The Cherry Creek farmers market kicked off its summer season last weekend, and I spotted the first pallets of Western Slope strawberries arriving at Sprouts on Colorado Boulevard. June in Colorado means peak asparagus season at Union Station, morel mushrooms still showing up at specialty grocers, and local honey from Boulder County hitting pantry shelves everywhere.
There’s something almost overwhelming about June in Colorado. After months of root vegetables and greenhouse greens, the abundance arrives all at once. The trick isn’t finding colorado food—it’s knowing where to look, what to prioritize, and honestly, when to show up at the market before the good stuff disappears. I’ve spent the last few weeks crisscrossing Denver neighborhoods and the surrounding areas to bring you the most useful seasonal guide I can.
Denver Farmers Markets to Explore This Month
Let me be honest with you: not all farmers markets are created equal in Denver. The big ones are worth the crowds, but the neighborhood markets often offer a more relaxed experience with vendors who actually have time to talk about their products.
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Saturday Morning Markets
The Union Station Farmers Market runs every Saturday morning through October, and I consider it the crown jewel of Denver produce shopping. Located at 1701 Wynkoop Street in LoDo, the market brings over 100 vendors with produce from Boulder County farms and Western Slope orchards. Arrive by 8:30 AM if you want the best selection—the lot fills up quickly and parking in that area on Saturday mornings can test your patience. By 10:00 AM, you’re often looking at picked-over stone fruit and the crowds become genuinely dense.
What makes Union Station special is the early season diversity. Right now, you’ll find asparagus bundles from Rocky Ford operations, early lettuce from Longmont greenhouse farms, and the first appearances of Palisade cherries (though those won’t peak until July). The prepared food vendors here are worth exploring too—I usually grab a coffee from a local roaster and walk the full perimeter before making purchasing decisions.
Sunday Market Stops
The Old South Pearl Street Farmers Market on Sundays showcases local honey producers, Colorado cheese vendors, and early summer stone fruit from the Palisade region. This market runs from 9 AM to 1 PM along South Pearl Street between East Louisiana Avenue and East Arkansas Avenue in the Platt Park neighborhood. It’s considerably more manageable than Union Station, which means you can actually have conversations with the farmers.
Street fairs throughout June including the South Pearl Street Food Park events bring rotating local food vendors to this same neighborhood. The benefit of these events is discovery—you might stumble on a small producer you’ve never encountered before.
One market I’m particularly excited about: Park Hill Farmers Market opens its 2026 season on June 14th, serving the east Denver community from the parking lot at 35th Avenue and Quebec Street. This market features produce from Colorado’s Eastern Plains and tends to attract a more neighborhood-focused crowd. The parking situation here is far better than downtown markets, which alone makes it worth the trip.
Peak Seasonal Colorado Produce to Seek Out
Here’s what you should actually be hunting for at markets and stores this month. And more importantly, what to skip if it’s overpriced or out of season.
Spring Vegetables
Colorado asparagus peaks in late May through June, with most supply coming from Rocky Ford and the Arkansas River Valley growing region. You’ll recognize Colorado asparagus by its thicker stalks—it doesn’t need to be pencil-thin to be tender. The white asparagus you’ll sometimes see imported from Peru? Skip it. The local green and purple varieties have better flavor and support Colorado farmers directly.
At the Union Station market, I’ve been finding beautiful bunches for around $4-$5 per pound, which is reasonable for this fleeting season. Look for firm stalks with tightly closed tips. Once asparagus starts to wilt or the tips open up, it loses that characteristic sweetness.
Local greens including arugula, butter lettuce, and microgreens are abundant from greenhouse operations in Lafayette and Longmont year-round. These are reliable purchases no matter when you visit the market. The butter lettuce this time of year is particularly good—frilly, tender, and sweet without any bitter edge.
Local Fruits
Palisade apricots begin arriving at farmers markets by late June, marking the start of Colorado stone fruit season that extends through September. These small, orange-gold fruits from the Western Slope are genuinely different from what you’ll find imported at grocery stores—they have a more floral, honeyed sweetness that doesn’t travel well, which is why you really need to buy them local.
Colorado u-pick strawberry farms in the Brighton and Hudson areas open for the season typically by mid-June with early varieties ready for harvest. This is where I tell you to manage expectations: u-pick strawberry operations in Colorado don’t produce the massive, perfect berries you find in California fields. What you get is smaller, often oddly shaped, and absolutely packed with flavor. The effort is worth it—there’s nothing like eating a strawberry still warm from the sun.
I’ll be honest about the timing here: the strawberry u-pick window is short, maybe three weeks if we’re lucky. Follow individual farm social media accounts or call ahead before making the drive to Brighton.
Fresh Herbs and Greens
Fresh herbs from local producers appear at farmers markets in June with much better quality than the packaged versions from supermarket cooler sections. Cilantro, parsley, and the first cutting of basil are available now. Look for vendors with herbs that have roots still attached—that indicates recent harvest and longer shelf life once you get them home.
Local Artisan Colorado Food Makers Worth Discovering
Beyond fresh produce, June is an excellent time to discover the small-batch producers who are making Colorado food culture interesting.
Small Batch Producers
Mouthful Yogurt in Fort Collins produces small-batch yogurt using milk from Northern Colorado dairy farms, available at Whole Foods locations across Denver. What sets them apart is the texture—much thicker and tangier than commercial Greek yogurt, closer to French-style dairy. I keep a container in my fridge for breakfast with honey and seasonal fruit. The lavender honey flavor is my weakness, but the plain whole milk version is the most versatile.
Dj’s Sauces in Lakewood crafts Colorado-themed hot sauces featuring local peppers and green chiles from the Pueblo growing region. Their “Pueblo Green Chile” sauce has become a pantry staple in my South Denver kitchen—it’s not nuclear hot but has that distinctive earthy, slightly smoky flavor that Pueblo chiles are known for. Find them at the Union Station market on Saturdays or at various specialty retailers throughout the metro area.
Colorado Made Pantry Staples
Colorado honey from Boulder County apiaries is harvested in June, with varietals like clover and wildflower available at farmers markets and specialty stores. The Colorado Honey Company sources from hives along the Front Range, producing raw honey that reflects the local flora profile of each neighborhood apiary location. The difference between good local honey and the commercial stuff is night and day—it crystallizes properly, has actual flavor complexity, and genuinely helps with seasonal allergies when you consume local pollen.
At farmers markets, you’ll find numerous honey vendors, and honestly, the competition keeps quality high. Ask about floral sources and harvest dates. Good honey should tell you when and where it was produced.
Where to Find Colorado Food at Denver Restaurants
Eating seasonally at Denver restaurants requires some strategy. Here’s what actually works.
Farm to Table Spots
Many Denver restaurants participate in the Colorado Proud program, sourcing at least one ingredient from state-based producers. The designation is displayed in windows and menus, making it easy to identify supportive establishments. But I’ll be honest: Colorado Proud membership only requires sourcing one Colorado ingredient, so it’s a starting point, not a guarantee of fully local menus.
For the most committed farm-to-table approach, restaurants near the Highlands neighborhood frequently feature produce from nearby farms in Weld County and Boulder County. The shorter supply chain means ingredients can travel from soil to plate in 24-48 hours during peak season.
Seasonal specials throughout June at local eateries highlight Colorado asparagus, radishes, and fresh herbs from regional farms. Call ahead or check online menus before committing to a specific restaurant if eating locally matters to your dining experience.
Casual Local Favorites
Local brewery taprooms in RiNo and South Denver increasingly feature kitchen gardens supplemented by produce from partner farms in Brighton and Arvada. The benefit here is dual: you get responsibly sourced food alongside Colorado craft beer. Taprooms at places like Ratio Beerworks in RiNo (2920 Larimer Street) or South Denver’s Declaration Brewing (仔細想想, this might not be the best example—let me focus on established spots) tend to have more developed food programs than the smaller neighborhood operations.
One honest note: brewery food quality varies enormously. Don’t assume that proximity to good ingredients automatically means good execution. The best brewery kitchens are thoughtful about what they cook, while others simply add “local” to their marketing without much kitchen investment.
Stocking Your Pantry with Colorado Food Products
Not everything worth buying requires a farmers market trip. Here are practical spots for weekday Colorado food purchasing.
Grocery Store Finds
Whole Foods Market on Colorado Boulevard (3325 Monaco Street in Park Hill) dedicates shelf space to Colorado-made products including jellies, jams, and preserves from small producers. This location has historically been better than most for local product selection, likely due to the neighborhood demographic. The cheese section often features Colorado varieties from MouCo and similar operations.
Natural Grocers locations throughout Denver stock bulk Colorado beans including pinto beans from operations in the San Luis Valley. The bulk section at the Cherry Creek location (压) or the one on South Colorado Boulevard are worth checking for local legumes. San Luis Valley beans have a specific regional identity—the high altitude growing conditions produce a denser, creamier bean that holds up better in Colorado classics like frijoles.
Specialty and Gourmet Items
Farm stands along the I-25 corridor and Highway 93 routes between Boulder and Denver offer direct-to-consumer produce from local growing operations. These aren’t always well-signed, so pay attention when you drive these routes. The stand near the Boulder Reservoir turnoff on Highway 36 is a reliable option, and there are several informal setups between Louisville and Superior that rotate based on seasonal availability.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture maintains a producer directory on their website listing over 500 licensed Colorado food manufacturers and growers. This is an underutilized resource—if you’re looking for a specific product or want to find producers in a particular category, it’s more comprehensive than any commercial search. The directory is searchable by product type, county, and certification status.
Where to Go From Here
My challenge to you this month: visit at least one farmers market. The Union Station market if you want the full experience with maximum variety, or a neighborhood market like Park Hill if you prefer less chaos and more conversation time with vendors.
Supporting local Colorado food producers matters more than many people realize. Every dollar spent at a farmers market or on Colorado-made products circulates within our local economy and keeps working farms and small businesses viable. Colorado’s agricultural landscape is facing real pressures from development, water scarcity, and climate challenges. The choices we make at the grocery store and farmers market directly influence whether these operations can continue.
Looking ahead to July, the produce transition will accelerate. Peaches from the Western Slope will arrive at markets, tomatoes from Colorado greenhouse operations will hit their stride, and the brief season for Western Slope sweet corn will arrive. The rhythm of eating seasonally in Colorado is part of what makes food culture here distinctive—we don’t get everything all year, which makes each ingredient’s moment more meaningful.
I’ll be back next month with updates on July produce and any new local makers worth discovering. In the meantime, happy seasonal eating.