Passionate locals share their love of food and drink on these Denver food tours
Denver Food Tours! Denver has a fascinating history. Founded as a mining hub in the 1800s, it quickly became a social and economic hub, and emblem of Colorado culture. However, the first permanent building in Denver was not a home or a bank, but a saloon, ready to welcome travellers and locals alike with heavy mugs filled to the brim with beer.
Denver may have come a long way since the Gold Rush, developing its reputation as one of the most beautiful and most liveable cities in America. Yet one thing has certainly stayed the same. A love for food, drink, and community has remained at the very heart of Denver culture.
Whether you’re a tourist planning to check out Denver’s best-reputed spots, or a local interested in digging up some hidden gems, our curated guide to Denver’s food, drink, and walking tours are sure to lead you in the right direction.
For an all-American tour, check out the local cuisine in Chicago, Austin and Portland next!
Denver Food Tours
Denver has a diverse culinary scene that represents the city’s innovation and multiculturalism. Following this idea, our list proposes a variety of Denver food tours that embody different parts of the city’s food and drink circuit.
1. Delicious Denver Food Tours
Delicious Denver Food Tours (calendar) offer you an introduction to Denver’s rich history, while providing insight into the city’s dynamic food scene. Take their Downtown Food Tour, for example. On this tour, you’ll taste signature Downtown Denver staples, including gourmet hot dogs, Southwestern fusion cuisine, and bites from award-winning kitchens. As you can tell by the variety of their food selection, Delicious Denver Food Tours make sure to mix sophisticated high-culture and delicious street food to provide an overarching, all-encompassing Denver experience.
Delicious Denver are the #1 ranked Denver Food Tour company on TripAdvisor, so no matter what tour you chose, you can’t go wrong.
Book Your Tour2. Denver Food Tours
Denver Food Tours always make sure to emphasize connection through their tours. Along the way, not only will you gain insight into Denver’s culinary scene, but you’re also guaranteed to make a few new friends. We suggest their iconic Best of Union Station & LoDo Tour (that’s Lower Downtown, for all you non-Denverites). After exploring Larimer Square, the heart of Denver, your guide will also lead you through classic Denver architecture and food locations. This even includes visiting one of Downtown Denver’s first breweries, and a tasting bite from a James Beard award-winning chef!
If you’re looking for other Denver food tours that are more than just about food, you can also check out their Happy Hour cocktail tour among other options!
3. Local Table Food Tours
Local Table Tours are just what their name implies, an opportunity to feel like a Denver local, if just for a couple hours! Their tours focus on mom-and-pop type establishments, smaller spots that are often ignored on tourist-focused food tours. What this means is that this company’s menu card pairs together unlikely combinations or surprising flavours – in an effort that’s sure to show you a part of Denver (and of your palate) you’ve never seen. If you have a bit of a soft spot for sugar, we encourage you to check out their Coffee and Doughnut Tasting Tour. You’ll learn about the art of coffee making from barista experts and enjoy unique doughnuts and other pastries on this sweet tour.
Of course, an non-ignorable high point of Local Table Tours are their guides. Local Table only hires Denver locals love to eat, and drink, and most importantly, spread the word and recommend places for you to do so. Local Table are also great at planning bigger groups: perfect for a work-get-together, or a birthday hangout! Book on their website today.
4. Etuk Ride
Through Etuk Ride, explore the beauty and friendliness of Denver.. on an tuk-tuk! What? A tuk-tuk, you ask? An open, taxi-style vehicle that allows you to tour the sites of Denver without getting tired! What’s more, Etuk Ride’s tuk-tuks are 100% and made in Denver. So not only are you getting a relaxing way to make your way through the city, you’re also lifting an environmental weight of your shoulders! Among their many tours, we recommend the Drink RiNo Cocktail Crawl. You’ll visit one of the coolest Denver neighbourhood’s and discover Denver’s booming cocktail culture. Of course, if you lean more towards sight-seeing or brewery tours, Etuk has rides for you too! Visit their website to see which Denver experience will suit you best.
Microbrewery Tours, Distillery, Wine Tours, Pub Crawls
Denver is one of America’s great beer cities, with some even calling it the Napa Valley of Beer. Check out the best breweries, as well as distilleries, wineries, and pubs that Denver has to offer through our selection of Denver drink tours!
5. Denver Microbrew Tours
Denver Microbrew Tours pride themselves on offering you an amazing selection of award-winning local beers. Even better, on each tour you get at least 10 samples, meaning that you’ll get a complete perspective of the brewery scene. Of course, all this sampling is also a way to explore the city. On their RiNo Beer and Graffiti Tour, for example, you’ll stroll the streets of the creative River North Art District while taking in gorgeous graffiti and public art. All the while, with a beer or cider in your hand! For similarly immersive experiences in other neighbourhood, you can also take a look at Denver Microbrew Tours’ Downtown tour.
6. Denver Brews Cruise
Denver Brews Cruise take it from the top, and provide a behind-the-scenes perspective into your favourite Denver breweries. On their Downtown Brewery Tour, you’ll spend time at three well-known breweries, where you’ll get the real “Beer 101”. For approximately four hours, your guide will lead you through the beer-making process, all the way from grain mill to empty glass! With over 10 years of business experience, Denver Brews Cruise is also the most trusted brewery tour in Denver. So let them chauffeur you to hidden spots, while you brush up on your Denver beer cred.
7. Stranahan’s
Stranahan’s is the most iconic Colorado whiskey, recognized for a distinctive smooth and flavorful single malt. Every bottle is hand-produced, and made of four ingredients : “100% malted barley, Rocky Mountains water, and time”. If you’ve ever wondered about the craftsmanship of whiskey, or are jumping for the chance to try a unique Denver whiskey, you can visit the Stranahan’s distilleries on their Homegrown Tour. You’ll get a general public tour of the distillery, as well as three tastings of Stranahan’s American Single Malt whiskeys. What’s more, this tour is free for Colorado residents and their guests. If you want to take advantage of being in the hands of experts to learn about other types of local drinks, take a look at their Cocktail class, or Guided Whiskey Tasting among many other options.
8. Mile High Wine Tours
If you’ve been looking for wine-centric Denver tours, Mile High Wine Tours is the one for you. On their Guided Wine Tour, you’ll visit award-winning Denver wineries, as well as sampling a selection of gourmet food. All the while, a knowledgeable guide will chauffeur you from each location in luxury transportation. Mile High specialize in larger groups, making their wine tours the perfect outing for a special event!
Denver Walking Tours
Of course, Denver is a gorgeous city that makes for some great sight-seeing. Here are three interesting Denver tours that are all about unique ways of discovering the city!
9. Centennial Specialty Tours
Centennial Specialty Tours strike a perfect balance between quirky and fun, and promise to be different from any tour you’ve ever taken! For example, you can find the hilarious Craft Beer & Comedy Bus, or appetizing Denver Brunch Bus among their selection. Our personal favourite? The Wake and Bake Brunch Bus. Once you get on the party bus, expect loads of fun as you basically go through a brunch crawl, featuring donuts and biscuit sandwiches, without forgetting to stop at weed dispensaries to pick up custom orders and check out viewable grow rooms along the way. A unique way to remember that cannabis consumption has been legalized in Colorado since 2012!
10. Nightly Spirits
In the mood for something slightly darker? Check out Denver’s first and only Haunted Food Tour. With tours put together by both ghost hunters and foodies, there’s an equal chance of you screaming out of fear, or of delight. You’ll dine in haunted basements and hear eerie ghost stories while nibbling on a diverse menu (Latin American, Irish, upscale Bar, and desserts). Feeling stuffed? Don’t worry, Nightly Spirits also offers Ghost Tour Pub Crawls.
11. Denver Walking Tours
Denver Walking Tours offer you educative journeys through the city’s landmarks, architecture, and history. For a cheap, all-ages activity, check out their Free Denver Walking Tours. These tours will take you along iconic Denver spots, including the Denver Art Museum, Civic Center Park, and State Capitol Building. Also noteworthy are their great Holiday Lights & Sights tour, art-focused Art Unplugged tours, and hour-long Denver mini-tours!
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