14 Best Restaurants in Summit County, Colorado

At this popular brewery, one of the largest brewpubs in the Rockies, you can belly up to the horseshoe-shaped bar and sample ales and lagers while you munch on burgers, sandwiches, or pub grub. The menu is steps above average bar food with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Located mid-mountain, Black Mountain Lodge serves up hearty skier fuel like the staff-favorite barbecue brisket burrito and homemade bison stew. Even non-skiers and summer visitors can enjoy the scenic views on the expansive patio with a passenger lift ticket on the Black Mountain Express.

Locals flock here for the hearty breakfasts of eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, and much more, so you can expect a wait unless you get there early. Neither the food nor the decor is fancy, and the service—while friendly—can be slow, but a meal here will hit the spot. If a hair of the dog is in order, try a morning shot inspired by your favorite breakfast cereals. 

There's usually a wait at this popular breakfast and lunch spot, where meals are cheap, portions are large, and the coffee is perfect. Snag a seat on the patio on weekends when the restaurant can get packed and loud. For those with a sweet tooth, opt for "eggy bread": French toast made with cinnamon fruit bread.

Loud and fun best describes this place, which is popular among locals and visitors of all ages. Kids hang out in the arcade while their folks watch sports on the big-screen TVs. Pizza, sandwiches, wings, and burgers with surprising toppings are classic crowd-pleasers. The full bar offers 30 beers on tap.

"Hidden gem" describes this strip mall café perfectly because it's unlikely you'd stumble across this creative outpost on your own. But local foodies and tourists who do their research know where to go for lunch in the summer. Starting around Thanksgiving, you can get dinner here, too. Grab one of the family-style tables and dig in to meals like a sauté of shrimp, scallops, and cod or a wood-grilled chicken salad with curried mayonnaise and toasted pumpkin seeds. The menu occasionally changes, but the chef, who works in an open kitchen so that he can converse with customers, may occasionally sneak you something made to order.

A blend of books, coffee, martinis, and some of the best breakfast and lunch sandwiches you can get your hands on make this cozy shop a local favorite. Collages covering ceiling tiles and worn couches give this spot its character, and the après-ski rehashing over hot buttered rum and wine samplings brings in the community.

This 1930s homestead was once part of a working cattle ranch, and cowboy memorabilia is strewn throughout, nicely blending with stylish throw rugs, antler chandeliers, and a trophy mount. The gorgeous and massive stone fireplace is a cozy backdrop for dessert, or sipping an aperitif or after-dinner coffee. The seasonal five-course menu emphasizes local ingredients, including farm-raised game and fresh fish.

This rustic bar and grill has local microbrews on tap and big portions of home-style dishes like piled-high burgers, sandwiches, and giant, stuffed burritos perfect for skiers, hikers, or cyclists recovering from a day on the mountain. The central location, pleasant outdoor patio, and live music keep the place hopping both après-ski and après--night ski.

The colorful decor of this American Southwest joint is something you'll remember. High-backed chairs ring the tables, stone buttresses arch toward vaulted ceilings, and mobiles of round- and star-shaped metal lights dangle above. The menu, where burgers, fajitas, and Korean fried chicken all find a home, is packed with surprises, like Fat Tire Ale–battered fish tacos or a green-chile cheeseburger made with local beef.

The tacos, house salsa and guac, frozen margaritas, and tequila are everything you hope for when you spot the Day of the Dead skull on the sign of this lively dining room in central Breck. Locals rave about happy hour, and visitors dig the funky toppings and unique taco fillings like fried chicken, duck confit, and sweet potato.

In this ski lodge dating from the 1880s, the four-course, prix-fixe dinner is a favorite for its Colorado-spun American cuisine. Main courses have included whiskey sage–glazed Muscovy duck, peppered bacon-wrapped buffalo tenderloin, and thyme-seared wild Alaskan halibut. The delicious homemade bread and soup make for a memorable beginning. Adjourn to the cozy lounge for the decadent desserts and specialty coffees by the fire. Swing by for après-ski in winter and cocktails on the patio in summer.