What are the best restaurants in south and central Denver?
Platt Park's 1551 S. Pearl Street holds two one-star restaurants, Kizaki and Margot, in one building. Nearby, Washington Park has Restaurant Olivia and the new Florence Supper Club, Cherry Creek has Barolo Grill and Alteño, Baker has the Bib Gourmand MAKfam, and Madeline joined the guide in 2026 near Cheesman Park.
South of downtown, Denver's best restaurants are spread through residential neighborhoods rather than packed into one district. That makes them easier to book and harder to stumble upon.
This guide covers the quieter half of the city's Michelin list: eight restaurants across South Pearl Street, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, South Broadway and East Sixth Avenue. None is more than about fifteen minutes by car from downtown, and several are within a short walk of each other on South Pearl.
How we picked these
We start with South Pearl Street, where the stars are, then move to Washington Park, Cherry Creek, Baker and Cheesman Park. Within each area, higher Michelin distinctions come first. We publish no ratings of our own, and inclusion cannot be bought.
South Pearl Street
Two stars, one building
In 2025 a single building at 1551 South Pearl Street in Platt Park produced two Michelin stars. Both kept them in 2026.
-
One Michelin Star
Kizaki
Toshi Kizaki co-founded Sushi Den, one of Denver's best-known sushi restaurants, and returned to the counter with this Edomae-style omakase inside the Denchu space. Westword described a nine-seat chef's counter plus two booths. It earned a first star in 2025 and was a 2026 James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.
-
One Michelin Star
Margot
Chef Justin Fulton ran pop-ups for three years before opening Margot in June 2025; it was starred within months. Michelin describes an eight-seat counter for a seasonal multicourse menu inside a larger shared space, and the bar and dining room serve à la carte, which is the easier way in.
A few blocks north on South Pearl, Florence Supper Club at 375 S. Pearl Street joined the recommended list in 2026 with a classic Italian-American supper-club menu.
Washington Park and Cherry Creek
Pasta, Piedmont and a hotel taqueria
-
Recommended
Restaurant Olivia
A pasta-focused restaurant on South Downing Street, from chef Ty Leon, beverage director Austin Carson and hospitality director Heather Morrison. Morrison won Michelin's 2025 Outstanding Service Award, and Olivia was a 2026 James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality.
-
Recommended New 2026
Florence Supper Club
Italian-American cooking in the red-sauce tradition at the north end of South Pearl, new to the guide in 2026.
-
Recommended
Barolo Grill
A long-running Italian dining room on East Sixth Avenue at the edge of Cherry Creek. Ryan Fletter was a 2026 James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, so the wine list is the point.
-
Recommended
Alteño
Johnny Curiel's Mexican restaurant on the ground floor of the Clayton Hotel and Members Club, new to the guide in 2025. A good option in Cherry Creek when the LoHi restaurants are booked.
Baker and Cheesman Park
A counter on Broadway, a newcomer on Sixth
-
Bib Gourmand
MAKfam
Chef Kenneth Wan and Doris Yuen ran pop-ups in New York and New Jersey, moved to Denver in 2019, cooked from a food-hall stall at Avanti, then opened this counter-service Chinese restaurant on West First Avenue in Baker. It holds a Bib Gourmand, Wan was a 2026 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: Mountain, and a larger second location has been announced for RiNo. Most tables are for walk-ins.
-
Recommended New 2026
Madeline
Quincy Cherrett's seasonal New American restaurant opened in May 2026 in the small former Fruition space on East Sixth Avenue, south of Cheesman Park, and joined the guide four months later.
Planning a southside evening
- South Pearl on foot. Kizaki, Margot and Florence Supper Club are on the same street; park once and walk.
- Counters book first. Kizaki and Margot seat very few people; see our tasting menu guide.
- Cherry Creek is easier. Barolo Grill and Alteño usually have more flexibility, and parking is simpler than in RiNo or LoHi.
- MAKfam is a walk-in. Arrive early on weekends.
Common questions
Questions, Answered
Which South Pearl Street restaurants have MICHELIN stars?
Kizaki and Margot, both at 1551 S. Pearl Street in Platt Park, each hold one Michelin star. Florence Supper Club, at 375 S. Pearl Street, joined the recommended list in 2026.
Are there MICHELIN restaurants in Cherry Creek?
Yes. Barolo Grill and Alteño are both recommended in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Colorado.
Does MAKfam take reservations?
Mostly not. Coverage of MAKfam describes it as counter service with most tables kept for walk-ins and limited reservations, so check its current policy before you go.
Sources
Where These Facts Come From
Awards and addresses are checked against the sources below. We do not publish hours or prices; confirm details with each restaurant before you go. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- KDVR: 2026 MICHELIN Guide, all recognized restaurants in Colorado
- MICHELIN Guide: Colorado restaurants
- Westword: Sushi Den founder opens omakase concept on South Pearl Street
- MICHELIN Guide: Margot
- Westword: Michelin-starred team opens Alteño in Cherry Creek
- Colorado Public Radio: MAKfam
- Denver Gazette: Metro Moves, Denver-area restaurant openings (Madeline)
- Visit Denver: Denver welcomes year four of MICHELIN Guide Colorado awards
Keep exploring
More Denver Guides
What changed in Denver's 2026 MICHELIN Guide
Milpero's star, three new Bib Gourmands, four new names and one departure.
RiNo and Five Points restaurants
Ten recognized rooms in RiNo and two new Bib Gourmands on Welton Street.
LoHi, Sunnyside, Berkeley and West Highland
Northwest Denver: the two-star, two Curiel stars and four neighborhood rooms.
Mexican restaurants in Denver
Three Curiel stars, pozole in Ballpark, Cherry Creek's Alteño and more.
Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese in Denver
Kizaki, Hop Alley, MAKfam, Pig and Tiger, and Federal Boulevard's Little Saigon.
Italian restaurants in Denver
Tavernetta, Barolo Grill, Olivia, Dear Emilia, Florence Supper Club and Dio Mio.
Tasting menus and chef's counters
How Denver's counter restaurants book, what they cost in time, and how to choose.