Best Restaurant For Calamari in Fort Collins – Todd’s Top 5

This was a very enjoyable task for me; find the best Calamari in Fort Collins.  However, it was not an easy task.  There are dozens of restaurants that have Calamari on the menu in the Choice City.  Most of them are very good. Some stand out above the rest. I have chosen my five favorites, although I could have stretched this list to ten quite easily.

5. Carrabba's

I still remember the 1st time I had Calamari at Carrabba's. I said to my wife, "This is what Calamari is supposed to taste like". It has everything I like about Calamari.  The crunch-chewyness that only comes with this savory oceanic treat. It was seasoned perfectly. The Calamari at Carrabba's could easily be my top choice, but it comes in at #5 due to the extremely stiff competition. Carrabba's is on Harmony Road, just east of Lemay Avenue.

4. Young's Cafe

The Calamari at Young's Cafe is definitely the least traditional on my list, but still one of the best. The batter was lighter and had a different flavor than any of the others. I even liked the sauce, and I am not a sauce guy. I usually feel sauce hides the taste of the food.  Their inventive sauce compliments the Calimari perfectly. Young's is, without a doubt, the best place to get Vietnamese cuisine in Fort Collins, I just didn't expect them to have such good Calamari. Young's is tucked in behind Red Lobster at Foothills Parkway and McClelland Drive.

3. Enzio's

I was so excited to try the Calamari at Enzio's in Old Town Fort Collins that I forgot to take a picture before I started digging in.  It was definitely the crunchiest of all that I tried...and I like that. It was also the most unique. The Calamari was perfectly accented with sweet red peppers that were battered and flash fried along with the sea food.  The mix made a creation that was almost indescribable.  Enzio's is #3 on my list and can be found in the heart of Old Town on Mountain just west of College.

2. Jay's Bistro

I have always considered Jay's Bistro as the best place to get Calamari in Fort Collins.  Most people I have talked to agree with that. I know Jay is very proud of his sauce and for good reason. It is divine.  The Calamari is always cooked perfectly. The perfect combination of tender and crispy!!!  I can't go to Jay's without ordering it.  Even though I put it 2nd on my list it could easily be 1 B.  You can find Jay's Bistro on Oak Street between College and Mason. It is easily the best fine dining restaurant in Fort Collins.

1.  Bisetti's

I have lived in Fort Collins for 27 years and never had Calamari at Bisetti's Italian Restaurant until this week. WHY????? Why did I wait. It is magnificent.  Everything about it was perfect; the texture, the seasoning, the crispiness, the tenderness, the flavor (Accented by not one, but two sauces).   Even the presentation and atmosphere were perfect.  I don't know their secret, but there is a reason Bisetti's has been around for almost 35 years. The best Calamari in Fort Collins is at Bisetti's Italian Restaurant on College Avenue, just south of Mountain.