What's old is new again at the Cooper Lounge, the stunning cocktail bar that opened last year on the mezzanine of the reborn Denver Union Station. The setting is elegant and intimate, with the kind of furniture you might find in your grandmother's fancy living room, surprisingly comfy here; servers roll by with upscale snacks courtesy of ChoLon's Lon Symensma, designed to recall menus from the great days when everyone would follow the advice on Union Station sign and travel by train. Still, we prefer to grab a seat at the long, expansive bar — with 28-foot-high cast-iron windows offering a stunning view of downtown — where you can chat with a fellow traveler or the friendly bartender who pours cocktails as classic, and classy, as the setting. The prices may be steep, but the drinks are stiff. And on the night of a full moon, when all of 17th Street is suddenly aglow, the view is priceless. All aboard!
Readers' choice: Williams & Graham