This is Spilling the Beans , where plugged-in baristas give us the lowdown on where to go, what to do, and what to eat (and drink) in their hometown. In this installment, Sean Gallagher of Boxcar Coffee shows us around Boulder, Colorado.

Peter McEwen

We're going to Boulder, Colorado—and Sean Gallagher , manager of local favorite Boxcar Coffee , is showing us the ropes. Gallagher's been in Boulder for ten years—first as a student at UC Boulder and then at Boxcar—and has his ear to the ground, thanks to all the restaurant owners and food-makers that get their morning cups at the renowned shop. Let him be your guide to Boulder, the stunning and eclectic food-rich city nestled in the state's soaring Rocky mountains.

Where should we stay?

Look into an Airbnb on East Pearl, where Boxcar is, because it’s the place to be for food and coffee. Otherwise, try a cool little bed & breakfast called the Briar Rose . If you want something fancier, there’s another one called The Bradley . If I had a lot of money, the St. Julien is very nice. Hotel Boulderado is also old school, classic, homey, and supposedly haunted.

Where should we grab breakfast?

One place that’s really popular is Snooze . People love it and wait for it. The Buff is also popular. I like greasier, divier breakfast places, like the Village Coffee Shop or Foolish Craig’s . If you want a really good weekend brunch, go to The Kitchen —they used to have a great English breakfast. Other than that, I like Walnut Café , which serves Boxcar coffee.

Best cup of coffee?

Besides ours, there’s a pretty new café called Alpine Modern . There's also a new cold pressed juice company called Wonder Press that makes amazing almond milk latte with their homemade nut milk.

Flickr/madhippies

Which breweries and distilleries are worth a visit?

On any sunny afternoon, I go hangout at Sanitas Brewing Co . They have a big deck and bocce ball and cornhole in the backyard. There’s also a thing that’s just getting started called the Boulder Ale Trail where you can bike from Boulder to Longmont, about 15 miles, and go to 10 breweries along the way. You can rent a bike at Full Cycle .

Everyone should check out Avery Brewing Company . It’s a huge, state-of-the-art place with a lot of beers (like the Erimitas) you can only get in the taproom. Plus, they have a restaurant, so it’s definitely a destination spot. There’s also a new place called the Bohemian Biergarten . You can get a liter of beer and hang at big community tables, eat sausage, and listen to live music or comedy. During the school year it can get college-y, but it clears out on Sundays.

What's the best farmers' market or food market to walk around and eat?

The Boulder farmers’ market, which is there Wednesday afternoon and evening, and also Saturday mornings early in the day.

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What's the best place to see art?

The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is good. Madelife , also on East Pearl, sells really cool handmade items and a rotating gallery on the walls that gets changed every month.

What's the hottest new dinner spot?

The owner of Cured was just telling me about a new place called PMG , a new kind of wine bar. For dinner, I really like Oak and Pizzeria Locale . The Kitchen Upstairs is a fun place for dinner too. There’s a place called T/aco that’s popular for its taco Tuesdays and the fact that they make their tortillas fresh to order. Another restaurant, Blackbelly Market , focuses on meat. I usually go to Bramble and Hare for cocktails and small plates; it’s connected to a fine-dining restaurant, Black Cat . But, man, I love any meal involving Zoe Ma Ma’s za jiang mian ; I eat that a lot. It’s awesome and cheap.

Cocktail bar?

Either Bramble and Hare or The Bitter Bar . I think Bramble and Hare is more popular with the service industry crowd and locals, because it's low-key and intimate. But I really love Bitter Bar's drinks; they make a great G&T.

Super classic old-school restaurant?

Frasca’s classic, but it’s also expensive. There’s a bar-restaurant that nobody actually goes to except me called Dark Horse . It’s a divey dive bar that’s been there for a long time, but that’s where I like to get burgers. Another classic burger spot is Mountain Sun ; they brew all their own beer and it’s a good place to sit out front and people-watch.

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Best place to go see live music?

Chautauqua Auditorium . It only does concerts in the warmer months because it’s an old barn with no heat that’s been there for over 100 years. They get really cool, diverse acts; everything from Ziggy Marley to the Punch Brothers. The walls are so thin you can sit outside and enjoy concerts without having to pay. You can picnic, sit in the grass, and just listen to the music. I think the Fox Theatre and the Boulder Theater are also really great. The Fox is small, so you can see big name acts in an intimate setting. Boulder Theater is good for big-name acts, and you can go see movies and standup comedy. Boulder Theater also plays the Big Lebowski like once a month. You can always walk down to Pearl Street Mall and hear street musicians too.

Where to go to get into trouble?

Probably Tahona , or really anywhere on West Pearl. East Pearl is where you go to get good food and drinks. After dinner, you head west; that’s where all the bars with music are. In particular, Tahona to dance; Pearl Street Pub & Cellar ; and The Sundown Saloon , also called the Sundowner, come to mind. At the Downer, it’s underground, the ceiling’s low, there are no windows, and they have really cheap drinks—like, a pitcher of PBR for $6. They have 10 pool tables. People just get rowdy there.

Where to eat when the party's over?

There aren’t that many late-night food spots, actually. But there’s an awesome gyro cart on the mall, right outside of the Sundowner. They have a line around the corner when the bars let out.

Flickr/vincelaconte

Best day trip?

Probably go up to Nederland , a little town that’s 30 miles up the canyon. It’s a little hippie town, and nearby there’s tons of hiking. Brainard Lake is a really popular spot. My favorite spot is the Fourth of July trailhead. From there, you can hike to Diamond Lake and be back in five hours.

Some of the people I work with are also really into fly-fishing. You can get a guide to take you out from Rocky Mountain Anglers .

My real favorite thing to do is to go to natural hot springs. The closest one to Boulder is called Hot Sulfur Springs about 30 minutes from Winter Park. It’s got a bunch of little pools so you never have to share. It smells bad but it feels so good.

Flickr/sparkfun

Most underrated place in Boulder?

The Boulder Reservoir . It’s flat prairieland out there but you have really amazing views of the whole front range. One place that people never go for some reason is Gross Reservoir . There are public grills, so I always take people who visit up there for dinner.