Colorado is well-known for its mountains, but did you know it is also home to nine renowned foods? From trout to cantaloupe, there is something delectable at every turn. So, what food is colorado springs known for.
After scouring the Centennial State for the most renowned foods (and drinks! ), we’ve compiled this list to help visitors and residents make the most of their time there. There’s something for every taste, so let’s toast Colorado with Rocky Mountain Oysters and a pint of craft beer.
1. Palisade Peaches
Palisade, a quaint hamlet in Grand Valley, is located on the westernmost border of Colorado. Palisade, a once arid and desert-like plain, was not an optimal location for a peach orchard, let alone anything else. However, an early settler named John Harlow saw an opportunity.
Through ingenuity and foresight, he assisted in the construction of a canal that redirected water from the Colorado River to irrigate the land.
They planted the first peach tree in 1882, and it took only a few years for the harvest to reach people throughout the state. Today, the region exports hundreds of thousands of pounds of flawless peaches throughout the United States and beyond.
In addition to benefiting grapes, cherries, and apricots, the western sun imparts a succulent orange hue to the peaches. From pies to jams, cobblers, and jellies, this juicy and delicate fruit entices locals and tourists each summer, culminating in Peach Fest!
2. Rocky Mountain Oysters
Some say they resemble the poultry flavor; however, what are they? Despite what their name may imply, Rocky Mountain Oysters are different from the bivalve mollusks served at your beloved seafood restaurant. No, this delicacy originates from an animal much closer to home in Colorado: bull or bison testicles.
It sounds great, right? Others find these breaded and fried balls a delicious pub snack, mainly served with spicy cocktail sauce and pickles. In addition, they are pretty nutritious, containing a high amount of vitamins and proteins.
3. Colorado Craft Beer
With over 30 breweries in Colorado Springs and nearly 400 in the rest of the state, it’s no surprise that Colorado is a burgeoning beer lover’s paradise.
Coors, the pioneer of Colorado breweries and a national beer giant today, was founded in 1873 in Golden. Adolf Coors initially created their popular “banquet beer” for miners and pioneers. By 1991, it had entered all 50 states, just as the country’s brewery industry was gaining momentum.
Craft breweries throughout the state constitute a multi-billion dollar industry in Colorado alone, which may be an even more formidable force than the fermented beverage itself. Combining inventive ingredients (such as cherry, saffron, or cucumber) with the fundamentals of water, malt, hops, and yeast, these brewers are reimagining our oldest alcoholic beverage.
Craft brewers are typically pleasant and eager to discuss their process and passion with adults of legal drinking age, as they are eager to show off their work. Take The Springs Craft Brewery Tour to gain an insider’s perspective on an age-old industry sweeping Colorado.
4. Green Chili / Pueblo Chilies
This sauce, frequently made with pork, is a prized condiment, and some devotees seek out the finest in the West. Green chili typically comprises various ingredients, including onions, tomatoes, garlic, spices, and chilies, though it would be difficult to convince anyone to reveal their recipe.
In southern Colorado, green chili is available everywhere, from breakfast places to grease spoons to burger establishments; it is not exclusive to Latino or Mexican restaurants.
Try green chili made with Pueblo chilies if you want to get local. These chilies, grown about an hour south of Colorado Springs on St. Charles Mesa, can withstand roasting without becoming mushy. In September, following the harvest, Pueblo hosts a Chile & Frijoles Festival encompassing more than ten city blocks.
5. Colorado Lamb
Travel the globe, and you will likely find Colorado, lamb on the menus of upscale restaurants, which consider it the finest mountain meat. Lamb is an acquired flavor for Westerners, but it is a staple in the cuisines of the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Europe.
Colorado lamb, bred for flesh quality rather than wool, is renowned for its robust flavor, pleasant texture, and absence of artificial growth hormones. The fact that these hill-dwelling animals consume a variety of grasses, berries, plants, and even wild carrots throughout the day is undoubtedly advantageous.
6. Rocky Ford Cantaloupe
Once again, the intense sunlight and chilly nights portend well for Colorado’s Arkansas Valley farmers in the southeast quadrant of the state. In the 1870s, businessman George Washington Swink had a green thumb for growing watermelons, but he soon discovered his talent for muskmelons, or what was subsequently named Netted Gem Cantaloupe.
They were slightly larger and sweeter than the cantaloupes of the time, so Swink employed help to increase his capacity and soon began selling via railroad to St. Louis and beyond. When the harvest arrives in early July, fruit lovers throughout Colorado will be thrilled to discover their favorite Rocky Ford cantaloupes on the racks of their local grocery store.
7. Bison
Bison, leaner and arguably more flavorful than other red meats, is gaining popularity in Colorado and the United States. The Bison Council boasts that the meat is up to 84% leaner than beef, contains half as many calories, and is free of hormones, antibiotics, and additives.
Colorado’s grassy plains, the country’s fourth largest producer, are ideal habitats for these roaming American buffalo. Sustainability efforts are in place for the feral bison and the lands they graze, as they are vital to our ecosystem and bestial West heritage.
8. Olathe Sweet Corn
Olathe, a town of only a couple thousand people, has undoubtedly imprinted on western Colorado with its renowned sweet corn.
However, several local producers are committed to growing non-GMO corn. This bicolored and yellow corn is harvested by hand and is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Depending on the year’s precipitation, Olathe’s sweet maize is typically available throughout the state by July. And just around the corner, this small town presents the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival on the first Saturday of August.
9. Trout
Colorado’s main rivers or reservoirs will likely contain at least one trout species. Cutthroat Trout is the only native bass in Colorado, but Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Lake Trout are abundant. The legal state fish of Colorado is the Greenback Trout, a species of Cutthroat.
You can find trout on many upscale menus in Colorado, particularly those that celebrate our native game.