You can find just about anything in Larimer Square including some of the best of the Denver restaurants. Rioja Restaurant located at 1431 Larimer Street Denver, Colorado 80202, phone:303.820.2282 fax: 303.825.2588 is one of the Denver restaurants where the menu has a Mediterranean flavor. No need to worry about your car, they have valet parking. You can make reservations on line, but if your party is 5 or more, you should call them direct and do make reservations. Denver restaurants in Larimer Square are some of the busiest you will find anywhere. As for the dress code, think dressy or business casual. Rioja is one of the Denver restaurants where you can enjoy a Saturday or Sunday brunch before you head out for any of the special attractions in the area.
Dinner is served Sunday – Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. For dinner, you can start with appetizers that range from $9.50 for an item like the handmade mozzarella burger to the rioja picnic which is a mix of meats, pine nut crusted goat cheese, Gorgonzola, olives and more for $16.50.
Rioja gives you a choice of two soups, sugar snap pea or lentil for $7 and four salads, hand selected young greens for $6, the house salad for $8, both vegetarian, roasted golden beet for $9.50 and the Hawaiian Hears of Palm, which is priced based on the current cost.
They have a selection of handmade pastas, which you can order for appetizers for a lower price. The dinner pastas range from crescenza ravioletti for $16.50 to the butter poached crab for $22.00. The other entrees range from pan roasted Petaluma chicken for $22.00 to pan roasted Alaska halibut for $26.00. They do have a special vegetarian dish, the vegetarian four squares for $18.00. If you would like to try a tasting menu, your server will give you the information.
Lunch is served Wednesday through Friday11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. The appetizers, soups and salads are the same as they are for dinner. The difference is in the entrees where you can have a choice of sandwiches like the bourbon brown sugar glazed ham for $9.50 and hot entrees like the briche crusted sea scallops for $17.50 A good choice for vegetarians would be the portabello panini for $9.50.
Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m Brunch is a la carte and you can have an eye opener like the mimosa for $7.50 or juice sprinters for $4. Appetizers are some of the same from the dinner menu and some special ones like the homemade filled donuts or yogurt and berries for $6. The main course has a lot to offer from the more traditional brunch items like sourdough waffle from $9 to $11, depending on what you want on it to some of the more unusual like duck confit hash for $14.50.
Deserts are available all day and each one costs $7.00 except for the cheeses plates which costs $12.50. You can choose from items like carrot cake, hazelnut tortamisu and handmade ice cream and sorbets. They also have an extensive wine list.
Notes on Rioja. Rioja is one of the Denver restaurants that is near all of the main attractions in Larimer Square. It is more for adults, but older children should be able to find something they like also. Take some time to walk around the Square before or after your meal. There is so much to see.
