Get a taste of the city’s culinary scene

By Kristian DePue

As Colorado Springs continues to reinvent itself during its 150th anniversary year, the culinary scene stands out as a shining example of progress.

Consider the following as an appetizer, introducing a glimpse of the food and beverage landscape in Olympic City, USA. The restaurants are spread across town, each offering a unique experience by local owners who want to whet your appetite when you visit the Springs.

Edelweiss German Restaurant

Deutschland in Ivywild, south of downtown

Operating within a 120-year-old schoolhouse and named after an Alpine flower, Edelweiss is a German family-owned locale, complete with an outdoor biergarten and an underground ratskeller, adorned with Bavarian décor in every dining room. The traditional menu includes jägerschnitzel (crispy pork cutlets), sauerbraten (marinated beef), maultaschen (Swabian-style pasta pocket) and, of course, bratwurst. On weekends, strolling musicians entertain guests with festive, genuine German music. Known for their variety of German beers, Edelweiss is also famous for decadent desserts and pastries, including torte and strudel.

34 E. Ramona Ave., Colorado Springs

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Shuga’s

Cozy and quirky on the edge of downtown

Serving guests in a retro-eclectic café with an eccentric backyard, Shuga’s has been a staple of Colorado Springs dining for more than a decade. The menu is globally inspired, offering bruschetta, pozole, ramen and a variety of sandwiches. Their cocktails are creative with offbeat names, like Adult Juice Box, Tukwila Simple bee, and Cozy Rosy Whisper. In addition to a set beer list, they offer three rotating brews under the specific categories of IPA, “pretentious beer” and “crappy beer.”

Popular menu favorites include their varieties of bruschetta, the Cuban Mojo sandwich, and their spicy Brazilian coconut shrimp soup.

702 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs

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Paravicini’s Italian Bistro

Robust Italian in Old Colorado City on the westside

Chef Franco Pisani is a big personality donned with flashy shirts and gold watches, and has a deep, bona fide love for fantastic Italiano. A frequent guest on local media, he’s often shown cooking up specialty dishes live on television. He owns the award-winning Paravicini’s in the historic westside and has earned numerous Best Of The Springs honors in multiple dining categories. The menu features Italy’s regional specialties, classic Italian-American favorites, as well as Chef Franco’s original creations. Enjoy some rigatoni with tomato-basil sauce, a glass of wine, and fuhgeddaboudit!

Bonus: This location is a one-two punch because Chef Franco’s other venue, Ristorante Di Sopra, is just upstairs – described as “unique, upscale Northern Italian.”

2802 W. Colorado Ave., Colorado Springs

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Piglatin Cocina

Inventive Latin American fusion on Dublin Boulevard on the north side

What started as a popular food truck featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives eventually became a hot spot on the north side of Colorado Springs. With parents who emigrated from Colombia to Union City, New Jersey, Chef Andres Velez grew up in a melting pot of Latin American cultures on the East Coast. He developed a menu of inventive Latin American dishes featuring pork for his kitchen on wheels. The brick-and-mortar menu includes broader elements, even an inspired kimchi quesadilla. Favorites that will take you to Flavortown: Island Tacos, OG Stacked Arepa, and Yucatan Tacos. Also, try the variety of traditional Latin sides, including: plátanos maduros (fried sweet plantains), yucca(cassava wedges) and elote (Mexican street corn).

Bonus: Velez also owns Anju Korean Eats, a casual Korean spot within downtown’s culinary collective, COATI Uprise.

2825 Dublin Blvd., Colorado Springs

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