20 Delicious Things to Eat in Fort Collins Before You Die (Or Graduate)
While Fort Collins has been known for its breweries and college culture for decades, with more and more restaurants open every single year it will soon become a culinary destination for both Coloradans and visitors. Home to over 600 restaurants, there is roughly 1 restaurant for every 258 residents, double the national average. Everyone should try these delicious things to eat in Fort Collins.
First of all, as a newcomer it can be overwhelming to decide where to eat out. Here are 20 foods in the city you can’t miss out on before you graduate or die, whichever comes graciously first, and where you can find them. Get ready for some delicious things to eat in Fort Collins!
1. Rainbow – Breakfast Burrito
A classic for CSU students with morning classes. The Breakfast Burrito from Rainbow is very cheap for the size of burrito you get, comes in three different versions (veggie, bacon, or vegan) and it also comes with a free coffee. Start you day off with one of these delicious things to eat in Fort Collins.
2. Slyce – Macaroni Pizza
Slyce is a great spot for late-night eating after a night out in Old Town. As the name would suggest, Slyce specializes in a variety of slices of pizza but the style that most people remember is their macaroni pizza. It is far from the healthiest thing on this list, but it is something you have to try at least once.
3. Tasty Harmony – Vegan Seitan Wings
Whether you are vegan or not, Tasty Harmony serves some of the most delicious food in town. Their wings are crunchy without being too crispy and marinade with a buffalo or barbeque sauce – you won’t even notice that this has no animal products in it.
4. Ginger and Baker – Filet Mignon
Ginger and Baker opened on Linden St. late 2017, but already they are making a name for themselves in the fine dining community. While Filet Mignon may be a stereotypical fine dining food, Ginger and Baker raises this food to another level of excellence and quality while providing an atmosphere of grace and charm.
5. The Kitchen – Longs Peak Lamb Sirloin
The Kitchen has been a mainstay upscale chain in Colorado since it was founded by Kimbal Musk in 2004. The Longs Peak Lamb Sirloin, served with local kale, Kalamata olives, fingerling potatoes and a bravas sauce, is the one thing you must try at this semi-fine-fining spot.
6. Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop Bistro – Welsh Rabbit
The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop and Bistro has been open now for about 5 years and is undoubtedly the most European restaurant and food shop in the entire city. Try their namesake dish, a traditional Welsh Rabbit, which is a British take on an open-faced cheese sandwich.
7. DGT – Earth, Wind, and Fire Taco
DGT, formerly Dam Good Tacos, is a Tex-Mex restaurant in an alleyway near Laurel St and College Ave. They have a variety of specialty tacos available, but the standout is the Earth, Wind, and Fire taco, a vegetarian taco using a tomato ginger sauce, local tofu, kale, almonds, and a sweet potato puree.
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8. Alley Cat Coffeehouse – Bruschetta Sandwich
The Alley Cat Coffeehouse is not just known for its beverages – it also sells great food and small bites. The Bruschetta Sandwich is a creamy, pesto and tomato flavored delight sure to make studying into the night a little more enjoyable. How is it possible that there are so many delicious things to eat in Fort Collins?
9. Silver Grill Café – Giant Cinnamon Roll
The Silver Grill Café seems to always have a line going down the street on the weekends, and for good reason. If you can get a table for brunch, try their signature Giant Cinnamon Roll. Silver Grill specializes in breakfast and brunch, and what better way to finish a benedict than with a little dessert? A gem of the delicious things to eat in Fort Collins.
10. Budweiser Brewery – Beermaster Tour
One of the best things about living in Fort Collins is that your constantly surrounded by good beer. The number of famous breweries and local microbreweries is astonishing. Check out the Budweiser Brewery for a Beermaster Tour. You can even use a coupon to save half off!
11. Waltzing Kangaroo – Sausage Roll
The Waltzing Kangaroo is still relatively new to town, but is also one of the most unique. Based on Australian and British pastry cuisine, the Waltzing Kangaroo makes pies and savory pastries its specialty. Try the Sausage Roll for a taste of Australian food culture.
12. Beau Jo’s – Colorado-Style Pizza
Beau Jo’s is a Colorado chain selling what they call “Colorado-Style Pizza.” This uses a dough that with honey and is braided when turned into crust, and toppings that are piled onto the hearty pie.
13. Coopersmiths: Schweineschnitzel
Coopersmiths, in Old Town Square, is a tavern and brewery that sells high-quality food and houses a pool room and a pub – quite a lot for one place. Try the Schweineschnitzel, a pork tenderloin breaded and deep fried, served with bacon beer sauerkraut for an American take on a German favorite. What a variety of delicious things to eat in Fort Collins!
14. Nuance Chocolate – Bean-to-Table Dark Chocolate
Nuance Chocolate is something special in Fort Collins. They roast and process all of their own cocoa beans in-house, making the distance between your chocolate being made and your chocolate being presented negligible. Try just about anything here – it is all delicious – and you may find some dark chocolates that don’t taste like dark chocolate at all.
15. Walrus Ice Cream – Anything
Walrus Ice Cream has perhaps the largest variety of ice creams in Fort Collins. With a constantly rotating menu, it is hard to pick just one flavor that is a must-try. Just don’t try the joke flavor – Walrus will always have at least one flavor intentionally made to be disgusting. Avoid it, unless you are a masochist.
16. Maza Kabob – Authentic Afghan Kabobs
Maza Kabob is an Afghani cuisine restaurant tucked away behind the building that used to be K-Mart on College. You might have to drive around a little to find it, but once you do, you will have discovered the most authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in Fort Collins.
17. The Gold Leaf – Bahn Mi
The Gold Leaf just opened up at the end of 2017 as another vegan option in town. This restaurant was founded by the same people as the Silver Seed Food Truck, also on this list, to be a brick-and-mortar version of their on-the-road business. Try their Bahn Mi for a vegan take on a Vietnamese sandwich that is becoming more and more popular with each day as a trendy food.
18. Silver Seed Food Truck – Nachos and Beet Lemonade
You might need to do some research to track down The Silver Seed Food Truck, but once you make it to their beautiful truck, you should try out their nachos with a beet lemonade to wash it down. Just like The Gold Leaf, the Silver Seed is 100% vegan. Seriously, so many delicious things to eat in Fort Collins!
19. Banomanom Food Truck – Ice Cream made only with fruit
Banomanom is another Food Truck making its way around town. Unbelievably, this truck makes ice cream and sorbet desserts with nothing but fruit and ice. No other ingredients, no other additives or flavors are needed to make a truly delicious and healthy treat that will have you looking into the food truck wondering “is this really just bananas and nothing else?”
20. The Waffle Lab – The Big “Capr-easy”
Similarly to The Gold Leaf, The Waffle Lab used to be exclusively a food truck that went to a dine-in style. Try “The Big Capr-easy”, a dish inspired by pizza with house-made waffles, basil, tomato, mozzarella, a balsamic reduction and olive oil.
With so many tasty restaurants to choose from, its almost impossible narrowing down your favorites. Start with these 20 and let us know some other delicious things to eat in Fort Collins!
Featured image source: weheartit.com
