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

Breckenridge Brewery without question makes some of Colorado’s finest beers, and was created by Richard Squire in the 1980’s – a time when microbrewery was a strange concept - even to Coloradoans. Richard’s dream was to “ski all day and drink great beer all night.” He began making his beer blends at home, and they soon became a Breckenridge hit. In February, 1990 Richard opened the first Breckenridge Brewery & Pub in Breckenridge CO, and since then his brew blends have become a staple with Colorado beer drinkers, in part because Breck Brewery features a long list of original recipes and every changing seasonal creations. 

Going to Breckenridge Brewery, food is an afterthought, so don’t waste your time looking at the menu until you’ve decided on what brew you want to start with. The staff has an extensive knowledge of not only the beer’s taste, but also its brewing process, and can help you decide on the right beer for your palate. 

MapBuzz always recommends the Avalanche Amber Ale, which consists of caramel malts and a pinch of bittering hops, which possibly makes it our favorite ale ever! The new brew to try is the Agave Wheat Beer, which is the proper wheat reformulated three weeks ago using glucose instead of fructose, making it a more flavorful and healthier beer - so drink up.

Once you have your beer, it’s time for food. We recommend staying away from the BBQ. While the meat used is top quality, they drench it in a thin sauce, that lacks any original flavor and makes the meat uneatable.

The sandwiches and burgers are a regular’s favorite. MapBuzz recommends the California club sandwich, which has a plentiful amount of chicken and bacon, topped with avocados and an incredible mayo blend. The breads and buns at Breckenridge Brewery are full of flavor and make the burgers and sandwiches luxurious. The fries that comes with the entrees are some of the best fried potatoes we’ve ever had, cooked with the right balance of a crisp, lightly spiced outside and a smooth potato inside.

The shrimp and chips are a great pick if you’re not in the mood for a sandwich. The shrimps are large and full of flavor and make up for the cocktail sauce, which needs more of that after kick that separates it from marinara sauce.

The real reason anyone comes to Breckenridge Brewery is for the impeccably brewed beer, and great happy hour. But if you get hungry, you’ll be happy to find that food is prepared with the same care. Breckenridge Brewery is also just a hop-and-a-skip away from Coors Field, making it a must before or after Rockies’ games.

Average Meal: $21

www.breckbrew.com

2220 Blake St
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 297-3644

2220 Blake St Denver CO

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

Dazzle is a Denver jazz institution, and like a refined song it has only gotten better with time, as the acts seem to get better with every trip. The jazz atmosphere makes Dazzle the best date location in Denver no matter what you’re looking for, whether it’s having dinner with a backdrop of live musicians, or you just want to have a few drinks before hitting the town. And don’t just take our word for it: Dazzle was named “One of the Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the World” by Downbeat magazine.

While the music is some of the best in the city, the food’s excellence matches the high standard set by the musicians. The last time we were here the specialty was their famous burger with a crab cake on top of the meat – which is top grade, so get it bloody.

Dazzle is divided in two—the main dining room where the band plays, and the cocktail bar, a more casual setting where chatter and music mix to make a modern speakeasy.

The main room has a small entrance fee, but you get to hear terrific jazz musicians, both local and from around the country. Talking in the dining room is frowned upon as the audience is tuned into the musicians and their mind-expanding solos. So if you’re looking for a more lively crowd, the cocktail lounge is for you.

Come to Dazzle and show your more sophisticated side, and is a breath of fresh air when compared to the cookie-cutter downtown bars. The food is amazing, drinks are strong and the music has no parallel in Denver.

www.DazzleJazz.com

930 Lincoln St
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 839-5100

Double Daughter’s Salotto is a unique experience from the moment your eyes take hold of the door, which looks like the entrance to the Wizard of Oz. This 12 foot-tall door is a little intimidating, but don’t worry - you’ll be able to open it.

Walking through the golden door feels like you’re going from Oz into one of Picasso’s dream. Growing in between the booths and in the corners of the bar are lit up trees wrapped in black linen. The trees draw your eyes up to the ceiling to see that there are white doves floating throughout the lounge, creating a creepy awning of birds and lights that belongs in a Tim Burton movie.

Once you’ve taken in the surroundings and settle down in one of the many booths that look like melting wax, you’re likely to notice the aroma of fresh dough and cheese. No, you’re not going crazy - you do smell pizza in this lounge. Double Daughter’s has same owner as Mario’s, which is next door, and that’s why you will find pizzas by the slice or pie on the drink menu.

Be sure to check out the top lounge, which has a great view of the entire bar and DJ, with a lot of space, but still a very private feeling.

Double Daughter’s has put in a lot of thought in decorating, and everything has meaning and a story to it, going back to the Italian legend of the Double Daughters, who were Siamese twins that loved to climb trees and briefly joined the circus. All of the fixtures from the doves in the trees to the axes in the banisters relates to the Daughters. You just have to ask if you want the whole ghost story.

www.doubledaughters.com

1632 Market St
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 623-3505

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

Jordan’s is the new restaurant and watering hole near the University of Denver campus that is quickly becoming accepted as the top bar on among upperclassman, and not only are students flowing here, but also late 20’s early 30’s locals, proving this is not just another college dive.

Walking in you’ll be surprised by the elegant setup  that Jordan’s undertook. Just beyond the entrance there are high cocktail tables. The bar goes along the back wall of the tavern and connects the three semi-enclosed rooms. The East wing feels like a library with its filled bookshelves and wood booths with green vinyl. The West section is more open than the rest and has a platform for once they start housing live musicians. 

Jordan’s is home of one of the best happy hours in Denver, not because of the drink specials, instead, it’s their food. From 4pm - 6pm and 10-midnight, you can get such “tapas” (Spanish style appetizers) as BBQ chicken pizza, calamari or fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, all only $3 for each tapa. But you can’t forget the $1 cheeseburger, which is burger, bun and cheese, being bigger than McDonald’s burger two fill you up and they’re only a buck!

You can see the fire oven where they make all the pizzas through a hole in the wall behind the bar. The flame adds a soothing and romantic ambiance to the rooms.

Calling all DU students: there is finally a bar on campus that you’ll want to go to, not one you just settle for. And it is so inviting and elegant that it’s just the right fit for yuppies in the area to make Jordan’s their regular spot.

2363 E Evans Ave
Denver, CO

Jordan’s is the new restaurant and watering hole near the University of Denver campus that is quickly becoming accepted as the top bar on among upperclassman, and not only are students flowing here, but also late 20’s early 30’s locals, proving this is not just another college dive.

Walking in you’ll be surprised by the elegant setup  that Jordan’s undertook. Just beyond the entrance there are high cocktail tables. The bar goes along the back wall of the tavern and connects the three semi-enclosed rooms. The East wing feels like a library with its filled bookshelves and wood booths with green vinyl. The West section is more open than the rest and has a platform for once they start housing live musicians.  

Jordan’s is home of one of the best happy hours in Denver, not because of the drink specials, instead, it’s their food. From 4pm - 6pm and 10-midnight, you can get such “tapas” (Spanish style appetizers) as BBQ chicken pizza, calamari or fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, all only $3 for each tapa. But you can’t forget the $1 cheeseburger, which is burger, bun and cheese, being bigger than McDonald’s burger two fill you up and they’re only a buck!

You can see the fire oven where they make all the pizzas through a hole in the wall behind the bar. The flame adds a soothing and romantic ambiance to the rooms.

Calling all DU students: there is finally a bar on campus that you’ll want to go to, not one you just settle for. And it is so inviting and elegant that it’s just the right fit for yuppies in the area to make Jordan’s their regular spot.

2363 E Evans Ave
Denver, CO