Aurora's top spots to eat, according to Food & Wine

Food & Wine has crowned Aurora's dining scene the "most diverse" in Colorado in a new article this month.

Why it matters: The state's third-largest city is getting the culinary credit it deserves.

The big picture: More than a dozen spots across the city made the cut in this flavorful roundup, including staples such as Stanley Marketplace and La Plaza Colorado .

Zoom in: Food & Wine recommends starting the day with a jolt of house-roasted Ethiopian coffee at HiRa Cafe & Patisserie , where the from-scratch cakes are "light as air" and Ethiopian breakfast plates are "true standouts."

• Other savory stops include: Tofu Story , Seoul Korean BBQ & Hot Pot , Mango House , Urban Burma , and well-known faves like Annette , Traveling Mercies and Cheluna Brewing Co .

The intrigue: Food & Wine also got the scoop from locals on where they chow down in Aurora.

• One insider, Chance Horiuchi — who helps manage the popular, restaurant-rich Havana Corridor — loves the build-your-own spring rolls at Dân Dã , a Vietnamese gem on East Colfax that opened earlier this year.
• Meanwhile, Caroline Glover, the James Beard award-winning chef behind Annette and Traveling Mercies, swears by the Korean fried chicken at Funny Plus . "But there's so much here," she told Food & Wine. "You really can't go wrong."

Go deeper: Our favorite places to eat, drink and play in Aurora