Favorite Colorado Markets

GOURMET FOOD

Here's a great link to Denver markets (2016).

Boulder's Farmer's Market - 13th Street in Boulder, between Arapahoe and Walnut. Saturday mornings and Wed. afternoons. Boulder boasts the biggest and best farmer's market in the state. And the sellers must be selling products that they produce/grow, unlike other markets at which some tables sell imported produce. There are restaurant stands too, so eat there as well. The place to see and be seen on Saturdays.

Cheese Importers Warehouse/La Fromagerie - 33 S. Pratt Parkway, Longmont. www.cheeseimporters.com - Walk into the refrigerated warehouse full of some 500 cheeses from around the world. Roam the little gourmet French market out front and even stop for a bite at the tiny cafe inside.

Chez Cheese Gourmet Market - 1512 Larimer St. (Lodo) - Cheese, dairy, some fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, vinegars, spices and things like marble cutting boards. Every day, they feature a gourmet, grilled cheese sandwich.

Cooks Fresh Market - 1600 Glenarm, Suite 120 (bet 16 & 17), Denver. 303.893.2277 - Fresh and prepared foods in all forms and fancies. Breakfast, lunch, bistro dinner. Prepared foods, scratch baked goods, groceries, vegetables, fresh fruit, snacks, gift baskets, etc.

In Season Local Market - 924 Main Street, Louisville and 3210 Wyandot, Denver. I haven't been yet but mean to! The Louisville market also has a wine market and craft beer shop.

Marczyks - 17th and Clarkson, Denver - Wonderful products, but not a huge market. They have the only sliced deli roast beef I'll buy (by Niman Ranch). Expensive though.

Peppercorn - 1235 Pearl Street, Boulder - simply the best cooking store anywhere! Don't forget to walk up the second floor too.

Savory Spice Shop -2041 Broadway, Boulder, 1537 Platte, Denver - (next to Paris on the Platte) - Freshly ground spices direct from the producer. Very fun shop! Try the tomato powder, vanilla sugar, and ask if you can taste and chew a Sechuan pepper corn.

The Truffle Cheese Shop - 2906 E. 6th, Denver - This tiny cheese and gourmet store is very well known. They provide specialty cheeses to many of Denver's best restaurants. The original owners, David and Katie were very sweet and incredibly knowlegable about their products. Although I haven't been since they've sold it, I can only imagine it's still the same. They will give you tastes of any cheese. They also have a wonderful selection of olive oils, vinegars and truffle products.

ASIAN

Asian Market - 2833 28th St., Boulder (Maria-owner and son Peter) The largest in Boulder, but not as organized or spotless as the other. Harder to find things unless you know what you're looking for and where it might be.

Far East Center - 375 Sl Federal Blvd., #104 (just south of Alameda - go under the pagoda arch at the entrance) This shopping center in the heart of Denver's Vietnamese section is filled with interesting Asian stores, including the Little Saigon Market (groceries), a few jewelry stores, and a tchotchke store that is so fun to browse (there's also a Chinese medicine shop inside). There are a few wonderful bakeries as well as a good Vietnamese restaurant.

H-Mart - 2751 S. Parker (at Yale) in Aurora. TGigantic Korean market! Lots of different stores-within-a-store. here are lots of markets between the International Market and this one if you want to poke around.

H-Mart (Westminster) - 5036 West 92nd Avenue, Westminster. See above.

Pacific Mercantile - 1925 Lawrence St., Denver - 303-295-0293 (Kyle, Manager) - closes Sun at 2pm - This is my favorite Asian market of all. They specialize in Japanese foods and are rather large. There's fresh fish for sushi and a hard goods area in the back with wonderful dishware and kitchen goods - if there's a tall American man working back there, talk to him - he can be a riot - he lived in Asia for quite some time. I shop here a lot.

Pacific Ocean Market Place - 6600 W. 120th Ave., Broomfield (near Main St.) - This place is huge. It's a whole supermarket of Asian foods. I must admit, it doesn't seem super sanitary to me, but I've never had a problem. Check out the meat and seafood depts. for things you've never seen before, and fresh seafood you wouldn't expect (like cockles and tilapia)

Pacific Ocean Market Place - Alameda Square Shopping Center, 2200 West Alameda Ave. See above.

MIDDLE EASTERN & ETHIOPIAN

Arash International Market - 2720 South Parker Road, Aurora.

International Market - 2020 S. Parker Rd., Unit A & B, Denver (Near Dayton, Between Mississippi and Iliff) - 303-695-1090 - This is a huge middle eastern market. I think you can even buy whole goat here. Tons of products both food and non-food.

Marhaba International Market (Afican/Ethiopian) - 6879 Leetsdale Dr., Denver (at Oneida) - 303-33-7653 (I used to find Red Gold, the paprika paste, here, but they don't have it anymore.)

Middle East Market - 2254 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver (Between Evans and Iliff) - 303-756-4580

Mid East Market and Deli (not sure of name) - 1397 Pearl St., Boulder - Boulder used to have two Mid-east markets and this is the last one left. It's small, but clean and friendly. They have a deli in there too with some of the best gyro sandwiches I've ever had.

Nyala Cafe/Store (Ethiopian) - 5707 E. Colfax, Denver - This is one place I can find specialty Ethiopian herbs and spices that are hard to find anywhere else.

Queen of Shaba/Mercato Market (Ethiopian) - 7227 E Colfax, Denver - This is another place to find Ethiopan spices, as well as injira bread and Niter Kibe (or Kebbeh), spiced Ethiopian butter - although I usually make it myself.

ITALIAN

Carbone's Italian Sausage Mkt & Deli -1221 W. 38th Ave., Denver - 455-2893 - Homemade sausages.

Carmine Lonardo's Italian Meat Deli - 7585 W Florida Avenue, Lakewood, (303) 985-3555. Great meats, cheese, salami, sauce, canned goods, authentic amaretti cookies, homemade pizzelles. The deli makes sandwiches.

Cinque Soldi Salumeria - 1284 South Pearl, Denver. Lovely little place opened by the Il Mondo Vecchio-Salumi folks. Makes me homesick.

Dolce Sicilia Italian Bakery - 3210 North Wadsworth Boulevard (32nd & Wadsworth), Wheat Ridge, (303) 233-3755. Baked Goods, Desserts, Italian, Salads, Sandwiches. Pignoli cookies!

Gaglianos (I know this isn't in Denver, it's in Pueblo, but I keep hearing about it.) - 1220 Elm St, Pueblo

Gargaro's Italian Bakery - 5058 Marshall St., Arvada - Italian baked goods

Lou's Italian - 34th & Downing. As of Nov. 2015, not open yet but should be in five months. Per Josh Pollack owner of Rosenberg's Bagels, who will be opening Lou's.

Parisi Italian Market and Deli - 4401th Tenneson (at 44th), Denver - Typical Italian products and good sandwiches.

Spinelli's Market - gourmet foods and Italian specialties

Valente's Deli Bakery - 7250 Meade Street (72nd & Lowell) Westminster, (303) 429-0590 - I hear they have Caputo 00 Pizzeria flour and maybe a smaller red 2.2lb bags called "The Chef's Flour" that might be the same thing.

EASTERN EUROPEAN

Eastern Deli 280 Steele in Cherry Creek. I actually haven't been here yet (or maybe I have with Susan's cousins...not sure if this is the same place). Gotta check it out.

European Gourmet - 6624 Wadsworth (behind Golden Europe restaurant). Small but sweet. A nice selection of sausages hanging behind the counter. T-F 10-6, Sat 9-5, Closed Sun/Mon.

Europa - 13728 East Quincy Avenue, Aurora. Food products imported from all over Europe in a well-stocked storefront with a deli.

European Mart - 5225 Leetsdale at Forest - I get such a kick out of this place, maybe because I'm from an Eastern European background. Owned by Russians (I assume by their accent), they have all sorts of interesting meats, baked goods and other stuff. I always buy Red Gold paprika paste when I come here (in the fridge)...as well as matjes herring (deli case) and a few other things. I even found smoked sable (black cod) once for an unbelievabe low price (usually costs a fortune).

M&I International Market - 909 S Oneida St (at Leetsdale) - (303) 331-1590. Their meat selection is very impressive. Several different kinds of Russian sausages hang from the deli counter. They also have cookies, bread, pickles, caviar etc.

Royal Bakery - 9606 Ralston Road, Arvada. Small, family-run Polish bakery making from-scratch pastries, breads & specialty cakes.

Royal International Market/Mirage (was Elite Deli) - 15143 E. Hampden (at Chambers), Aurora. A large friendly place. Great meat and cheese deli section as well as sweets and lots of packaged goods and even some hot ready-to-go foods (the smoked duck is great). If any of these have bags of home-made ravioili in the freezer, get them, they are good. It's the largest Eastern European market I've found yet. M-S 10-8, Sun 10-6. 440-9902.

Sawa Meat and Sausage - 3206 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge. International grocery store source for imported European meats and cheeses.

MEXICAN

Avanza [ACTUALLY, AVANZA CLOSED, BUT I THINK IT'S STILL A MEXICAN MARKET, NEED TO CHECK IT OUT]- 7305 Pecos St., Denver (immediately off Rt 36, Pecos exit, go right) - This place is huge and the only store at which I walk out spending more than I planned and am always shocked at the low prices. Amazing and unique produce, catering to both the Mexican and Asian clientelle. Check out the wall of tortillas. Great meat department too. More chiles, beans and rice here than you'll see anywhere else. I stop here a lot on my way back from Denver since it's right off the highway (you can see the tall yellow sign from Rt36)

El Mercatito - not a great market, but has a great taqueria and very authentic food in the restaurant.

OTHER

Brazillian Emporium - 10081 West 26th Avenue, Wheat Ridge (they were at 8020 Federal (at corner of 80th). I think this is the tiny little store where I got the Dafruta passion fruit liquid concentrate I used to replace lime juice in my friend Bruce's award-winning Southern Exposure key lime pie recipe. Yum! It's also a restaurant and I hear very good!

La Cumbre Market (BBB Mart)- 499 S. Federal (south of Little Siagon area) - Peruvian goods.

Bakery Azucar - 11 W. Hampden (right around corner from S. Broadway). Tiny bakery with wonderful Peruvian baked goods.