Some Colorado diners rotate through new restaurants every weekend, but roast beef fans tend to be loyal. Once they find the right Italian beef, French dip, or deli-style roast beef, they keep going back for that one sandwich.
This list covers eight spots across the state, from Lakewood counter joints and a downtown Denver bar to mountain town delis and a Boulder butcher shop. Some lean hard into Chicago tradition, with Italian beef, hot dogs, and walls of memorabilia.
Others take a deli route with fresh bread, horseradish, and dipping jus. A few are road trip stops that pair well with a drive up I-70 or down Highway 24.
Each one earns its spot for a different reason, so you can pick based on your mood, your route, or your appetite. Save this one for your next lunch debate.
1. Chicago Style Beef and Dogs, Lakewood, CO
Walls covered in Chicago memorabilia tell you what kind of lunch you are getting before you even reach the counter. The spot on West Colfax Avenue is built for transplants who miss home and Coloradans curious about the real thing.
The Chicago Style Italian Beef is the order that keeps people coming back. Hot dogs dressed true Chicago style share the menu, along with chili dogs, gyros, fries, and pizza puffs.
Service is counter-style and quick, which makes it an easy solo lunch or a casual family stop. There is a kids’ menu, high chairs, free Wi-Fi, and a small patio for warmer days.
Plan around the hours. It is closed Tuesdays, open 11 AM to 7 PM most other days, and only noon to 5 PM on Sundays.
Saturday afternoon is the busiest stretch, and parking is usually easy to find in the lot.
2. Carmine Lonardo’s Italian, Lakewood, CO
Ask regulars here what they order and you will usually hear one of two answers: the French dip or the Italian beef. Both come on fresh bread with generous fillings at this family-run Italian deli on West Florida Avenue.
The sandwiches are big, so come hungry. The menu also covers Italian subs, the Italian Combo, sausage, meatballs, pizza, and pasta.
Save room or a takeout box for dessert. Cannoli and cheesecake are part of the draw, and the shelves carry Italian dry goods for a quick grocery run.
Hours run 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday, and the deli is closed Sundays. Weekday mornings are calm, while Saturday afternoons get crowded.
Free lot and street parking keep the stop simple.
3. Pony Up, Denver, CO
Late-night French dip cravings in LoDo have a clear answer. Pony Up on Blake Street builds much of its menu around the dip, and it stays open until 1 AM most nights and 2 AM on weekends.
The Frenchie French Dip is the headliner. A Smoked Mushroom French Dip gives plant-based diners a real option, and the kitchen offers a full vegan menu.
Sides and starters round things out, including crispy potatoes, French onion soup, creamy tomato soup, Caesar salad, and buffalo wings. It is a casual room that works for groups and sports watching.
Doors open at 4 PM daily. Friday and Saturday evenings are packed, so a late afternoon visit is the calmer move.
Parking downtown can be tricky, with paid garages, lots, and street spaces nearby.
4. Mollica’s Italian Market and Deli, Colorado Springs, CO
Good bread changes everything, and Mollica’s knows it. The family-owned deli on Garden of the Gods Road bakes fresh, chewy loaves for its sandwiches and also sells them in the market.
That bread holds up well under the hot roast beef dip sub, a regular’s usual. The Chicago Style Sandwich brings Italian beef with generous portions and fresh ingredients.
There is plenty beyond beef too. The Italian Hero, Muffaletta, manicotti, beef lasagna, and tiramisu cake all show up on the menu, and there is a full vegetarian lineup.
It is a practical stop for families, with a kids’ menu, high chairs, and free parking. Hours stretch to 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and the deli is closed Sundays.
Curbside pickup is available for busy days.
5. Conrad’s Hot Dog Company, Idaho Springs, CO
Heading up I-70 toward the mountains? Idaho Springs makes a natural pit stop, and Conrad’s gives travelers a Chicago-style reason to pull off the highway.
The Italian Beef is the sandwich that earns repeat visits, especially from Chicago transplants who have searched the state for one that tastes like home. Chicago dogs, chili cheese dogs, and fries fill out a short, focused menu.
Service is counter-style and fast, with outdoor seating and room for dogs outside. Free street parking is usually easy to find.
Timing matters here. Conrad’s is open 11 AM to 5 PM, and it closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so check your calendar before planning a ski day lunch around it.
6. Sorelle Delicatessen, Buena Vista, CO
A patio overlooking a fountain is not what most people expect from a roadside deli on Highway 24. Sorelle pairs that rustic setting with fresh-cut meats and crispy bread.
Roast beef with horseradish is the sandwich to know. The hot Italian beef has its own loyal following, and both make a strong case for a lunch break in the Arkansas River valley.
Other favorites include the chicken poblano, pesto chicken, turkey and havarti, pastrami, and the Caprese. Pasta salad and desserts are easy add-ons.
Hours are 10:30 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Saturday, so this is strictly a lunch spot. Saturday afternoon is the busy window.
Free parking, curbside pickup, and a kids’ menu make it a smooth road trip stop.
7. Cruise Control Kitchen and Cellar, Grand Junction, CO
Western Slope residents have not always had easy access to a traditional Italian beef. Cruise Control on Colorado Avenue in downtown Grand Junction changed that.
The Italian beef sandwiches are the reason many diners return. The menu even offers an Italian Beef Kit for taking the experience home.
Beyond beef, the kitchen leans into Chicago-style hot dogs, a seasonal Coney dog, flatbreads, a soup flight, and a Brie and goat cheese toffee puff. There are full vegan and vegetarian menus, plus beer cheese on the side.
It is a relaxed, sit-down space with table service, live music, and dogs welcome inside and out. Weekday afternoons are quiet, while Friday and Saturday evenings fill up.
8. Blackbelly Market & Restaurant, Boulder, CO
When the sandwich comes from a working butcher shop, the beef gets serious attention. Blackbelly in Boulder combines a farmhouse-chic restaurant with a butcher counter.
The roast beef sandwich arrives with a full-sized pickle, and pairing it with the tomato sauce is a popular move. Hand-cut Kennebec fries are a natural side.
The menu goes deep on meat, with Colorado Angus bavette steak, bone marrow, a Reuben, and crispy pig ears. Sweet tooth?
The corn cookie and Evelyn’s Famous Carrot Cake are favorites.
Blackbelly opens daily from 7 AM to 9 PM, so breakfast is an option too. Expect a wait, and book ahead for dinner.
There is a fireplace for chilly days and a free parking lot.
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