Our Favorite Healthy Restaurants in Denver, CO

We thought we’d take a brief departure from our usual Denver tree removal programming to share with you some of our most frequented healthy eating spots in the city! During the time of the post, we’re still in the midst of coronavirus self-isolation and quarantine, which means lots of ordering from home and delivery food (thanks DoorDash!).

Thankfully Denver is a Mecca for healthy restaurants and allergen-free options! Many of the restaurants on this list are staff favorites, and lean towards the gluten-free and Paleo end of the spectrum with plenty of vegan options as well. Enjoy this list, and let us know if we’ve missed anything! We’ll continue to add to this list as we continue to discover new gems!

Just Be Kitchen –  2364 15th St.

This might be one of our favorite spots in the city, and happens to be one of the most allergen-free menus in the entire country!! Located just across the street from South Platte Park and Centennial and Confluence Parks, Just Be Kitchen offers a 100% gluten, grain, refined sugar, soy, corn, peanut & legume free menu!! For those on elimination style diets or looking to follow autoimmune friendly guidelines, this place is a dream come true. And if you’re used to gluten-free foods tasting like cardboard, get this – everything on the menu actually tastes really good.

Staff favorites include the vegetable curry, aka “Passion” (you’ll definitely want to add the GF tortilla!), the deconstructed “egg” roll, and their breakfast burrito (breakfast menu only), aka “Fulfilled”. Oh, and did we mention that they also offer Bulletproof Coffee (coffee with grass-fed butter and MCT oil) and a bone broth bar?

If you can’t tell we love this place – it’s the perfect blend of foodie culture meets healthy eating without being pretentious. If you want to check it out, they feature a number of different menus depending on the time of day, but you can check out their dinner menu HERE.

Hands down an Urban Forestry Tree Service favorite! Are we allowed to say “certified fresh”?

Next Door American Eatery – 1701 Wynkoop St. Suite 100

Next Door currently operates seven locations, and is the brain-child of Kimbal Musk – yup Elon Musk’s brother, the guy that wants to take us to Mars. But Kimbal is on a mission of his own and wants to revolutionize the way Americans eat. According to Kimbal, “Real food is the new internet means that young entrepreneurs getting into food today, where they’re bringing real food that just taste much better.”

Well, we’re not exactly sure how food is the new internet, but we can get down with their delicious locally sourced menu! As the name implies, Next Door’s menu is American through-and-through, but with a healthy-twist and tons of gluten-free options. You can find their Denver LoDo location right next to Union Station, just about a block away from Tattered Cover Book Store and Whole Foods.

We really love their charred cauliflower salad, keto burger (yum – avocado and bacon, yes please!), and the roasted veggie salad! They also serve a handful of alcohol-free mocktails, and the Strawberry Lemon Fizz is worth a visit alone!

We’re all about supporting local farmers, and eating at Next Door is a great way to embrace your localvore lifestyle. Check out their Union Station location menu HERE.

Five on Black – 1617 California St.

**UPDATE: PERMANENTLY CLOSED SINCE THE TIME OF THIS WRITING**

Here at the office, when visitors come from out of town, we often pitch Five on Black as the “Brazilian Chipotle”. Like Just Be Kitchen, their menu is entirely gluten-free, and if you opt out of having meat or Brazilian cheese buns it is completely vegan. Their menu is simple, delicious, affordable, and fast casual! What’t not to love?

Start by choosing a base and build your own bowl. Our favorite combo is white rice, Churrasco beef, coconut roasted sweet potato, spicy coconut sauce, topped with chimmichurri, farofa (toasted cassava flour), and cilantro. Just writing this out my mouth is watering!

Check out their menu HERE!

Modern Market – Various Locations

Modern Market boasts 12 locations in total along the front range, one of which is located at the Denver International Airport, making this restaurant like the McDonald’s of healthy eating! Their range of healthy eating options means that our office probably orders food from here more than any other restaurant on this list! We have take-out delivered from the 900 16th St. LoDo/Downton location on just about a weekly basis!

Just about everything on the menu is great with plenty of gluten-free options (they can even make gluten-free pizzas!), but we particularly love their wintergreen salad, curry sweet potato soup, smoky chicken bowl, custom hand carved bowls (choose between: chicken, pork, salmon, grass-fed steak, or sesame glazed tofu), and their gluten free cookies. Top it off with a Spindrift and you’re good to go!

The menu may vary upon location, but you can start HERE and then select a location from there!

Larkburger – 8000 E Belleview Ave.

As far as no frills burgers places go, Larkburger in Greenwood Village takes the cake (or the burger bun?). Order yourself one of their signature burgers or customize yours to taste. Not only do they offer gluten-free buns on the menu (they’ll also do a burger in a lettuce wrap for you, no problem) alongside their certified angus beef burgers, but also offer a variety of healthy salads as well.

As far as our personal favorites – you can’t go wrong with the Bacon Cheddar Burger, but we also really love to indulge ourselves in the ahi tuna salad. And where else in Denver can you get onion rings battered in GF rice flour?! Then you more keto-inclined folks, you might really want to check out their “avo fries” – avocado slices fried in gluten free rice flour, served with ranch! Mmmmm….

Like most of the restaurants on this list, Larkburger also happens to be family-friendly. The kids menu includes a grilled cheese sandwich among other staples, and for dessert, the menu also offers ice cream with gluten free cones! You can’t go wrong with this place!

See their menu HERE.

And of course, once you’ve satisfied your appetite, we’d be honored to be your tree removal service providers! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a free Denver tree trimming quote today.