Best Restaurants and Coffee in Colorado Springs

By Daniel Padilla | The PCS Team

Loyal Coffee's barista-owned cortado, Ephemera's five-course tasting menu, and a pupusa at Monse's that tastes like someone's grandmother made it: the best restaurants and coffee in Colorado Springs cover more ground than most newcomers expect. Downtown Tejon Street alone holds a genuine cluster of chef-driven kitchens, and the city's independent coffee scene rivals the strongest along the Front Range.

If you just signed a lease, landed PCS orders, or are scoping the area before a move, this guide cuts straight to the spots locals actually talk about, organized by occasion, neighborhood, and budget.

Where to Find the Best Restaurants in Colorado Springs

Downtown Tejon Street is the highest concentration of acclaimed restaurants in the Springs, but Old Colorado City, Middle Shooks Run, and Manitou Springs each have essential spots worth the drive.

Downtown / Tejon Street is the epicenter of the city's most celebrated dining. The Rabbit Hole, a chic subterranean space at Kiowa and Tejon, is one of the most talked-about dinner spots in the Springs, known for its Whiskey Sticky Ribs, Herb Crusted Baked Salmon, and the iconic White Rabbit martini (vanilla vodka, coconut rum, and a flaming marshmallow). A few doors down, Red Gravy brings St. Louis Italian to the Springs, with a Butternut Ravioli in brown butter and sage that has its own following, and a Gooey Buttercake that answers the question nobody asked but everyone needed answered.

For a more theatrical experience, Ephemera (upstairs at COATI, 514 S. Tejon St.) runs a rotating five-course tasting menu in the $79-per-person range, a punk-rock fine dining format that changes dishes frequently and rotates local art through the walls. It's one of the most creative dinners in the city.

Old Colorado City is where you'll find the historic, quirky side of COS dining. Paravicini's Italian Bistro has anchored its corner brick building since 2003, serving Guy Fieri-approved Arancini and classic Spaghetti & Meatballs in an Old World atmosphere that makes you want to order the tiramisu and stay another hour. It earned the 2025 SpringsMag People's Choice Award for Best Italian Food Restaurant. Down the street, Monse's Pupuseria does Salvadoran comfort food with sincerity: hand-pressed pupusas with vegetarian and gluten-free options, tucked away in the kind of spot that feels like you found something the internet hasn't fully discovered yet.

Ivywild and S. Tejon gives you Prime25, a USDA Prime steakhouse where the happy hour (Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 6 p.m.) runs $6 cocktails and $4 beers alongside upscale bites, one of the better deals in town for an elevated experience.

Middle Shooks Run is home to Stellina Pizza Cafe (749 E. Willamette Ave.), a neighborhood pizza joint set in a building that has been a community anchor since 1910. The Roman-style sourdough crust is the draw, house-made pastas round out the menu, and the monthly Supper Club prix fixe dinners sell out fast. It's the kind of restaurant that belongs entirely to its block, and cyclists and walkers stop in from the Legacy Loop trail just down the hill.

Manitou Springs and the westside are worth the short drive. Adam's Mountain Cafe (26 Manitou Ave.) has been running its clean, farm-to-table ethos for four decades, a favorite of vegetarians and anyone who wants Tibetan Vegetables or Smoked Salmon Enchiladas in a room hung with the late artist Rockey's fantastical paintings.

For a special-occasion splurge, The Margarita at Pine Creek (7350 Pine Creek Rd.) serves prix fixe three- or four-course dinners in an adobe compound that feels like Taos in the 1970s, with live music on Saturday lunch, a wooded patio, and weekly-changing menus that make it worth planning around.

Best Coffee Shops in Colorado Springs

Loyal Coffee and The Exchange on Tejon are the two names locals come back to most, but the Springs has a deep independent coffee bench, from Wayfinder in Briargate to Building 3 near Garden of the Gods.

Loyal Coffee (two locations: downtown and north) is the name that comes up in every local conversation about coffee. Barista-owned and locally roasted, the cortado here has a genuine cult following. Both locations run busy, but the quality is consistent and the community feel is real.

The Exchange on Tejon (526 S. Tejon St.) is a downtown institution that has watched the Trolley Block and New South End grow up around it. It's a full breakfast and brunch spot as much as a café: savory dishes, baked goods, a bar for post-coffee hours, and live music on weekends. Pastelito Wednesday (Cuban coffee and pastry for $5) has become something of a local tradition. The Exchange took top honors in the 2025 SpringsMag People's Choice Awards for Best Coffee Shop.

Wayfinder Coffee Co. (6140 Austin Bluffs Pkwy., Briargate) was voted a Top 3 finalist in the 2025 SpringsMag People's Choice Awards for Best Coffee Shop. The travel-themed space, maps, global roasts, evening wine service, doubles as a wine bar and draws regulars who stay for hours.

Building 3 (2727 N. Cascade Ave.) is the go-to post-hike stop near Garden of the Gods. Set in a repurposed school building with bar seating overlooking Pikes Peak, the house-roasted coffee is excellent (the rose cardamom latte and brown sugar latte are the ones to order), and the staff is notably easygoing about custom orders and dairy alternatives.

Carnelian Coffee (2428 W. Colorado Ave., Old Colorado City) occupies a cozy space filled with handmade pottery mugs, stained glass windows, and crystals. The honey lavender latte is a signature. It's the kind of independent shop that feels like it belongs to the neighborhood, not just in it.

Third Space Coffee Roastery and Café (5670 N. Academy Blvd.) is one of the best work-from-coffee-shop options in the city: strong Wi-Fi, plenty of room, a kids' playroom (a genuine find for parents), and weekend live concerts. The homemade donut bar is not optional.

Dynamo Coffee Roasters (4029 Tutt Blvd.) anchors the east side with locally made pottery mugs, community-table seating, strong Wi-Fi, and a rotating gallery of local art. The oat milk latte is smooth and consistent, and the staff makes it the kind of place you'd spend a full work morning without noticing the time.

For something less conventional: Taste of Ethiopia near Citadel Mall offers buna, the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, green beans roasted tableside, brewed fresh, served with incense. It's a genuinely different experience, and the food is worth staying for.

Best Restaurants in Colorado Springs for Special Occasions

For special occasions, Roth's Sea & Steak, Four by Brother Luck, and Ephemera are the three most celebrated upscale options in the Springs right now.

Roth's Sea & Steak (13010 Spectrum Sun View, at Ford Amphitheater) is currently generating the most buzz for upscale dining. The menu spans a raw bar, prime cuts including a 45-Day Wagyu Ribeye, and an Omakase sushi experience. The Chef's Counter runs a multicourse format with storytelling woven into each course, so book ahead.

Four by Brother Luck (321 N. Tejon St.) is the flagship restaurant of celebrity chef Brother Luck, a Top Chef and Chopped alum, whose rotating four-course menus draw from the Four Corners region and change quarterly. Happy hour runs Tuesday through Sunday, 3 to 5 p.m., with chef-driven bites at lower prices.

The Warehouse (25 W. Cimarron St.) has built a loyal following around game and Colorado-sourced meats, Elk Strip Loin, Veal Sweetbreads, occasional yak specials, in an art gallery setting where rotating exhibitions share wall space with serious cooking. It comfortably straddles date-night and happy-hour-with-friends territory, and took the 2025 People's Choice Award for Best Fine Dining.

If you want to impress out-of-town guests with views, Grand View at Garden of the Gods Resort delivers Pikes Peak and red rock formations through the dining room windows. Seared Duck Breast and Braised Short Rib are on the dinner menu, and the restaurant runs one of the city's best brunches Friday through Sunday.

Budget-Friendly Picks Locals Love

Por Favor Tacos and Tragos, Shuga's, Chiba Bar, and Mausam Indian Flavors are the four budget picks locals return to most, all delivering quality meals well under $20 per person.

Por Favor Tacos and Tragos (two locations: 4657 Centennial Blvd. and 13395 Voyager Pkwy. in Northgate) has rewritten the narrative about Mexican food in the Springs. Al pastor tacos, fresh chips and guac, Quesa Birria, and margaritas that hold their own add up to dinner for two for well under $40.

Shuga's (702 S. Cascade Ave.) is where to go before a Switchbacks FC game, then walk to the stadium after. The Spicy Brazilian Coconut Shrimp Soup with a Cuban Mojo sandwich has been the move for years. Dog-friendly patio, custom cocktails, and "crappy beer" happy hour deals.

Chiba Bar (19 E. Kiowa St.) is a cyberpunk izakaya in downtown COS, anime-themed, affordable, and genuinely good. The Spicy Combo Donburi Bowl (tataki ahi, Scottish salmon, avocado, shiso, tobiko) is a highlight at a price that makes it easy to come back.

Mausam Indian Flavors (3167 W. Colorado Ave.) is led by Chef Dharam Singh, whose former restaurant Tandoor in Guangzhou earned Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition in 2018, 2019, and 2020 before closing during COVID. The Chicken Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer, and a Kashmiri Pulao with dried fruits and nuts are standouts. Mausam took the 2025 People's Choice Award for Best Indian Food Restaurant, and the takeout is consistently excellent.

New to Colorado Springs? Start Here

If you're relocating and want to understand the city through its food culture, start with these: a cortado at Loyal Coffee, tacos at Por Favor, dinner at Red Gravy, and one splurge at The Rabbit Hole. That circuit gives you a genuine cross-section of what the best restaurants and coffee in Colorado Springs do well.

A neighborhood's food and coffee scene is often one of the first things people notice once they've settled in, right alongside commute time and school district. It's part of why so many newcomers who relocate here, especially military families adjusting after a PCS, end up gravitating toward a specific pocket of the city rather than the metro as a whole. West-side buyers drawn to the walkable, café-and-trailhead feel of the area often start their search around homes near Manitou Springs, while downtown-focused buyers lean toward the Tejon Street corridor itself.

For a deeper look at what it's actually like to live here, from the private clubs and free trail system to the tradeoffs of a bigger move, Colorado Springs private clubs and recreation and the pros and cons of living in Colorado Springs cover the rest of the picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the best overall restaurant in Colorado Springs right now? Several restaurants compete for this depending on what you're looking for. For chef-driven fine dining, Ephemera's tasting menu and Four by Brother Luck's rotating four-course format are the most ambitious. For a crowd-pleasing upscale night out, The Rabbit Hole and Red Gravy are consistent favorites. Roth's Sea & Steak is currently the most buzzed-about newcomer at the upper end of the market. The Warehouse won the 2025 SpringsMag People's Choice Award for Best Fine Dining.
• What is the best coffee shop in Colorado Springs? The Exchange on Tejon took the top spot in the 2025 SpringsMag People's Choice Awards for Best Coffee Shop. Loyal Coffee is the local benchmark for espresso quality, with two locations (north and south), barista-owned and roasted locally. Wayfinder Coffee Co. in Briargate was a Top 3 People's Choice finalist. For atmosphere and Wi-Fi, Third Space Coffee Roastery, Dynamo Coffee Roasters, and Building 3 near Garden of the Gods each have strong regulars.
• Are there good restaurants near Garden of the Gods? Yes. Building 3 (2727 N. Cascade Ave.) is the closest quality café, about a 10-minute drive from the park. Grand View at Garden of the Gods Resort is the top-tier dining option with mountain and red rock formation views from the table. Adam's Mountain Cafe in nearby Manitou Springs is a well-regarded farm-to-table option that has been running for four decades.
• Is Colorado Springs good for food if I'm moving from a bigger city? The Springs dining scene has grown significantly over the past decade. The downtown Tejon Street corridor now has a genuine cluster of chef-driven restaurants covering everything from Japanese izakaya and sustainable seafood to tasting menus and steakhouses. The independent coffee scene is strong and improving. It's not Denver, but it's no longer the afterthought it once had a reputation for being.
• What are the best budget-friendly restaurants in Colorado Springs? Por Favor Tacos and Tragos, Shuga's, Chiba Bar, and Mausam Indian Flavors all deliver quality meals well under $20 per person. Stellina Pizza Cafe in Middle Shooks Run is the neighborhood pizza standard: Roman-style sourdough crust, house-made pastas, and a happy hour (4 to 6 p.m.) well worth timing your visit around.
• Where do locals go for coffee in Colorado Springs? Locals tend to cycle between a handful of independents depending on the neighborhood and the task. The Exchange on Tejon for a quality espresso drink and full breakfast, Loyal Coffee for a focused cortado, Wayfinder for an afternoon with a book or laptop, Building 3 for a post-hike warm-up, Carnelian for Old Colorado City charm, and Dynamo for the east side. Third Space is the family-friendly pick with the kids' playroom.