With more than 70 breweries and a reputation as the craft beer capital of America, Denver is well known for its watering holes. This has spilled over (no pun intended) into the city’s dining scene, with much of the restaurant chatter in Denver centering on American or brewpub fare. While Denver may not be known as the top place in the country for sushi (that honor would likely go to Honolulu, Los Angeles, or perhaps surprisingly, Reno, which might be America’s unexpected capital of all-you-can-eat sushi), Denver has a number of top Japanese restaurants. Several of these are owned by the same man: Chef Toshi Kizaki. And Kizaki’s new, eponymous restaurant, is hands down the best in the whole city.
Chef Toshi Kizaki is the owner of five Japanese restaurants in Denver, four of which are located within walking distance from one another on South Pear Street. These include Sushi Den, Izakaya Den, Ototo, and Kizaki. Sushi Den was the first restaurant he started in 1984, but his latest restaurant, Kizaki, which opened in 2025, is getting a lot of recent buzz.
“Exceptional ingredient quality is a given from start to finish, spanning a treasure trove of oceanic delicacies,” reports The Michelin Guide, “…from buttery, lightly seared black-throat sea perch to silvery, vinegar-accented gizzard shad.” “Kizaki brings to Denver a new way to eat and enjoy sushi,” says DiningOut, highlighting the restaurant’s beverage program, which “radiates.” Plus Kizaki offers a wide selection of sake, wine, whiskies, and cocktails, all from or inspired by Japan.
Kizaki is the only Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in Colorado
As of the 2025 Michelin guide, Colorado has nine restaurants with Michelin stars, but Kizaki stands out as the only Japanese and sushi restaurant to make the list. It also landed on Esquire’s 2025 list of the best new restaurants in America. But official accolades aside, Kizaki has received numerous positive reviews by diners on Yelp, Reddit, OpenTable, and elsewhere. “Kizaki on S Pearl Street is one of the best openings in Denver in 2025,” reports one reviewer on Yelp. “The chefs, ambiance, and quality of fish reminded me of Japan! The hand roll with caviar and the otoro were my favorites,” writes another…