New restaurants in Colorado Springs get a lot of attention. The scene keeps growing and usually improving with the addition of innovative new concepts. And we humans tend to love a shiny new thing. But that means there are plenty of great dining options that get lost in the shuffle. So we asked our food writers for their favorite under the radar Colorado Springs restaurants. Here are their picks that deliver some excellent food and comfortable, friendly vibes. Bonus: Most also rate high for affordability. Put them on your go-eat-now list.
Il Vicino
This location is the only remaining Il Vicino in Colorado, and we’re so lucky it’s in the Springs. The personal size wood-fired pizzas have the most amazing crust and perfect proportions of cheese and toppings. Pair any of their pizzas (our fave is the simple Margherita) with a salad (it’s a hard call between the Il Vicino and the Spinaci) and you’ve fallen into the quintessential meal for two. Unique ingredient choices across all menu items make it more “culinary art museum” than just another pizza joint. Order a glass of wine, a craft beer or Il Vicino’s famous root beer to complete your meal. They’ve been doing all of it right since opening in the early ’90s and that still holds true today. —Laura Eurich & Carrie Simison
5214 N. Nevada Ave., University Village Shopping Center
2 Luchos
It’s not just that a lot of people have driven past 2 Luchos, it’s that they have likely sped past it on their way to the COS airport. Wedged unassumingly in a strip mall between a Dollar Tree and a King Soopers on South Academy, the family-owned spot serves Mexican and Peruvian everything. The menu is massive, almost comically so — -enchiladas, menudo, seafood soup, enchiladas, oysters and, of course, you can order a whole fish. The vibe is warm and unhurried, with Latin music and a staff that treats you like family even if you can’t decide what to order. Get the Mole Rojo Burrito. You’ll be back. —Steven Hayward
2810 S. Academy Blvd., Southeast Springs
Curry Culture
When you find yourself in the Northgate area — say, for a concert at Ford Amphitheater like we did — don’t miss Curry Culture. It has a relatively small storefront in one of the area’s new strip malls, but it’s big on flavor throughout its menu of North Indian cuisine. Credit owner and chef Inderjit Singh who opened the restaurant in late 2024, following in the footsteps of his late father who was a chef. The flavors here are rich, and the service is excellent. —Jeremy Jones
162 Tracker Dr., #130, Northgate
El Rey Del Taco 2
We know — there’s no shortage of places in the area to satisfy cravings for a good Mexican meal. But our love language is chips and salsa, and El Rey Del Taco 2 has a self-serve salsa bar that keeps us coming back. Their chips are served fresh, and the bar, tucked in the back, features salsas of varying heat level and condiments. We went looking for birria on our first visit, but rather than order the tacos, we went for birria ramen. And thus started our journey through their extensive menu. The taco and elote combo is always a favorite when it’s on special. —L.E. & C.S.
3878 Maizeland Road
Gaia Masala Burger
If we told you the menu at Gaia Masala Burger features curries and burgers, saag and calzones, gyros and pizza, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking we were high. But this downtown spot features a fever dream of fusion that shouldn’t work, but it does. You’ll find Indian, American and Mediterranean on their menu, but where they stand out is when they mash it all up. Since burger is in the name, that’s a great place to start. Get a Tikka Masala Burger with beef, chicken, veggie or lamb. Or you can kick it up with the Fire Tikka Masala Burger. You can also get your masala in a calzone or cheesesteak and on a pizza. And the cheese masala fries are what our cravings are made of. Should you find yourself with some late-night munchies, they’re open until 3 a.m. —L.E. & C.S.
12 S. Tejon St.
Jarrito Loco
Don’t judge this family-owned Mexican restaurant by its unassuming exterior, located beside I-25 on Monument Hill. We made that mistake for far too long. Inside is another story where the cozily lit, airy bar gives off coastal vibes and the tile and hanging art add a Mexican Boho feel. The menu is filled with Jimenez family recipes traced back to Grandmother Maria and honed in the family’s La Cabanita Restaurant in California. Order the Pollo con Mole or Chiles Rellenos to savor their full appreciation of Mexican cuisine. And do not miss the Salsa Sample to enjoy all six of the housemade salsas. —J.J.
315 E. Highway 105, Monument
Sushi Spot
It’s always prudent to sit at the sushi bar, and at Sushi Spot it’s not unusual to encounter the unassuming, soft-spoken, young owner methodically cutting pounds of cream cheese and other ingredients for a day’s worth of rolls. Though they’ve been in this spot (formerly Sushi Ring) nearly six years, it took us until early this year to discover them. The nigiri is reliably rich and fresh, but the specials steal the spotlight, spanning inventive fusion. —L.E. & C.S.
308 S. 8th St., Westside
Tacos el Amigo
You could drive down Boulder Street east of downtown a thousand times and never think to stop at Tacos el Amigo. Flanked by pawn shops and check-cashing joints, it doesn’t scream destination dining. Which is precisely what it is — it’s just overlooked by people who don’t know it’s there. The vibe is bright and welcoming, the menu in Spanish, and the birria tacos arrive crispy, stuffed with tender beef and accompanied by a little cup of rich, beefy broth for dipping — an amazing concoction that you might want to drink down entirely. It’s important you do that. Once. The go-to for the Springs team is the Hamburguesa Estilo Juárez, or Juarez Hamburger, a very fine burger topped with a hot dog, ham, bacon, guac, lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese. Open late, priced right, and hiding in plain sight. If you’re anywhere near downtown, Colorado College or the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, it’s worth a visit. —S.H.
2416 E. Boulder St., Knob Hill
The Keg Lounge
Walking into the Keg Lounge in Manitou, you probably won’t be surprised to see jalapeño poppers, quesadillas and a variety of burgers on the menu. This place feels like a neighborhood bar (that is sometimes overrun by the seasonal tourist invasion). But next to the typical bar fare is one of our favorite salads in town: The Berry Salad. Red onion, bleu cheese crumbles, walnuts and seasonal fresh berries are served atop greens and red cabbage with raspberry honey dressing. (The Keg and the Bacon Bleu salads are served with homemade Italian dressing and are close contenders for favorite salads.) If you’re sticking with bar bites, the burgers are from Ranch Foods Direct and can have a buffalo patty substituted. —L.E. & C.S.
730 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs
The Point Bar & Grill
There’s no piano at The Point, but Billy Joel might write a song about it anyway. People sometimes describe The Point as a “dive bar” and while there might be dive bars in the Springs, this isn’t one of them, especially since new owners have spruced things up. It’s a clean, really friendly place where regulars know your name or go out of their way to learn it, and feels like the place you’d like to go each week. The menu is focused and excellent, and there’s a special each day of the week: meatloaf on Mondays, club sandwich Tuesdays and, of course, fish and fish tacos on Friday. There’s classic rock on the jukebox, zero pretense. The Point also scores for affordability, and you can always just walk in. Every neighborhood deserves a place like this. —S.H.
1545 S. 8th St., Westside
