Sure, you come here to shop for flea market finds. But you get hungry or thirsty while making your way through 80 acres of shops, sellers, farmers market, rides and entertainment. And for many, the tasty and affordable food at Mile High Flea Market is a big part of the draw.
Step 1 – Arrive Hungry
The nice thing is when the hunger pains strike or you need to feed a family, there’s a food cart, restaurant or quick-casual stand around nearly every corner at Mile High Flea Market. In fact some 50 cash registers are ringing up food and beverage purchases here, from morning until night, every weekend, all year long.
So let’s start with breakfast. Did you know Mile High Flea Market opens at 7 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Some shoppers come out before the busy time and have a sit-down morning meal. The Marketplace Grill is the prime spot for eggs and bacon, or a hearty smothered burrito to hold you until lunchtime. If it’s coffee you’re craving in the morning, All Hyped Up coffee shop steams up a morning wake-up call to focus visitors for the big bargain hunts ahead.
Step 2 – Prepare for Snack Cravings
Now you’re getting hungry after walking around for a while and it’s time for a snack. Snacks are plentiful at Mile High Flea Market, and they typically come from market carts and stands throughout the grounds. These quick, walk-up eateries are an easy way to purchase handheld foods, allowing visitors to walk and shop while still getting some nourishment. By far the preferred snack (or meal!) is the flea market’s famous turkey legs. There’s just nothing like them in Denver.
MHFM works with one trusted turkey farmer to import fresh legs year-round. A super-secret recipe is used to get the whole mouthful of meat gets grilled to perfection onsite. There are no heat lamps, which can dry out meat. Turkey legs are made fresh daily. Truly, this is the best $8 you’ll ever spend on a turkey leg—and you’ll be back for more.
Other savory snack items around the flea market include hot-buttered whole-ear corn on the cob at the Cobb Stop; authentic Mexican-made street tacos to go from Paco’s Tacos; potatoes done up with a variety of styles and toppings at Papa’s Patatas; and sausage on a stick.
Step 3 – Relax & Enjoy a Meal
When you are ready to take a break from shopping and to sit down, the Cactus Cantina serves platters of Mexican favorites that feed 3-4 people with imported beers or the flea market’s popular Micheladas. At L Street Bar, you can have a succulent turkey leg with a beer in a nice, shady spot. Other delicious options include individual pizzas, fresh-toasted subs, and “walking” burritos.
Step 4 – Sweet Tooth Time!
Last, but certainly not least, are those sweet treats. There’s so much variety that it’s easy to please both little ones with hard-to-put-down Dippin’ Dots (those tiny ice cream balls) and adults who might have a hankering for an ice-cold, made-from-scratch aguas fresca, in four different fresh fruit flavors. The Delectables Sweets & Treats stand is filled with ice-cream treats, and when the weather is warm, the flea market also sells the classic Icee frozen carbonated drink.
On any given weekend, there are endless ways to eat your way through Mile High Flea Market. Food is always a big part of the fun. What will tempt your taste buds next time you visit Denver’s flea-market tradition?
