A polished Larimer Square destination for handmade pastas and creative mains with attentive service; excellent overall, pricey, and best for adventurous eaters.
Rioja stands among Denver's finest dining establishments, delivering grade A performance through exceptional handmade pastas and creative Mediterranean-influenced mains, attentive, celebratory service, and prime Larimer Square setting. While occasional execution inconsistencies on brunch and pork doneness prevent perfection, the restaurant's chef-driven cooking, thoughtful hospitality, and strong recent trajectory position it as a destination-worthy special-occasion choice.
One caveat: Pricing is genuinely expensive ($37-48 mains) which may surprise casual diners