7 Iconic Fort Collins Restaurant Foods You Need to Order

Fort Collins is often said to have some of the most restaurants per capita.

There are many great dishes throughout the Choice City and a few have become iconic and legendary.

If you are looking to dine like a true Fort Collins resident, order these seven items.

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1. Silver Grill Cafe's Cinnamon Roll

Possibly the most famous Fort Collins restaurant item comes in the form of sugary and buttery goodness. The Silver Grill Cafe is the Choice City's oldest operating restaurant, serving lunch and dinner since 1933. While the cinnamon rolls weren't added until the 1980's, it has become the signature item of this Fort Collins brunch staple that has been known to attract hour-long waits. While the cinnamon rolls do live up to the hype, make sure you also try the restaurant's delicious hash browns.

2. Charco Broiler's Chex Salad

Croutons are not necessary at Fort Collins' iconic family-run Charco Broiler. This Mullberry Street restaurant since 1957 is known for uniquely garnishing its salads with Chex. The restaurant once replaced the Chex with traditional croutons, but got pushback from diners and swiftly brought them back. Charco Broiler offers a number of steaks, chops and seafood for entrees. Just make sure you close out your meal with Charco Broiler's other signature item: a slice of its peanut butter pie.

3. Lucile's Creole Cafe's Beignets

While you are sure to get powdered sugar everywhere, these New Orleans-inspired baked good specialties are well worth it. Lucile's imitates the Creole treat with a special recipe adjusted for the Fort Collins altitude — which is located more than 5,000 feet higher above sea level than the Big Easy. Top off your breakfast or lunch in the converted old home with more Creole-inspired brunch dishes for one of Fort Collins' most unique dining experiences.

4. Krazy Karl's Pizza's Cream Cheese Pizza

I'll admit, the first time someone suggested cream cheese as a pizza topping I was plenty skeptical. But the saying "Don't Knock It 'Till You Try It" comes into play here. Krazy Karl's pioneered the topping in the area. The cream cheese topping melts nicely on top of the pie and adds a creaminess to each bite that contrasts other toppings. Krazy Karl's has two Fort Collins locations and delivers early into the morning. A number of their specialty pies include the delicious dollops of melted cream cheese. Pick one and give your taste buds a ride.

5. Maza Kabob's Eggplant Burrani

One of Fort Collins' more unique eateries takes inspiration in Afghan cuisine. The operation located in Midtown has long been run by a chef who fled his native Afghanistan back during Soviet occupation. Maza Kabob, long admired by TripAdvisor reviews, has a number of tasty marinated grilled meats but peaks with its eggplant burrani dish. The dish is unlike another menu item in the Choice City.

6. Walrus Ice Cream's Salted Caramel Ice Cream

The Old Town Fort Collins staple has 29 rotating flavors daily, but one of its most popular is the salted caramel that perfectly balances salty and sweet flavors. Walrus Ice Cream crafts all of its homemade products on site, and customers can peek through the window and see the ice cream creation in action. Adding to the lore of the ice cream shop that's operated since 1987 is the legend that says the Walrus Ice Cream basement is haunted.

7. FoCo Cafe's Corn Muffins

The unique pay-what-you-can cafe offers rotating soups and salads every day that most consume with a corn muffin. The signature baked good has become a staple of the restaurant that opened on Thanksgiving Day in 2014. People from all walks of life dine for lunch at the nonprofit restaurant that allows customers to pay what they are able, pay it forward or work for their meal. The FoCo Cafe dining experience is humbling but rewarding. The operation also organizes a number of other community and outreach programs throughout the year.