Denver Airport 101: Where to eat and drink at DEN
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the United States by land size and the fifth busiest in the country, serving some 64 million passengers each year. United and Frontier both use the airport as a hub and it's a focus city for Southwest Airlines.
Although the airport (code DEN, though often referred to as DIA) has some solid lounges, none of their food offerings are enough to count as a meal. Anyone looking for preflight grub will need to visit one of Denver Airport's restaurants or bars. You might not find caviar or a high-end 24/7 bakery, but this airport definitely isn't a wasteland of fast-food joints and far-from-fresh fare.
Related: Denver Airport 101: A guide to the lounges at DEN
Here's a look at some of Denver Airport's best bars and eateries that will dazzle your palate. Presecurity restaurant options are temporarily limited because of renovation of Jeppesen Terminal, the main landside part of the airport. There are plenty of choices airside and we've included options for all three of DEN's concourses, which are connected airside so it's relatively easy to travel between them.
Related: 10 airport restaurants so good you won't want to leave the terminal
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Concourse A
Breckenridge Brewery
Location: Near gate A71
Hours: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, wine and beer
Price: $$
Pro tip: If you're feeling adventurous, try the Beer-mosa, which is the White Ale topped with orange juice, or the Vanilla Porter with a kick of raspberry syrup.
Brother's BBQ
Location: Near gate A71
Hours: 9 a.m.–4 p.m; closed Saturday and Sunday
Cuisine: American, quick-serve
Price: $$
Chef Jimmy's Bistro & Spirits
Location: Center core
Hours: 6 a.m.–12 a.m.
Cuisine: American, Italian, full bar
Price: $$
Denver Central Market
Location: Near gate A48
Hours: 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, healthy-choice, Italian, sushi, vegetarian, quick-serve
Price: $$
Pro tip: If you've been to Denver Central Market in the city's RiNo neighborhood, this outpost should feel familiar. There are simplified versions of Sushi-Rama, Vero Pizza and Pasta, SK Provisions and Culture Meat, and you really can't go wrong with any of them.
Denver Chophouse
Location: Center core
Hours: 5:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, steaks, full bar
Price: $$$
Mesa Verde Bar & Grill
Location: Mezzanine
Hours: 6 a.m.–9 p.m.
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex, vegetarian, full bar
Price: $$
Pro tip: Sample Mesa Verde's massive tequila selection by ordering a tequila flight.
Snarf's Sandwiches
Location: Near gate A73
Hours: 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, vegetarian, gluten-free, quick-serve
Price: $
Pro tip: Order one of Snarf's specialty sandwiches and pair it with a lager from the Breckenridge Brewery next door.
Vino Volo
Location: Near gate A49
Hours: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Additional restaurants in Concourse A include: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, Caribou Coffee, Dunkin' Donuts, Freshëns Fresh Food Studio, KFC Express/Pizza Hut Express, Lavazza, McDonald's, Panda Express and Quiznos.
Concourse B
Crú Food and Wine Bar
Location: Near gate B51
Hours: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, wine and beer
Price: $$
Elway's
Location: Center core
Hours: 7 a.m.–11 p.m.
Cuisine: American, steaks, full bar
Price: $$$
Pro tip: Signature dishes include hand-cut, aged USDA prime steaks, but Elway's staple Smash Burger is great too.
Lounge 5280 Wine Bar
Location: Mezzanine
Hours: 8 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Modern Market
Location: Center core
Hours: 5:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
Cuisine: American, healthy-choice, vegetarian, quick-serve
Price: $
New Belgium Brewing
Location: Near gate B30
Hours: 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, family-friendly, full bar
Price: $$
New Belgium Hub
Location: Near gate B80
Hours: 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, family-friendly, full bar
Price: $$
Additional restaurants in Concourse B include: Aviator's Sports Bar & Bar-B-Que, Cantina Grill, Caribou Coffee, Chick-fil-A, City Wok, Etai's, Heidi's Brooklyn Deli, Jamba Juice, McDonald's, Pizza Hut Express/Haagen Daz, Pour La France!, Qdoba Mexican Eats, Que Bueno! Mexican Grille, Rocky Mountain Café, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Sara Lee Sandwich Shoppe/Colombo Frozen Yogurt, Smashburger & Bar, Starbucks Coffee, Steve's Snappin' Dogs, Wetzel's Pretzels, Wolfgang Puck and Woody Creek Bakery & Café
Concourse C
Great Divide Brewing
Location: Near gate C32
Hours: 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Pro tip: Great Divide is known best for its brews, but there are some tasty dishes on the menu as well, such as the Yeti Braised Short Rib Tacos and the Farmhouse Ale Chicken, both of which incorporate Great Divide's craft beer into the ingredients.
Little Man Ice Cream
Location: Near gate C27
Hours: 6 a.m.–9 p.m.
Cuisine: Snacks and sweet treats
Price: $
Pro tip: Little Man Ice Cream is a Denver icon. It's known best for its ice cream "Sammie's" (aka ice cream sandwiches) and boozy shakes, such as the Whiskey Apple Pie, Oreo Java Spiced Rum and Illuminati Shake.
Modern Market
Location: Near gate C28
Hours: 5 a.m.–9 p.m.
Cuisine: American, healthy-choice, vegetarian, quick-serve
Price: $
Root Down
Location: Center core
Hours: 7 a.m.–9 p.m.
Cuisine: American, gluten-free, healthy-choice, vegetarian, full bar
Price: $$
Pro tip: Root Down offers the biggest selection for vegetarians and vegans traveling through DEN.
Tapas Sky Bar
Location: Near gate C24
Hours: 7 a.m.–11 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Timberline Steaks & Grille
Location: Center core
Hours: 6 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Pro tip: As of Oct. 15, 2019, Timberline is no longer a part of the Priority Pass program.
Vino Volo
Location: Near gate A49
Hours: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Additional restaurants in Concourse C include: Auntie Anne's, Big Bowl, Caribou Coffee, Coors Silver Bullet Bar, Dazbog Coffee, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Jamba Juice, McDonald's, Smashburger & Bar, Starbucks Coffee, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, The Magic Pan, Villa Pizza and Woody Creek Bakery & Café.
Jeppesen Terminal
Boulder Beer Tap House
Location: Level 5 west
Hours: 7 a.m.–11 p.m.
Cuisine: American, wine and beer
Price: $$
Red Rocks Bar & BBQ
Location: Level 5 east
Hours: 8 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cuisine: American, full bar
Price: $$
Additional restaurants in the Jeppesen Terminal include: Cantina Grill, Rocky Mountain Café and Subway. More presecurity restaurant options will return once the Great Hall renovation is complete.
Bottom line
For a city with a reputation for being health-conscious, the Denver Airport has a surprising amount of fast food. Every concourse has a Caribou Coffee and a McDonald's. You'll also find your usual KFC, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Panda Express and Wetzel's Pretzels.
However, as you can see, the airport also offers a lot more. Local eateries like Denver Central Market, Snarf's Sandwiches and Root Down offer plenty of healthy and vegetarian-friendly options. For something more upscale, there's the Denver Chophouse and Elway's. In true Colorado style, the airport also boasts a whopping six breweries so you definitely won't go thirsty here.
Related: The best credit cards for restaurants and dining out
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