Dining out is such a treat – especially during the holidays. When you sit down in the company of family and friends, time slows down. You’re not checking your watch or phone or calendars, you’re simply sitting and allowing a moment to unwind, to enjoy, to indulge. Savoring the crunch of the bruschetta, or the fruitiness of the red wine, or the juiciness of the burger, or the richness of the chocolate cake – you enter a state of culinary surrender.  

Here in Colorado Springs, there are so many restaurants that provide the ambiance, the flavors, the variety and the service that can complete any weekend.

Paravicini’s Italian Bistro

Italian

2802 West Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs | 719-471-8200 | Paravicinis.com

Paravicini’s has been voted best Italian food in the city year after year. Chef Franco has developed a menu that features Italy’s regional specialties in addition to Italian-American favorites. Located conveniently in Old Colorado City, the Italian Bistro affords beautiful ambiance and a large patio that can accommodate large or small parties. Some menu highlights include their award-winning lasagna and penne a la vodka. Diners can also try a classic entrée – be it the chicken marsala, eggplant parmigiana or good ol’ spaghetti and meatballs. Also enjoy handcrafted cocktails, carefully selected wine or an impressive list of Italian liqueurs with a homemade dessert.

Fujiyama

Japanese

22 South Tejon Street, Colorado Springs | 719-630-1167 | FujiyamaSushi.com

If you’re in the mood for Japanese food, head over to Fujiyama, right in the heart of downtown. The extensive sushi and sashimi menu will fill your palate with a luscious medley of flavors and textures. Specialty rolls include chicken teriyaki roll, salmon tempura roll and Madame butterfly, which has crab tempura, asparagus tempura, cream cheese, tuna, salmon, avocado, spicy mayo and eel sauce.  For the vegetarian in your party, there is everything from an avocado roll to a vegetable tempura roll to the “Deer Butt” roll, which features shitake mushroom, sweet potato, asparagus tempura, pine nuts, inari and avocado.

Marigold Café & Bakery

French

4605 Centennial Boulevard, Colorado Springs | 719-599-4776 | MarigoldColoradoSprings.com

You don’t need to go all the way to Paris to enjoy the splendors of French food. This French-fusion restaurant features handcrafted masterpieces inspired by European Bistros, with the chefs’ own unique twists. Whether a casual lunch, a family dinner or an intimate date at the wine bar, this one-of-a-kind café delivers. Locals flock here for the decadent menu items, from the escargots de Bourgogne appetizer, the Roquefort blue cheese salad, the red rock snapper Marseillaise and so much more. Make sure to leave room for desert, the café’s award-winning bakery features some of the best chocolate cake in town.

Till Kitchen

Colorado Cuisine

9633 Prominent Point, Colorado Springs | 719-282-8004 | TillKitchen.com

Enjoy Colorado cuisine at Till Farm-Inspired Open Kitchen and Mercantile. The stunning 17,000 square foot farm-to-table open kitchen and market features artisan-crafted meals and light bites that are regionally and sustainably sourced. The kitchen works directly with many local and regional farms and purveyors for its meat and produce, including Corner Post Meats, Arkansas Valley Organic Growers, Milberger Farms, Black Forest Aquaponics and One Town Farm. Menu favorites include oak-grilled organic chicken breast, Corner Post grass fed beef burger, beer-battered fish and chips, and wood fire oven pizza made with Colorado Springs-bred sourdough. Mosey by the spacious and elegant bar area for a thoughtfully-crafted cocktail made with local spirits, and don’t forget to step out to the heated patio to breathe in the priceless Front Range views.

Amanda’s Cantina

8050 North Academy Boulevard, Colorado Springs | 719-266-6680 | AmandasCantina.com

Mexican

Step into the upbeat atmosphere of this locally-owned cantina, featuring some serious Mexican food. Established in 1997, the restaurant features authentic Mexican flavors and original, homemade recipes. Everything in the kitchen is made from scratch, from the guacamole, queso and shrimp ceviche; to the carnitas tacos, steak ranchera, humongous veggie burrito and classic fajitas. Whether you enjoy the festive interiors or the enclosed heated back patio with phenomenal views, you’ll have a memorable and delicious experience. Top off your visit with an award-winning margarita, and seal up the night with rum cake and churros. It’s party time!