Your guide to the best appetizers and tastiest tapas in Colorado Springs

It’s our mission to find the best appetizers and tapas in Colorado Springs! Tapas are small, sophisticated appetizers and snacks that originate from Spain. They can be cold or hot and are typically served alongside drinks. Traditionally, tapas often included items like olives, meatballs, pickled vegetables, calamari, croquettes, garlic, and small toasts.

Modern tapas have evolved to include any sort of creative small dish. Appetizers and tapas are fun to eat and share on a night out. Especially, if they are paired with a yummy cocktail!

Here’s a list of eight fantastic places you can get delicious appetizers and tapas in Colorado Springs, in no particular order:

TAPAteria

TAPAteria boasts that they serve real Spanish tapas in a space that provides a Barcelona-inspired ambience. From their menu you can order items such as Anchovy-Stuffed Olives, Pan con Ajo, Garlic Mushrooms, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, and Caprese Skewers.

They also have an impressive wine list to accompany your small plates as well as some handcrafted cocktails. They also cater to individuals with celiac or gluten-sensitivities as everything on the menu is gluten-free!

Four by Brother Luck

Chef Brother Luck has a passion for ingredients and cultures, and it shows in his ever-changing menu. Even though this restaurant describes itself as New American, southwest and Japanese influences can be found if you look closely. Take their signature appetizer, the Jalapeño Poppers, as an example. Using spices like cumin, coriander, and cilantro it has a distinctly southwest flair, but Chef Luck coats the cream cheese balls in tempura batter and garnishes them with pickled jalapeño and onion. Even though the menu changes, this signature dish remains the same! Try it on The Original Colorado Springs Food Tour.

Other notable appetizer dishes to try the next time you’re at Four by Brother Luck are the Blue Cornbread, Charcuterie Board, and Serrano Jamon Toast. Try them all with their house margarita made with fresh lime, agave, and Casamigos Reposada Tequila.

Ristorante di Sopra

At Ristorante di Sopra, Chef Franco prides himself on using only the highest quality ingredients as he blends traditional recipes with contemporary Italian culinary concepts. This upscale Italian restaurant offers a full dining menu, however some of their starters include Braised Beef Bruschetta and Crab Arancini.

The menu often changes at Sopra, the chef is intensely creative and frequently makes one-of-a-kind dishes and specialty seasonal offerings. Everything on the menu is expertly thought out and made from scratch to ensure an unparalleled dining experience.

Shame and Regret

Calling themselves a “true back-alley treasure,” Shame and Regret is a fantastic scotch and whiskey bar in downtown Colorado Springs. This classy, yet comfortable bar features gothic art, an upscale appetizer menu, and a wide selection of liquors that you won’t find anywhere else.

Their inventive cocktails all have fun names—Swipe Right, Couples Therapy, Cuffing Season, and Cereal Dater. They also offer more than 110 types of American Whiskey and 120 types of single malt Scotch Whiskey, as well as beer and wine.

While sipping on your Banana Hammock cocktail (Banana Infused Jameson, Sherry, Chocolate Bitters, Old Fashioned Bitters, Banana Leaf) you can sample some of their Flaming BBQ Meatballs, Scotch Eggs, or their scrumptious Baked Portabella Caprese.

The Wobbly Olive

This award-winning restaurant has fabulous food and creative cocktails. Some highlights from their appetizers and tapas menu include the Ricotta Bruschetta, Tuna Poke Tartare, Bulgogi Poutine, Roasted Bone Marrow, and Hatch Green Chile Hummus.

The Wobbly Olive also has an equally inventive entrée menu along with a sweet-sounding dessert menu (Euro Dessert Charcuterie, anyone?!)

And don’t forget to try their specialty—martinis! They have two menu pages dedicated just to martinis. Peruse categories such as spirit-forward, floral, fruity, dessert, and originals to find the martini that suits your taste.

Shuga’s Restaurant

This small café is full of eclectic charm. Shuga’s Restaurant offers guests a great mix of comfort food and exciting flavors. For appetizers you can try their Smoky Trout Dip or the Mediterranean Fare which includes hummus, olive tapenade, goat cheese and grilled pita. Or, you can opt for some modern comfort food and try the Jalapeño Bacon Mac and Cheese.

Shuga’s offers a full menu, with plenty of drink options, salads, entrees, desserts, a weekend brunch, and kid-friendly choices too. Your littles will love the Kid’s Café Tray with sliced ham, mozzarella, Shuga’s trail mix, fresh fruit, and grilled pita.

Atmosphere Gastropub

This modern bar offers elevated drinks alongside a classy menu. Located in the North-end of Colorado Springs, Atmosphere Gastropub has a good selection of bar snacks and small plates. A few of their offerings include House Zucchini Pickles, Lobster Tots, Birria Sliders, Shrimp Tostones, and Baked Brie.

The drink menu features a thoughtfully curated selection of fine wine and beer. Along with plenty of expertly crafted cocktails. They even have dessert cocktails, which includes the dreamy sounding Peanut Butter Cup—Ole Smokey Peanut Butter Whiskey, Godiva dark chocolate, and cream.

503W

This Asian-influenced contemporary restaurant and bar is all about fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. At 503W they are passionate about quality and providing top-notch service. Their menu includes some unique and exciting appetizers. Try their Sweet Korean French Fries, Fire Cracker Nachos, or Goat Cheese Shrimp Cakes. For a slightly larger portion you could order the Food Truck Satay, Little Seoul Bowl, or Gangnam Fried Chicken.

The Asian influences carries over to their drinks menu. Some of their featured cocktails include the Bobo Baby, Wasabi-Pineapple Mule, and the Korean Zombie. They also have plenty of wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks.

With so many mouthwatering options for appetizers in Colorado Springs it can be hard to choose which place to visit!

If you sign up for The Springs Signature Cocktail Tour through Rocky Mountain Food Tours (that’s us!) you’ll get to sample a few of the locations on this list. Along with your delicious cocktails and appetizers, you’ll get an exclusive tour of Colorado Springs’ most popular speakeasy, an educational demonstration of a prohibition-style cocktail, and a fun tour leader who will guide you through the downtown cocktail scene.

Cheers! Your Rocky Mountain Food Tours Team

(So, what’s a food tour, anyway…?)

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