The modern metropolis we know and love was long home to Indigenous peoples before the 1858 gold rush brought settlers to the area. Although Denver has grown by leaps and bounds since then, you can catch a glimpse of its past through the many 19th-century buildings that still stand and have been lovingly restored and turned into shops, hotels, and restaurants.
The latest historic project on the list comes from the team at Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality, who run Boulder’s Oak at Fourteenth and Corrida, as well as the growing fast-casual regenerative beef chain, C-Burger. Soon, said owner Brian Dayton, we will see a new steakhouse in the lineup, right inside the iconic National Western Stock Exchange Center. That venue was built in 1898 and has acted as a hub for the local livestock economy, home to a telegraph office, a barbershop, and more.
Until then, get your history fix by eating in one of these 18 spots, all located in landmark buildings, or at the very least, ones with a storied past.
The Legacy of Union Station
One of the biggest and brightest examples is Union Station, which first opened in the late 19th century. However, that version was short-lived after a fire in 1914. The train station was rebuilt, and remained much the same until renovation projects in 2014 and 2024. Today the station acts as a community gathering place and is home to a boutique hotel and wide array of restaurants, including Mercantile, Ultreia, and Cooper Lounge.
Palace Arms: Dishing Out French Revolution Charm
Inside Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel & Spa you’ll find Palace Arms, an elegant and historical restaurant decorated with memorabilia reminiscent of French general Napoleon Bonaparte. The space housing the unique spot is over 130 years old, and it does nothing to hide that fact.
While dining on steak frites and the best Caesar salad in town, look around and take in the floor-to-ceiling decor. For example, the golden eagles perched on the walls, which once sat atop the poles carried by Napoleon’s army when he marched to Notre Dame to declare himself emperor in 1804. These days, the restaurant is prix fixe only, serving three courses for $54, a conquering deal even the general himself would have loved. 321 17th St., Denver, brownpalace.com
Acova x Mafia
Though sunny and family-friendly, the building housing Acova in Sunnyside has a torrid past as a mafia hot spot. Before Acova it was Patsy’s, which served the neighborhood for 95 years. Both restaurants kept mafia memorabilia. For example, one table in the Acova dining room has a trap door underneath for quick escapes, and there’s a bullet hole in the bar from an old gang skirmish…