Dining out in Vail Colorado is as much of a tradition as skiing the Back Bowls. Vail offers more than 80 bars and restaurants to the visitors of this winter wonderland and summer paradise. The restaurants of Vail Colorado offer a rainbow of options from pizza to exquisite gourmet dining.
While the vacationer visiting Vail Colorado can always rely on the traditional American cusine, Vail also has an assortment of European and alpine tradition restaurants catering to the skiing crowd, Southwest and Mexican foods, Italian pastas, and exotic Asian delights. Vail Colorado restaurants are truly varied and will meet any traveler's taste buds.
While one goes to a Vail Colorado restaurant for the exquisite foods, don't forget wine with your meals. Wine selections in the restaurants of Vail are world class. Wine Spectator magazine has written extensively on the foods and wines of the Vail restaurants.
Always make reservations in advance for the Vail restaurants if you wish to be assured seating. Walk-ins usually have a slim chance.
A short list to some of the finest Vail Colorado restaurants:
La Tour
Chef Paul Ferzacca, the owner of La Tour, has taken contemporary French cooking to a new level in Vail Colorado. The La Tour restaurant features an exquisite culinary elegance set in a "chic and trendy Vail setting,".
La Tour is known by the Vail locals as the restaurant "where the chefs go to eat." This distinction hints at the quality of restaurant La Tour is. Alpine French cusine is taken to a peak at this Vail Colorado restaurant.
The Left Bank
Left Bank restaurant is known for a seasonally-changing French brasserie menu that is simple but elegant. The Left Bank offers a diverse selection of meats, fresh vegetables, fish, seafood, hearty salads and sumptuous desserts.
In addition to its signature dishes that the Left Bank is noted for year round, you will often find featured specials inspired by the chefs’ weekly forays to the local farmer’s markets. This makes the Left Bank a jewel in the ranks of Vail Colorado restaurants.
Sweet Basil
Sweet Basil restaurant specializes in American contemporary cuisine but many of their dishes are unique, with a touch and flair of Asian influence. Visitors often find it hard to get reservations because Sweet Basil is considered a mountain favorite by locals and travelers alike.
Sweet Basil is known for its relaxed atmosphere, gorgeous view of the mountains and Gore Creek, and its brilliant food. Considered by many to be the "quintessence of fabulous dining" in the Vail Valley.
Terra Bistro
Terra Bistro one of Vail's high energy and stylish bistros. Terra Bistro features an innovative, worldly cuisine in a unique soft atmosphere that's suitable for a romantic dinner or group dining.
Terra Bistro's menu is created around seasonally available ingredients. Their cusine is influenced by the Southwest, Mediterranean and Asian cultures. Their chef likes a healthy cusine that is sometimes referred to as "haute health" in the Vail area.
Terra Bistro uses free-range meat and poultry, organic products, and gets many ingredients from local farmers when possible. This bistro also features one of the most extensive wine lists in the valley.
Terra Bistro is one great upscale and eclectic restaurant specializing in "fusion cuisine" and is a Vail year round favorite.
Montauk Seafood Grill
Montauk Seafood Grill prepares coastal seafood specialties with a contemporary flair. A Wine Spectator award-winning wine list complements the menu to perfection, and the casual yet stylish decor is warm and inviting. You will find seafood dishes from all over the world. Hawaiian, asian, and contemporary American.
Located in the center of Lionshead Village, you will find friendly service, a comfortable bar and the freshest seafood flown in daily from Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf waters assure guests of a great evening.
Pepi's
Pepi's Restaurant serves lunch and dinner. Pepi's is known for its affordable gourmet cusine. This Vail Colorado restaurant specializes in wild game and veal dinners with an Austrian ambiance.
You can dine at Pepi's inside or outside on the relaxing atmosphere of the sunny porch. In fact, the Pepi's porch is a year around favorite of locals and visitors alike for outdoor dining, cocktails, and people watching.
European specialties of veal, vork, bratwurst, goulash, soup, and wiener schnitzel are Pepi's lunch time favorites. Pepi's also has a large selection of American favorites for the noon meal as well.
Continental and American cuisine specializing in Austrian dishes such as jaegerschnitzel, paprika goulash, or sauerbraten dominate the dinner cusine. But for those that really want a treat, you should dine in the Antlers Room.
The Antlers Room at Pepi's is Internationally famous for its wild game dinners. In the Antlers Room you can enjoy rack of venison, elk, Buffalo, steak tartar, or their "Flambee" with table side preparation. Any way you look at Pepi's as a place to dine while you're in Vail, you can't go wrong.
Cucina Rustica
Cucina Rustica serves breakfast daily throughout the winter season.
The fabulous morning meal combines the freshest fruits and berries, house-baked pastries and breads to give you a traditional Italian breakfast combined with all you have come to expect of an American buffet breakfast which is designed to ensure you are energized for a day on the ski slopes.
Cucina Rustica's world renowned skiers' lunch buffet brings guests back to the restaurant year after year. Visitors to Cucina Rustica are taken with the sheer variety and quality of foods offered.
You'll find fresh carved meats, house-made soups, and unique salads, to varied hot entrees, cheeses, and homemade breads. The buffets at Cucina Rustica contain culinary influences from around the world—Mediterranean, American, and Italian to name a few.
It's during those cold Vail winter evenings that Cucina Rustica reveals itself as Vail Colorado's premier Italian restaurant. An extensive menu of soups, salads, pastas, prime meats, and fresh seafood will ensure the hardest part of your meal is deciding which enticing dish to order.
Like many Vail restaurants, the Chef takes great pride in using as many of Colorado's native products as possible to enhance their dishes. Enjoy Colorado-grown produce, meats, and even hand-picked wild mushrooms.
Outstanding food, accompanied by Vail Colorado's most diverse Italian wine list. A meal at Cucina Rustica accompanied by one of the famous wines is truly an evening to remember.
Additional Vail Colorado restaurants:
Vail Colorado restaurants are so varied and numerous. It would be impossible to list all the fabulous and famous restaurants that can be found in Vail. The choices go on and on. The visitor to Vail has the world of cusines at their command. You can find just about any style of food to meet your taste bud's needs.
Here are three online directories to help you with your choice of Vail Colorado's restaurants:
http://www.skisnowboard.com/vail/dining.html
http://www.restauranteur.com/co/vailarea/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g33676-Vail_Colorado.html
Whatever you're looking for in dining out when you're on your Vail vacation, you'll find a Vail Colorado restaurant that will suit your needs.
Vail Colorado restaurants provide you with traditional meals but also some of the most diverse menus you will ever find. Vail Colorado is the place for restaurants and dining out.
