Fort Collins has been called “the Napa Valley of beer,” but its food scene boasts some nationally known eateries as well. A large population of college students and a buzzing nightlife has come together to form a unique food hotspot. The growth, creativity and success of many local restaurants has cast them into the national spotlight. In fact, several local restaurants have been featured on the Food Network, Travel Channel and Zagat Survey. 

Restaurant 415

On more than one occasion, Guy Fieri’s red convertible has rolled through Fort Collins to film an episode of his popular show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” The Food Network star stopped at Restaurant 415, a sleek and simple community haunt that focuses on local cuisine and creative cooking. Fieri opted to try the Americano del Sur pizza. The pie has an olive oil and garlic base and is loaded with fresh tomatillos, jalapeños and garbanzo beans. The combination definitely qualifies as creative, even from Fieri’s culinary perspective.

Pizza Casbah

Pizza Casbah, the local take on a New York-style pizza, was another hit on the Food Network. Host Tom Pizzica of “Outrageous Foods” made the trip to Fort Collins in order to see the eatery’s 30 inch hand-tossed pizza. So large it takes three people to get it into the oven, this pie tips the scales at over nine pounds. 

The Fat Shack

Late night dive The Fat Shack has made headlines with their tendency to deep fry everything in sight. The Fat Shack’s namesake sandwich was the main attraction on an episode of the Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise.” Fried chicken tenders, onion rings, potatoes, mozzarella sticks and jalapeno poppers are all rolled into a Philly cheesesteak and smothered with honey mustard.

The Kitchen 

The Zagat restaurant rating guide keeps Fort Collins on their radar. The Kitchen, a corner restaurant in Old Town, was ranked 25 out of 30 on The Zagat’s most recent guide. A pioneer of the farm to table movement, The Kitchen’s menu features seasonal produce and local meat. The Kitchen is known for taking American cuisine and dressing it up with high quality ingredients in an elegant setting.

Collegian Arts and Culture Reporter Cody Moore can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.