Casa Bonita 6715 W Colfax Ave tel 303/232-5115. Absolutely wild Mexican place, seating 1200 diners, a long way out on Colfax. Gunfights, cliff divers, abandoned mines to explore … the only weak link is the food itself, but it's all a lot of fun (especially for kids) and far from expensive.

Cherry Cricket 2641 E 2nd Ave tel 303/322-7666. Excellent burgers and Mexican food served up in a generally dingy sports-bar ambience make this a great place (near Cherry Creek Mall) to nurse a hangover - or even work on getting one (120 different beers on offer) while watching televised sports. Open 11am-2am.

Delhi Darbar 1514 Blake St tel 303/595-0680. Relaxed haunt with decent Indian food and a well-priced lunch buffet.

Fourth Story Restaurant & Bar 2955 E 1st Ave tel 303/322-1824. Relaxed American restaurant gracing the top floor of the Tattered Cover Bookstore, with overstuffed couches and chairs. Sunday brunch served with live music.

Kapre Lounge 2729 Welton St tel 303/295-9207. Exceptionally good Southern-fried chicken in an old, established Five Points soul-food restaurant.

Mercury Cafe 2199 California St tel 303/294-9281. A lot of healthy choices, many vegetarian, but with some meat options as well. A good value.

The Palace Arms 321 17th St tel 303/297-3111. This small and classy restaurant tucked in the Brown Palace Hotel is the ultimate splurge in town, with a menu of mostly seasonal game specialties, and decorated mostly in antiques from the Napoleonic period - including a pair of Napoleon's dueling pistols.

Racine's 850 Bannock St tel 303/595-0418. Just south of downtown, this large, laid-back place is a Denver institution. Housed in a former auto showroom, the inexpensive restaurant serves excellent egg-based breakfasts, with imaginative pastas, reliably good sandwiches and spicy Mexican entrees later in the day.

Rocky Mountain Diner 1800 Stout St tel 303/293-8383. Continental food served up in a festive Western-style atmosphere.

St Mark's Coffeehouse 1416 Market St tel 303/446-2925. The small frontage of this trendy cafe hides a huge, art-filled room where regulars play chess and hang out day and night - from 7am to midnight. Brews excellent espresso.

Tom's Diner 601 E Colfax Ave (and Pearl). Wonderfully gritty and authentic 24hr diner, providing cheap deals on big portions of stock diner food at the seedy end of town.

Vesta Dipping Grill 1822 Blake St tel 303/296-1970. Attractive restaurant in a renovated LoDo warehouse serving tasty food in unusual combinations, based around the "art" of dipping. You can personalize each entree - including a range of kebab-style meat or veggies - in a spectrum of flavors (Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican).

Wazee Supper Club 1600 15th St tel 303/623-9518. Well-established LoDo dining room, serving good cheap burgers, deli sandwiches and superb pizzas, plus a full range of beers, in a retro, art-deco atmosphere. One of the few places open really late (1.30am most nights).