Denver, CO Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- 16th Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall only
- Permit issuer
- Manager of transportation and infrastructure
- Eligibility
- Extension of existing licensed restaurant
- Permit term
- Up to 12 months, one location
- Application
- Nonrefundable fee plus mall use committee review
Summary
Denver requires a mall-use permit to operate a sidewalk cafe extending an existing licensed restaurant onto the 16th Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall, reviewed by a mall use committee before the manager of transportation and infrastructure issues it.
The manager may issue to any person or organization a permit for a pushcart, kiosk, public seating area, sidewalk cafe, sidewalk sale, special event, entertainment or vending cluster area on the 16th Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall at a location approved by the manager. The manager has authority to promulgate rules and regulations as necessary to implement this process.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver's code defines a sidewalk cafe as an extension of an existing, indoor, licensed restaurant onto the 16th Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall, and only patrons of that restaurant may use it. The manager of transportation and infrastructure issues the permit, but first refers the application to a mall use committee of up to ten members, which weighs congestion, corner clearance, street-furniture access, and design before recommending approval or denial. Applicants submit a nonrefundable application fee and, where applicable, a valid restaurant license issued under Chapter 23. An approved permit runs for up to twelve months, is tied to one location, and is not transferable.
Violations & Fines
Operating a sidewalk cafe on the 16th Street Mall without a permit is unlawful under § 49-538.3(4). The manager can also revoke an issued permit for violating this division, after giving the permittee at least ten days' notice under § 49-538.8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any Denver restaurant put tables on the sidewalk?
Who decides whether a sidewalk cafe permit is approved?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
Compare Denver to another location·View the Colorado special events & permits overview
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