The impact of social media on the restaurant industry is undeniable. Research shows that 69 percent of consumers trust the information they get from social media influencers over information that brands provide directly, and food and beverage is among the top five sectors (alongside travel, beauty, fashion, and entertainment) that most benefit from the $24 billion influencer marketing industry. Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook, once platforms for organic word of mouth, have become full-blown marketing channels.

In fact, many influencers today prefer to be called “creators,” since much of the work involves filming videos, staging photo shoots, and doing voiceover work—often with the help of a team—rather than just “influencing” others. But have no doubt, the influence they have has changed the face of restaurant reviews and food media at large.

“Most content creators don’t offer the same depth of criticism that you’d find in a New York Times review by Pete Wells, but they do tell stories about restaurants, and those are often super compelling and informative,” says Bryant Palmer, founder of Oh Hey Creative, a Denver-based PR and marketing agency focused on food and beverage brands. “Once I trust a content creator, I am more than happy to go somewhere they’ve featured to try that place, or to try a specific dish or two for myself.”

Like any other city, Denver has its fair share of content creators dedicated to broadcasting the virtues of this city’s dining scene. Per recommendations by local restaurant groups and PR firms, we spoke with four must-follows for foodies to learn more about who they are, who they feature, and what their work is really like.

Editor’s note: These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Kip Wilson

What’s your favorite Denver restaurant?
Hop Alley. The combo of spicy and savory profiles with a fun lively atmosphere and wine list is just spectacular. The service is second to none. I could go there every week if I made more money.

Your best recent discoveries?
Alma Fonda Fina in LoHi. That’s some dank-ass upscale Mexican food! Often people feel it’s just street tacos, but it’s sit-down dining, too, and it’s just Heavens-to-Betsy delicious. I also like the new location of Sắp Sửa. It was once a pop-up and now has its own place. They’re doing the Lord’s work there with great herbaceous flavors.

How do you choose what to feature?
I try to zig when [others] zag. We try to find quality food and pay for our meals. We wait to hear from reputable sources—friends in the restaurant space, journalists, or chefs—rather than going for gimmicks with the most clicks.

Stoned Appétit host Kip Wilson (left) with cohost Chris Byard and Comida owner Rayme Rosello.
Stoned Appétit host Kip Wilson (left) with cohost Chris Byard and Comida owner Rayme Rosello. Photo courtesy of Kip Wilson

Do you have a favorite cuisine?
I love Asian food, and I love spice. I’ve also quickly grown to enjoy Mexican food here in Denver. I also love seafood. I’m from New Orleans by way of Mississippi. We just don’t have proper Cajun cuisine out here, so I don’t get to scratch that itch here in Denver.

Who’s your audience?
Stoned Appétit tries to speak to those who are actively trying new things and getting outside their comfort zone or neighborhood. Folks that don’t mind kicking over a few rocks.

What’s next for your platform?
[Chris Byard and I] have been doing a podcast for a few years. I want to start telling more stories about where the food comes from, hitting up farms and agricultural locations. We’ve brought on a videographer to take our talents to new countries and cities through a video series. We’re focusing on the farmers and chefs preparing the food, finding quality dining, and supporting local businesses.

Haley Paez

What’s your favorite Denver restaurant?
That’s the hardest question. It always depends on what I’m in the mood for. For comfort food, Yuan Wonton. I could eat dumplings for the rest of my life. They’re like little presents, and the variety that Wong and her team offer are so unique; you can go there every day and get something new. For bakeries, Parker’s Poulette Bakeshop. I met them when they were a cottage bakery. To see them grow and innovate is awesome.

Your best recent discoveries?
La Forêt, the newest revamp of Beatrice & Woodsley. It’s immersed in a quintessential Colorado nature-focused hideaway with classic French dishes. When someone can blow my socks off with a chicken, they really know what they’re doing. Also Sắp Sửa. They have a great scrambled egg dish that you don’t normally associate with dinner with a brown butter fish sauce that soaks into the rice. Seems simple but so many layers of complexity.

How do you choose what to feature?
I love trying new places. There’s nothing I don’t like. I will try anything once. If you created it, it’s for a reason. Food is a gateway to understanding culture, people, and their identities and get to know them on a personal level. My thing is that I want to know about people. It’s a story. I want to learn everyone’s story.

Do you have a favorite cuisine?
I love seafood and Asian cuisines. I love sushi. There’s a lot of places with really creative chefs if you’re looking for Japanese-inspired cuisine.

Who’s your audience?
I want to be a resource for anyone who wants to discover something new and get involved in their community to see what Denver has to offer. I want this to be a tool for everyone to look and discover something they’ve always wanted to try or break out of their norm.

What’s next for your platform?
We’re starting a podcast that’ll be on YouTube, so people can get to know us better and we get to know people better as well. It’ll be out within the next month or two.

Amanda Bittner

What’s your favorite Denver restaurant?
Cart-Driver or Joy Hill! I love an elevated pizza joint.

Your best recent discoveries?
I recently discovered Rebel Bread on South Broadway for morning pastries, and they’re to die for! I loved them so much that I did one of their bread flight tastings where you get to try all 20-plus of their pastries and tour the kitchen. Also, Boychik at Stanley Marketplace was one of my favorite recent meals, specifically the grilled yams appetizer. And Little Bodega is a sandwich shop I featured recently that I want more people to know about.

How do you choose what to feature?
Many restaurants will invite me in to do a dedicated social media feature about them, or I’ll get invited to a media event prior to a new restaurant opening to try out the menu and ambiance. Since my content focuses on much more than just food, I tend to feature local food content that is either timely or newsworthy for my audience (e.g., a new restaurant opening) or a particularly unique experience (e.g. a bread flight, hidden gems, conveyor belt sushi).

Do you have a favorite cuisine?
Three foods I will never say no to: pizza, pasta, and sushi.

Who’s your audience?
My ideal audience is basically someone just like myself… a curious millennial with some disposable income to spend on experiences and a willingness and desire to try new things. Even more specifically, I’ve found that a lot of newcomers to Denver resonate with my content since I’m showcasing my experiences online as someone who is relatively new to Denver. There may be restaurants or things I’ve shared that are old news to Denverites who have been here for a while, but I’m discovering them for the first time and sharing it all in the hopes that it will help someone else in my similar situation.

What’s next for your platform?
I’m hoping to expand my content to showcase more unique experiences and travel. I’ve really enjoyed creating content about everything Denver has to offer, but my true love is travel, and on any given weekend I’m on a trip somewhere. I’ve joked with people that sometimes my account feels like the Denver Yellow Pages. I would love to share more about other destinations and getaways outside of Denver and Colorado. I’m heading into a season of exploration and experimentation with my content and hoping my audience will align with my evolution.

Yesenia Chinchilla

What’s your favorite Denver restaurant?
There’s so many great ones, it’s hard to pick just one! A few of my favorites in Denver are Nola Jane for their delicious catfish po’ boy, Kiké’s Red Tacos for birria tacos, and Star Kitchen for dim sum.

Your best recent discoveries?
My team and I recently visited chef Dave Hadley’s new brick-and-mortar Samosa Shop and were thrilled with his new additions. The standout for us was the smashed lamb kebab burger—an absolute must-try and easily one of the best burgers around!

Yesenia Chinchilla of Denver Food Scene
Yesenia Chinchilla of Denver Food Scene. Photo courtesy of Yesenia Chinchilla

How do you choose what to feature?
We choose what to feature based on recommendations from our followers, outreach by restaurants, and discovering hidden gems ourselves!

Do you have a favorite cuisine?
I love Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, but honestly, I just enjoy exploring new cultures and their foods.

Who’s your audience?
Our audience ranges from casual diners to culinary aficionados, all open to exploring Denver’s dining scene. We aim to reach anyone interested in trying new places, enjoying our city’s diverse food options, and discovering other local attractions throughout our state.

What’s next for your platform?
We plan to keep supporting small business owners as much as possible, continue highlighting lesser-known spots, and feature the diverse food scene across Colorado. We’ll also expand our coverage to include more activities and attractions.