Restaurant in Boulder, United States
Solid $$$ pick for Pearl Street dining.
Oak at Fourteenth earns its 4.5-star rating (947 reviews) with a contemporary menu that takes both rotisserie meat and vegetarian dishes seriously — the beet tartare with mustard ice cream is a genuine kitchen statement. At $$$ on Boulder's Pearl Street, it is the clearest choice for a mixed group that wants composed, confident cooking without the ceremony of a full tasting-menu commitment.
With a 4.5-star rating across nearly 950 Google reviews, Oak at Fourteenth holds up better than most restaurants on Boulder's Pearl Street. At the $$$ price point, it sits above the casual end of downtown Boulder's dining scene but below the ceremony of a full tasting-menu night out. If you want a first dinner in Boulder that covers both meat-eaters and vegetarians without feeling like a compromise, this is the clearest answer on that block.
The room is minimal: light wood floors, white walls, clean lines. There is nothing here competing for your attention, which means the food has to carry the evening — and mostly it does. The kitchen runs a contemporary menu that takes rotisserie meat seriously while giving vegetarian dishes genuine thought rather than afterthought status. The beet tartare, served with mustard ice cream and a beet-colored rice cracker, is the clearest example: it is a dish built around a specific flavor idea, not a protein substitute. The mustard ice cream reads sharp against the earthiness of the beet, and the cracker adds a textural break that keeps the plate from going flat. For first-timers, that dish alone tells you what register the kitchen is working in.
On the protein side, the rotisserie chicken with green apple and celery root slaw is the plate most people come back for. The slaw cuts through the fat of the bird with enough acid to make each bite reset cleanly. Save room for the peanut butter tart: thick cookie crust, a thin layer of cherry gelee, and a quenelle of celery sorbet over chopped peanuts. It is a composed dessert built around a childhood reference — ants on a log , executed with more restraint than the concept might suggest. The celery sorbet is the move that makes it worth ordering.
The restaurant's address on Pearl Street puts it in direct competition for weekend foot traffic, and the daytime and brunch formats here deserve specific attention. The same kitchen philosophy that drives dinner , precise flavors, meat-forward but vegetarian-inclusive , carries into the morning and midday service. For a first-timer, brunch at Oak at Fourteenth is a lower-stakes way to test the kitchen before committing to a full dinner spend at the $$$ tier. The minimalist room also reads well in daylight; the white walls and wood floors feel less studied and more practical when the sun is up. Boulder's brunch scene skews casual and outdoorsy, which makes Oak's more composed approach a useful counterpoint if you want something beyond eggs and a mimosa pitcher. That said, arrive with a reservation. Weekend demand on Pearl Street is consistent enough that walk-ins are a gamble, particularly for parties of three or more.
| Detail | Oak at Fourteenth | Basta | Frasca Food & Wine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | $$$ | $$ | Higher-end |
| Cuisine | Contemporary | Contemporary | Italian |
| Booking difficulty | Moderate | Moderate | Higher , book well ahead |
| Vegetarian options | Strong , built into the menu | Solid | Available but meat-forward |
| Leading for | Mixed groups, brunch, first visit | Casual creative dining | Occasion dinners |
| Location | Pearl St, downtown Boulder | Boulder | Boulder |
Booking difficulty is moderate. Weekend tables , especially brunch slots , move faster than weeknight reservations, so plan to book at least a week out for Friday or Saturday. Weeknight dinners are more accessible, and if your schedule is flexible, Tuesday through Thursday give you the leading shot at your preferred time. There is no published phone number in current listings, so online reservation platforms are your leading route. Check availability early if you are coordinating a group, since the room's minimalist layout suggests a fixed seat count that does not flex much for large parties.
Against Boulder's contemporary dining options, Oak at Fourteenth sits in a practical middle ground. Basta is the closest peer in terms of creative approach, but it runs at $$ rather than $$$, making it the better call if price is the primary filter. Oak's stronger case is its vegetarian integration: the kitchen genuinely builds dishes around non-meat anchors rather than adapting the meat menu sideways, which Basta does not consistently match at the same level. If you are looking at Frasca Food & Wine as an alternative, know that Frasca is a harder booking and a longer commitment , it is an occasion restaurant in a way Oak is not. Oak is where you go when you want a serious dinner without the ceremony. For groups with different dietary profiles, Oak is the more accommodating room. For a special occasion where Italian regional cooking is the draw, Frasca wins. Blackbelly Market is worth considering if your group skews heavily meat-focused; that kitchen goes deeper on butchery and charcuterie than Oak does. Bramble & Hare is another downtown option with a strong vegetable-forward sensibility at a comparable price position, and it is worth stacking against Oak if you want a different room aesthetic. For a broader view of Boulder's dining options, the full Boulder restaurants guide gives you a ranked comparison across categories.
Basta is the sharpest alternative at a lower price point ($$) with a similarly creative contemporary menu. For Italian specifically, Frasca Food & Wine is the higher-commitment, higher-reward option , harder to book but more distinctive. Blackbelly Market is better if your group prioritizes meat and charcuterie over a balanced menu. For a full ranked comparison, see the Boulder restaurants guide.
Bar seating is common for restaurants with Oak's format on Boulder's Pearl Street, and it tends to be the leading option for solo diners or pairs who did not book ahead. That said, specific bar-seating policy is not confirmed in current data , call ahead or check when you arrive. If bar access matters to you, have a backup option like Basta in mind for the same evening.
Yes, for the price tier. At $$$, solo dining at Oak is a reasonable spend if the contemporary menu is what you want. The minimalist room and counter-style seating options typical of restaurants in this format make solo visits comfortable rather than awkward. Weeknight visits give you more flexibility on seating. If budget is a tighter consideration for a solo meal, Basta at $$ covers similar creative ground for less.
The menu is built with vegetarians in mind at a level beyond token options , the beet tartare and other non-meat dishes are constructed as first-class plates, not adaptations. For other dietary needs, there is no published phone number in current listings, so the leading route is to contact the restaurant through the reservation platform when you book. Flagging restrictions at booking rather than on arrival gives the kitchen the most flexibility.
At $$$, it delivers a composed, technically considered meal in a room that does not charge you for décor excess. The 4.5-star rating across nearly 950 reviews suggests consistent execution rather than occasional brilliance. If you compare it to Frasca Food & Wine, Oak costs less and books easier but is a less singular experience. Compared to Basta at $$, Oak asks you to pay more for stronger vegetarian integration and a slightly more refined execution. Worth it if those factors matter to your group.
There is no confirmed tasting menu format in current venue data for Oak at Fourteenth. The kitchen runs a contemporary a la carte menu rather than a fixed tasting format. If a tasting menu is specifically what you are after in Boulder, Frasca Food & Wine is the more appropriate destination , though it requires booking well in advance. For reference on what tasting-menu value looks like at a national level, Smyth in Chicago and Lazy Bear in San Francisco set useful benchmarks for the format.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak at Fourteenth | Contemporary | Smack dab in the heart of charming downtown Boulder, Oak at Fourteenth invites guests to settle in to a space where light wood floors, white walls and a minimalist design aesthetic set a modern tone. The kitchen echoes the contemporary mindset with a hearty menu focused on meat, but with equal care shown to vegetarian dishes. To begin, a vibrant disc of beet tartare is served with mustard ice cream and a beet-colored rice cracker for a dramatic start. Rotisserie chicken with a green apple and celery root slaw is a go-to, but save room for a slice of their peanut butter tart. With its thick cookie crust, thin layer of cherry gelee and a quenelle of celery sorbet balanced on chopped peanuts, it's a nod to that childhood classic: ants on a log.; Smack dab in the heart of charming downtown Boulder, Oak at Fourteenth invites guests to settle in to a space where light wood floors, white walls and a minimalist design aesthetic set a modern tone. The kitchen echoes the contemporary mindset with a hearty menu focused on meat, but with equal care shown to vegetarian dishes. To begin, a vibrant disc of beet tartare is served with mustard ice cream and a beet-colored rice cracker for a dramatic start. Rotisserie chicken with a green apple and celery root slaw is a go-to, but save room for a slice of their peanut butter tart. With its thick cookie crust, thin layer of cherry gelee and a quenelle of celery sorbet balanced on chopped peanuts, it's a nod to that childhood classic: ants on a log. | Moderate | — |
| Basta | Contemporary | Unknown | — | |
| Flagstaff House | American | Unknown | — | |
| Frasca Food & Wine | Italian | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Zoe Ma Ma | Chinese | Unknown | — | |
| Stella's Cucina | Italian | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Oak at Fourteenth and alternatives.
Basta is the closest match: creative, contemporary, similar price point, and strong on vegetable-forward cooking. Frasca Food & Wine is the step-up option if you want a more formal experience and are prepared to spend more. Zoe Ma Ma works if you want something faster and lighter at a lower price.
The venue does have bar seating, which makes it a practical option for walk-ins or solo diners who want to eat without a reservation. Bar seats at $$$ Boulder restaurants tend to turn over faster than tables, so showing up early in the evening is your best move if you haven't booked.
Yes. The minimalist room, bar seating, and a menu built around individual plates make this a comfortable solo option at the $$$ price point. It holds a 4.5-star rating across nearly 950 Google reviews, which suggests consistent execution rather than a one-off experience.
The kitchen runs a menu focused on meat but gives equal attention to vegetarian dishes — the beet tartare with mustard ice cream is a documented example. That said, for specific allergy requirements, check the venue's official channels before booking rather than assuming flexibility.
At $$$, it sits above casual Boulder dining but below special-occasion pricing at Frasca or Flagstaff House. The 4.5-star rating across close to 950 Google reviews at this price point is a reasonable indicator that most diners feel the value holds. If you want creative contemporary cooking on Pearl Street without committing to a full fine-dining spend, it delivers.
A tasting menu format is not confirmed in the available venue data, so this cannot be assessed. If that format is important to you, verify directly with the restaurant before booking. For a structured tasting experience in Boulder, Frasca Food & Wine is the documented option.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
