10 Casual Restaurants In Fort Collins, Colorado

1. Panino's Italian Restaurant

Family-owned Panino’s is the perfect choice for anyone looking for Italian comfort food. The restaurant’s menu serves the typical Italian choices, but with unique twists such as a Baked Mac & Cheese or the “Netminder” pizza, loaded with various meats and fresh veggies! But what they are truly known for are the paninos sandwiches. Customers rave about the paninos, which are loaded with vegetables, topped with piles of meat and cheese, folded under the dough and then baked golden to be served hot out of the oven for each guest. With seventeen different paninos to choose from (not to mention the “Build Your Own” option), there is sure to be a favorite for all, no matter if you prefer chicken or steak or even gyro meat. The speedy service guarantees that in little to no time you’ll be experiencing just what everyone is talking about!

Panino's Italian Restaurant

Address: 310 W Prospect Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526

Website: Panino’s Italian Restaurant

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 9:30pm

2. La Buena Vida

La Buena Vida offers its guests traditional Mexican food, but with recipes which are generations old and using ingredients from scratch. The menu is vast, but a highly recommended menu choice for dinner is the Carnitas Estilo Michoacan, a slow-cooked gluten-free pork dish served with black beans, jalapeños, onions, and, of course, guacamole–all from grandma’s secret recipe! So you know it’s going to be tasty. Customers also love the top-shelf margaritas prepared at the restaurant’s full bar. Happy Hour goes from 4pm to 6pm, with a 40% discount on Cadillac and House Margaritas, and most beers. The Mexican environment of the restaurant tops off the authentic experience, whether you’re stopping in for a quick lunch, meeting up with coworkers for Happy Hour, or enjoying the company of family.

La Buena Vida

Address: 901 E Harmony Rd, Unit 140, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Website: La Buena Vida

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 11am - 10pm; Sun: 11am - 9pm

3. La Luz Mexican Grill

Fish tacos are great, but fish tacos prepared with ingredients from local grocers? Even better! La Luz Mexican Grill is known for not only their house special fish tacos but also for their wide selection of burritos (including breakfast burritos)! For most of their burritos, you pick your choice of meat, be it steak, fish, or chicken, unless you just can’t pick one and opt for the action-packed Atomic Burrito! And don’t worry, there are plenty of options for those who wish to have just the fresh veggies. As if that wasn’t enough, be sure to check out the award-winning salsa bar, a La Luz fan favorite!

La Luz Mexican Grill

Address: 140 Boardwalk Dr. #H, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Website: La Luz Mexican Grill

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 9pm, Sat - Sun: 8:30am - 9pm; Breakfast Burritos 7:30am - 10:30am (daily); Full Breakfast Menu 8:30am - 1pm Sat - Sun

4. Hacienda Real

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This restaurant is known for its sprawling menu of Mexican cuisine, which offers authentic choices for lunch, dinner, and a happy hour from 3pm to 6pm on weekdays. Customers love not only the exceptional food but the quality customer service Hacienda Real provides. Guests are promptly seated and brought complimentary chips, salsa, and bean dip as they peruse the menu. No matter how far from the border Hacienda Real may be, the rich atmosphere, a spicy jalapeño margarita, and piping fajitas will have you feeling like you’re relaxing in Mexico itself!

Hacienda Real

Address: 421 Centro Way, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Website: Hacienda Real

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 10pm

5. Restaurant 415

Restaurant 415 prides itself on serving its customers the freshest food at reasonable prices, including their “Special Diets” menu section for gluten-free and vegan preferences. This restaurant has definitely become a favorite for customers who are craving a healthy meal without breaking the bank! Meals average around 15 USD, unless you opt for the smaller plate options which vary between 4.50 and 6 USD. But don’t let the incredible prices fool you! Restaurant 415 prides itself on it’s quality food so you’ll always be guaranteed freshness, whether it be in a salad or a house ginger cocktail!

Restaurant 415

Address: 415 S Mason St, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Website: Restaurant 415

Opening hours: Sun, Tues - Thu: 11am - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 10pm; (closed on Mon)

6. Canino's

For the past 40 years, Canino’s Italian Restaurant has been serving rich dishes that will make you feel like you’re sitting in the heart of Rome itself. The menu is loaded with all types of savory pastas and pizzas, including many dishes offering a gluten free option. This is definitely one of Fort Collins’s favorite Italian spots because of the authenticity and history in providing the rich and zesty flavors which are a pasta lover’s dream! So pair your meal with a glass of red wine and enjoy your escape to Italy in the heart of Fort Collins.

Canino's

Address: 613 S. College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80524​

Website: Canino’s

Opening hours: 11am - 9pm (daily)

7. Lupita's Mexican Restaurant

Lupita’s offers its customers the luxury of quick service and inexpensive meals without sacrificing savory Mexican flavors. Prices for meals vary from 2 to 9 USD depending on what yummy additions you pile onto your plate. There is hardly a wrong choice on the menu, which offers a variety of favorites, including the highly recommended green chili which can be added, “smothered-style,” to any burrito, chimichanga, or enchilada. Be sure to order a glass of the creamy horchata, a rice drink, to complete your meal by making it uniquely Mexican!

Lupita's Mexican Restaurant

Address: 1720 W Mulberry St, Fort Collins, CO 80521

Website: Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 7am - 8pm; Sat: 8am - 8pm (closed on Sun)

8. Inca Mexican Restaurant

Inca prides itself on being a restaurant which blends the flavors and vibes of the Inca and Mexican cultures to produce a one-of-a-kind atmosphere for guests seeking more then just a typical Mexican enchilada. The owners of Inca Mexican moved to the U.S. from Jalisco, Mexico, a state known for its impeccable tequila and mariachi music, which promises guests not only a margarita with an exciting south-of-the-border kick, but an overall experience which is sure to draw the attention of guests craving an original twist on favorite classics!

Inca Mexican Restaurant

Address: 2413 S College Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Website: Inca Mexican Restaurant

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm

9. The Twisted Noodle

The Twisted Noodle is a family-owned restaurant which promises its guests a dining experience as refreshing and comfortable as if Mom herself had prepared it at home with veggies fresh cut from the garden. All of the Twisted Noodle’s ingredients come from their Colorado neighbors – from the chicken and beef which is never frozen, to Colorado’s own Polodori sausage. The menu offers an array of rich and varied dishes, including Vodka Rigatoni, smothered to perfection in homemade vodka sauce, as well as the popular southern dish Jambalaya. Priding itself on being “fresh, fast, delicious,” the Twisted Noodle’s comfort food is sure to become a family favorite!

The Twisted Noodle

Address: 1335 W Elizabeth St, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521

Website: The Twisted Noodle)

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 8:30pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 9pm; Sun: 11am - 8pm

10. Nick's Italian

Can’t decide between Italian-style or New York-style pizza? Well, Nick’s makes both so you don’t have to! The restaurant’s menu offers a variety of choices, such as salads, pastas, burgers, and a large variety of “specialty pies.” Each pizza is prepared artistically so it’s near impossible to have a meal not bursting in flavor. But the pizzas aren’t just the only thing which customers rave about. A cult favorite is definitely Nick’s burgers, which have been awarded “Best Burger in Town,” in the 2018 March Madness bracket – a note-worthy accomplishment for an Italian joint! So the next time the group can’t choose between Italian or American, head down to Nick’s, where everyone’s different tastes will be more than satisfied!

Nick's Italian

Address: 1100 S. College Ave. Fort Collins, CO 80524

Website: Nick’s Italian

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11:30am - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11:30am - 11pm; Sun: 3pm - 10pm

So many choices in Fort Collins

With options of every kind, it’s a guarantee that you’ll find a menu to make everyone’s tastebuds happy! So get out there and experience just what the locals are talking about!