It has been said that variety is the spice of life; it keeps things interesting and prevents repetition and routine from taking over. Colorado Springs takes this seriously and, as such, is a city that offers a number of different styles of cuisine.
Should you find yourself passing through on your Colorado vacation, there are some internationally-inspired venues to check out as well as those that are uniquely American. From Middle Eastern to Southern barbecue, Colorado Springs has it all.
Heart of Jerusalem Café
There are those out there that avoid Middle Eastern food because they fear it is far too different from traditional Western fare. Part of what makes a vacation so special, whether it be to a place like Colorado Springs or Jerusalem, is that you’re forced to try new things.
In an effort to bring Middle Eastern food into Colorado Springs’ mainstream, Hussein AbuKhdeir, the owner, opened the Heart of Jerusalem Café to provide customers with authentic Middle Eastern dishes such as Falafel Pita Sandwich, Dolmas Plate, and their assortment of Shawermahs.
Jack Quinn Irish Ale House
If there is one thing that the Irish do well, it’s having fun and making filling foods. Jack Quinn Irish Ale House takes this to heart and provides the residents and visitors of Colorado Springs with a variety ways to have fun.
With everything from daily happy hour specials to live music, there is never a dull moment at Jack’s. The menu sports a number of traditional pub food favorites such as Jalapeno Poppers and Deep Fried Mozzarella Sticks in addition to more traditional Irish food.
For those looking to sample their Irish fare, dishes such as their Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, and Corned Beef Boxty are to be expected.
La Baguette French Bistro
Continuing on with our tour of international cuisine from around the world, we come to La Baguette French Bistro. Although ownership has changed in the past twenty-something years, the bistro has only improved, with increased restaurant hours and menu items.
The bistro not only sells world-class breads and croissants, but also serves visitors and locals of Colorado Springs with traditional French cuisine like their Garlic Butter Escargots, Poulet Normandie, and Saumon Beurre Blanc aux Amandes.
The bistro also serves a number of traditional French desserts such as Crème Brulee, Chocolate Mousse, and Country-Style Croissant Bread Pudding, to name a few.
Bird Dog BBQ
Now if international food isn’t really what you had in mind while on your Colorado vacation to Colorado Springs, then there is always the comfort of Bird Dog BBQ’s Oklahoma-style barbecue.
Here customers will find dishes of brisket, pork, turkey, ribs, hot links, and Polish sausage with specialty items like Bird Dog’s Shotgun Spud (baked potato stuffed with brisket) and Doghouse (brisket or pork with hot links and polish sausage covered in beans and cheese).
So if you’re looking for a taste of the South on your Colorado vacation, look no further than Bird Dog BBQ!
If You Go
For more information on Heart of Jerusalem Café and their menu, visit: http://www.heartofjerusalemcafe.com/. The café has two locations at 718 Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, Colorado and 4587 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Manitou Springs: (719) 685-1325, Colorado Springs: (719) 685-9554.
For more info on Jack Quinn Irish Ale House and Pub’s menu or live music event calendar, visit: http://www.jackquinnspub.com/index.htm. Jack Quinn is located at 21 South Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Phone #: (719)385-0766.
For more information on La Baguette, visit: http://labaguettefrenchbistro.com/index.html. Located at 4440 N. Chestnut Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Phone #: (719) 599-0686.
For more information on Bird Dog BBQ, visit: http://birddogbbq.com/. Location: 5984 Stetson Hills Blvd Ste. 200, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Phone #: (719) 596-4900.
Evan Witt is an Illinois native with a degree in English Literature from Lake Forest College, and as a frequent visitor to Colorado, he enjoys fishing, camping, hiking, and photography.
Special thanks to Bird Dog BBQ for providing the photos featured in this article!
Photo of baklava courtesy of Heart of Jerusalem Cafe.
Jack Quinn Alehouse photo by Ryan McLoughlin courtesy of Native Taste.
La Baguette photo courtesy of Exploring Colorado at coloradojess.wordpress.com.