USA Guide
The Rockies
Eating
1 Bump and Grind 439 E 17th Ave 
303/861-4841 Cheap café/bistro just outside downtown that's the flamboyant hub for the local gay social scene, particularly during weekend brunch when the waitstaff is almost exclusively transvestite. The food is excellent, creative, and inexpensive – the eggs Benedict on sourdough bread costs just $7.
2 
El Azteca 301 16th St 303/534-4222 At lunchtime, office workers arrive en masse for authentic, top-notch Mexican food served in this small eatery in the basement of a dreary food-court. Prices are low, service quick, and the food – particularly the carne asada – excellent. Closed evenings.
3 Racine's 650 Sherman St 303/595-0418 Housed in a former auto showroom, this large, laidback place is a Denver institution. The inexpensive menu features excellent egg-based breakfasts, with imaginative pastas, reliably good sandwiches, and serviceable Mexican entrees later in the day.
4 Taki's 341 E Colfax Ave 303/832-4440 Giant, inexpensive portions of Japanese food are served in this friendly and longstanding local family business, with cafeteria-style ordering that gets you the food fast. The miso soup is too good to miss and the salmon bowl – a sizeable piece of salmon smothered in a mustard sauce, with rice – is exceptional.
5 Tom's Diner 601 E Colfax Ave 303/861-7493 Wonderfully gritty and authentic 24hr diner, providing cheap deals on big portions of stock diner food in a seedy part of town.
6 Vesta Dipping Grill 1822 Blake St 303/296-1970 Attractive restaurant in a renovated LoDo warehouse serving tasty food in unusual combinations. The menu is based on the concept of dipping meat or veggies in a spectrum of flavours (Mediterranean, Asian, and Mexican).
7 Wazee Supper Club 1600 15th St 303/623-9518 Established LoDo dining room doling out good cheap burgers, deli sandwiches, and superb pizzas, plus a full range of beers, all in an Art Deco atmosphere. The kitchen serves until 1am most nights.