Vail Valley Restaurants

Unlike the nearby Summit County ski resorts, which pride themselves on standard "mining fare" like surf and turf, Vail has a distinctly European dining style. This is the town in which to sample creamed pheasant soup or bite into a good cut of venison. For the most romantic options, look into a slope-side restaurant like Beano's, where the fixed-course menus and unique transportation (horses in summer and sleighs in winter) make the experience more than just a meal. The farther down-valley you move, the more the prices drop.

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  • 1. Atwater on Gore Creek

    $$$$ | Cascade Village | Modern American

    With generous floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Gore Creek, this airy restaurant in the Vail Cascade Resort serves up the best views in town along with an organic, locally sourced menu, an extensive craft beer menu, and thoughtful beer–cuisine pairings. The huge, seasonal menu includes highlights like a high-end Colorado Kobe steak served with asparagus spears and bleu cheese fritters, a crispy pork shank with a sherry-apricot glaze, and a variety of delicious sandwiches, pizzas, and lighter, tapas-style plates. Meals are rounded out with expert wine and beer pairings that make this somewhat out-of-the-way restaurant well worth the free shuttle from the village.

    Vail Cascade Resort, 1300 Westhaven Dr., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-479–7014
  • 2. Fall Line Kitchen and Cocktails

    $$$

    Elevated pub food, rotisserie meats, duck-fat fries, and creative craft cocktails somehow marry perfectly on this modern menu. Warm wood paneling and vibrant ski photography decorate the cozy dining room centrally located in Vail Village.

    232 Bridge St., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-470-4803

    Known For

    • Hearty meals for après-skiers
    • Trendy cocktail menu
    • Central location
  • 3. Game Creek Restaurant

    $$$$

    Getting to this restaurant is certainly half the fun, as you must catch a gondola up the mountain, then hop on a snow cat to get across Game Creek Bowl during the winter, or shuttle or walk in the summer. The Bavarian-style lodge is members-only for lunch, but open to the public for dinner all year and for an outstanding Sunday brunch in summer. Be prepared to linger over a multicourse meal as you enjoy spectacular views of the slopes and the mountains beyond. Park at the Lionshead parking garage to catch the gondola.

    395 S. Frontage Rd., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-754–4275

    Known For

    • Spectacular mountain views
    • Gondola ride to the chalet-style dining room
    • Chef's tasting menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. year-round, Sun. in winter, and Tues. and Wed. in summer., Reservations essential
  • 4. La Tour

    $$$$

    In the heart of Vail Village, this contemporary French restaurant has been a local favorite for years and shouldn't be missed. Chef and owner Paul Ferzacca demonstrates his modern take on French cuisine with dishes like succulent bacon-wrapped pork with roasted cauliflower and a black-fig mostarda and chicken paillard with a beurre blanc sauce, crème fraîche potato puree, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and capers. For dessert, try the chef-original peanut butter mousse with peanut brittle and grape sorbet. The service is top-notch, and the behemoth wine list is dominated by French and Californian labels. When the restaurant is busy in the summer, grab a seat on the patio for a quieter, breezier meal.

    122 E. Meadow Dr., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-476–4403

    Known For

    • Truffle French onion soup
    • Expansive wine list great for all budgets
    • Local and organic ingredients

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 5. Almresi

    $$$$

    Run by the Thoma family, originally from Germany’s Black Forest region, Almresi offers authentic German, Austrian, and Swiss dishes in a Rockies-meets-Alps rustic dining room, served by staff outfitted charmingly in lederhosen. Popular dishes include the griebenschmalz (a bread made with pork), Alpler macaroni (a Swiss favorite with pasta, bacon, onions, and potatoes and topped with cheddar cheese), and Black Forest cake, all washed down with European wines and German beers.

    298 Hanson Ranch Rd., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-470—4174

    Known For

    • Cozy wood-cabin dining room
    • Hearty German fare and large portions
    • Kaiserschmarr, Austrian pancake-like pieces with caramelized sugar and cherry compote

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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  • 6. Bart and Yeti's

    $ | Lionshead

    Grilled portobello-mushroom sandwiches, spicy southwestern green chile, and Mulrooney's Irish stew are among the choices at this laid-back, rustic restaurant. If you want a full meal, try the most popular entrée, barbecued baby back ribs. The deck is a gathering spot in warm weather. The place is in Lionshead, just north of the Eagle Bahn Gondola.

    553 E. Lionshead Circle, Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-476–2754

    Known For

    • Dog-friendly patio
    • Local pub favorite
    • Great value
  • 7. La Nonna

    $$$$

    Combining an upscale atmosphere with cozy Italian charm, this Vail Village spot makes its pasta daily using real Pivetti flour from Italy. The flavors are bold and authentic, complemented best by a bottle of wine from the restaurant's expansive cellar. Try the Ravioli Tre Funghi, made with fresh pasta and coated in a light cream sauce featuring the perfect hint of truffle oil. 

    100 E. Meadow Dr., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-393–5959

    Known For

    • Homemade pasta
    • Long Italian wine list
    • Friendly, warm service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
  • 8. Mountain Standard

    $$$$

    This casual lunch and dinner stop prepares its meat and fish with a deft hand and the age-old way—over an open wood fire. The menu changes often, but usually includes popular dishes such as the spring pea bruschetta, a fall-off-the-bone pork chop with charred okra succotash and cornbread crumble, and a whole Rocky Mountain trout with grilled pole bean salad and smoked almond milk. For dessert, splurge on a s'mores pie. From the dining room, you can watch chefs prepare your food in the open kitchen, but summer has the better view, with foodies and families alike congregating on the patio overlooking Gore Creek.

    193 Gore Creek Dr., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-476–0123

    Known For

    • Wood-fired Rocky Mountain trout with chimichurri
    • Creative, seasonal menu
    • Casual, lively setting
  • 9. Slope Room

    $$$$

    With spacious glass windows, this sleek, sophisticated space in Gravity Haus looks as if it belongs in a big city, with only the fireplace reminding you that this is Vail. The menu puts a modern spin on the classic steak house, featuring food from Rocky Mountain ranchers and farmers.

    352 E. Meadow Dr., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-476–6836

    Known For

    • Central location in Vail Village
    • Modern dining room
    • Excellent local steaks
  • 10. Sweet Basil

    $$$$

    The freshest seasonal ingredients available are used here, so the menu changes about once a month. You might find grilled Muscovy duck breast with pistachio salsa verde and smoked-cherry gastrique, or Berkshire pork rib eye with tapioca corn pudding and chanterelle mushrooms. Pair these entrées with one of the thousands of wines from the restaurant's expansive cellar, which you can view from the dining room. Tables also overlook Gore Creek. Leave room for the luscious desserts.

    193 E. Gore Creek Dr., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    970-476–0125

    Known For

    • Creative menu
    • Impressive glass wine room
    • Top-notch service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch Mon. and Tues.
  • 11. Tavern on the Square

    $$$$

    The large sunny patio in the center of Lionshead Village is the perfect slope-side location for people-watching while enjoying stellar Bloody Marys and poutine, or heartier après-ski fare like the coffee-cured elk, Colorado striped bass, or the Cubano sandwich. Ingredients are locally sourced and the menu aims for an elevated take on comfort food.

    675 Lionshead Pl., Vail, Colorado, 81657, USA
    917-754--7704

    Known For

    • Elevated comfort food
    • Central location near the base of Eagle Bahn Gondola
    • Large, lively patio
  • 12. The 10th

    $$$$

    Find respite from the usual mountain fare at this high-end, high-up restaurant at the base of Look Ma run. A favorite lunch spot for skiers, there are spectacular views of the Gore Range, a cozy bar and lounge with fireplace, a south-facing outdoor deck with heated tables, and hearty pasta and popular meat dishes.

    At the base of Look Ma run, Mid-Vail, Vail, Colorado, 81658, USA
    970-754–1010

    Known For

    • On-mountain location
    • Luxury amenities like slippers and hair dryers cater to cold skiers
    • Very popular so can be packed

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner, Reservations essential

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