Rejoice, Pueblo food lovers. Bland, boring and typical are not parts of the local menu. Find unique spicy and flavorful foods at Pueblo-area restaurants, festivals, stores or roadside farm stands.  

Green Chilies

Green chilies are not just a food staple in Pueblo; they are part of the city’s identity and cultural heritage. This enduring symbol of agricultural success is celebrated every year during the annual Loaf 'N Jug Chile and Frijoles Festival, an event sponsored by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce promoting locally grown mira sol chile peppers and pinto beans. The three-day downtown festival hosts over 100,000 people annually and features cooking competitions, a farmers market and more revolving around the city’s most beloved green vegetable.

Buy fresh Pueblo-grown chilies in roadside farm stands throughout the city from mid-August through October. Local food manufacturer Mira Sol Chile Corp., located only minutes north of downtown, also offers a variety of products made from red and green Pueblo chilies. Pick up a few jars of fire-roasted green or red chilies or one of their homemade salsas, and then download a unique recipe to try, like the Pueblo Chile Caviar, from the company’s website. 

Sloppers

Pueblo’s ubiquitous green chile is one of the main ingredients in a local favorite called a slopper. Sloppers, open-faced cheeseburgers served in a bowl and smothered in spicy green chile sauce, were the focus of a recent episode of Travel Channel's Food Wars, in which two Pueblo restaurants, Gray’s Coors Tavern and Sunset Inn, vied for the title of “Best Slopper.” While each restaurant serves well-known versions of this local specialty, 27 different restaurants around town feature their own special take on Pueblo’s well-known favorite. For something different, try the Thunder Humper at Gold Dust Saloon, a distinctive slopper smothered with green chili, cheese, onions and mounds of crispy French fries.

Grinders

Italian-sausage grinder sandwiches are another tasty Pueblo-area favorite. The basic ingredients are grilled Italian sausage, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomatoes on fresh Italian bread, but variations of the sandwich can be found on menus of more than 20 restaurants around town.