Fortezza Ristorante Brings Northern Italian Elegance to Colorado

Photos Courtesy of Elite Focus Studio 

Hello my fellow foodies and welcome back.  I love to share off the beaten path places to dine in Colorado. Right outside of Boulder CO in a town call Niwot, Fortezza Ristorante opened a few months ago. Niwot CO is such a beautiful and quaint town, so I was more than excited to go check out this brand-new addition. 

Fortezza Ristorante is owned by Adam and Natalie Moore.  They have many years of combined restaurant experience.  Adam spent a decade at Barolo Grille, and other Denver restaurants including Guard and Grace. They wanted to bring a dining experience to Niwot that focuses on service and quality with a local feel to it.  The focus is on Northern Italian cuisine, but with a chef’s innovative flair.  I was hungry so, let’s eat!

Fortezza Ristorante is a gorgeous restaurant with plush bar stools and warm décor. During the warmer months, the patio is stunning and is where they will be growing their own herbs and veggies for the restaurant. We started with the Piatta Di Formaggi and the Focaccia Della Casa.  The whipped ricotta in the Formaggi plate is something otherworldly, and the Focaccia was as homemade as it gets, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.  It is served with Italian olive oil, but the flavor of this bread stood out on its own. If there was ever a salad I would come back to a restaurant for again, it would be the Insalata De Fortezza. The cheesy topping and the Green Goddess dressing was perfect. They get most of their vegetables from Esoterra Culinary Garden right in Boulder, and tonight we had the most beautiful beets on top of the salad. There is something on the menu at Fortezza that won a “never take off the menu” award in my book.  The Ricciola Crudo with yellowtail, heirloom tomato, and salsa verde was outstanding, and although it looks like there is popcorn on top, it is puffed sorghum, an artistic addition to this not to be missed dish.  It was so good, I wanted to order another one, but we had more food coming.

All the pasta at Fortezza Ristorante is made from scratch. The fresh Agnolotti will be stuffed with seasonal ingredients depending on the time of year, and tonight it was full of porcini mushrooms, and tomo cheese fondue. Another must order when you visit. For our main courses we ordered the Anatra, and the New York Strip. The Anatra is a delicate duck breast served with Cherry Jus, and the steak was cooked to perfection, only served with Italian Olive oil and salt, as it should be.

Cocktails and wines are abundant at Fortezza, and the night we were there they had a winemaker from Italy present.  In addition to spectacular food, Fortezza goes above and beyond when it comes to service, which is something I rarely discuss, but needs to be called out here because I was truly impressed.  Every detail of your meal is important, and it shows.

Fortezza Ristorante is open 7 nights a week from 4-9 pm. Happy hour is from 4-5:30 pm with a small bite list and discounted drinks and cocktails.  For Christmas Eve, they are doing a Turkey dinner and Prime Rib dinner to take home.  All meals will include 2 sides and a dessert

Although I live close to Fortezza Ristorante, I would travel a long distance to eat there again. Next time you are deciding where to eat in the front range, take a turn off the beaten path a bit. It will absolutely be worth it!  Until next time my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well, and be well.