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Seven locally owned food trucks, serving global cuisine that includes everything from breakfast burritos to pizza to sushi, surround an outdoor courtyard with picnic-table seating. Ernie's Bar anchors the eating collective and offers craft beers, tap cocktails, and a wide tequila and mezcal selection. Don't miss the Chicago-style popcorn and Thai-rolled ice cream.
1101 Main Ave., Durango, Colorado, 81301, USA
Known For
- Moderately priced eats
- Thai-rolled ice cream
- Fresh, contemporary vibes
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Locals go wild for the creative American cuisine with an Asian flair here, served in the building's intimate dining space. Top options include the black-sesame seared rare tuna with baby bok choy or the garlic rib eye with sweet potato gnocchi.
636 Main Ave., Durango, Colorado, 81301, USA
Known For
- Large, pretty patio out back
- Worth-it desserts
- Pistachio-crusted grouper with vanilla-rum butter
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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It's 20 minutes east of Cortez, but this from-scratch bakery and café is absolutely worth the drive. Breakfast offerings are traditional and scrumptious; lunch options include flavorful soups, salads, pastas, and sandwiches; and the home-baked breads, pastries, and desserts are heavenly.
110 S. Main St., Mancos, Colorado, 81328, USA
Known For
- Local, organic ingredients
- House-specialty gluten-free macaroons
- Great value
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner
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This Telluride institution turns out heavenly bagels, sandwiches made with baked-in-house bread, pizzas, hearty soups, and house-made pastas (try the Alfredo), as well as huge salads. Order your meal to go or grab a seat at one of the communal-style tables, where you can enjoy displays from a local art school.
127 S. Fir St., Telluride, Colorado, 81435, USA
Known For
- Front porch with views
- Delicious breakfasts
- Reasonable prices
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This local hangout serves a mean pizza in a pub-style atmosphere, and is one of the few places in town that will feed your family for less than the cost of a lift ticket. Brown Dog specializes in Detroit-style square pizza (an international award winner), but it also offers gluten-free, classic American, and Roman-style pies. Load your pie up with unique toppings such as prosciutto di Parma, broccoli, or various chili peppers, or try one of the expertly crafted specialty pizzas
110 E. Colorado Ave., Telluride, Colorado, 81435, USA
Known For
- Detroit-style pizza
- Always-hopping atmosphere
- Gluten-free menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Tues. and Wed.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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This simply decorated restaurant serves some of Montrose's most creative cuisine, such as its famous green chile chicken and potato soup or shrimp, avocado, and prosciutto pasta (gluten-free options available too). At lunch, salads with house-made dressings, hearty sandwiches, and blue-corn enchiladas fuel hungry hikers. The green and red chile is mild, so ask them to spice it up if you prefer it with a kick.
1515 Ogden Rd., Montrose, Colorado, 81401, USA
Known For
- New Mexican dishes
- House-made salsa and desserts
- Shaded patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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The "Brews Brothers," Bill and Jim Carver, have about 12 beers on tap at any given time at this Durango favorite. If you're hungry, try one of the signature handmade bread bowls filled with green chile, soup, or chicken stew.
1022 Main Ave., Durango, Colorado, 81301, USA
Known For
- Hearty, creative breakfasts
- Lovely shaded patio out back
- Elevated pub cuisine
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$$ | | Cajun
From street level, wind down a spiral staircase to the little slice of Bourbon Street that is Cavallo's, a New Orleans–style eatery that provides a nice departure from Ouray's typical steak and burger establishments. Cavallo's delivers perhaps the town's best breakfast (served until closing time), with creative Cajun omelettes and Benedicts, as well as "daily inspirations" such as strawberry-basil–cream cheese French toast. The lunch menu offers soups, salads, and sandwiches, while the heavenly dinners (served Friday through Sunday) range from seafood étouffée to black-pepper and sage–crusted duck breast. Peruse Cavallo's signature cocktails list to find a nice complement for your entrée.
630 Main St., Ouray, Colorado, 81427, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon.–Thurs.
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The dough is house-made (with Italian-imported flour) and the beer is home-brewed at this trendy downtown pizzeria with high ceilings, brick walls, and contemporary decor. Sit at the pizza bar in the back and enjoy an English-style ale while you watch the chefs craft your tasty pie. You can also visit the original Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery in downtown Ridgway or the Colorado Boy Southwest Pub in Ouray.
320 E. Main St., Montrose, Colorado, 81401, USA
Known For
- Home-brewed ales
- Growlers and cans to go
- House-made sausage
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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Asian food gets a bit of a Latin treatment in this inviting space. The menu has a strong Japanese bent, with sushi and sashimi, tempura, beef, and other traditional dishes elegantly presented and layered with complementary, often Southwest-inspired flavors.
160 E. College Dr., Durango, Colorado, 81301, USA
Known For
- Vegan and vegetarian options
- Bento boxes and poke bowls for lunch
- Sake, beer, wine, and tea lists
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
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As much a museum as an eatery, this restaurant is crammed with mining artifacts, odd antiques, and taxidermied animals. The hearty menu includes steaks, ribs, hamburgers, chicken, pasta, prime rib, and chicken-fried steak, all with homemade sides and sauces. The elk burger is a local must-try.
1323 Greene St., Silverton, Colorado, 81433, USA
Known For
- Baby back ribs and elk burgers
- House-made barbecue sauces
- Packaged soup and chili mixes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Apr.
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For a delicious summer detour, head 10 miles north of town to James Ranch, where you'll find a pleasant organic farm, with an outdoor grill that features homemade cheeses, homegrown meats, and produce grown on-site. The menu keeps things simple, featuring a short list of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. After visiting the goats, shop the local market next door.
33846 U.S. 550, Durango, Colorado, 81301, USA
Known For
- Ample outdoor seating
- Organic, homegrown ingredients
- Signature Burger with rosemary-garlic mayo
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Locals pack out this small restaurant, famous for its Baja-style tacos. Favorites include the Dos Dynamite Diablos: two roasted Hatch green chilies stuffed with mozzarella cheese and hormone- and antibiotic-free top sirloin. Fun fact: Kip's started operating out of a caboose on the side of the highway in 1996. In summer, request a spot on the deck overlooking the main street.
121 Pagosa St., Pagosa Springs, Colorado, 81147, USA
Known For
- Homemade sauces
- Live music
- Outdoor dining in summer
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This upscale steak house is arguably Telluride's best. Here you can choose your meat (sirloin, filet mignon, and succulent bison rib eye are among the choices), then your topping (think caramelized onions, blue cheese, or glazed wild mushrooms), and then your sauce (anything from béarnaise to chimichurri).
231 W. Colorado Ave., Telluride, Colorado, 81435, USA
Known For
- High-quality beef and game
- Hearty daily brunch options
- Popular wine bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed mid-Apr.–mid-May and mid-Oct.–late Nov.
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Located within the Camel's Garden Hotel at Chair 8, Oak serves mouthwatering barbecue and southern fare. Fill up on the likes of gumbo or a Carolina-smoked pulled pork shoulder sandwich, along with creative salads, veggie dishes, and southern sides like fried okra and red beans and rice.
250 San Juan Ave., Telluride, Colorado, 81435, USA
Known For
- Hopping patio next to gondola lift
- Bourbon, beer, and homemade sweet tea
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed late Apr., Reservations not accepted
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This three-level brewpub boasts an amazing rooftop patio, with great views of the surrounding canyon as well as the goings-on below on Main Street. The beers include four standards plus a few seasonal offerings while the food is typical pub fare, with a sprinkling of more interesting entrées like smoked-beet Reuben sandwiches.
607 Main St., Ouray, Colorado, 81427, USA
Known For
- Acclaimed craft beers
- Swings for barstools
- Always lively atmosphere
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Upscale versions of tavern comfort food—burgers, pork chops, gourmet grilled cheese, and the like—are served in an old-world-style pub, with wood and stone decor and arched doors. The house-brewed beers include red, wheat, pale, and cream ales.
400 Main St., Ouray, Colorado, 81427, USA
Known For
- Excellent ales
- Views from the patio
- Great starters like jumbo hot wings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Sit inside beneath sweeping tapestries in a Japanese-style booth (seating on the floor) or opt for a table on the deck to enjoy amazing pizza in a mind-bending array of formulations—from the "Notorious F.I.G." (prosciutto, dried figs, and truffle oil) to the "Mac Daddy" (with Thousand Island, shaved rib eye, pickles, and a sesame seed crust).
303 Elk Ave., Crested Butte, Colorado, 81224, USA
Known For
- Gluten-free crusts available
- Extensive bar menu
- Breakfast and brunch available
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Widely acclaimed craft brews and above-standard sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and salads raise Steamworks beyond usual pub grub. It's no surprise that the large, high-ceilinged venue is nearly always overflowing and has been a Durango favorite for more than two decades. If you're hungry, try the Cajun Broil, a mountain of shrimp, andouille sausage, corn, crawfish, and crab.
801 E. 2nd Ave., Durango, Colorado, 81301, USA
Known For
- Skillfully brewed beer
- Daily drink specials ($3 pints, $11 pitchers, and more)
- Back patio with mountain views
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Inventive tacos, many with an Asian flavor profile, anchor the menu at this casual eatery with edgy, tattoo-parlor-style decor. Gnar's famous side of queso blanco tater tots pairs nicely with the tacos.
630 Sherman St., Ridgway, Colorado, 81432, USA
Known For
- Unique, foodie-quality tacos
- Queso blanco tater tots
- Excellent margaritas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
