Vail Restaurants

Restaurants in Vail Colorado

Apres

It's all about Bridge St. Head to Los Amigos just before last lift, order a margarita on the deck and cheer fatigued skiers making their way home. Move along to The Red Lion for specialty draught beers and live entertainment before hitting the dance floor at Samana or The George.

Eating in Vail Colorado

Covered Bridge Coffee in Bridge St has tasty, low-priced breakfast and lunch and the best coffee in the region (the Milky Way Latte is a must). Visit Two Elks for lunch and enjoy alpine cafeteria food. For dinner, try La Bottega on Vail Rd. Devour gourmet pizza at the bar, or book in advance to dine a la carte. Across the road at The Bully Ranch in the Sonnenalp, you'll find mouth-watering ribs and burgers. And for a special experience, ride the gondola to Eagle's Nest, where you're whisked by snowcat to the chalet.

Gasthof Gramshammer

        When you're ready for lunch, grab a sidewalk table under an umbrella at Pepi's. It's part of the Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer, a Vail mainstay since 1964 and one of the first hotels in town. If you want a taste of Austria, this is the place, with jägerschnitzel and sauerbraten on the menu. Pepi's Bar is a lively nightspot, and you might bump into the hotel's Austrian-born owners, Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer.

Austrian menu. Tyrolean atmosphere. Antlers Room features rack of venison, elk steak and childrens plates, all at high prices. Outdoor café. Open all year.  970/824-5737. Very expensive.

Sweet Basil

193 E. Gore Creek Drive, 81657,  970/476-3696, has homemade soups and desserts, innovative pasta dishes and the most consistently excellent food youll find in Vail. Serving lunch and dinner. Expensive.

The Left Bank, at the Sitzmark Inn

Dates back to 1970. It is one of Vails entries in the realm of French cooking. They feature delicate escargots or a hearty French onion soup, along with other appetizers. Beaucoup de dollars buy the rest of your authentic French meal. Try the elk or ask for coq au vin. Fine desserts, too. Wines. The owner is French and returns to France every August. Dinner is often sold out, despite the prices. Reservations. Very expensive.

Kid Friendly Restaurants

You'll probably care more than your kids will, but it's still nice to know that the chicken tenders on the children's menu at Larkspur are organic. Signature dishes on the adult menu include veal scaloppine or rack of Colorado lamb (www.larkspurvail.com; 970/479-8050; entrees $27.50-$42.50). Chef-owner Kelly Liken opened her eponymous restaurant only a few years ago, but already it's earned a reputation for one-of-a-kind offerings such as elk carpaccio and sticky-bun sundaes (www.kellyliken.com; 970/479-0175; entrees $32-$46). Looking for an experience, not just a meal? Diners reach the Zach's Cabin restaurant via sleigh rides that depart from the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, although stout-hearted souls can snowshoe there, too (970/845-6575; entrees $25-$55).

Blizzard's Mountain Deli

My buddy polished off the last of the Cocoa Puffs at the hotel--again--so I needed a little something before jumping on the Vista Bahn quad. Blizzard's was the ticket. It's only a short walk from the lift, and if you're in a hurry you can grab a Stuffer--eggs, cheese, and ham or bacon in a grilled pita--to go. Blizzard's is named after the owner's dog, so if you see lots of photos of canines covering the walls, you've found the place.

Los Amigos

I was with a crew of out-of-towners who wanted to rip bell-to-bell. But I wasn't up for an all-day gig, so I headed to Los Amigos to spend some downtime on the sundeck and hook up with some old friends. Los Amigos' deck is one of the best in Vail: You can sip Cuervo margs while watching people bail down Pepi's face.

The Red Lion

     When the weather's warm, the Red Lion opens up the windows and the party spills out into the street. We met up here after the lifts closed for a huge pile of nachos, brews, and some James Taylor wannabe's "entertainment."

Vendetta's

Cheap grub in Vail takes some insider knowledge. Across the street from the Red Lion is Vendetta's, which is always packed with smelly hippies--thanks mostly to the $4.50 cheese-slice-and-a-pint special.

The Tap Room

Located in Seibert's Circle, this is the place to be once the night gets rolling. It's been a local favorite for years and has Colorado microbrews on tap. The back bar has additional seating when the place is jammed.

Pazzo's

If you get a late-night pizza jones and don't mind eating a slice under Dead-inspired decor, this is your place. Pazzo's offers the best pie in the valley and, by some accounts, the state of Colorado.

Joe's Deli

Ice cream in the winter? Why not? Cool down a slice of Calabrese with a scoop at Joe's Deli, just across from Vendetta's.

Club 8150

Check the lineup at Club 8150 (club8150.com) to see if any good music is in town. In past years, I've been able to check out De La Soul, Galactic, Reverend Horton Heat, Greyboy All-Stars, Blackalicious, and Rosehill Drive, to name a few. Formerly known as Garton's, the place has a dance floor with a fair amount of give and take--as in, the damn thing moves when the freaks start dancing.