Over the decades, north Denver has lost dozens of Italian markets, bakeries and restaurants as the families of Italian immigrants who first settled in what's now the Highland, Sunnyside and Berkeley neighborhoods moved west for bigger houses and newer schools — but not too far west. Wheat Ridge became the beneficiary of some of the city's best family recipes, many of which you'll find at Mama Sannino's. While the restaurant isn't that old (opening in 2005 before moving to its current location in 2013), Jimmy and Karen Sannino serve dishes that their family members cooked after arriving in Colorado in the 1950s, both at home and in several north-side eateries, including the long-gone 3 Sons. Smell the red sauce simmering and remember the old days over meatball sandwiches and plates of ravioli and spaghetti. Old Denver lives on in Wheat Ridge.
Readers' Choice: Gaetano's