Colorado’s Best-Kept Secret Isn’t in the Mountains — It’s on Local Menus

Tour the scenic state's innovative culinary scene, and discover how to get a taste without stepping foot outside of your own home.

When you hear "Colorado," you probably picture a landscape with majestic mountains prime for hiking, biking, and skiing. The sweeping views across the Centennial State are awe-inspiring, true, but there's serious momentum building across Colorado at every elevation-and it's starting in the kitchen.

Some of the most adventurous experiences in Colorado can be found on plates across the state. It's award-winning at every level, from Michelin Star gourmet restaurants to boundary-pushing food trucks.

This is in part due to the tremendous terroir of the region. Colorado's unique landscape and climate bring a kaleidoscope of flavors to local dishes, from the juiciest stone fruits to peppers that pack serious heat. Cool nights lead into warm days, and in tandem with the elevation, the fruits and vegetables grown are complex, captivating, and uniquely Colorado.

Harnessing these locally-grown ingredients, passionate chefs are introducing locals and visitors alike to a new layer to love about Colorado. Farm-to-table isn't just a slogan here; it's a way of life, and chefs pride themselves on being plugged in with local growers. As a result, each recipe is more sustainable, tastes fresher, and naturally celebrates the seasons.

Local Chef We Love: Chef Brother Luck

There are thousands of passionate Coloradans who have found their second home, as well as their calling, in the restaurant business. Colorado Springs-based Chef Brother Luck is forging a new path while advocating for the land and inspiring his peers in the industry.

Luck has been known to push boundaries as a culinary innovator, and as a result, he's been nominated for a "Best Chef Mountain Region" James Beard award. You might've also seen him featured in Food & Wineand The New York Times, or on-screen in shows like "Top Chef," "Chopped," and "Beat Bobby Flay." He thrives on welcoming locals and visitors alike to the tables inside his restaurants, Eleven 18 and Four By Brother Luck, where he crafts masterpieces with locally-sourced ingredients.

At Latin tapas bar Eleven 18, the shareable paellas are spruced up with wild mushrooms and a selection of sustainably sourced local meats that range from pork belly to beef tenderloin. Over at the aptly-named four-course tasting menu gem, Four By Brother Luck, it's a celebration not only of all things Southwestern but also of the region he grew up in and the culinary history of the four-corners area. The Duck Green Chili spotlights the southern town of Pueblo, famed for its green chiles exclusively grown in the plains of the Arkansas River Valley and packing a unique punch of flavor and heat. Cap off the meal with the ultimate "Peached and Cream," topped with fresh blueberries and chutney made from sweet Palisade peaches grown in the town of its namesake on the western side of the state. Regardless of the dish, the state's sprawling cornucopia provides the chef with everything he could need from tender Colorado beef and lamb, to carefully milled grains and blue corn.

Enjoy a Taste of Colorado Flavor Before You Visit With Blue Apron's Meal Delivery Kit

If you're anything like us, you're already flipping through your calendar to find the ideal time to Visit Coloradoto savor a food crawl from the west of the Continental Divide going to the Front Range and beyond…and perhaps to pull up a chair at one of Chef Brother Luck's restaurants.

To quell your cravings until your departure date, we have just the recipe for you, and it happens to be one of Chef Brother Luck's signature dishes: Chipotle-Cherry Marinated Pork Chops with Quinoa and Lime Sour Cream. (Reminiscent of the pork chop with mojo verde rice and guava glaze that's among the bestsellers at Four By Brother Luck!)

Savor a taste of Colorado wherever you are, and enjoy our carefully sourced meal kit ingredients, while Chef Brother Luck coaches you through a few key steps to transport your taste buds to the Centennial State. A quick 10-minute sweet-and-spicy marinade and a couple simple flavor and texture boosters-luscious lime sour cream and crunchy pepitas-take this weeknight-friendly dinner to new savory heights.

Vibrant in color, texture, and taste, this beautifully-balanced entree showcases some of the state's most iconic ingredients, including poblano peppers, chipotle chile paste, tri-color quinoa, and sour cherries. Order from Blue Apron's weekly menu on September 30 to add this Colorado recipe to your cart. For a sneak peek, check out the Chipotle Cherry Pork Chops recipe here.

Ready for the Next Course?

We've primed your appetite, but this is just the beginning. To help you dig into even more about the edible delights that await in Colorado, our friends at Atlas Obscurahave created a multisensory, interactive "tour" through Chef Brother Luck's culinary journey and the state's vibrant food scene. Including the best places to dine, an ever-evolving farm-to-table scene, and a restaurant inside an airplane (yes, you can sit in the cockpit!), we're giving you the insider tour of Colorado's most unique and bucket list-worthy culinary gems.