From breakfast to late-night, new to tried-and-true and cheap to put-it-on-the-card (or two), here are ten great places to check out when you’re hungry in Vail.
Block 16 (In the Sebastian Hotel, 16 Vail Road, 970-477-8000). Try to score a comfy banquette in this swanky new hotel’s upscale eatery, which offers stellar service and exquisite food – the halibut with truffle-scented broth is wonderful, and the gooey-centered, warm mint chocolate finale is worth saving room for. Better-suited to adults (there’s no kids’ menu, and you’re going to pay top dollar for substitutions); families should check out the more casual Market next door.
Flame (In the Four Seasons Vail, One Vail Road, 970-477-8600). Elegant and inviting, the restaurant at the new Four Seasons is ideal for ladies who lunch, especially in the empty eatery while everyone else is on the mountain (the chicken lettuce wraps are perfectly not-too-filling). At night, the space is more lively but can get noisy, but the menu is much more interesting – salad of tomatoes with candied kumquats, butternut squash risotto with parsnip chips – and Thursday-Sunday they offer a rotating “butcher’s board” of meats such as roast suckling pig and salt-crusted whole fish.
The George (292 East Meadow Drive, 970-476-2656). Cheap drinks – about $3-$4 – make The George the place for 3-7 p.m. après ski. Locals know to get there early (be off the mountain by 3 p.m.) to make it anywhere near the bar or to snag a seat on one of the comfy leather couches. Come hungry because for less than $17 you can take down tasty things like King crab legs and steak, and the rest of the snack items are about half that. Sure, you’re essentially in what feels like a basement – by the way, the George can be hard to find; just ask around if you don’t see it right away – but if you’re looking for something off the beaten path and less “ski resortish,” this is it.
Joe’s Famous Deli (288 Bridge St., 970-479-7580). Reasonably priced and very kid-friendly, Joe’s is a below-street-level deli that serves superb sandwiches – the panini are extra-special, such as the all-veggie “Fun Guy” with portobello and cheese – and dozens of cleverly flavored, house-made ice creams (the birthday cake is a fave).
Little Diner (616 W. Lionshead Circle, 970-476-4279). Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., the diner serves hearty German pancakes (sprinkled with bacon), biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, chipped beef on toast … the list goes on. All good. The “Little” part refers to the last name of the friendly owners who do all the cooking, by the way, but also to the fact that this spot isn’t very big, so you may have to wait.
Restaurant Kelly Liken (12 Vail Road, 970-479-0175) The ancho chile-braised bison short rib likely will live in infamy because first lady Michelle Obama chose it for her meal while on a Vail vacation President’s Day weekend (and Rush Limbaugh made a joke of it), but I’m partial to the pan-roasted striped bass at this pretty, even romantic, spot. A bit of a seafood fan, I’d also always start with the Meyer lemon-sparked, chilled Maine lobster – and diet be danged, the sticky bun sundae is to die for. They can get bogged down between the entrees and dessert when they’re full, and, of course, they’re always full.
Terra Bistro (In the Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa, 352 E. Meadow Drive, Vail Village, 970-476-6836) has been on its game for so long, it’s worthy of the spotlight. The chic, big-city-style dining room and slick service give it a grown-up, un-resort-like feel, and the wine list is just filled with winners. A few don’t-misses from the menu: the duck breast with chipotle-chocolate fig sauce, the brown butter-sweet potato ravioli and the almond milk custard pot de creme finale.
Vendetta’s (291 Bridge St, 970-476-5070) Do not try to eat here on a weekend or during peak times in ski season, but otherwise, this is must-have pizza, thickly piled toppings on a crisp-edged crust, slightly sweet, homemade sauce. Cold beer – Fat Tire and Stella Artois on tap – and the bar in the back is always hopping. But truly, the place is a madhouse when it’s full, and there’s nowhere to wait for a table. If it’s cold, you’re going to be standing with your rear end in someone’s slices.
The Westside Café (2211 N. Frontage Road W., 970-476-7890). Kids love the Mickey Mouse pancake, adults love that this is a reasonably priced, easygoing spot for all three meals, especially breakfast (biscuits and gravy, quiche, and eight different kinds of Benedict). They also do a yerba matte latte, a killer bloody Mary, and the OJ is fresh-squeezed. Run by three former Sweet Basil employees, the place couldn’t be more welcoming, either.
Yama Sushi (168 E. Gore Creek Dr., 970-476-7332) The newest restaurant in town, Yama is on a roll: specifically, several dozen of them, with quite a few standouts. Check out “Summer in Vail,” with cucumber wrapped around snow crab, tuna, yellowtail, salmon, cilantro and avocado (no nori or rice), a splash of ponzu sauce for kick, or the Hammerhead, snow crab with eel and red tobiko, covered with wasabi peas and then fried tempura-style. There’s a short list of cooked entrees, but really, it’s all about the raw here. The red-and-black space is sleek and modern, and the bar offers a good sake selection and innovative cocktails.
Look in tomorrow’s Travel section for more on the Vail scene.
For more Travel news and features, visit the Denver Post Travel section online. Also check us out on Twitter and Facebook.