Last week I spent a long weekend with my former college roommate at her new home in Fort Collins, Colo.  It’s a great town with many up-and-coming restaurants and bars. If you’re planning a trip in the near future, I have a few recommendations.

The first night, we had a low-key dinner at Restaurant 415. It was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Between my three dining companions, we split several of the restaurant’s small plates including brussels sprouts, bacon mac & cheese and steak skewers. My favorite dish, called When Pigs Fly, was a delicious plate of house-made fried chicken and orange-flavored waffles with a to-die-for bacon maple syrup. It was one of the best things I ever ate.

One morning we went to Snooze for brunch. The eatery, open daily until 2:30 p.m., serves a variety of breakfast and lunch options with specials and seasonal dishes. Indecisive diners, like myself, can mix-and-match Benedict options. I did, opting for one Lox Ness Benedict, with lox and spinach, and one seasonal Harvest Benedict, with squash, parsnips and bacon. The gazpacho Bloody Mary was refreshing and perfectly tangy.

New Belgium Brewery, named top brewery tour in the United States by TripAdvisor, serves multiple types of brews to satisfy all beer fanatics. We didn’t take the tour but sampled a few of the most popular beers. Try the Shift pale lager.

For a sweet treat we went to Hayley’s Homemade Ice Cream, a short drive away in Estes Park. The rich cookie dough ice cream I chose was the perfect dessert.

My four-day trip ended too soon, but I look forward to my next visit and exploring more of what Fort Collins has to offer.

— Katie Skrzek, digital media manager