Denver RiNo Food Tour: Five restaurants, one afternoon

Five stops, one afternoon, the neighborhood's best dishes

A three-hour walking food tour of Denver's RiNo Arts District with a local guide, visiting five award-winning restaurants to taste house-made ricotta gnocchi, Mexican street tacos, specialty sourdough pizza, Bavarian pretzels with local beer cheese, and seasonal ice cream. The tour starts at Los Chingones and winds through the neighborhood's murals and galleries, with tastings subject to change based on what each restaurant is serving that day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore RiNo Arts District food and art

• Meet guide at Los Chingones
• Taste inventive tacos at Los Chingones
• Walk through RiNo Arts District murals
• Visit Redeemer Pizza for specialty slices
• Stop at Sacred Heart Catholic Church exterior
• Enjoy ricotta gnocchi at Denver Central Market
• Sample beer and sausages at Bierstadt Lagerhaus
• End with seasonal ice cream at High Point Creamery

The Experience

You meet your guide at Los Chingones, a high-energy taquería run by prominent Denver chef Troy Guard, where the first stop sets the tone for the afternoon. The tacos here pile inventive fillings—pork belly, cactus, tequila shrimp—alongside house salsas that range from mild to intense, and the rooftop views frame the colorful, edgy energy of the neighborhood you're about to explore. From there the tour moves into Denver Central Market, a restored 1920s warehouse food hall in the heart of RiNo, where you taste house-made ricotta gnocchi from Vero—pillowy, pan-seared, finished in a rich sauce that feels both indulgent and light.

Between stops, your guide walks you through the River North Arts District itself, pointing out the murals and street art that cover nearly every wall and explaining how this former industrial zone has become Denver's epicenter of creativity. You'll pass Sacred Heart Catholic Church, a red-brick landmark from 1890 that anchors the neighborhood's immigrant history long before the galleries and breweries arrived. The tour includes a stop at Bierstadt Lagerhaus, a cavernous beer hall where the slow-pour pils—a ritual that takes several minutes to build a thick, creamy head—pairs with smoked German sausage and sauerkraut. At Redeemer Pizza, recently named one of Denver's 25 Best Restaurants, you taste a specialty slice with chef-driven toppings and the smoky char of a properly blistered crust.

The tour wraps at High Point Creamery with seasonal ice cream flavors that shift with what's fresh and local—basil with blackberry swirl, brown butter pecan, earl grey with shortbread. Three hours is tight enough that the fixed schedule keeps all five stops and the walking between them inside one afternoon, but long enough that you're not rushing through any single restaurant or missing the neighborhood's character.

What’s included

• Five restaurant tastings including house-made ricotta gnocchi, Mexican street tacos, specialty sourdough pizza, smoked German sausage with sauerkraut, and seasonal ice cream.
• a freshly-baked kouign-amann from an award-winning bakery.
• a local guide who shares stories about Denver's food scene and the neighborhood's murals and art.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Delicious Denver Food Tours

Is this one for you?Three hours is the right length if you want to taste five restaurants without the afternoon disappearing into a single tour—the fixed schedule keeps all the stops and the walking between them inside one block of time, so the rest of your day stays yours. Skip this if you need a full meal at any one restaurant or if you have a strict gluten-free or dairy-free diet, since the tastings are built around pasta, pizza, sausage, and ice cream.

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Top questions

What exactly do I taste on the Denver RiNo food tour?

The tour includes five tastings: adobo chicken tacos with guajillo ranch and Fuego Takis from Los Chingones; ricotta gnocchi with fresh mozzarella and tomato sugo from Vero at Denver Central Market; a specialty sourdough pizza slice from Redeemer Pizza; smoked German sausage with sauerkraut and mustard from Bierstadt Lagerhaus; and seasonal ice cream from High Point Creamery. A freshly-baked kouign-amann from an award-winning bakery is also included. Tastings are subject to change based on what each restaurant is preparing that day.

How much walking is involved in the RiNo Arts District tour?

The tour is three hours total and covers the neighborhood on foot, moving between five restaurants while your guide points out the murals, galleries, and landmarks like Sacred Heart Catholic Church. You'll walk the streets of RiNo between each stop, but the pace is built around tasting and conversation rather than distance.

Can I add drinks to the Denver food tour?

Yes. Alcoholic drink pairings are available as an optional add-on for $35 at checkout. You must be 21 or older with a valid ID to be served alcohol. The tour itself does not include drinks, though you'll taste beer at Bierstadt Lagerhaus as part of the food pairing there.

What should I know about dietary restrictions on this tour?

Vegetarian options are available. The tour is not recommended for guests with gluten or dairy-free diets, as most of the tastings—gnocchi, pizza, sausage, ice cream—contain those ingredients and the restaurants cannot fully accommodate those restrictions.

When does the Denver RiNo food tour start and what should I bring?

The tour meets at Los Chingones, and you should arrive 10 minutes early to check in. The tour runs rain or shine, so plan for Denver weather and dress accordingly. Infants and small children can ride in a stroller or pram if needed.

Who leads the Denver food tour?

A local, English-speaking guide leads the tour and shares stories about Denver's growing culinary scene and the RiNo Arts District's history and art as you move between stops.