Foodie Friday
There's a good reason Bon Appétit called Boulder, America's Foodiest Town. This weekly blog will help you understand why! Every Friday, check out downtown's food scene and all the incredible opportunities available to tantalize your taste buds! Check out this list of restaurant specials and promotions compiled weekly - just for YOU!
Food-Related Events and Announcements: October 30, 2026
Happy Friday, Foodies! It’s looking a little spooky downtown, and Halloween weekend has plenty in store. The Pearl Street Stampede returns tonight at 7 PM, and tomorrow from 3 - 6 PM, Munchkin Masquerade brings little ghosts, goblins and their trick-or-treat bags to the bricks. Between cheering on the Buffs and showing off your costume, make some time for a meal downtown. Here’s what sounds good this week.
There’s a new reason to gather your lunch crew and head to Avanti. Costa Brisa opens Monday, November 2, bringing Baja-inspired Mexican food to the food hall, and we’re excited to welcome them to the heart of Boulder. Bring a friend, come hungry and give yourself a little time to explore the menu together. Finding a new favorite is even better with good company, and this opening gives you something delicious to look forward to once the Halloween candy starts running low.
If you’re looking for something warm with plenty of spice, Sherpa's Adventurers Restaurant & Bar is a good place to settle in. Go for the shrimp tandoori or order the paneer tikka masala for something rich and creamy. A leisurely dinner sounds like a fitting way to warm up after an evening on Pearl.
Some mornings call for more than coffee, and Foolish Craig’s has breakfast worth making time for. Sam’s Breakfast Tacos tuck scrambled eggs, chorizo, bacon, onion and cheddar into three soft corn tortillas, finished with Raf’s tomatillo red sauce, sour cream and pico de gallo. Black beans come alongside this gluten-free breakfast. If you arrive with lunch on your mind, the employee-favorite BLT Guacamole is another one to consider.
For a dimly lit evening that fits the weekend’s mood, head downstairs to License No. 1. The speakeasy-style bar has specialty cocktails like the Peach Ring and Summer Antipasto, with burrata and truffle fries to keep you company. Bring a date or find a friend who’s happy to linger over another bite and stick around for a show at the Underground Comedy Showcase every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Fall has found its way back into the glass at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant. Its autumn margarita is back by popular demand, made with Fuji apples, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and a touch of cinnamon. Keep it in mind if your evening downtown could use a seasonal sip.
If sushi sounds good, Amu Sake Bar and Restaurant has options to work into your weekend plans. Try a specialty roll like the Spider Roll or make a meal of a bento box. On a chilly day, a bowl of ramen might be what gets you through the door.
Soup season gives you another reason to stop into Organic Sandwich Company. Its fall soups rotate weekly, and this week’s special is corn and potato chowder with bacon. Pick up a bowl when your afternoon calls for something warm, whether you’re heading back to your desk or taking your time downtown.
You may know Maisonette for its sweets, but leave a little room for the savory side of the menu. The vegetarian toasted croissant comes with sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, spinach and tomato, while the Parisian ham and cheese keeps things simple on a baguette. Dessert can still be part of the plan.
Tuesday doesn’t have to have all the fun at Illegal Pete’s. Order your favorite tacos or build a burrito bowl, then share a classic margarita pitcher with friends seven days a week. For a mocktail, try the Pink Pony, made with huckleberry, fresh lime juice and ginger beer.
And if your Halloween weekend plans call for a burger-and-fries break, C Burger has a straightforward answer. Settle in for a smashburger, crispy fries and your favorite fixings before heading back out to enjoy the festivities. Trick-or-treating is best approached with a proper meal first.
Ways to Help
Emergency Family Assistance Fund (EFAA) helps those in our community whose immediate needs for food, shelter and other basic necessities cannot be adequately met by other means, and supports their efforts toward financial stability or self-sufficiency. You can help them with a financial contribution, volunteering, or donating non-perishable food and cleaning supplies.
Emergency family assistance fund
Harvest of Hope Pantry's sole mission is food assistance. They offer clients a choice shopping experience where individuals select preferred foods within their shopping allowances. You can help them with financial assistance, volunteering or by hosting food drives.
Boulder Food Rescue aims to create a more just and less wasteful food system by facilitating the sustainable redistribution of healthy food that would otherwise be wasted to low-income communities, by bicycle. The best way to help them currently is to donate or volunteer.
Meals on Wheels Boulder provides nutritious meals and a daily well-being check to Boulder residents, regardless of age or income. The number one way to support them during this time is to contribute financially.