Restaurants in Greenwood Village

Old World classics harmonize in the culinary symphony of Sansone's menu. Appetizers include caramelized-peach and maple-walnut compote crested atop Brie (served with crackers, $9), sautéed and egg-battered artichoke hearts ($10), and beef carpaccio ($9). Dinner entrees are served with choice of soup or salad and are accompanied by starch and veggies. Vegetarian dishes range from the light angel hair Provençal ($17) with wilted greens, kalamata olives, and toasted pine nuts, to the decadent stuffed eggplant ($18) with roasted-pepper risotto. Sansone's serves a variety of meat, poultry, and seafood dishes and has a gluten-free menu. The breaded and pan-fried Wiener schnitzel ($23/$18 for small plate) was a Rocky Mountain News best-of winner in 2007. The salmon Nilla ($23/$18 for small plate), a flaky fillet coated in Nilla Wafers, is sure to intrigue fish enthusiasts or spark cookie conversations that become plots to murder gingerbread men.

At Los Cabos II, owners Hernan and Francesca Ruiz showcase a rich variety of Peruvian cuisine, which itself is an amalgamation of multi-ethnic culinary traditions, including Spanish and Incan. Their ceviche—one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes and a Peruvian staple—presents plates of citrus-marinated shrimp, fish, and octopus, all seasoned with spices imported from Peru. They also plate Peruvian-style fried rice, and they simmer a diverse array of piquant fish stews, including Peruvian bouillabaisse with white wine and bay laurel. LocalEats recently honored Los Cabos II with its 2013 award for Best Peruvian cuisine, and Talk of the Town praised the eatery with an award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction in 2012.

To complement the cuisine, which was also dubbed the Best Central/South American Restaurant of 2010 by Westword, the duo imports a selection of South American beers such as Cusqueña and Cristal, as well as Inca Kola, a Peruvian soda. They also import authentic Peruvian folk art, which brightens up the low-lit dining room with murals and a stuffed-animal llama that is happy to recommend a wine served straight from the eatery's miniature barrels.

When pressed for his motivations behind HBurgerCo, managing partner Pete Pflum told a reporter from Dining Out, "It's my favorite meal from childhood," before adding that the burger is "accepted as a meal unto itself—especially when you're using the best meat, baked goods, and fixings." Housed in a sleek but familiar space designed by Robin Smith Designs, the head chef conjures inventive burgers, while soda jerks also harness the combined power of local spirits and liquid nitrogen to craft inventive cocktails and milk shakes. Patties hand-formed from locally-sourced Angus beef, lamb, turkey, veggies, and buffalo arrive at tables crowned with eclectic toppings including fried eggs and asian slaw, complimented by a create-your-own-salad menu. Draft brews pour into glasses cooled with liquid nitrogen, which prevents libations from getting warm and snowmen from getting bartending gigs.

Like procuring a pet elephant, Cava's bowls are priced according to weight ($0.70 per ounce, $24,692 per metric ton), with a sizable hunk of greens, four to five fillers, cheese, and a vinaigrette averaging around $5. The process begins by selecting greens, which include arugula, Boston bibb, and spring mix, among others. Next, peruse and infuse an assortment of unprocessed fillers, including pumpkin seeds, quinoa, grape tomatoes, dried cranberries, and sweet potatoes. Top off the dish with one of Cava's vinaigrettes made from 100% extra virgin olive oil, aged vinegars, and concentrated dreams. Upgrade a bed of greens and things to the next level with the addition of seared salmon ($4.50), seared tofu with basil parmesan vinaigrette ($3.75), or sage-rubbed steak ($4.25). Aside from custom field blends, Cava also serves handmade soups and a variety of sparkling beverages, sport teas, and water.

A lively atmosphere punctuates the spacious two stories and patio of Braun's Bar and Grill, often populated by sports fans who stop by to nosh on gourmet pub grub before and after events at the neighboring Pepsi Center. Quality ingredients, including Colorado-aged beef, pepper the expansive menu. Commence inner cheek furnishing with a gargantuan salad such as the Cattleman's, which erects flank-skewer towers over field greens adorned with house blue-cheese balsamic dressing, walnuts, cheddar, and baby peas ($12.49 lunch, $12.99 dinner). Burger boosters will go ga-ga for the Cajun spices and blue-cheese crumbles of the Blackened Bleu ($10.99), while poultry patrons can cast a vote for the zesty Ha-Braun-ero Chicken Sandwich ($10.69), a succulent chicken breast that unites pepperjack cheese, habanero mayo, and bacon in a culinary harmony unseen since the California Raisins dominated the airwaves. Exemplifying the chefs' creativity is the shrimp rustica, a tantalizing sea-feast of shrimp, mushrooms, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes atop penne pasta and roasted tomato vinaigrette ($13.50 lunch, $17 dinner).

Although some franchised eateries lose sight of tradition, the cooks at each Godfather’s Pizza locale stick to a 30-year-old practice of slathering thick, original-recipe crusts with vine-ripened-tomato sauce and quality cheese. Not all pizzas begin on robust foundations, however. The cooks also prep golden, buttery, pan-style crusts as well as thin and crispy crusts that allow toppings—such as such as green peppers, artichoke hearts, and seasoned chicken—to take the spotlight. Many Godfather's Pizza locations even offer gluten-free crusts, and a few locations serve pizzas in boxes that are weatherproofed so that they can be reused as sleds.