’s (picking that name because it sounded more like a whiskey than Graber.) 

Today, Stranahan’s distillery offers a variety of tours and guided tastings year-round, explaining the mystery behind the legendary product. 

DELICIOUS DENVER FOOD TOURS

Let a local guide lead you off the beaten path and introduce you to delicious local dishes while dishing about Denver's rich history, art and architecture. Vegetarian tastings are available on all food tours!

Downtown Food Tour
This three-hour tour includes tastings at six downtown Denver eateries, including gourmet hot dogs at one of Forbes’ top 10 hot dog joints in the U.S., authentic Neapolitan pizza from the only pizzeria in Colorado certified by AVPN (the True Neapolitan Pizza Association) in Italy and a visit to a restaurant run by a James Beard Award-winning chef. Wash it all down with three optional alcohol pairings.

Cocktails & Tastes
Visit four of The Mile High City’s best bars on this two-hour roving craft cocktail adventure. You’ll sip five concoctions from some of Denver’s most talented mixologists paired with heavy appetizers to keep you on your feet. 

Food + Beer Tour
The River North Art District (RiNo) is home to some of the city’s favorite restaurants and breweries. Taste authentic wood-fired pizza, fresh sushi-grade poke and ice cream from a shop Food and Wine Magazine named one of the best in the country, along with locally brewed craft beers. Between tastings, you’ll stop to marvel at the neighborhood’s colorful murals and graffiti. 

 

DENVER BREW TOURS

By foot or by bus — there’s no wrong way to explore Denver’s unique brewery scene! 

Walking Microbrewery Tour
Take a stroll through north Denver’s Sunnyside and Lower Highland (LoHi) neighborhoods on this guided, three-hour walking tour. You’ll start with French-inspired sips at Diebolt Brewing Co. and end with authentic German ales and lagers at Prost Brewing Co. Beer tastings are included in the price of the tour. 

Custom Brewery Bus Tour
Craft a custom, private brewery bus tour for up to 14 people. You pick the breweries, and Denver Brew Tours will pick you up and handle the rest! Having a tough time narrowing down your options? Their beer connoisseurs will plot out the perfect tour for your group. Beer and food purchases are not included in the cost of the private bus tour, although many breweries offer deals for tour customers. 

Rafting & Brewery Tour
During the warmer months (mid-May to mid-August), Denver Brew Tours offers a Rafting & Brewery Tour that includes breakfast, a morning of rafting on Clear Creek (one of the best stretches of whitewater in Colorado), lunch and beer. End the day with visits to one or two Denver breweries, where you’ll receive behind-the-scenes tours and tasters. 

LOCAL TABLE TOURS

Visiting and local foodies alike will eat up these neighborhood walking tours from the state’s longest-running food tour operator. All tours feature a rotating list of establishments, which you can view on the website. You’ll find out the itinerary for your excursion at the start of the tour. Most group tours are also available other days of the week as private tours.

A Taste of LoHi Food Tour
Spend a Saturday afternoon strolling along the South Platte River and sampling food and libations around Lower Highland, from craft kombucha to boozy doughnuts to savory empanadas. You may even stop for a drink at the oldest bar in Denver!

A Taste of RiNo Food Tour
Once an abandoned warehouse district, the River North Art District has become the street art capital of the state and home to dozens of rave-worthy restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bars and breweries. Visit an urban winery or cidery, a New York-style Jewish deli or a pizza and oyster restaurant housed in a 640-square-foot shipping container. Finish off your mobile meal with mini cupcakes or gourmet ice cream sandwiches.

Denver Taste of LoDo and Union Station
With dozens of restaurants, bars, breweries and coffeehouses within just a few blocks, Lower Downtown is one of the most rewarding destinations in the city for food lovers. And at the heart of it all: the beautifully restored Denver Union Station. This revamped train station and bus terminal is now a hub for drinks, dining and dessert.

Coffee and Doughnut Tasting Tour
Mid-week slump? Not when you kick off your Wednesday with a morning of coffee and doughnut tasting! Learn the fine art of a carefully crafted cup of coffee from expert baristas and enjoy some of the most unique doughnuts in the city on this caffeine-fueled walking tour.

DENVER MICROBREW TOUR

Explore downtown Denver or the River North Art District on one of these easy, beer-themed walking tours.

RiNo Beer and Graffiti Tour
You’ll taste 10 (or more!) samples at three local breweries and one craft cidery on this tour of Denver’s River North Art District. Along the way, you’ll learn about RiNo’s vibrant street art scene and discover the stories behind some of the neighborhood’s most distinctive murals.

LoDo Craft Beer Tour
Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo) and Ballpark neighborhoods are steeped in history — including the state’s first brewpub! During this 1.5-mile walking tour, you’ll go behind the scenes at four breweries, learn the brewing process and quaff 10 or more local brews.

DENVER LOCAL TOURS

Tap into Denver’s Wild West past on the Whisky, History and Outlaws Tour. On this three-hour walking tour of downtown, you’ll hear tales of the gunfighters, pioneers, con men, bootleggers, smugglers and crime families that helped make The Mile High City what it is today. Choose the drink package, and along the way, you’ll taste craft beer, imbibe expertly made cocktails and wrap things up with a whiskey/bourbon tasting at the finest modern saloon in town.

ASPIRE TOURS BREWS & VIEWS 

Get out of town! No, really — get out of town on this four-hour scenic tour to three mountain breweries. Your friendly and knowledgeable tour guide and driver will pick up your group at Denver Union Station and whisk you into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. You’re guaranteed breathtaking mountain views and taste bud-tickling brews at each stop. The first round of beer or tastings at each brewery is included in the tour price.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOOD TOURS

Denver doesn’t hold a monopoly on delicious dining options! Colorado Springs — just an hour south of Denver — also has plenty to offer foodophiles. 

The Original Colorado Springs Food Tour
During this three-hour walking tour, you’ll visit some of the most loved restaurants in downtown Colorado Springs, including a speakeasy, a celebrity chef’s restaurant, an underground bar, the Springs’ top fine dining restaurant and more. Enjoy up to 10 generous food tastings while learning about the history of the town and nearby Pikes Peak. Upgrade your tour ticket to receive three drink pairings.

Signature Cocktail Tour
This luxe happy hour tour is perfect for cocktail enthusiasts. Visit Colorado Springs’ most exclusive speakeasy to learn about the history of Prohibition in the West, watch as mixologists showcase their craft and learn how to make classic cocktails at home. This boozy, 2.5-hour walking tour includes four outstanding libations paired with four savory appetizers. 

Pikes Peak Progressive Dinner
If fine dining is more your style, then this is the tour for you! This four-course movable feast focuses on some of Colorado Springs’ top restaurants, with two appetizers, one entrée and one seasonal dessert, along with preset wine or beer pairings with each course. Try a dish that celebrity Chef Brother Luck prepared on the 2019 season of Bravo’s "Top Chef," and visit The Famous Steak House, voted the No. 1 fine dining restaurant in Colorado Springs in 2018.