By now, it’s no secret that Colorado’s food scene has been popping off in recent years, with several spots earning critical praise from esteemed awards programs like Michelin and James Beard in recent months. That said, the OpenTable ‘top 100 restaurants’ awards relies on a different type of criteria – insights and reviews from the average patron opposed to critics.

When it came to Colorado, five restaurants made the cut to be included among the OpenTable’s ‘top 100’ spots nationwide – not a bad showing for a state that tends to be known for its trails opposed to its cuisine.

Four of those five spots are located in Denver and two of those are the creation of Chef Johnny Curiel, one of the hottest restauranteurs of the West. Of the multiple restaurants Curiel owns and operates, Alma Fonda Fina and Alteno got the OpenTable nod, both of which have earned 4.9 of five stars on the reservation website and both of which specialize in various styles of Mexican cuisine.

With a 4.8-star rating, Guard and Grace from Chef Troy Guard was another OpenTable pick out of Denver, perhaps best described as a modern American steakhouse in a sophisticated space with a large outdoor patio.

Rounding out the four picks out of the Mile High City is a restaurant that comes from the mind of Chef Toshi Kizaki, bearing his namesake – 4.9-star Kizaki is an omakase restaurant where Edomae-style sushi shines. There’s also a full bar at this restaurant, which features some of the best sake options around.

The only spot included on the OpenTable list of ‘100 best restaurants’ is found outside of Denver – Matsuhisa in Vail. With a 4.8-star rating, the Japanese cuisine served up at this spot is sure to have ski country travelers and locals, alike, coming back.

While some states had more spots that made it to the ‘top 100’ list compared to Colorado, only 23 states plus Washington D.C. were included – and that’s saying something. People might not be going to Denver for the food like one might in the case of New York City or Los Angeles, but it’s starting to seem like that won’t be the case for long.

Check out the full OpenTable ‘top 100 restaurants’ list here.

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