Melnq8

I'm planning a short trip to Ouray and Durango (two nights each). I've visited both before, but it's been awhile, so I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Looking for a couple of good breakfast spots as well as a few inexpensive to moderate restaurants for dinner.

Nothing posh or frou-frou, just good basic eats.

DebitNM

For lunch or dinner in Ouray - Buen Tiemp on Main has really good mexican and lovely outdoor cafe tables as well as inside tables. Good food and reasonable prices. Bon Ton has nice Italian food.

Tundra at the Beaumont has excellent food, but the prices reflect it.

http://www.ouraycolorado.com/Dining

In Durango area, lots more choices:

A favorite of ours, just outside of town on Hiway 160 [on the road to/from Mesa Verde; about a 10 minute drive] is the Kennebec Cafe. Great food and lovely restaurant and reasonable prices.

Serious Texas BBQ has 2 locations [one on each end of town]; food is decent bbq and reasonable prices.

For the areas best Italian - Guido's Italian Market on Main atn 12th. Excellent food at reasonable prices.

Steamworks on E. Second at 8th for typical brew pub food and good microbrewed beer.

For the best New Mexican food:
Gazpacho on E 2nd near 4th. Very good prices too.

Coffe places for breakfast:
Durango Coffee Company on Main Ave.
Steaming Bean on Main.

Jean Pierre Bakery and Cafe - very hit or miss. OK for coffee and pastry but I wouldn't do a lunch or dinner.

Just off heading out of town, a few minutes past Doubletree is Chrisitna's [21382 US Hwy 160 West]
reliable food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Carvers on Main, okay for lunch [maybe breakfast too]

Hope this helps; I 've left off the higher end places.

Deb

twelveoaks

I lived in Durango for three years a while back and the restaurant choices are extensive and varied. For breakfast a fun place is the Durango diner on main street. It is small, old and fun and the breakfasts are huge.There are two mexican restaurants on Mail st. Tequila's and Franciscos. I liked tequilas best as it was more like the mexican food I was used to in California. The steamworks is a great brew pub and the list goes on and on. When you get into town go to the visitors center at Santa Rita park and you can get a restaurant guide.

Melnq8

Thank you both. We had a good meal at Buen Tiempo on a previous stay in Ouray, so will definitely try it again.

I remember eating at Francisco's in Durango, but don't remember much about the food, Tequila's rings a bell too, but I don't think we ate there.

Deb - you've piqued my interest with Kennebec Cafe and the coffee joints - it's time for breakfast here in my corner of the world, so all this talk is making me hungry.

Any idea which of three Mexican restaurants in Durango has the best green chile? I love my green chile.

Thanks again.

DebitNM

Green chile is New Mexican, not Mexican. That said,

For the best New Mexican food:
Gazpacho on E 2nd near 4th. Very good prices too.

Deb

Melnq8

Okay, I stand corrected.

DebitNM

Sorry Mel, didn't mean that to come off sounding snippy!

The other restaurants mentioned in earlier posts are Mexican. New Mexicans take pride in chile and feel strongly about it. Just ask which is better - red or green - and then take cover as the debate unfolds!

So, for Green Chile, it's gotta be in a NM restaurant, and Gazpacho has the right stuff in spite of being in Durango.

Deb

Melnq8

No worries Deb.

I'm from CO originally, but have lived outside the US for 11 years, so I'm a bit rusty.

Every year on my visits to CO I manage to talk my SIL's partner into letting me steal some of her home canned NM green chilis, so I should definitely know better.

Thanks for your suggestions.