On September 8, New York Times published its annual list of the 50 best restaurants around the United States. Last year, three Centennial State spots made the cut to be included – Yuan Wonton, Sap Sua, and Meander Eatery. With this year’s announcement, two different spots were featured – one located in Denver and another in Grand Junction.

With a 4.9-star rating on Google Reviews, Mezcaleria Alma was one spot that was highlighted on the New York Times list. The sister restaurant to the acclaimed Michelin-starred Alma Fonda Fina, Mezcaleria Alma is designed to capture “the vibrant spirit of Mexico City with CDMX-inspired small plates and an extensive Mexican spirits program.” A key focus of the restaurant is seafood, exemplified by its tostada de toro dish, though other protein options like duck, pork belly, and New York strip are regulars on the menu, too. It’s not difficult to find numerous online reviews from patrons claiming their experience at Mezcaleria Alma was ‘the best dining experience ever had.’

The second pick from New York Times might be a bit more surprising, considering that it’s located on the far western edge of the state in a region where the local food scene doesn’t get much attention compared to that of Front Range metro.

Bin 707 in Grand Junction (also known as Bin 707 Foodbar) was also featured by the publication, which moved to a new location in the heart of the city last year. The spot is perhaps best described as offering ‘New American’ cuisine, though that might be a bit vague – the menu features an eclectic mix representing many cultures around the world from hushpuppies to pizza to a pork chop with mole to chicken liver mousse toast.

Bin 707 has a 4.6-star rating on Google, with a few fan favorites being the burger, fried artichoke hearts, and elk tartare. It seems hard to go wrong here, though, with the chef and owner being Josh Niernberg, who was a semifinalist for the ‘James Beard Outstanding Chef’ award in 2025, 2023, and 2022.

What’s another Colorado restaurant that deserves to be featured on the New York Times list? Let us know in the comments.

Find the full New York Times list of the country’s 50 best restaurants here.