Boulder’s a pretty unique place in many ways, but the eating habits of locals take the cake (pardon the pun). From vegan foods to the growing popularity of juice bars, if it’s healthy and obscure, you can find it in Boulder.

Ready to attest to this is Kaylie Cofield ‘21, who recently moved to Boulder from Jonesboro, Ark.

“I’ve never had a pear or a mango, and I came here and it was this big deal,” Cofield said. “It’s just so different here from Arkansas in the way people act and stuff.”

To introduce her to Boulder cuisine, Cofield visited several eateries in Boulder with The Pack, including the Native Foods Cafe, Whole Sol Blend Bar, and the ever-incredible Illegal Pete’s.

“I really liked Illegal Pete’s,” Cofield said. “I’d say 9.5 points out of 10 for the food, but 8 out of 10 overall because it was so pricey.”

In Boulder, it’s a more common sight to see a health-focused grocery store like Alfalfa’s than it is to see a Wal-Mart.

“Here, people really appreciate organic and different foods from other places. They care about what they eat and are more willing to spend more money to do that,” Oscar Epp ‘20, who works at Alfalfa’s and has experienced Boulder’s food obsession firsthand, added.

In Boulder, it seems that people gather and bond over eating habits. “Other places, people don’t really care and there’s a whole community here around it,” Epp agreed.

However, while the fixation Boulderites have on healthy food can be strange, it all adds up to food that’s just good. Boulder’s got some of the best eating around.