5 Local Gem Restaurants in Aurora, Colorado that Serve the Best Food Ever 

Aurora’s food scene is a massive, sprawling melting pot. You just need to know which unassuming strip malls hold the gold. From traditional African recipes to old-school Italian, here are five local secrets you need to try.

Eatopia

This is authentic Ethiopian food that feels like a massive family gathering. Eatopia serves up rich, heavily spiced traditional dishes entirely from scratch. Meals are served on massive communal platters lined with injera, meant to be shared with your hands among friends. It is a deeply cultural dining experience wrapped in incredible, complex flavors that you won’t find anywhere else in the metro area.

Woo Ri Korean Restaurant

Small, unassuming, and completely authentic. The seating is highly limited and it fills up fast with older Korean patrons, which is universally the best sign a restaurant can have. The menu is not massive, but everything on it is flawless. The soft tofu soup comes out bubbling hot, and the bibimbap is the best you will find in the city. Closed on Thursdays and Sundays, so plan accordingly.

Watan Restaurant & Bakery

A cozy, family-owned Afghan spot where you walk in and immediately feel welcome. The hospitality here is unmatched. Order the traditional lamb kabobs and they will serve it up with fresh-baked Afghan bread and hot tea. It is a casual, impeccably clean space that serves up giant portions of deeply comforting, halal food for cheap.

Bettola Bistro

Nestled in the Illiff Pointe Shopping Center, Bettola Bistro ditches the white-tablecloth pretense of upscale Italian dining and focuses purely on high-quality ingredients. The chefs here care about the food above all else. The pork saltimbocca alla milanese and the rigatoni arrabbiata are phenomenal, proving you don’t need to go downtown to get incredible Italian food.

Jesus Mexican Taqueria

Tucked into the Aurora Highlands neighborhood, this is your new go-to for authentic street tacos. They don’t overcomplicate things. The carnitas and steak tacos are perfectly seasoned, piled high on fresh tortillas, and loaded with cilantro and onions. Make sure you grab their homemade tamales before they sell out for the day.