17 Best Restaurants in Colorado Springs, CO – Restaurant Clicks

A beautiful and scenic city, Colorado Springs – also referred to as Little London – provides an exquisite backdrop to any vacation or local activity. Surrounded by nature and various wildlife, the city is a place many choose to go back to time and time again.

One thing that is at the top of everyone’s agenda when in Colorado Springs, whether as a local or a visitor on vacation, is where the top places to eat are located and what they serve. To make the search more manageable, I have compiled a list of the best restaurants in Colorado Springs. 

gourmet at a restaurant in colorado springs

Whether it’s Greek food, Italian cuisine, or just a high-quality cafe, I cover them all in this list. With all the options below, you are bound to find a place that fulfills your cravings and your palette! Without further ado, here is my list of the best restaurants in Colorado Springs.

Best Restaurants in Colorado Springs

  1. Lake Terrace Dining Room
  2. Carlos Bistro
  3. The Rabbit Hole
  4. Shuga’s Restaurant
  5. Marigold Cafe & Bakery
  6. Mountain Shadows Restaurant
  7. Garden of the God’s Market & Cafe
  8. La Bella Vita Ristorante Italiano
  9. The Margarita at Pine Creek
  10. Cliff House Dining Room
  11. Urban Egg
  12. Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna
  13. Four by Brother Luck
  14. Caspian Cafe
  15. Summit
  16. Springs Orleans
  17. Ristorante Del Lago

Lake Terrace Dining Room

1 Lake Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: 719-577-5771

Located within the Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs, you can find this beautiful restaurant on the mezzanine level of Broadmoor Main. Along with fantastic food choices, you can take in the gorgeous views of Cheyenne Lake, located right outside the dining room.

This restaurant is only open for breakfast and brunch but is highly regarded for its food options. The dress code is casual, and it is walk-in only, with no reservations accepted. Many diners rave about the European-style baked goods and pastries, and many come just for the Broadmoor Hot Thins and the Rocky Mountain Breakfast. Don’t forget the Mind & Body juice, either!

Carlos Bistro

1025 S 21st St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Phone: 719-471-2905
Visit Website

Chef-Proprietor Carlos Echeandia is the visionary behind Carlos Bistro, located right off Highway 24, on 21st Street and Bott. This Colorado Springs restaurant is easy to access and is a great meeting spot for large groups because of its location.

The specialties served at Carlos Bistro are seafood-inspired dishes. However, the menu doesn’t remain the same every day. Entrees are dictated by what fresh fish and seafood are available, as Carlos is very particular about serving the highest quality foods to his guests.

Commonly, you will see Mahi Mahi on the menu, as well as paella. If you aren’t into seafood, you can choose grilled Colorado Lamb instead!

The Rabbit Hole

101 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-203-5072
Visit Website

The Rabbit Hole is known as the Colorado Spring area’s best-kept secret. Not only that, but the restaurant used to be the city morgue! You will be in for a treat once you get past the location’s historical connotation. Located just a few blocks from Acacia Park and adjacent to Kiowa (where the entrance is), The Rabbit Hole is a local favorite with high-quality dishes.

I highly recommend making a reservation two weeks before you hope to visit, as spaces fill up quickly. However, once you are there, I recommend trying the Bacon-Wrapped Rabbit Meatloaf as well as the Steelhead Trout. Save room for the pumpkin cheesecake too! You won’t regret it!

Shuga’s Restaurant

702 S Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-328-1412
Visit Website

Shuga’s Restaurant is right on the corner of South Cascade Avenue and Rio Grande. Open seven days per week, the eatery and bar serves up a variety of wines and cocktails and a diverse cafe-style menu of snackable foods and entrees.

One of Shuga’s Restaurant’s unique menu items is its snack boards. You can select from a pre-made panel with various meats, cheeses, and appetizers, or you can choose a jalapeno macaroni and cheese snack board! They also have special selections for children’s style snack boards, including their unique Shuga trail mix!

You can also choose from salads and sandwiches or combine the two for a combination meal. Whether for a light lunch or a full dinner, Shuga’s Restaurant offers it all!

Marigold Cafe & Bakery

4605 Centennial Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
Phone: 719-599-4776
Visit Website

Marigold Cafe & Bakery is a much-loved French restaurant in Colorado Springs. Located within the Centennial Commons shopping center on Centennial Boulevard, it is the perfect place to stop for a quick shopping break or lunch with a friend. Additionally, you can order holiday pies and cakes to add to your family meals during those special times.

Locals know Marigold Cafe & Bakery for their Christmas yule log cakes. They are also one of the go-to’s for office catering and special event luncheons. Some of the top lunch choices include the muffaletta and the chicken brie. For dinner, you can’t go wrong with the veal scallopini, the trout almondine, or the chicken penne rigate – you can’t pick just one!

Mountain Shadows Restaurant

2223 Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Phone: 719-633-2122
Visit Website

If you are looking for a great local place to enjoy breakfast and lunch in Colorado Springs, Mountain Shadows Restaurant is the place to be. Located in Old Colorado City on Colorado Avenue and between 22nd and 23rd, Mountain Shadows Restaurant is well known due to being family-owned and operated since 1990.

Serving breakfast and lunch, what sets this place apart from other establishments is that you can get either all day! Whether it’s pancakes at 1:30 PM or a salad at 8 AM, the choice is yours!

Some of my personal favorites on the restaurant’s menu are the chicken fried steak and eggs, the biscuits and gravy, and of course, the giant cinnamon roll. If lunch foods are what you are looking for, don’t miss out on the Rocky Mountain roast beef and the green chile and beef burrito.

Garden of the God’s Market & Cafe

616 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-471-2799
Visit Website

Just down the street from Shuga’s, Garden of the God’s Market & Cafe operates under the talents of Chef Ariel, who has been with the company for the past five years. In operation since 2000, Garden of the God’s Market & Cafe has occupied several different buildings within the Old Colorado City area.

One thing that has remained the same throughout all of the moves is the fan-favorite dishes that the restaurant serves up. These delicacies include Curry Chicken Salad, Mountain Man Hash, and Southwest Eggs Benedict. However, there are also grab-and-go items that you can dash in and get while in a rush. These items include quick lunch items as well as prepared dinner meals.

La Bella Vita Ristorante Italiano

4475 Northpark Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Phone: 719-260-4730
Visit Website

When the urge for Italian food hits, there is no fine dining place better than La Bella Vita Ristorante Italiano. Located at the corner of Garden of the Gods Road and Northpark Drive, the restaurant shares the same plaza as Little Fins Swim School and Mermaid Motors. As a multiple award-winning Colorado Springs restaurant, you can’t go wrong with a meal at La Bella Vita Ristorante Italiano.

Executive Chef Giuliano Casulli is a Certified Master Chef out of Italy, and brings his expertise to Colorado Springs. Some of his most notable dishes include linguini alle cozze, risotto boscaiola, and linguini alla pescatore. Make sure you get a caffe affagato while you are there too!

The Margarita at Pine Creek

7350 Pine Creek Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
Phone: 719-598-8667
Visit Website

With a location right off the CanAm Highway and along Pine Creek, The Margarita at Pine Creek is an idyllic location for date night, a group dinner, or even just a family meal out. Ken and Pati Davidson started The Margarita in Pati’s grandmother’s home in 1969. However, at that time, they only sold retail items and not food.

After a time, Pati started adding soup meals, which quickly became more popular than the retail items. From there, they dropped the original plan and went full force with the concept of a restaurant. They acquired Chef Eric Veidt in 1999 to head the kitchen and are still going strong today.

The menu is known for its soups and fresh salads, many of which have remained on the menu since the beginning! The Margarita at Pine Creek does not have a traditional menu. Instead, it changes by the week to incorporate whatever ingredients are fresh and available at the time.

Cliff House Dining Room

306 Cañon Ave, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Phone: 719-785-2415
Visit Website

In the adjacent Manitou Springs, Cliff House Dining Room, located at The Manitou Springs Resort, offers a dining experience like no other. You have a birds-eye view of the beautiful mountains right outside the dining room windows during your meal. It will be hard to concentrate on the food in front of you with the gorgeous view right there!

Off of Highway 24 and running along Fountain Creek, Cliff House Dining Room has many fabulous dishes. It’s hard to settle on just one, but some of my favorites include the sauteed sea scallops, Maple Leaf Farms duck duet, and the Cliff House salad. However, everything on the menu is excellent, and you won’t be upset with any of the options!

Urban Egg

Multiple locations
Visit Website

Urban Egg is such a popular breakfast destination that you will find locations in downtown Colorado Springs and surrounding areas. Their offerings are so good that they have won over a dozen different awards for their various menu items. The restaurant is well known for its pancakes and brunch offerings and is a go-to for locals.

When going to this restaurant, you should arrive with an empty stomach. You will not want to miss out on their cinnamon swirl pancakes or their strawberry cheesecake pancakes! Their french toast is the best I’ve ever had, and the avocado toast has all the best ingredients that make it irresistible. If you are looking for lunch options, they have a variety of gourmet sandwiches to choose from too!

Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna

2616 Colorado Ave #24, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Phone: 719-633-0406
Visit Website

A few blocks from the Midland Expressway, between 26th and 27th Street, is Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna. With unique offerings that differ from the others on this list, you will get a different experience with some of the best menu options in the city.

You need to try many things when you are at Jake and Telly’s, including the spanakópita, the gyro plate, moussaka, and the many different specialty salads that they have. With the greek coffee and baklava for dessert, you will leave feeling like you just came back from Greece due to the authentic recipes and ingredients in the entrees and desserts.

Four by Brother Luck

321 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-434-2741
Visit Website

You have to have a creative side with a unique name like Brother Luck, right? As the chef of Four by Brother Luck, he puts his talents where his mouth is and uses his skills to fulfill the taste palettes of Colorado Springs. Two blocks away from CanAm Highway, Four by Brother Luck is a popular eatery that many flock to for special occasions.

If you are looking for Spanish octopus, braised lamb shank, or rabbit pot pie, this is the place to go. Additionally, they offer duck green chili, beef cheek ragout, and leek and brie soup. The chef changes the menus around seasonally, so check for any additions each time you go!

Caspian Cafe

4375 Sinton Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Phone: 719-528-1155
Visit Website

Next to Ronald Reagan Highway in Colorado Springs and off of Sinton Road is Caspian Cafe, which offers a Mediterranean menu that will be considered memorable by all who visit the restaurant. The eatery’s chef has been in the industry for over twenty years and brings extensive experience to the patrons of Caspian Cafe.

If you have children in your party, Caspian Cafe is a great family-friendly restaurant and doesn’t forget about them. They have a separate children’s menu that has a variety of kid-friendly foods for them to choose from. When visiting, do not miss out on the opportunity to try out the Middle Eastern kabob platter! Served for both lunch and dinner with varying portions, it’s not one you want to forego!

Summit

19 Lake Cir, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: 719-577-5896

As another Broadmoor Resort restaurant in Colorado Springs, Summit brings an international menu with a modern twist. Like the Lake Terrace Dining Room, the dress code is resort casual. However, in what is different from the Dining Room, reservations are recommended for Summit.

The menu at Summit is unlike any other, and there are many items available that you won’t want to pass up. The most popular entrees include the pan-roasted black cod, oven-roasted prime beef tenderloin, and the Rohan duck paella. The perk of staying at the resort is getting to try out all the exclusive dishes while there!

Springs Orleans

123 E Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-520-0123
Visit Website

Connected to The Mining Exchange Hotel on Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs, Springs Orleans offers up cajun creole food that brings a little bit of New Orleans to the mountains of Colorado Springs! Executive Chef Shyanne Aguilar cooks up all the dishes reminiscent of Louisiana and the south for those across the country to enjoy.

Springs Orleans won’t leave anything out. Outside of the traditional beignet dessert, the restaurant has the specialties of gumbo, crawfish étouffée, and blackened catfish. However, they also offer shrimp and grits, a shrimp po’boy, and creole primavera. Don’t hold back when ordering; you will love everything their menu offers!

Ristorante Del Lago

1 Lake Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: 719-577-5774

Going back to the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs brings us the Ristorante Del Lago, the Italian cuisine inspired dining establishment for guests of the resort and outside diners. Reservations at Ristorante Del Lago are required, and the dress code is casual, so it is best to plan accordingly.

Once there, be sure to partake in the brodetto di pesce, the osso bucco alla milanese, or the Taste of Del Lago chef’s selection. This experience will provide a specialized chef’s cuisine created for the occasion. You can pair your meal with the perfect wine or cocktail, and top it off with one of their fantastic dessert options.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for restaurants in Colorado Springs, you should have no issue. Whether looking for a place for just yourself or a group of people, you will find all cuisines and varieties within the city. What’s more, you will often dine with beautiful scenery surrounding you due to the Rocky Mountains and many rivers and streams throughout the area.

Visiting Colorado Springs will provide many recreational activities within nature, several entertainment options to participate in, and an infinite amount of superb dining options. If you find yourself in the area, review this list, so you don’t miss out on the best restaurants in Colorado Springs!

Looking for other great places to eat in Colorado Springs? Check out our ranking of the best brunch spots right here.

Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment and we’ll check it out!

This page may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we’ll earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.