Fine Italian dining in South Denver
By Jay McKinney // Photos Courtesy of Colore
IF THERE’S ONE COUNTRY that is universally revered for its culinary excellence, it has to be Italy. With fresh bread, cheese galore, fantastic wine, and pasta sauces ranging from hearty marinara to creamy alfredo, Italian food is delicious in every way. While it can be fun preparing the country’s cuisine at home, nothing beats dining at a fine Italian restaurant.
In Denver, Colore has been dishing up incredible Italian fare since it first opened on South Broadway in 2009. Chris Millette owns Colore with his wife Sarah and sees the restaurant as an extension of a home dining room with an emphasis on quality ingredients, good portion sizes, and identifiable comfort food that people love. Spaghetti and meatballs is a tried-and-true entree but there are also some higher-end Italian recipes that make Colore a versatile restaurant. “We want to be the place where you can come in after doing yard work, and a place where you can come for your thirtieth anniversary,” Chris Millette says.
The most popular menu items include the Caesar salad, shrimp fra diavolo, and chicken saltimbocca made with pan-seared chicken breast, prosciutto, provolone, garlic spinach, a Marsala sage-butter reduction, and potato gnocchi. An Italian citizen would advise pairing any of the entrees with a tasty wine from the country. Thankfully, Chris Millette is a sommelier and can offer his opinion on pairings. Some of his favorites include the house redbarbera, a Nebbiolo, and a grüner veltliner. As far as cocktails go, the black Manhattan, basil mojito, and Rockslide are some of the standout choices. The latter is rightfully on the dessert menu with its mouthwatering mix of Cantera Negra Café coffee liqueur, Coole Swan Irish cream liqueur, and The Family Jones vodka. For those craving a traditional dessert, some favorites are the tiramisu and peach bread pudding made with French bread, warm caramel, peaches, and fresh berries.
Food and drinks aside, Colore is not a stereotypical Italian restaurant adorned with red and white tablecloths and soft lighting that inspires intimate conversation. Instead, the restaurant has a modern aesthetic with an open kitchen, butcher block tables, and ample natural light pouring in from the large windows. The cozy booths could serve as a napping location after scarfing down a bowl of fettuccine and shrimp alfredo. There’s also an enclosed patio equipped with heaters that stays open year-round as long as temperatures are above 35 degrees.
With great food and a versatile vibe that has made the South Broadway location so successful, Colore expanded into Littleton with the opening of a second location in June 2025. While the restaurant has been in the neighborhood for less than a year, it’s been well received as it provides an upscale casual dining experience to a market that was in need.
COLORE 2700 S. Broadway Englewood 303.761.4332 5950 S. Platte Canyon Rd. Littleton 720.572.4442 coloreitalian.com
