Pearl Street encompasses some of Denver’s hidden gems of restaurants, and one of the perennial standouts is Black Pearl. This contemporary American cuisine is mixed with an excellent wine list and romantic but lively environment.

The wooden floors and well-lit atmosphere gives the Black Pearl an elegance that matches its food. The rooms are not large but never feel crowded, and if you’re lucky enough to get a seat in the top level, you get a bird’s eye view of the restaurant and the passing scene on Pearl Street.

The tasting menu is a new addition to the Black Pearl. It consists of a three-course meal that changes every week, so there is always something new for the regulars.

The calamari is lightly breaded with a rich soy sauce, topped with diced green onions, lightly fried. Mac and cheese soufflé is a must for any first-timers to Black Pearl. It’s served in a mini hot pan and is a creamy mix of pasta shells, mushrooms, and three cheeses.

Black Pearl dishes have an amazing presentation, but all the toppings end up drowning out the flavor of the meats and fish.

You can sit outside around the campfire table, excellent for crisp spring nights in Denver. And this is a great spot to relax while waiting for your tables and start a bottle of wine.

The patio and sensual atmosphere make Black Pearl a great couples restaurant, especially on Sundays when almost everything on the menu – and wine menu - is half off! And being located away from downtown makes parking effortless.

www.BlackPearlDenver.com

1529 S Pearl St
Denver, CO 80210
(303) 777-0500

Denver doesn’t have many authentic diners that specialize in breakfast food, however Breakfast Queen is the one delicious exception, and it definitely offers the best morning meal in all of Denver.

Ask any regulars what they recommend and they’ll tell you to order the “Breakfast Queen.” The meal that dons the same name as the establishment consists of two eggs any way you want, homemade hash browns that are solid chunks of fried potatoes, two pancakes and your choice of crisp, thick bacon or sausage logs or patties.

Breakfast Queen is a one-room trucker style diner, with only a countertop separating the kitchen from the customers. In the back you’ll find the owner, who seems to be working everyday.

So if you’re working off the hangover from the night before, or have to be at work early and want a full meal that’ll keep you going all day, Breakfast Queen #2 is the best bang for your buck in all of Denver.

3454 South Broadway
Englewood CO 80113
Tel: 303-761-9800
Hours: 6:00 am to 3:00 pm

Amazing food is not hard to find in New Orleans, but finding the fine dinning can be another story. Commander’s Palace takes all the guess work out of discovering the delicacies that this area has to offer.

In the heart of the Garden District sits Commander’s Palace. From the inside you can enjoy the fine French Décor, and from the garden room, and newly renovated patio, you can enjoy a bird eye view of the surrounding gardens. 

The dinner menu is when Commander’s Palace flexes it’s culinary skills. The crispy soft shell crab is some of the best crab you will ever have, and is a regular’s favorite. But the chef’s pride is the “Paneed Mississippi Rabbit.” The meat is covered in Hand-pulled mozzarella, barbecued spring mushrooms and too many other exquisite vegetables to mention.

This place should be your first stop if you want to eat well while in New Orleans, but be sure to bring wallet because entrées average around $40

www.commanderspalace.com

1403 Washington Ave
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 899-8221

1403 Washington Ave New Orleans LA

L.A. has so many sushi restaurants that it can be hard to know where to go, especially if you don’t want to empty your wallet. East Japanese Restaurant stands out for its specials, which allows even starving artists to enjoy some fresh fish.

This mid-range sushi place is packed in the beginning of the week, and for good reason. On “Salmon Mondays” and “Tuna Tuesdays” you can get sashimi of the featured fish at $1 and rolls from $2-3.

The dining area’s bent wooden beams give you the feeling of being in an 18th Century fishing boat’s cabin. The crowd tends to be younger than not, probably because East is great for people on a budget.

The low prices make sense when you see the size of the rolls, which are mostly rice. “We only come to East for the specials,” says L.A. resident Parker Davis, “The rest of the time it’s not worth the trip.”

329 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 437-0563

If you live anywhere near Broadway and Louisiana there is a good chance that you’ve heard of GB Fish and Chips, if not already been here. This is Denver’s most authentic fish and chips spot and has a fanatical following, even though it has only been open for 9 months!

The aura of BG will make you second-guess that you’re in Denver or even America, for that matter. Immediately you’re hit with the smell of fried fish and lemon. Rugby and soccer are likely to be the only sports shown, with a flash of cricket. Soccer and rugby jerseys covering the ceiling, so as to not cover the flags painted on the wall.

It feels like an authentic English pub, with a glossy wood bar and benches that look like knights should be sitting on them, all handmade by the owner.

The color of the fried fish looks like it should be on the cover of Martha Stuart. Perfect amount of crunch, without masking the flavor of the fish (MapBuzz recommends the cod). The same amount of attention however, is not given to the fries, which taste like they are fried in the same grease as the fish. Maybe you like that, but we didn’t. Try a different side, the mash (mashed potatoes) is amazing.

The “bangers” and Mash is a house specialty and the recipe is a family tradition. Two English pork sausages cooked with bread, which makes the sausage shell pop or bang open, on top of a mound of mashed potatoes with perfectly cooked caramelized onions covering all. Be careful with the mustard, it will open the nasal passages quick. The pork pie is also a local favorite.

The owner, Alex, who calls himself “a local Wash park kid,” has obviously poured his heart into BG. You can tell also considering he is almost always at BG working in the kitchen or chatting with the customers. Alex isn’t satisfied with the success and is putting an outdoor patio in the back that will be ready for Denver’s great spring weather.

If the great food isn’t enough to get you in, maybe the happy hour will be. From 3-7pm everyday you get 75 cents off all beer, making PBR only 75 cents.

1311 S. Broadway, Denver, CO

www.GBFishandChips.com

1890 E Evans Ave, Denver CO 80210

Within Walking Distance?: Yes

Hours: 24/7

Delivery: No

The Jerusalem Cafe serves up authenitc Middle Eastern cuisine. DU students quickly become acquainted with "Jerus", mostly because of their hours of operation... which is to say, all of them. Many a DU student has been faced with the creeping realization that it is 2:30 AM, and that if that term paper is going to get finished, there will be no sleep tonight. It's more or less at this point that something warm and delicious starts to sound pretty tempting, and sometimes Ramen doesn't qualify.

Strongly Recommended: Gyros Sandwich, and the Chicken Schwarma

Joe’s Famous Deli stands out for two distinct reasons. It serves breakfast so you can skip going to McDonalds and not waste any time getting to the lifts. They also are the only place in Vail where you can get great food without feeling like you’re over-paying.

Walking down the stairs to enter this below-ground deli, you can’t help but feel like you’re entering a European single counter coffee house, but Joe’s is about twice the size. Cooks are buzzing around as patrons file down the counter line talking about snow conditions and “remember-whens.” 

The breakfasts are large and textbook if you want to sustain energy on the mountain, not to mention they serve it until 11:30. Everything is excellently prepared using top-notch ingredients. A local favorite is the Egg McDeli, which is egg, Canadian bacon, American cheese on an English muffin or bagel of your choice,

Don’t get too caught up with breakfast though, because Joe’s hot sandwiches and subs are what made it famous. If you’re looking for something warm to defrost you from skiing, MapBuzz recommends the Famous Philly Cheese Steak. Joe’s Famous Philly captures what makes a Philliy the real thing. The beef is thinly shredded, not diced, and stays far away from Cheez Wizz, using what they call American but tastes like the proper provolone. In between the slices of beef and ciabatta bread are chunks of mushrooms and green peppers.

To wash everything down we recommend the home-squeezed orange juice or the homemade the hybrid orange-lemonade.

Joe’s Famous Deli is a must when you’re in Vail, with its excellently prepared breakfasts and sandwiches, all at a reasonable price. Come for the food and stay for the Vail photo history on the walls.

288 Bridge St
Vail, CO 81657
(970) 479-7580

Joe’s Famous Deli stands out for two distinct reasons. It serves breakfast so you can skip going to McDonalds and not waste any time getting to the lifts. They also are the only place in Vail where you can get great food without feeling like you’re over-paying.

Walking down the stairs to enter this below-ground deli, you can’t help but feel like you’re entering a European single counter coffee house, but Joe’s is about twice the size. Cooks are buzzing around as patrons file down the counter line talking about snow conditions and “remember-whens.” 

The breakfasts are large and textbook if you want to sustain energy on the mountain, not to mention they serve it until 11:30. Everything is excellently prepared using top-notch ingredients. A local favorite is the Egg McDeli, which is egg, Canadian bacon, American cheese on an English muffin or bagel of your choice,

Don’t get too caught up with breakfast though, because Joe’s hot sandwiches and subs are what made it famous. If you’re looking for something warm to defrost you from skiing, MapBuzz recommends the Famous Philly Cheese Steak. Joe’s Famous Philly captures what makes a Philliy the real thing. The beef is thinly shredded, not diced, and stays far away from Cheez Wizz, using what they call American but tastes like the proper provolone. In between the slices of beef and ciabatta bread are chunks of mushrooms and green peppers.

To wash everything down we recommend the home-squeezed orange juice or the homemade the hybrid orange-lemonade.

Joe’s Famous Deli is a must when you’re in Vail, with its excellently prepared breakfasts and sandwiches, all at a reasonable price. Come for the food and stay for the Vail photo history on the walls.

288 Bridge St
Vail, CO 81657
(970) 479-7580

You might be skeptical about eating sushi inside of a mall when you’re in L.A., but Kabuki will not disappoint. Kabuki is treat if you’re looking for a modern twist to traditional sushi.

All the fish is incredibly fresh, and that’s why Mapbuzz recommends the sashimi (fish on a chunk of rice) over the  sushi rolls. By eating the sashimi you let the taste and texture of the slabs of catch stand out. Also, some of the topping sauces on the rolls can be a little too Americanized.

Some of the regular’s favorites are the tender octopus, or the Hawaiian bonito, but we recommend the unagi sushi – some of the best eel we’ve ever tried.

The food comes out in an excellent display with a leaf under the sushi creating a beautiful color contrast. The rest of Kabuki is not as elegant. Not a lot of attention goes into décor and atmosphere, but that’s only because the focus is on the cuisine.

Kabuki is the right sushi den for anyone who wants to enjoy fresh fare in a relaxed environment, and not pay an arm and a leg. Seating is always fast, and the staff is extremely friendly.

www.kabukirestaurants.com

9701 Reseda Blvd
Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 886-8266