Denver smells like grilled dreams and green chile. This small-group walking tour strings together five tastings with quick-hit history stops from Coors Field to Union Station. I especially like that the food choices are specific and local, not generic samples, and that the guide stories connect the bites to the city’s past. One thing to keep in mind: you’re walking about one mile total, so wear shoes you trust.

What makes it feel worth the $80 is the mix: AVPN-certified Neapolitan pizza, from-scratch Colorado green chile, baked empanadas, a Dairy Block stop, and a classic sweet finish at historic Union Station. The guides are a big part of the value too, with energy you can feel from people like Austin, Barry, Zach, Forrest, and Michael DeGano mentioned in recent bookings. If you’re hoping for a long, sit-down meal experience, this isn’t it—it’s a guided tasting route designed to keep moving.

Quick hits before you go

• Five tastings in three hours that add up to a substantial lunch
• Start near Coors Field and finish at Union Station
• Neapolitan pizza + Colorado green chile + empanadas from standout spots
• City stories between bites, including wild-west era details
• Personal touches from the guide, often based on what you like to eat
• Vegetarian options available if you flag it when booking

The point of the tour: 5 tastings plus real Denver context

This tour is built for the sweet spot most visitors want: eat well, walk a little, and understand what you’re looking at. Denver’s food scene has a lot going on, and this route uses its downtown geography to make the stories easier to remember.

You’ll get tastings that feel like they belong to Denver, not a checklist of national chains. And between stops, your local guide fills the gaps with quick city-history bits—everything from early Denver shock-and-awe moments to architecture and landmark details you’ll actually see as you walk.

Stop 1: Marco’s Coal Fired near the Ballpark (pizza as your kickoff)

You start at Marco’s Coal Fired, close to the ballpark area. The first tasting is a wood-fired pizza built around Neapolitan style, including the notable detail that it’s from the only Colorado pizzeria certified by the AVPN in Italy.

Why this works: pizza is easy to compare and easy to share, so it’s a good first “anchor bite” for the rest of the tour. Also, coal-fired style tends to make the first stop feel special right away, instead of sliding into a slow warm-up.

If you choose the drink pairing upgrade, the early cocktail moment can help take the edge off winter or spring wind while you’re meeting your group.

Stop 2: Lazo Empanadas at the Ballpark (wine + chimichurri comfort)

Next up is Lazo Empanadas Ballpark, where you’ll taste a ground beef empanada with house-made chimichurri, paired with wine on this stop. Reviews often highlight empanadas as a standout, and the chimichurri detail matters: it turns the bite from just handheld comfort into something fresher and more aromatic.

This is also where you start learning how the tour balances “classic Denver” with food you might not order on your own. If you like a savory bite with bright flavor, this is the moment where you’ll likely get that second helping urge—even though you’ll save room for what’s next.

Stop 3: Cherry Cricket (Colorado green chile in ballpark territory)

Then you head to Cherry Cricket Ballpark for another tasting—this is where the tour leans into Colorado comfort food with award-winning from-scratch Colorado pork green chile.

Green chile is one of those foods that feels simple until you taste the difference between “green chile-ish” and the real deal. On this tour, it’s positioned as a core Denver flavor, not a side note.

Timing is tight here (about a half hour), so don’t treat this stop like a restaurant meal. Instead, use it the way the tour intends: taste, listen, and note what you’d order again if you went back later.

The walking breaks: short legs, lots of stories

Between tastings, you’ll be doing short stretches on foot. The tour is about one mile total walking, which is why it works even if you’re not trying to log big miles in the Mile High City.

This is also when you’ll hear the guide’s Denver mashup: landmark context, architecture details, and the city’s early days (including wild, lawless-era stories). Guides named in recent bookings—like Barry, Rob, Julia, and Zach—are repeatedly praised for keeping the group engaged, not lecturing.

If you hate long speeches while holding a napkin, you’ll probably like how they pace it: story in between bites, not after you’re stuffed.

Stop 4: Coors Field brief tour (baseball landmark, quick payoff)

You’ll get a short guided look at Coors Field, plus a little sightseeing. It’s not a stadium tour meant to satisfy every baseball superfan, but it gives you a sense of how the modern downtown layers onto older Denver.

Why it’s included: it’s a real landmark that anchors the route. And once you see the stadium area from the walking path, the later downtown sections feel more connected.

If your timing is flexible, this is also a nice moment to mentally map where you are before the tour swings into the more historic downtown vibe.

Stop 5: Dairy Block (a stop that explains what’s changing)

Next you visit Dairy Block, with guided sightseeing. The tour frames it as a newer downtown food-and-neighborhood area, and it’s a chance to see Denver’s “right now” beside the city’s older structures.

Even if you’re not the type who loves food halls, this stop is useful because it helps you understand how Denver’s dining scene keeps expanding. Several guests love that the tour doesn’t stay stuck in the past; it shows you what’s happening downtown today.

Practically: plan for a little walking and standing while photos happen. The tour keeps it moving, but you’ll be in a lively public space.

Stop 6: Kachina Cantina (cocktails + taco finish on the savory side)

After Dairy Block, you head to Kachina Cantina, where the tasting includes a cocktail moment and food service. The tour’s included items specify blood orange tequila braised carnitas taco on fry bread here.

This is a strong stop for people who want more than one-note comfort. Fry bread adds a warm, airy texture, and the citrus-meets-tequila idea makes the whole bite feel punchier than a plain taco.

If you’re doing the drink pairing, this is also the point where you’ll likely feel how the tour balances alcohol with food. It’s not an all-day party; it’s a guided tasting route that expects you to keep walking and absorbing the story.

Stop 7: Union Station (the sweet finish in a historic hall)

You’ll wrap things up at Union Station, Denver, with a guided sightseeing moment and a final food tasting. The included sweet treat is pastel de nata from a James-Beard award-winning chef.

This stop is doing two jobs at once. First, it closes the food loop with something you can savor instead of another savory bite. Second, it’s one of the most photogenic places on the whole route, so the tour ends in a location that feels like a celebration.

Union Station also adds a sense of “you made it through downtown” relief. After the ballpark energy and the newer food scene stop, the historic indoor feel gives your feet a break—at least for a minute.

Where the landmarks fit: Coors Field, historic hotel/jazz, and Union Station

One reason the route sticks in your head is how it lines up landmarks with the stories the guide tells. You’ll hit the big-ticket sites—Coors Field and Union Station—and you’ll also pass by the city’s oldest hotel and jazz club, tied to the early-days vibe the guide covers.

You’ll hear about Denver’s wild-west era past, including the city’s early reputation for being rowdy and unpredictable. The fun part is that these aren’t random facts dumped into conversation. They’re meant to match what you can look at while you walk.

Price and value: what $80 buys you (and what it doesn’t)

At $80 per person for 3 hours, this sits in the mid-to-upper range for food tours, so the value question matters.

Here’s what you’re getting for the price based on the tour design:

• Five tastings over the full 3 hours (designed to equal a substantial lunch)
• Specific foods that feel Denver-coded: AVPN-certified style pizza, from-scratch green chile, empanadas, taco on fry bread, and pastel de nata
• A local guide who connects the dots between downtown landmarks and Denver’s past

What you’re not getting: a long sit-down meal, full restaurant plates, or a strict “food festival” where you barely walk. If you want to linger over one restaurant for an hour, this route won’t match that style.

Also, an alcohol pairing upgrade is available for purchase, which can raise the total cost. If you drink slowly and like trying just one extra item, you might be fine without the upgrade. If you want the full pairing experience, budget for it.

The guide factor: why people keep talking about Austin, Barry, Zach, and Forrest

In the reviews, the guides get praised again and again for making the tour feel fun, personal, and easy to follow. Names that show up include Austin, Barry, Zach, Forrest, and Michael DeGano.

What you should care about as a reader: the best guides on this type of tour do two things well. They keep the pace smooth so you don’t fall behind with your group, and they tailor recommendations so the tour continues after the last bite.

One guest specifically mentioned that their guide asked about names and favorite foods at the start, then handed out a card listing restaurant suggestions matched to the group. That’s the kind of extra value that turns a tasting tour into a launchpad for your remaining Denver meals.

Who this tour is best for (and who might want a different style)

This is a great fit if you:

• Want a downtown orientation fast and painless
• Enjoy food that’s clearly tied to place, like green chile and Neapolitan-style pizza
• Like walking but don’t want to commit to a long hike
• Appreciate stories about architecture and how Denver formed into what you see now

It’s less ideal if you:

• Need a lot of seating time or prefer slow meals
• Have very strong dietary restrictions beyond vegetarian options (vegetarian is explicitly available if you request it)

Practical tips to make it better on your feet

• Wear shoes made for sidewalks and stairs. The total walking is about one mile, but downtown terrain includes curb cuts and stop-and-go pacing.
• Dress for weather. The tour runs in rain, snow, or shine, so plan layers.
• Come hungry, not starving. Five tastings are built to be substantial, and you’ll want room for the pastel de nata at the end.
• Expect the exact tastings can be adjusted. The tour notes tastings are subject to change, so be ready for small swaps.

Should you book Delicious Denver Downtown Food Tasting?

If you’re spending a short time in Denver and want to see downtown while eating well, I’d book this. It’s priced around a “you’re paying for organization” experience: five curated tastings, guided stops at major landmarks, and a guide who makes history feel like it belongs in your walking route.

Book it if you want a mix of comfort food and local flavor, plus a clear Denver snapshot from Coors Field to Union Station. Skip it only if you want a long, leisurely restaurant crawl with minimal walking, or if you’d rather spend your budget on a single big dinner.

FAQ

How long is the Denver downtown food tasting tour?

The tour lasts about 3 hours.

How many tastings are included?

You’ll get 5 tastings during the 3-hour tour.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Marco’s Coal Fired Pizzeria near the ballpark area and ends at 1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202, at Union Station.

What food is included in the tastings?

The included items listed are wood-fired pizza, a ground beef empanada with house-made chimichurri, Colorado pork green chile, a blood orange tequila braised carnitas taco on fry bread, and pastel de nata.

Is alcohol included?

There are cocktails and wine included at specific stops, and an alcohol pairing upgrade is available for purchase.

Are vegetarian options available?

Yes. Vegetarian options are available if you advise the operator at the time of booking.

How much walking is involved?

The tour includes about one mile of walking.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Tours run in rain, snow, or shine, so dress for the conditions.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.