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With dining options ranging from creative international cuisine in the resort towns of Telluride, Crested Butte, and Durango to no-frills American fare in down-home communities like Montrose and Creede, no one has any excuse to visit a chain restaurant here. The leading chefs are tapping into the region’s local bounty, so you can find innovative recipes for ranch-raised game, lamb, and trout. Many serve only locally raised, grass-fed meats. Olathe sweet corn is a delicacy enjoyed across the state (and found in grocery stores and roadside stands as well as restaurants). Seasonal produce is highlighted on the best menus.
The "Brews Brothers," Bill and Jim Carver, have about 12 beers on tap at any given time at this Durango favorite. If you're hungry, try one of the signature handmade bread bowls filled with green chile, soup, or chicken stew.
Stop in here for what's fittingly billed as "thought-provoking beer." Choose from a wide selection of craft ales and stouts to wash down a slice of tasty wood-fired pizza.
As much a museum as an eatery, this restaurant is crammed with mining artifacts, odd antiques, and taxidermied animals. The hearty menu includes steaks, ribs, hamburgers, chicken, pasta, prime rib, and chicken-fried steak, all with homemade sides and sauces. The elk burger is a local must-try.
For a delicious summer detour, head 10 miles north of town to James Ranch, where you'll find a pleasant organic farm, with an outdoor grill that features homemade cheeses, homegrown meats, and produce grown on-site. The menu keeps things simple, featuring a short list of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. After visiting the goats, shop the local market next door.
This three-level brewpub boasts an amazing rooftop patio, with great views of the surrounding canyon as well as the goings-on below on Main Street. The beers include four standards plus a few seasonal offerings while the food is typical pub fare, with a sprinkling of more interesting entrées like smoked-beet Reuben sandwiches.
Upscale versions of tavern comfort food—burgers, pork chops, gourmet grilled cheese, and the like—are served in an old-world-style pub, with wood and stone decor and arched doors. The house-brewed beers include red, wheat, pale, and cream ales.
In a lovingly renovated Victorian tavern awash in handmade lace and stained glass, this restaurant is just plain cozy. A menu with a comfort-food bent spotlights family-style options, such as skillet-fried chicken, rib-eye steak, and ribs, paired with sides like fresh biscuits, creamy mashed potatoes, gumbo, and mac and cheese. Southern-style offerings (po'boys, chicken and waffles) abound, while the occasional international entrée (banh mi, anyone?) dots the menu. A Creole-style weekend brunch often includes live music.
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