Boulder Bites: Seven Specific Stops

One day, I let my stomach and taste buds take over. That day was a snowy Sunday in Boulder, Colorado a couple years ago. A group of friends and I ate and drank our way through seven spots downtown. We called it our Boulder World Eating Tour, and it was deliciously extra in the best way.

This was no half-baked pub crawl. It was an all-day, well-planned, multi-cuisine adventure—more Tim Ferriss than frat boy. I’d read about Ferriss’ NYC food marathon years ago and couldn’t get the idea out of my head. So one frosty January weekend, I made it happen.

The Crew and The Plan

I roped in my friend Anna to co-conspire. We dug into our local knowledge, Google Maps and our cravings to brainstorm the perfect lineup: diverse cuisines, walkable locations, and good vibes. We mapped it out by cuisine, happy hour windows, and reservation-ableness. We invited our friends and told them to come and go as they pleased.

Throughout the day, our group ebbed and flowed between three and eight people – sharing meals, swapping stories, and soaking up the day one mouthful at a time.

The Stops

1. Spruce Confections

We kicked off cozy with pastries. Coffee and carbs on a snowy day is a lovely combination!

2. Dushanbe Teahouse

The ornate Tajik architecture made it feel like we’d teleported far away. We sipped tea. We lingered. We felt fancy.

3. Sherpa’s

Next stop: Chai and mango lassi. A quiet gem and brief respite from the otherwise nonstop food throughout the day.

4. T/aco

Happy hour has officially begun! Margaritas + tacos = yes.

5. Gemini

Happy hour evolved: classy Spanish-style small plates paired perfectly with sangria in a stylish space.

6. Japango

I honestly can’t recommend Boulder for Japanese food but hey, happy hour is always a good time!

7. The Hungry Toad

Wrapped it up with British pub food, Guiness and snowy night vibes.

The Takeaways

  • Worked well, do again
  • We somehow weren’t that stuffed. Spacing things out and sharing plates made the experience indulgent but not overwhelming.
  • Cold weather makes cozy meals even cozier.
  • Variety is the spice of life – each stop felt very different and therefore very fun.
  • This was a memory-maker. The kind of thing you look back on and smile.

What’s Next?

I’m scheming future food adventures—Tokyo-style. Maybe a matcha crawl. Maybe Japanese fast food bingo. It’s worth throwing real effort at silly fun things.


Have you ever done a food crawl? I’d love to hear your best multi-meal memory—or suggestions for what I should try next.

3 responses to “Boulder Bites: Seven Specific Stops”

  1. Wow, Beau, I don’t understand how you were not bursting at the seams. I felt full from reading this. Also joyful, seeing you making memories with friends. I love how creative you are and how you love to make things happen. I have never done a food crawl, only one pub crawl in England by bicycle long, long ago. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. I’ve done pub crawls, on uni, bike and walking, but never a food crawl. How about we plan one for this fall when I visit Japan!? I would so LOVE to try this.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Great idea – looking forward to it!

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