Last week, five of Colorado’s top restaurants were bestowed with a unique honor, earning the state’s first-ever Michelin stars. Three of the gourmet eateries are clustered in Denver—home to Inspirato headquarters—with one restaurant in Boulder and one in Aspen also nabbing top honors.
The culinary scene has been growing in the mountain west in recent years, garnering attraction from the Michelin Guide for the very first time this year. Each year, Michelin releases its rankings of notable restaurants around the world, a tradition dating back to 1900 when the French tire company crafted its first annual tourism guide designed to help French motorists know where to eat and stay on road trips.
Today, restaurants around the world compete for a chance to earn and retain a coveted Michelin star—or three. According to the website, one star is awarded to a restaurant that’s “worth a stop,” two stars for one that’s “worth a detour,” and three stars for a restaurant that’s “worth a special journey.”
Michelin stars are awarded based on five key criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, personality of the chef in the cuisine, harmony of flavors, and consistency across the menu and over time.
Learn more about the five newly minted Michelin-starred restaurants in Colorado below. And, during your next Inspirato vacation to Denver or Aspen, ask your Destination Concierge to help you secure reservations to one of these lauded eateries.
Beckon, Denver
A contemporary restaurant in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood, Beckon releases menus quarterly in concurrence with the changing seasons. The guide noted that its seared quail breast with confit leg was “spot on.”
Bosq, Aspen
Dining at Bosq is a unique experience, as patrons can customize their own four-, five-, or nine-course tasting menus. Located in the heart of Aspen’s quaint downtown, Bosq is family owned and run by James Beard-nominated chef and owner Barclay Dodge along with his wife Molly.
Brutø, Denver
This Mexican-contemporary restaurant, nestled in the LoDo neighborhood of Denver, specializes in seasonal, core ingredients crafted with little to no waste. The menus are crafted around grain, fermentation, and chiles—local flour, masa, and corn is milled on site.
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder
The only Boulder restaurant to have nabbed a coveted star, Frasca is an upscale Italian spot praised for its straightforward entrees like halfmoon fresh spinach pasta. The restaurant draws inspiration from the rugged sub-alpine region of northeast Italy.
The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver
The monthly rotating menu at this Highlands neighborhood eatery takes diners on an innovative, multi-course international tour, with dishes inspired by Nordic, Italian, and East Asian cuisines.
