Colorado's second city finally enters the guide
Colorado Springs is the second-largest city in the state, home to roughly half a million people at 6,035 feet beneath Pikes Peak. Until 2026 not one of its restaurants could be considered by MICHELIN inspectors, because the guide's Colorado boundary covered only Denver, Boulder and four mountain resort areas. No Colorado Springs restaurant had been named by the James Beard Foundation either, so on our statewide register the city was a blank.
The first statewide selection, announced in September 2026, changed that in a notable way. Two Colorado Springs restaurants joined the Recommended list, and both picked up one of the four special awards MICHELIN gave in Colorado that year. Half of the state's special awards went to one city in its first year of eligibility.
How these picks are ordered. Both restaurants hold the same distinction, so we list them in the order we would suggest for a first visit: the downtown restaurant first, then the resort dining room for a special occasion. That is an editor's order rather than a ranking, and money plays no part in it.
Four by Brother Luck
Chef-owner Brother Luck's restaurant on Tejon Street serves what listings describe as a seasonal, regional Southwestern menu. In 2026 it joined the MICHELIN Recommended list and its bar's Kyle McNerney won the MICHELIN Exceptional Cocktails Award; MICHELIN made special note of the vintage spirits program he launched. Come for dinner, or for a drink at the bar if you want to see what earned the award.
The Penrose Room
The fine-dining room of The Broadmoor, the historic resort at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain. The Penrose Room reopened after a redesign by New York firm Tihany Design reported in early 2026, which divided it into three rooms named for ores, Gold Ore as the main dining room, Jade Ore and Copper Ore as smaller spaces, plus a lounge and a speakeasy-style polo club. Joseph Freyre won the 2026 MICHELIN Outstanding Service Award here. Expect a dressy, occasion-style evening and book through the resort.
What the special awards mean
MICHELIN's special awards recognize people rather than restaurants: bartenders, sommeliers, service staff and young chefs. In Colorado there were four in 2026. Two went to Colorado Springs, one to Theo Adley and Jenessa Reiman for their wine work at HeretÃk in Denver, and one to Cameron Baker at Radicato in Breckenridge. For a diner, a service or cocktail award is a useful signal about the whole evening, not just the plate: it tells you the front of house is part of the reason to go.
Planning a Colorado Springs dinner
- Book The Penrose Room early for weekends. Resort dining rooms take hotel guests as well as outside diners, and occasion-dining weekends fill first. Book through The Broadmoor's own site.
- Downtown is walkable. Four is on Tejon Street in the downtown core, which makes a pre-dinner walk or a post-dinner drink nearby easy.
- Altitude is gentle here. At just over 6,000 feet the city sits higher than Denver but well below the ski towns. Visitors from sea level should still drink water and pace the wine.
- Check details directly. We do not publish hours or prices. Both restaurants post current information on their own channels.
Why this matters beyond two restaurants. A guide's first visit to a city is rarely its last. MICHELIN revises its Colorado list every year, and a first-year result of two listings and two special awards suggests inspectors found more to come back for. We will update this page and the statewide register when the next selection is published.
Pueblo and the chile road south
An hour or so south on I-25, Pueblo grows the chile that is Colorado's own: the Pueblo chile, a mirasol type that grows pointing up at the sun and is usually fire-roasted. Pueblo has grown chiles since at least 1903, some grower families are into their sixth generation, and every September the city hosts the Chile and Frijoles Festival on historic Union Avenue, with roasting, cooking contests and a farmers' market. No Pueblo restaurant holds MICHELIN or James Beard recognition, but in late summer the farm stands and roasters are the attraction. See our regional food guide for the season.
How Colorado Springs compares
Denver still holds 37 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants against Colorado Springs' two, and Boulder eleven. But the Springs' entry was unusually strong for a first year, and for anyone visiting the Pikes Peak region, there are now two independently recognized dinners within a short drive of each other. For the rest of the Front Range, see Boulder and beyond; for the drive from Denver, our road-trip guide.
Common questions
Does Colorado Springs have MICHELIN restaurants?
Yes, since 2026. Four by Brother Luck and The Penrose Room at The Broadmoor both joined the MICHELIN Recommended list in the first statewide MICHELIN Guide Colorado, announced on 14 September 2026.
Which Colorado Springs restaurants won MICHELIN special awards?
Kyle McNerney of Four by Brother Luck won the 2026 Exceptional Cocktails Award, and Joseph Freyre of The Penrose Room won the 2026 Outstanding Service Award.
Why were there no Colorado Springs restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide before 2026?
Because the city was outside the guide's Colorado boundary, which covered only Denver, Boulder, Aspen, Snowmass Village, Vail and Beaver Creek from 2023 to 2025. The 2026 edition was the first to cover the whole state.
When is the Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival?
It is held each September on historic Union Avenue in downtown Pueblo. Check the festival's official site for next year's dates.
Where these facts come from
We check every award, address and date against the sources below. Restaurants change faster than any guide, so confirm details with the restaurant before you go. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- MICHELIN Guide Colorado restaurant list
- Michelin: MICHELIN Guide unveils first statewide selection for Colorado (Sept. 2026)
- KOAA: Two Colorado Springs restaurants earn recognition in 2026 MICHELIN Guide
- Springs Magazine: Colorado Springs' first Michelin award winners
- Hospitality Design: The Penrose Room reopens at The Broadmoor
- The Broadmoor (official website)
- 5280: Road trip restaurant, Four by Brother Luck
- Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival
- Westword: Michelin Guide reveals 2026 Colorado statewide restaurant awards
More Colorado dining guides
Aspen restaurants
Bosq, Element 47, Prospect and Mawa's Kitchen, plus how to plan dinner around Aspen's seasons.
Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge
The I-70 resort corridor: Sweet Basil, Osaki's, Splendido, Mirabelle, Rootstalk and Radicato.
Telluride and the Western Slope
The National, Van Atta, Bin 707 Foodbar and the Grand Valley's orchards and vineyards.
Colorado's regional foods
Pueblo chile, Palisade peaches, Olathe corn, Rocky Ford melons and when to find each one.
Road-trip dining in Colorado
Five drives from Denver and the recognized restaurants along each, with timing and pass advice.