Foolish Craig's Cafe
Big plates at this Pearl Street cafe will carry you through a morning double feature. Crepes are the house specialty, alongside hearty omelets served with house-made toast and potatoes. Come early on festival weekends, when downtown will be busy.
See MoreSherpa’s Adventure | Restaurant & Bar
Set in a rambling old Victorian house a few blocks off Pearl, Sherpa’s serves Nepali, Tibetan and Indian dishes made to order, including breads and meats from a charcoal-fired tandoor. Several small dining rooms keep things cozy on a cold January night, and the staff includes Sherpas from the Everest region.
See MoreThe Sink
Before he founded Sundance, Robert Redford worked as a janitor at The Sink during his CU Boulder days, and his caricature is still on the wall. This University Hill landmark serves burgers and pizza beneath colorful murals and a ceiling covered in signatures.
See MoreLicense No. 1
Head downstairs at the Hotel Boulderado to License No. 1, a dim, speakeasy-style cocktail bar in the hotel’s basement. The name comes from one of the first liquor licenses issued after Boulder ended its dry years, and the bar still pours under that same license. Look for black-and-white photos of old Boulder and a window into the workings of the hotel’s historic Otis elevator.
See MoreVelvet Elk Lounge
Just off Pearl Street, Velvet Elk Lounge pairs proper cocktails with live music in a cozy, wood-paneled room. Local and touring acts play everything from folk and bluegrass to funk and DJ sets.
See MoreWest End Tavern
Housed in Boulder’s former police station, West End Tavern is known for smoky barbecue, stacked burgers and a long whiskey list. Upstairs, the rooftop deck looks out on the Flatirons.
See MoreThe Bitter Bar
A block off Pearl Street, The Bitter Bar is a low-lit, intimate lounge where bartenders mix classic and modern cocktails. Seats at the bar look right onto the action, and quieter corners offer a more tucked-away spot for a nightcap.
See MoreCorrida
Corrida sits on the fourth floor of the PearlWest Building and takes its inspiration from Spain’s Basque Country, serving wood-fired steaks, seafood, tapas and Spanish-style gin and tonics. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Flatirons from the dining room, and the rooftop patio has the same view.
See MoreRosetta Hall
If your crew can’t agree on where to eat after a screening, Rosetta Hall settles it. Counters serve Thai, Japanese, American and more, there are bars on the main floor, and the rooftop patio has plenty of seating.
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