Follow Our Passion Boulder Colorado City Guide has the best places to eat, hike and just hang out when you are in the happiest city in the United States.
Happy MONDAY! I still cannot believe I get to call Boulder home. The feeling is still really surreal. Not only is it crazy that I live here but it is also pretty insane that a month ago today, I drove from Albuquerque to Boulder and settled in. Okay, still settling. I feel like this move has really been amazing for me in the sense that it is totally pushing me out of my comfort zone but also I’ve discovered so much about myself.
In honor of my love for Boulder and my one month anniversary I thought I would share with you all my favorite places here in Boulder and no worries there will be a part two since I am still very much exploring. If you babes have any places you recommended drop a line in the comment section or shoot me an email. I LOVE exploring new places and appreciate your recommendations SOOO much.
THE EATS
FRESH THYMES
I am obsessed with fresh thymes, I eat there a couple times a week, while most places here in Boulder have gluten-free options, this place is 100% gluten free which is freaking awesome. Their entire concept is me in a nutshell which says a lot. I love coming here for a late lunch after of day of hiking.
MY ORDER: Lolita Pizza which has kale, caramelized onions, dates, chicken sausage and a crazy good jalapeno chimichurri. (swap out the goat cheese for almond ricotta they make in-house, to keep dairy free) Dragon tacos with Korean marinated skirt steak, housemade kimchi, carrot cucumber slaw and a sriracha aioli. (swap out the cassava tortilla for the corn tortillas, to keep grain free + paleo)
TIP: take advantage of the happy hour Monday- Saturday from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm.
NEXT DOOR EATERY -BOULDER
I love hanging out in Pearl Street, working on the blog at a coffee shop and as of late going to Next Door Eatery and getting some chips with guac and people watching while I type away on my laptop. It’s nice to be in a high vibe place, where people are always walking by, the food is great and the staff is super friendly.
MY ORDER: Chorizo & Dates, Guac & Chips, Roasted Balsamic Beets and the Cuban Sandwich just switching out the bread for gluten free and I ask them to take out the cheese.
PRO TIP: They have happy hour with drinks and apps from 3-6 pm.
THRIVE
Even if you are not vegan, trust me you wanna check out Thrive, they have crazy good smoothies, their dips are amazing and basically, everything on their menu is dope.
My ORDER: Natural High made with sprouted almond milk, almond butter, cacao, maca, shilajit, and coconut crystals. Tropical Sunshine with sprouted cashew milk, pineapple, papaya, banana, chamomile, and coconut oil. Flax crackers with dips.
ZEAL
This is another place where for me it’s great to go because again I can literally eat most things on the menu which is great and even if you aren’t dairy free + gluten free it is still such a great place to grab lunch or dinner. Everything here is amazing. They keep everything seasonal and local which is a huge plus for me.
MY ORDER: Just me I tend to go for either the burger with grass-fed beef, mushrooms fermented cabbage, caramelized onion and an aioli (swap out gluten-free bun + leave out cheddar for dairy-free) if I am meeting some friends then we stick to small plates like the chicken lettuce wraps, and avocado half shells.
JAPANGO
It’s actually really funny how I found out about Japango, I went on date there and went again when my mom came to visit me one weekend. It is SO good. I love the high-quality fish and that it is really easy for me to eat gluten + dairy free. If you love sushi this is the place to go on a date or even to grab lunch with some friends.
MY ORDER: Tuna Poke which has tuna, onion avocado and a house made poke sauce and Hamachi Carpaccio is yellowtail sashimi with ponzu, plum, scallion, and microgreens. Diablo roll if I am really hungry made with spicy tuna, avocado topped with seared tuna, scallions and ponzu sauce.
BOULDER BAKED
Okay so not only do they literally make the best freaking cookies ever. They are made to order. Literally. Like you get the cookies you want and play some games while you wait for your cookies. GAME CHANGER. Oh and they have gluten free + vegan options which means my friends, I can eat a lot of these amazing goodies!
DOING THINGS
Boulder happens to be the fittest city in the US which means there is always something to do to stay active. PLUS it also is the happiest city in the US. I feel like that is what really drew me into this wonderful city. I love how everyone is always walking around, riding their bikes and just enjoying nature. I have been to a few different hiking places and still have a bunch more to explore.
MOUNT SANITAS is for sure a great place, you can take so many different routes here. I recommend starting at the base and working your way up. The view is ridiculous. I decided to try to make it once to twice a week here this summer and started in June.
ARAPAHO PEAK is the place to go if you’re a spiritual goddess like me. This is the place to go on a full moon, and you haven’t really appreciated the sky until you see it here. It is quite the journey so be prepared with a headlamp, good shoes, and some snacks. Oh and also don’t forget the warm clothes.
BOULDER CREEK is a great place to check out year round. It is a magical place to see the seasons changing and during the winter it is unbelievable. I literally walk by here daily and love dipping my feet in the creek during the summer months, it might be way too cold in the fall.
PEARL STREET is an outdoor mall and honestly besides having great eats, cool little cafes and so much more, it is just too pretty to not check out. You also get a little glimpse into Boulders iconic street performers. I love checking new places out and just sitting there people watching and working on the blog or anything on my agenda. PLUS it is a great place to just walk around.
VINNISFREE CAFE is a great coffee spot but they also have awesome live events like poetry reads and so much more. Oh, and they carry the Boulder-based coffee Conscious Coffees.
Now that you babes have a list of some of my favorite in my new home, let me know which ones you go to and which ones you like/enjoy! It literally makes my day when people stop me in the street or email me to tell me they tried something I recommended. SO DO IT.
Have an incredible start to your week! Love you all.
