Table Mountain Grill & Cantina: A Culinary Staple For Golden, Colo.

Located a mere 30-minute ride from Denver, you will know you have arrived at your destination by the "Welcome to Golden, where the west lives" arch that greets you as you drive into town. 

Arguably the busiest place in town any night of the week, the Table Mountain Grill & Cantina is hard to miss, as it's situated in the colorful Santa Fe-style inn of the same name alongside Washington Avenue. With both indoor and outdoor seating, crowds flock to this restaurant to enjoy Southwestern cuisine as well as their vast selection of margaritas.

The family-owned restaurant has a warm and inviting appeal with colorful Southwestern motifs and a feeling that you are eating inside an old pueblo. Among the popular pre-meal libations are coin-style margarita selections such as the Silver Dollar, made with silver tequila, Citrónge, and fresh organic lime juice.

Presentation is part of the fun atmosphere and without doubt, you should try their flaming asadero cheese appetizer. This table-side experience starts with creamy Mexican Asadero cheese that's ranch-breaded and then fried. It is then flambéed with a little brandy and served with accompaniments of Navajo flatbread and various relishes and salsas.

The philosophy at Table Mountain Grill & Cantina is to create dishes that are flavorful, using top quality ingredients. Their fajitas, for example, are made from filet mignon and coated with the chef's own queso. Manager Aaron Day calls this "the queso of your dreams." 

A trip to Golden would not be complete without including a meal at this local institution. Afterwards, there are lots of places to explore including some top Colorado attractions such as the Coors Brewery Tour and the Colorado Railroad Museum.