If you’re flying through Denver, the airport location of ChoLon - Modern Asian is one of the better sit-down dining options at DIA. It’s the airport outpost of chef Lon Symensma’s well-known Denver restaurant, which built its reputation on modern Southeast Asian cuisine with French influences. I started out with mac & cheese purses, which are served with a sweet & sour sauce. The crisp, golden exterior gave way to a creamy macaroni and cheese filling that was rich and heavy. So, the sauce helped. I then ordered pad thai, with rice noodles, scrambled eggs, bean sprouts, cashews and shrimp. Lots of toppings -- less focus on the sauce. I really love pad thai, and this was a different spin on it -- but welcome nonetheless in an airport setting. Grade: A

Big Bowl is an Asian restaurant located in the Denver International Airport that offers a build-your-own stir-fry concept with Chinese and Thai-inspired options. I ordered sesame chicken with jasmine white rice and rangoons. Typically, this is a comfort food go-to. But I was disappointed. The sauce was standard, but the quality of the meat was stringy and mushy. I would pass on this. Grade: C

Jamba (formerly Jamba Juice) is one of the largest smoothie and juice chains in the United States. It was founded in 1990 by Kirk Perron in San Luis Obispo, originally under the name Juice Club. The company rebranded from “Jamba Juice” to simply “Jamba” in 2019 to reflect a menu that had expanded beyond juice. I ordered a strawberry watermelon lemonade, which was a summer special. It was sweet and fruity, with just a touch of tang from the lemon.

The Woody Creek Bakery & Cafe is known for fresh-baked cookies, breakfast sandwiches, soups, salads, wraps and specialty sandwiches. It has locations both downtown on the 16th Street Mall and in Denver International Airport, which is where I made a quick stop. I ordered a ham & cheese quiche, which included cheddar jack cheese and fruit. Clearly a heat-and-eat situation, but not bad for an airport option. It was a decent pastry with a ham and cheese filling, and the side of fruit -- in this case grapes -- made for a balance in flavor. Grade: C

Located in Concourse C, Root Down is the airport version of the popular Denver restaurant. Root Down focuses on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients with a highlight on vegetarian and vegan choices. I ordered the Banh Mi Turkey Burger with Cilantro Chutney, Jalapeño, Pickled Vegetables, Cucumber & Sriracha Aioli w/ Sweet Potato Fries. This was wonderful for airport food. The burger was moist, and those pickled veggies made for a dynamic bite. The atmosphere? Service? General vibes? All a bit rushed, impersonal and what I'd expect at an airport - even though I was hoping for more. Grade: B

Annette is a scratch-to-table modern American restaurant just outside of Denver, Colorado, in Stanley Marketplace. Stanley Marketplace is a community of 50+ independently owned Colorado businesses that offer a place for to eat, drink, shop, exercise, play, work and more.



The space has some modern flair and is pretty slick. It's not a comfy-cozy atmosphere; it's refined.

I recently listened to a podcast about how restaurants psychologically influence diners to eat quickly or slowly depending on how cozy the seats are and how fast the music is. That resonated with me a bit here.



Chef-Owner Caroline Glover is a 2019 Food and Wine Best New Chef and was awarded the title of 2022 James Beard Best Chef in the Mountain Region.



The menu features seasonal items from local producers, as well as some new spins on classic items. I ordered the pork tonnato with tuna, capers, red onion and parsley. I learned that tonnato is a room-temperature, creamy, mayonnaise-like sauce flavored with tuna. It was interesting, and I'm glad I tried it. But I think I'll pass next time.



I did, however, love the fried and stuffed squash blossoms. There's a bit of whimsy when eating these because it's like a delicious flower, stuffed with a cheesy mixture and deep-fried. Yum. For my main entrée, I devoured the housemade cavatelli with sausage, confit tomatoes, and Parmesan. The chew of the fresh pasta in the simple toppings are the definition of comfort food for me.



Grade: A

Rioja, a Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Denver, features a menu inspired by Mediterranean ingredients and influenced by local and seasonal products. Rioja's Jennifer Jasinski was the first Denver chef to win a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest.



The space is home to a copper-topped bar and exhibition kitchen with simple decor that allows the food to shine. They offer a lunch menu dubbed "the flavor dojo," which features a smaller menu of lighter fare.



I ordered the "artichoke tortelloni - artichoke mousse, white truffle brodo, queso de mano, chervil." It's a classic Rioja dish that is even featured on the James Beard website.



Fresh tortelloni pasta is paired with earthy artichokes and local, funky goat cheese mousse that is elevated even more with truffle essence in a delicate broth. It's a lovely balance of light freshness and rich decadence. It is silky and satisfying.



Add a refreshing and slightly sweet drink, and I was a happy camper.



Grade: A

Located in the Denver Milk Market, Morning Jones serves up muffins, pastries, breads and other sweet and savory treats. Between the full-size cakes and mini treats, it was a slice of heaven.



Featuring 16 venues run exclusively by acclaimed Chef Frank Bonanno, Denver Milk Market is one of the nation’s only dining marketplaces led by a single chef. In addition to the coffee & pastry shop, the market also has concepts around pizza, pasta, hot chicken, brunch, poke, salads, burgers, sandwiches, ice cream, seafood and tacos.



At Morning Jones, there are a bazillion pastries and coffee options, so I took my time perusing the options behind the case.



No coffee for me on this visit, but I did enjoy a raspberry dessert. The giant serving had layers of cake and cream. Sweet, but balanced nicely with the tartness of the raspberry.



Have you been?



Grade: B

Milkbox Ice Creamery is a Union Station small-batch ice cream shop located in a former barbershop space in Denver. It's a really neat spot that fawls modern but still rooted in the classics.



This ice cream shop stocks 16 flavors of ice cream, including sorbet and vegan options served as a shake, sundae, cone or cup, as well as boozy alcohol shakes.



Flavors include:
Almond Joy*
Banana Pudding
Basil Blueberry Swirl
Black Walnut
Chocolate*
Cinnamon Churro
Coffee Bean
Cookie Monster
Toasted Coconut
Dulce De Leche
German Chocolate
Key Lime Pie
Luv Chunks (raspberry with brownie chunks)
Malted Whopper
Maple Walnut
Mexican Chocolate
Mint Oreo
Pineapple Sorbet
Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup
Salted Butterscotch
Salted Oreo*
Strawberry Sorbet
Snickers
Strawberry Cheesecake
Sweet Basil Blueberry
* = Vegan Available



I went with a simple cup of dulce de leche. The deeply rich flavor is one of my favorites. It was beautifully smooth and creamy - no overchurning in sight here.



Grade: A

Crema Bodega in the Denver Central Market features small-batch coffees and creative espresso drinks. They have 22 local, national and international coffee roasters. I opted for a small, iced caramel latte, which was the lovely little jolt of energy I needed. It was a robust flavor profile with just the essence of caramel notes. True coffee lovers would be fans.



Grade: A

Izzio Bakery is a family-owned Colorado bakery that has been baking traditional organic sourdough breads since 1994.



At the Denver Central Market location, the bakery also features breakfast and lunch items in addition to an enticing dessert display.



A fresh fruit tart caught my eye. A cookie disc layered with a frosting and topped with a colorful bounty of summer berries. What's not to love? It was absolutely lovely.



Next time, I may opt for a sandwich and try that fresh-baked bread.



Grade: A