Denver RiNo

The Art District

Where art is made

If I’m being totally honest, I’m still not sure where I live. Depending on who I ask, I’m either in LoDo, Fivepoints, or RiNo. I prefer to say I live in RiNo, because every time I say it I picture the scene from Ace Venture where Jim Carrey births himself from the rhino… It’s not a good reason to claim I live in RiNo, but until someone gives me a better argument, I’m going to stick with it.

Ben and I have spent a lot of time exploring the RiNo district, especially the strip along Larimer. It’s a fun mix of hipsters, artisans, and entrepreneurs, and while at times it all comes together as a chaotic mess, if you take each element piece-by-piece, I think it’s safe to say there’s more art here than at any museum in the city.

If you go…

If you’re planning a trip to Denver, I highly recommend hitting the RiNo Art District. It’s just a little ways off the beaten path, so it’s not as cramped as downtown, and I’m pretty sure there’s a bar in RiNo for every type of personality.

I recommend heading to RiNo on the weekend, it’s pretty dead (and a bit sketchy) on weekdays, but on the weekend it’s an exciting vibrant neighborhood. Check out the First Friday events all over the neighborhood, there are tons of great art events and often some fun bar crawls.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite places to eat in RiNo between exploring the neighborhood and viewing the street art:

Osaka Ramen – My mouth is watering just thinking of this place! The kara age is perfect.
Stem Ciders – If you’re not into beer, but want to check out the craft brewing scene in Denver, this is the place for you.
Denver Central Market – If you have a group that can’t decide what they want, this place is perfect. I like going here so Ben can order pastries and ice cream, while I enjoy on Old Fashioned.
Park Burger – The Medeteranian Burger is my favorite- this burger place is really good about food allergies.
First Draft – Do you wish you could try all the local beers and ciders… and still make it home in one piece? This is the place for you, they have 40 taps for you to choose from. You can pour your own drinks and because you only pay by the ounce, you don’t have to finish a beer that doesn’t wow you.