Rialto Cafe on 16th Street Mall: Denver Restaurant Review

This great little café situated on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver, is a perfect little jewel to go for a casual and fun breakfast, lunch or dinner. The inside of this larger than it looks café appears to be an old theatre that was transformed. They have a lot of old memorabilia all over the walls and shelves. They also have tall arched doorways and vaulted ceiling making the close table feel less cramped. Because of their location in one of the most popular streets in Denver they are open late and have an outside patio for people watching.

The food here is as eclectic as the interior. They have short ribs, vegetable Wellington, and Calamari. They have a rather upper class menu without the expensive prices. They range from 8.99 - 13.00 for lunch which is one of the best times to go. Not only do you not have to pay full prices for their tasty meals but you can also avoid the dinner rush hour due to the pedestrian traffic. During dinner time they have more expensive options such as steak and Ahi Tuna. They can get pricey so be prepared. The wait here however is not usually too bad, on a week night you can usually grab a seat no matter the hour, on weekend either plan a early or late dinner since during the time of 5-8 you have to usually wait at least a half an hour if not longer.

The cocktails here are also delicious. They have a very long wine list to go with dinner, and servers that know what they are doing when they suggest different wines to go with each course. Their Bloody Mary, Appletini, and Mojito's are delicious and slightly addicting.

Another great option at the Rialto is Brunch. They have a Prime Rib hash that is hard to stop eating and a Bloody Mary Bar that allows you to build your own. They also have pancakes and a Crab and Avocado Omelet that is delicious.

Rialto does cater outside their restaurant and also holds events within their main dining room as well. They have a few different rooms allowing for other guests while still holding events. The have a gallery room which would be perfect for a reception.

The 16th Street Mall creates a great environment for the Rialto Café, giving it a charm and less stuffy mentality. As you walk by you will always see a large group of patrons milling about in the outside patio. They do not have another restaurant so this is the primary place and gets all of the owner's and chef's focus. This is a great place to visit if you are visiting Denver or live there, a great constant in the ever changing downtown Denver.

934 Sixteenth Street
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-893-CAFE (2233)
Hours:
6:30am - 10:00pm Mon - Thurs
6:30am - 11:00pm Fri - Sat
8:00am - 10:00pm Sunday