Dining in Vail
Vail has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its food and wine. During the ski day, the mountain has plenty of choice, including fine-dining options like the new 10th at mid-Vail.
With a vast array of restaurants to choose from in the evening, there’s no problem finding a venue to please everybody in Vail. For a special treat, try the Game Creek Restaurant (accessed by gondola and snowcat!) which offers five-star American cuisine.
As a popular destination, advanced reservations are strongly advised, particularly between 7pm and 9pm, and during the busy Christmas/New Year, and Easter holidays. Vail has a relaxed dress code. Some visitors will undoubtedly enjoy dressing up for a night out, but this is by no means required.
Bully Ranch
A short walk from the town centre, Bully’s is located just to the right of the Sonnenalp Hotel’s main entrance. A great family-friendly venue, with a Wild West theme, they offer lots of wholesome food with wide appeal, such as burgers, steaks, and fish and chips. There’s also a children’s menu. No reservations are taken, but if there’s a line, you could enjoy a drink at the bar, or head to the hotel bar while you wait for a table, it’ll be worth it! 20 Vail Rd Tel: (970)476-5460
Pepi's Bar & Grill
Pepi’s claim to fame is that it was established way back in 1963 by Austrian couple, Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer, ensuring that guests have enjoyed a genuine Austrian welcome ever since! The restaurant’s highly original, Austrian ambiance is carried over into menu choices, where you’ll have such delicious options as Jaegerschnitzel, Paprika Goulash, and Sauerbraten. As well as European, there are American dishes. Popular with locals and visitors alike, reservations are recommended. 231 E Gore Creek Dr Tel: (970)476-4671
The Game Creek Club
Accessible only to members during the day, in the evenings the Game Creek Club is open to non-members to experience its special environment. The club is located on the north side of Game Creek Bowl and to reach it in the evening you take the Eagle Bahn Gondola, and then have a short ride in a snowcat. This all adds to the evening’s fun and makes you feel like you’re having a night out with a difference! Once there, you’re in for a real treat, with a menu that covers all tastes, offering both European and American cuisine. The dining room is beautiful, with upscale décor and furnishings, the food highly memorable, and the service attentive. 278 Hanson Ranch Rd Tel: (970) 479-4280
La Tour
Close to the village centre, and just minutes from the west end of the Vail Village parking structure, La Tour has been voted the ‘Best Restaurant in Vail’, since 2006, by the Vail Daily readers’ poll. Chef Paul Ferzacca’s contemporary French-American cuisine is famous on the Vail dining scene, and La Tour is reassuringly known as the restaurant ‘where the chefs eat’! The menu uses the finest organic, natural and sustainable ingredients available. Sporting one of the best wine lists in Vail, La Tour is a recipient of the Wine Spectator’s ‘Award Winning Wine List’ accolade. The dining room’s ambiance is enhanced by the creative displaying of numerous sculptures, paintings, photographs, and pieces of glass art. 122 E Meadow Dr Tel: (970)476-4403
Larkspur
Larkspur can be found below the Terrain Park, at the base of the Golden Peak, where the children’s Ski School is located, so is convenient if you’re leaving the slopes to enjoy some lunch. In fine weather you can enjoy the large deck, and inside, the restaurant‘s atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The contemporary American lunchtime menu features everything from burgers to steaks, and for dinner, you can select dishes such as Alaskan halibut and Scottish salmon. The menu changes regularly to reflect seasonal influences. You can watch your meal being prepared in the large, open kitchen, there’s also a huge hearth and an unusual, glassed-in wine room. The Larkspur’s impressive wine list features over 5,000 bottles from all over the world. Larkspur is only a short walk from the centre of Vail, but if you’re feeling lazy, you can hop on the main shuttle for a free ride. 458 Vail Valley Dr Tel: (970)754-8050
Russell’s Steakhouse and Bar
A cosy little steakhouse, conveniently located in the centre of Vail, Russell’s serves ribs, chicken and seafood as well as steaks. It’s great food and a welcoming atmosphere have made it a longtime Vail favourite, amongst locals and a real find for visitors. 228 Bridge Street Tel: (970)476-670
Swiss Chalet
Serving delicious European cuisine in an authentic-feeling Alpine environment, the Swiss Chalet’s menu is sure to delight, with its inclusion of traditional specialities like Kase Spatzle, and a variety of delicious fondues. A dining destination the whole family will enjoy, Swiss Chalet also offers mouth-watering desserts, and a children’s menu. Reservations are recommended. 20 Vail Rd Tel: (970)479-5429
Sweet Basil
Open for business in Vail for over 30 years, the Sweet Basil has long been a Vail mainstay. Sweet Basil is a creative, modern, American restaurant located in the heart of Vail Village. It is constantly being showered with accolades, including being voted ‘Best Mountain Restaurant’, by the Denver Post, and ‘Colorado’s Most Popular Restaurant’, by the Zadat Survey. The Wine Spectator reports ‘This remains one of the best restaurants in Vail’, and so it goes on…. The menu features imaginative cuisine from across a wide spectrum of diverse influences. A popular destination for wine lovers, the wine list has over 500 selections from around the world, and the bar is a great place for pre-dinner drinks. Lunch and dinner are served daily, and the bar is open throughout the day. 193 Gore Creek Drive Tel: (970)476-0125
Terra Bistro
Considered one of the best restaurants in Vail, and firm favourite among the fitness-minded for over 17 years, Terra Bistro serves deliciously healthy meals, featuring organic produce, locally grown vegetables, and free-range meat and poultry. Terra Bistro takes aspects of Asian, Southwestern, and Mediterranean cuisine and adds its own Alpine influences to create a unique blend of tastes. Located along the banks of Gore Creek, Terra Bistro has been honoured by Gourmet Magazine, and the New York Times, and is a winner of the Wine Spectator’s ‘Award of Excellence’.
352 E Meadow Dr Tel: 970-476-6836
Up The Creek
Located on Gore Creek, and enjoying stunning scenery, Up The Creek boasts Vail’s only creek side patio, and is open daily for lunch and dinner. Their welcome is warm, the food is wholesome and plentiful, and the menu features reasonably priced appetizers, salads, pastas, and fresh fish. There’s also a children’s menu.
223 Gore Creek Drive Tel: (970)476-8141
Vendettas and The Red Lion
Voted ‘Best Locals’ Bar’, in 2010, Vendettas is located right in the heart of Vail Village. Successfully serving pizza for over 35 years, this is a popular venue for locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re after a slice of pizza for lunch, a candlelit dinner or a wild night partying in the legendary storied bar, your visit to Vendettas should be a memorable one. The Red Lion is another long-time local favourite, both are great venues for après ski, and if you need a bite to eat, they both serve some great bar snacks. If it gets a little too noisy, you can escape to the relative tranquility of the restaurant at the back of The Red Lion, or to the slightly calmer room downstairs at Vendettas. 291 Bridge Tel: (970)476-5070
Fireside Bar
Relax with drinks, appetizers, live music and a crackling fire at the popular Fireside Bar, located slope side in the Cascade Resort and Spa. Enjoy the welcoming fireplace and some extremely tasty small-plate dishes, alongside a great choice of wines, beers, and cocktails. Sit back, admire the magnificent views, and, almost every night during the ski season, enjoy live entertainment, which might include jazz, country, folk, or contemporary music. Enjoy! 1300 Westhaven Tel: (970) 476 7111
Tavern on the Square
Nestled within The Arrabelle at Vail Square and only steps away from the Eagle Bahn gondola, The Tavern on the Square is Vail’s most happening spot for delicious food and drink, before and after you hit the mountain. Casual by day and refined at night, The Tavern is a mountain American grill inspired by the freshest farm to table ingredients. Enjoy signature dishes, such as the Tomahawk Steak, Grilled Elk Lettuce Wraps, Baja Fish Tacos and Lobster Mac & Cheese. The Tavern boasts an eclectic wine list, a wide assortment of microbrews and fresh cocktails meant to complement any dish on the menu. The Tavern is also kid friendly and offers a great menu designed specifically for them. 675 Lionshead Place, Vail, CO 81657. 970-754-7700
