Colorado Steakhouse · Old Town River District, Fort Collins · $40–$80
Colorado Steakhouse$$$Old Town River DistrictWine Spectator Award of Excellence
"A 1905 grain mill turned Colorado steakhouse, with a Wine Spectator list and pies worth the detour — reserve The Cache upstairs."
8Food
8Ambience
8Value
About Ginger and Baker
The building went up in 1905 as the Northern Colorado Feeders Supply mill, hard against the Cache la Poudre River at the edge of Old Town Fort Collins. Ginger Graham reopened it in 2017 as Ginger and Baker: a bakery, a cafe, a teaching kitchen and, up the stairs, a restaurant called The Cache. The complex has become the anchor of the city’s River District.
Chef Tucker Creveling, who came from Chimney Park in Windsor, runs a modern Colorado steakhouse at The Cache, and the wine list has taken a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Browse the rest of the city in the Fort Collins dining guide.
The Kitchen
The Cache is built on hand-cut steaks and chops: the 12-ounce New York strip runs about 45 dollars, served with house steak sauce, fried Brussels sprouts and a loaded baked potato, alongside seafood and a whiskey-leaning bar. Creveling’s cooking is unfussy and ingredient-first, the kind of Colorado steakhouse plate that rewards good beef over plating.
The other half of the draw is downstairs. The bakery is a regional pie destination — the quadruple coconut cream and the maple pecan are the names people drive in for, and the pie milkshake blends a frozen slice with vanilla ice cream. Steakhouse hunters can also weigh the best steakhouses worldwide or the cross-town Sonny Lubick Steakhouse.
The Room
The Cache sits in the mill’s upper floor, the old timber and brick left exposed, with a river-facing patio in warm months. The mood is lively rather than hushed — this is a busy market and bakery below — and the room reads smart-casual, family-friendly and unpretentious. Tables are generous, the lighting warm, and the noise level rises on weekend nights when the bar fills.
Best for an Anniversary
Book The Cache for an anniversary or a celebration dinner when you want character over hush: a restored 1905 mill, a Wine Spectator list to work through, hand-cut steaks and a coconut cream pie to finish. The river patio is the seat to request in summer. The wine program and private-feeling corners also make it a fair close-a-deal or business-lunch room in a city short on them.
Not for
Skip The Cache if you want a quiet tasting-menu hush. It sits above a busy bakery and market, the room runs lively and family-friendly, and weekend nights at the bar get loud.
Frequently Asked
Is Ginger and Baker worth it?
Yes — it is one of the most distinctive dining destinations in Fort Collins. The draw is the package: a restored 1905 river mill, an upstairs steakhouse in The Cache with a Wine Spectator list, and a bakery downstairs that pulls visitors from across Northern Colorado for its pies. Go for the building and the beef, and leave room for a slice.
How hard is it to book The Cache at Ginger and Baker?
Not hard on weeknights, but weekends and the river patio in summer fill quickly. Reserve through OpenTable or the restaurant website a few days ahead for a Friday or Saturday dinner. The bakery and cafe downstairs are walk-in, so you can drop in for pie without a reservation even when the upstairs steakhouse is fully booked.
What is the dress code at The Cache?
Smart casual, leaning relaxed. This is a Colorado steakhouse in a converted mill, not a jacket-required room, so neat jeans and a collared shirt are entirely at home. You will see everything from date-night dresses to families straight off the patio; the only real miss would be beachwear or gym clothes at dinner.
What is the average meal price at The Cache?
Plan on roughly 40 to 80 dollars per person for dinner before drinks. The 12-ounce New York strip is about 45 dollars with sides, and steaks, chops and seafood sit in that band. Wine from the award-winning list and cocktails push the total up; the downstairs bakery and cafe are markedly cheaper for a lighter visit.
Is Ginger and Baker good for an anniversary?
Yes, if your idea of a celebration leans warm and characterful rather than formal. The historic mill, the river patio and the wine list make a strong anniversary dinner, and the pie counter is a memorable finish. For a hushed, white-tablecloth evening look elsewhere; see the full anniversary dining guide for quieter options.
Weekends and the summer river patio book ahead; bakery is walk-in.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
The Cache at Ginger and Baker appears in our anniversary guide — a restored river mill, a Wine Spectator list and a pie counter that doubles as the dessert course.
