As one of Colorado’s largest and most diverse cities, Aurora has developed an eclectic food scene that mixes international flavors with homegrown charm. Iconic steakhouses and breweries that have been community staples for decades exist alongside contemporary bistros, ethnic eateries, and concept-driven kitchens.
| Restaurant | Description |
|---|---|
| Sweet Cow Ice Cream | Offers creamy ice cream with creative flavors, made from scratch using local ingredients. |
| Caroline’s Bistro | French-inspired cuisine served in an intimate Victorian mansion setting with tasting menus. |
| Pho Peoria | Known for Vietnamese pho and authentic dishes at affordable prices, including vermicelli bowls and banh mi sandwiches. |
| Dry Dock Brewing Co. | A popular brewery with award-winning beers and a restaurant serving pub grub and craft beer pairings. |
| Maria Empanada | Serves savory Argentinian empanadas, salads, and street food classics, complemented by South American wines. |
| Saigon Landing | Offers flavorful Vietnamese dishes influenced by French colonialism, known for shareable meals at reasonable prices. |
| The Bluebird Cafe | A cozy diner with homemade favorites like Benedicts, pancakes, and sandwiches, perfect for breakfast and lunch. |
| Teriyaki Madness | Fast-casual Asian bowls with customizable options, including chicken, steak, shrimp, and a variety of teriyaki sauces. |
| Texas Roadhouse | A legendary steakhouse known for hand-cut steaks, ribs, and classic sides, offering a vibrant atmosphere and affordable meals. |
| Urban Burma | Brings Burmese flavors to Aurora with fragrant curries, noodles, and dishes blending Chinese and Indian influences. |
| La Cueva | Offers regional Mexican cuisine in a cozy setting, serving traditional favorites and daring dishes like cow tongue and pig skin. |
| Palace Chinese Restaurant | A family-owned Cantonese restaurant with a vast menu of street food snacks, seafood, beef, chicken, and more. |
Food lovers exploring Aurora will find these top 12 restaurants offer a tasty introduction to the city’s best cuisine.
Sweet Cow Ice Cream
Name and Location: Sweet Cow Ice Cream, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A beloved local ice cream parlor known for its delicious homemade ice cream.
What to Expect: A variety of unique and classic ice cream flavors, served in a friendly and inviting atmosphere.
Visitor Information: Visit their website for the latest flavor offerings and locations.
Serving over one million scoops per year, Sweet Cow Ice Cream parlors entice visitors with the creamiest frozen confections around. Made from scratch using milk and cream from Colorado dairies, Sweet Cow maintains an ever-changing lineup of creative flavors like Honey Lavender, Sticky Bun, and Salted Caramel. Their stores feel nostalgic yet modern with bright colors and lighting, upbeat music, and fun bovine-themed décor. Top off waffle cones heaped high with candy-filled ice cream, splurge on massive sundaes, or sip on cold brew floats at this fanciful sweet shop.
Caroline’s Bistro
Name and Location: Caroline’s Bistro, Various Locations.
History and Significance: Caroline’s Bistro is a charming eatery known for its comforting and flavorful dishes.
What to Expect: A menu featuring a mix of classic and contemporary dishes, often with a cozy ambiance.
Visitor Information: Check their website for menu options, hours, and reservations if needed.
Housed in a historic Victorian mansion just steps from the Aurora Fox Theater, Caroline’s Bistro provides an intimate, classy atmosphere for French-inspired cuisine made modern. Tasting menus offer the optimal fine dining experience with multiple courses like charcuterie boards, seafood towers, escargots, and soups preceding chef’s choice entrées and delectable desserts. À la carte diners can still indulge in French classics like coq au vin and ratatouille complemented by one of Caroline’s extensive wine options. No matter the meal, expect white tablecloths, fresh flowers, impressive plating, and top-notch service.
Pho Peoria
Name and Location: Pho Peoria, Peoria, Arizona.
History and Significance: A Vietnamese restaurant known for its flavorful pho and other Vietnamese specialties.
What to Expect: Authentic Vietnamese cuisine, including pho, spring rolls, and banh mi sandwiches.
Visitor Information: Visit to savor traditional Vietnamese flavors. Check their website for menu options.
As the go-to spot for pho in Aurora, Pho Peoria perfects the Vietnamese noodle soup along with other authentic specialties at bargain prices. Broths slowly simmered for over 48 hours allow nuanced spices and flavors to shine through in bowls brimming with rice noodles, tender meats, and herbs. Beyond pho, the menu has vermicelli bowls topped with lemongrass BBQ shrimp or charbroiled pork as well as bánh mì sandwiches stuffed with pork belly, pâté, pickled vegetables and chili aioli. Also worth trying are appetizers like crispy eggrolls and refreshing salads.
Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Name and Location: Dry Dock Brewing Co., Various Locations.
History and Significance: A craft brewery known for its creative and quality beer offerings.
What to Expect: Craft beers, including a variety of styles, served in a relaxed and friendly brewery setting.
Visitor Information: Check their website or visit the brewery for a taste of locally brewed beer.
With origins dating back to Aurora’s earliest days, Dry Dock Brewing Company now operates as a top destination taproom, pub, and production brewery. Award-winning flagship beers like the HMS Victory Amber and USS Enterprise IPA first put them on the map while more recent sours, coffee porters, and barrel-aged releases keep fans returning. Tasting flights in the tasting room offer the best introduction to their roster of creative brews. Their restaurant next door serves elevated pub grub like brick oven pizzas, Bavarian pretzels, fish and chips, and specialty sandwiches to perfectly pair with pints.
Maria Empanada
Name and Location: Maria Empanada, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A delightful empanada shop offering a taste of Argentine culinary traditions.
What to Expect: An array of savory and sweet empanadas, each handcrafted with care and filled with delicious ingredients.
Visitor Information: Explore the menu and enjoy empanadas inspired by Argentine flavors.
Husband and wife owners bring a taste of Argentina’s signature empanadas to Colorado through two Aurora outposts of Maria Empanada. These savory, crescent-shaped pastries come stuffed with fillings like ground beef, tender chicken, Havarti cheese, corn, and more for a handheld meal perfect as an appetizer or quick bite. Vegetarians have options too with mixed vegetable, humita cheese, and spinach empanadas baked to crispy, flaky perfection. Also available are fresh salads, Argentinian street food classics, South American wines, and homemade flan for dessert.
Saigon Landing
Name and Location: Saigon Landing, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A Vietnamese restaurant known for its authentic and flavorful dishes.
What to Expect: Vietnamese cuisine with a focus on fresh ingredients, including pho, banh mi, and rice dishes.
Visitor Information: Visit for a taste of Vietnam’s culinary traditions. Check their website for menu options.
Making waves on Colfax Avenue, Saigon Landing transports diners to the streets of Vietnam through flavorful dishes influenced by French colonialism. Serving up shareable meals in huge portions at inexpensive rates, popular picks include pho with thinly sliced steak or meatballs, vermicelli bowls topped with grilled pork or shrimp, and bánh mì packed with cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber and chili mayo. Daily specials like crispy eggrolls, crab Rangoon, and hot pots keep things interesting. The funky, laid back atmosphere encourages lingering with good company.
The Bluebird Cafe
Name and Location: The Bluebird Cafe, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A cozy cafe known for its warm ambiance and tasty comfort food.
What to Expect: Classic cafe fare, including sandwiches, soups, and baked goods, in a relaxed setting.
Visitor Information: Enjoy a leisurely meal or coffee break at this inviting cafe.
A longtime local favorite for breakfast and lunch, the Bluebird Café charms visitors with cozy diner ambience and homemade favorites prepared from scratch. Family-owned and operated since the 1990s, this unassuming spot slings spectacular Benedicts blanketed in rich hollandaise, mile-high stacks of pancakes and waffles, overstuffed sandwiches and wraps, fresh salads, and much more. Daily specials like pot roast dinners or chicken fried steak also tempt patrons. Round out a visit to this Aurora institution by finishing meal sharing a slice of their rotating dessert pies.
Teriyaki Madness
Name and Location: Teriyaki Madness, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A fast-casual restaurant known for its delicious and customizable teriyaki dishes.
What to Expect: Build your own teriyaki bowls with a choice of proteins, vegetables, and sauces.
Visitor Information: Check their menu for teriyaki options and locations near you.
For fast casual Asian bowls prepared quickly, Teriyaki Madness hits the spot. Guests choose a base like rice, noodles, or salad then customize bowls by adding proteins, vegetables, toppings, and flavorful teriyaki sauces tailored to preferences. Chicken, steak, shrimp, and tofu prove ever-popular for proteins while favorites like the spicy Tokyo sauce, citrusy Yum Yum, and savory Original please palates. Beyond build your own bowls, their menu has pre-crafted combinations plus potstickers, crab rangoon poppers, and other shareable bites that beg to be sampled by the table.
Texas Roadhouse
Name and Location: Texas Roadhouse, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A popular steakhouse chain known for its flavorful cuts of meat and lively atmosphere.
What to Expect: Steaks, ribs, and other American favorites served in a fun and energetic setting.
Visitor Information: Visit for a hearty and enjoyable dining experience. Check their website for menu options.
Gathering around the table for steak dinner becomes a legendary experience at Texas Roadhouse. From hand-cut steaks sizzling hot off the grill to fall-off-the-bone ribs and slow-roasted prime rib, this Western dining destination takes meat and potatoes to new levels. Sides like cinnamon butter rolls, sweet corn on the cob, green beans, and house-made mashed potatoes perfectly complement hearty cuts. With a vibrant, lively atmosphere full of music and laughter plus prompt service slinging affordable meals, it’s no wonder families flock here for birthdays, game nights, and weekends.
Urban Burma
Name and Location: Urban Burma, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A restaurant offering the flavors of Burmese cuisine, known for its unique and aromatic dishes.
What to Expect: Burmese delicacies, including noodles, curries, and stir-fried dishes, with a fusion of flavors.
Visitor Information: Explore the menu for a taste of Burma’s culinary diversity.
Bringing the unique flavors of Burmese cooking to Aurora, Urban Burma transports diners to the streets of Myanmar through fragrant curries, salads, and noodle dishes. Their varied menu gives a true taste of Burma’s melting pot cuisine blending Chinese and Indian influences. Top picks include oh noh kauswer sautéed chicken swimming in coconut gravy, garlic noodle dan pauk laden with mix-ins like shrimp and hard boiled eggs, and fermented tea leaf salad balanced by tart lime and crunchy beans. With colorful murals and exotic décor, the restaurant ambience proves just as vibrant.
La Cueva
Name and Location: La Cueva, Various Locations.
History and Significance: A Mexican restaurant known for its authentic and flavorful Mexican cuisine.
What to Expect: Mexican classics, including tacos, enchiladas, and fresh salsas, in a welcoming setting.
Visitor Information: Savor the tastes of Mexico at La Cueva. Check their website for menu options.
3La Cueva (translating to “The Cave”) surrounds patrons in cozy, cavelike ambience across three intimate Aurora locations for enjoying authentic regional Mexican cooking. Traditional favorites like enchiladas swimming in complex mole sauces, tender carnitas tacos, and sizzling fajitas arrive at tables, although more daring diners can also request off-menu items like cow tongue or pig skin on request. Perfectly balanced margaritas, refreshing aguas frescas, and satisfying tres leches cake round out meals at this locally loved spot.
Palace Chinese Restaurant
In operation for over three decades, family-owned Palace Chinese Restaurant maintains its reputation as Aurora’s premier spot for Cantonese fare served up fresh, fast, and affordably. Their sprawling menu makes picking just one dish difficult with scores of street food snacks, noodle bowls, seafood plates, beef and chicken entrees, fried rice classics, chop suey medleys, and more awaiting. No matter the combination though, expect big, bright flavors and lightning fast service from the attentive staff at this local staple institution.
Conclusion
From decades-old staples to hot new openings, Aurora rewards foodie explorers with a scintillating selection of distinct dining. Homegrown eateries share the culinary scene with exotic global cuisines, meaning flavor cravings of all kinds can get satisfied somewhere in the city. These top 12 restaurants only brush the surface of the many tasty independent and chain establishments found in Aurora neighborhoods and districts. For the food obsessed, Aurora provides an appetizing adventure around the world without ever leaving Colorado.