Highest-rated restaurants in Boulder by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.
New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Boulder, according to reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
#30. Gemini
- Rating: 4.5/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1115 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Wine Bars
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#29. Zodiac Subs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 2359 Arapahoe Ave. Ste A Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad
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#28. Postino Boulder
- Rating: 4.5/5 (207 reviews)
- Address: 1468 Pearl St. Ste 110 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Caterers
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#27. Barchetta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1644 Walnut St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza
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#26. Dry Storage
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 3601 Arapahoe Ave. Unit D-181 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
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#25. Osaka's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (245 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2460 Canyon Blvd. Ste 1 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Japanese, Bars, Sushi Bars
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#24. Village Coffee Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (456 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1605 Folsom St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, American
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#23. Izakaya Amu
- Rating: 4.5/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1221 Spruce St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Japanese
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#22. The Parkway Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (372 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4700 Pearl St. Ste 4 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
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#21. Ado's Kitchen & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1143 13th St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Italian, Steakhouses
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#20. Shreddy's Tacos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 2690 Baseline Road Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
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#19. Mt Everest Cuisine
- Rating: 4.6/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4800 Baseline Road Ste A 107 Ste A 107 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Indian, Himalayan/Nepalese
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#18. Gurkhas Dumplings & Curry House
- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Unit H5B Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Himalayan/Nepalese, Indian
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#17. Bento-ria
- Rating: 4.6/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1310 College Ave. Ste 240 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Poke
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#16. Little Tibet
- Rating: 4.6/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4479 Bdwy Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Indian
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#15. Rincon Argentino
- Rating: 4.6/5 (836 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Argentine, Empanadas, Sandwiches
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#14. Boychik - Boulder
- Rating: 4.6/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 1401 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Middle Eastern
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#13. Pasta Press
- Rating: 4.6/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 1911 11th St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
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#12. Lucky's Bakehouse Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 3980 Broadway Ste 107 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
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#11. Tacos Del Norte
- Rating: 4.7/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Caterers
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#10. Sherpa Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (119 reviews)
- Address: 5290 Arapahoe Ave. Ste B Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Indian, Himalayan/Nepalese
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#9. Pupusas Lover 2
- Rating: 4.7/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Unit E1B Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Salvadoran
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#8. Formosa
- Rating: 4.7/5 (118 reviews)
- Address: 4920 Pearl St. Unit C Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Taiwanese, Dim Sum, Desserts
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#7. Le Frigo
- Rating: 4.7/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5360 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Cheese Shops, Sandwiches
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#6. Freddie's Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.7/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1100 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Food Stands
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#5. Nopalito's
- Rating: 4.7/5 (139 reviews)
- Address: 1805 29th St. Ste 1138 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
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#4. Tierra y Fuego Taqueria
- Rating: 4.7/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 4550 Bdwy Unit C-3A Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
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#3. Bitty & Beau's Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 1468 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch
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#2. Holy Crêpe
- Rating: 4.8/5 (68 reviews)
- Address: 1650 Broadway Ste A Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Creperies, French, Desserts
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#1. Cozobi Fonda Fina
- Rating: 4.9/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 909 Walnut St. Ste 100 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.