8 Best Restaurants in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado
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Sushi? Coconut curry? Bison and lobster? Colorado's culinary repertoire is at its broadest in Aspen. With all the Hummers and designer handbags come an equal number of menus with high-end ingredients and showy preparations. Plates can be pricey, particularly in Aspen, but many eateries have at least a few moderately priced entrées (usually pastas) and bar menus as a nod to the budget-conscious. For those who want a break from Aspen, there are excellent dining options down-valley in Basalt and Carbondale as well.
Co. Ranch House
Enjoy ranch-raised steaks, chops, and seafood, all of which you can wash down with specialty craft cocktails and microbrews in the Western-inspired, modern dining room with copper tabletops or out on the patio just off the pedestrian walkway. Try the grilled elk and pan-seared trout—a local take on surf and turf—or ask the extremely friendly staff for recommendations.
Element 47
Aspen's elite book tables at this swanky, highly regarded restaurant in the Little Nell hotel not only for the beautifully presented entrées but also for the glass, ceiling-height wine cases stocked by knowledgeable sommeliers who also make tableside recommendations. The seasonal menu highlights locally sourced produce and game, as well as meat raised on Colorado ranches. For a lighter meal, head to the bar, which features Colorado beers and spirits.
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Main Street Bakery & Café
Perfectly brewed coffee and hot breakfast buns and pastries are served daily at this café, along with a full breakfast menu that includes homemade granola and plenty of egg dishes. Lunch brings soups, salads, sandwiches, and comfort-food favorites like chicken pot pie. On sunny days, sit on the umbrella-covered back patio.
SILO
The small but well-prepared menu brings everyone to this small diner just far enough off the main road that it could be easily missed—but do stop for a breakfast burrito stuffed with seasonal veggies or French toast with berry compote. White walls; wooden, metal-ringed tables; and blue chairs create a casual dining area where the wood bartop and high stools are a favorite. The tiny outside eating area fills up fast.
Sweet Coloradough
Round doughnuts as big as your face and the equally huge square-shaped "croughnuts", both with endless sugary toppings, will make it impossible to choose just one. Old-fashioned, gluten-free, and cake doughnuts and fritters are among the many options. Grab a box, or two, and mix up the flavors: try the cinnamon roll topping and the one that combines peanut butter, strawberry, banana, and Nutella. Coffees with or without alcohol and hearty breakfast sandwiches are also delightful.
TORO Kitchen and Lounge
Inside the Viceroy Snowmass hotel, TORO warms up the night after a day of skiing with its craft cocktails, Latin American cuisine, and dining room decorated with wood accents and a fireplace with nearby couches that are the perfect spots for sipping drinks. This spacious restaurant has a daring menu focusing on creative seafood and chops; spicy, smoky flavors pop in many dishes, with milder options for those who can't take the heat.
Village Smithy
Locals flock to "the Smithy" for such beloved breakfast items (served daily from 7 am until 2 pm) as scrambles or traditional bacon and eggs. Vegetarians are taken care of with a tasty tofu scramble, fresh spinach and wild mushroom omelets, and deep-fried French toast. Wooden tables are packed into every nook and cranny of this brick building that was once a blacksmith shop.