Best Local Food Joints

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Codyhill1991
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by Codyhill1991 »

LetsGoMets wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:46 am Real talk though - any other vegans out there?

Gnar Taco in Ridgeway can make vegan options.
Handlebars (Silverton).
High Mountain Pies (Leadville)
Golden Burro (Leadville)
Telluride has plenty.
Durango has plenty.
Brown Dog Cafe (BV/Salida)
I've struggled for food in Ouray outside of plain pasta and beer.
Not sure about vegan options in Westcliffe or Crestone.
The pizza place in Creede makes some excellent vegan options.
Yes!! Golden Burro is a recent discovery and it was amazing.
Other vegan stuff:
Just had lunch today at Ed's Cantina in Estes Park and the veggie enchiladas were amazing, also saw falafel tacos that were vegan.
BV has that place called Simple Eatery I think, a few vegan options and vegan frozen yogurt.
I think the brewery in Ouray had a veggie burger or impossible burger or something. I definitely have eaten there a few times.
Gunnison has vegan options at The Dive and Sherpa Cafe
Definitely struggle around the Sangres but there's a health food store in Westcliffe that has some random vegan speciality stuff. Not a whole lot though. Usually end up just being hungry and waiting til the Springs for Santana's.
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LetsGoMets
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by LetsGoMets »

Codyhill1991 wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 3:16 pm

Yes!! Golden Burro is a recent discovery and it was amazing.
Other vegan stuff:
Just had lunch today at Ed's Cantina in Estes Park and the veggie enchiladas were amazing, also saw falafel tacos that were vegan.
BV has that place called Simple Eatery I think, a few vegan options and vegan frozen yogurt.
I think the brewery in Ouray had a veggie burger or impossible burger or something. I definitely have eaten there a few times.
Gunnison has vegan options at The Dive and Sherpa Cafe
Definitely struggle around the Sangres but there's a health food store in Westcliffe that has some random vegan speciality stuff. Not a whole lot though. Usually end up just being hungry and waiting til the Springs for Santana's.
This is gold! Thank you.
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susanjoypaul
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by susanjoypaul »

Codyhill1991 wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 3:16 pm
LetsGoMets wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:46 am Real talk though - any other vegans out there?

Gnar Taco in Ridgeway can make vegan options.
Handlebars (Silverton).
High Mountain Pies (Leadville)
Golden Burro (Leadville)
Telluride has plenty.
Durango has plenty.
Brown Dog Cafe (BV/Salida)
I've struggled for food in Ouray outside of plain pasta and beer.
Not sure about vegan options in Westcliffe or Crestone.
The pizza place in Creede makes some excellent vegan options.
Yes!! Golden Burro is a recent discovery and it was amazing.
Other vegan stuff:
Just had lunch today at Ed's Cantina in Estes Park and the veggie enchiladas were amazing, also saw falafel tacos that were vegan.
BV has that place called Simple Eatery I think, a few vegan options and vegan frozen yogurt.
I think the brewery in Ouray had a veggie burger or impossible burger or something. I definitely have eaten there a few times.
Gunnison has vegan options at The Dive and Sherpa Cafe
Definitely struggle around the Sangres but there's a health food store in Westcliffe that has some random vegan speciality stuff. Not a whole lot though. Usually end up just being hungry and waiting til the Springs for Santana's.
Not exactly "in the mountains," but Colorado Springs has many vegan options now:

Santana's Vegan Grill makes fast-food everything, including chicken sandwiches, meatball subs, and my favorite, Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe. All vegan. Best fries in town, too.
Monse's Pupuseria will veganize anything on the menu, including breakfast skillets and Chile Relleno. The Pupuseria Colorado is my favorite with a side of plantains.
Rooster's Ramen has a vegan menu.
Tritinity Brewing makes the best vegan burgers.
There's a new place opening in Cascade that's all vegan - Fern's Diner, I think it's called.
Lots of other places around town with vegan options now, and there are two websites that list a lot of them.

If you're flying, Root Down at DIA has an amazing vegan burger with some kind of pickle relish and waffle sweet potato fries.

I wish there were a Beau Jo's Pizza here - best vegan pizza I've ever had, in Evergreen.

On the road, it's French toast sticks at Burger King, oatmeal and hash browns at McDonald's. Taco Bell has a few "veganizable" items on the menu too. Mostly, I just bring a cooler and a stove and make my own stuff though.
Dayute
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by Dayute »

Brown Dog Pizza Telluride - Italian Parm Pizza
BBQ Station Lake City - Meatzilla Takeout BBQ sandwich
The Outlaw Ouray - Country Fried Steak or Prime Rib
Bonfire Burritos Golden - Chupacabra Bowl (deserves a mention even though its not in the mountains.)
That BBQ place in Lone Pine CA has some amazing brisket but its wagyu and pricey.
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LetsGoMets
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by LetsGoMets »

susanjoypaul wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 5:53 pm

Not exactly "in the mountains," but Colorado Springs has many vegan options now:


On the road, it's French toast sticks at Burger King, oatmeal and hash browns at McDonald's. Taco Bell has a few "veganizable" items on the menu too. Mostly, I just bring a cooler and a stove and make my own stuff though.
The Burrowing Owl in the Springs is excellent vegan, I tend to stop coming back from the Sangres typically.

Great note on the French Toast sticks! The bean and cheese burritos sans the cheese @ Taco Bell are also an easy vegan goto.
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NE2007RLTW
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by NE2007RLTW »

Great idea! I’m always looking and will add mine as well. Many have been mentioned already. I will also include 2 I had issues with.
(I like all these but if in CAPS I really like it)

*Silverthorne-Mountain Lyon Cafe
*Breckenridge-Downstairs at Eric’s
*Leadville-TENNESSEE PASS CAFE (best burgers), High Mountain Pies, Pastime (but I think they closed)
*Buena Vista-K’s Dairy Delight (standard stop), Eddyline
*Salida-MOONLIGHT PIZZA & BREWS, PATIO PANCAKE PALACE (breakfast!), Boathouse
*Alamosa-MY BROTHER’S PLACE, 4th St Grille, Calvillo’s Mexican Buffet, All Valley Cafe
*Westcliffe-Chappys
*Carbondale-White House Pizza
*Ouray-Maggies
*Lake City-Southern Vittles, Packer Saloon/Cannibal Grill (same place), Confluence (I think it’s called Beggin for Bagels now, was the only breakfast place in Lake City)
*Durango-Zia Taqueria (similar to Chipotle/Qdoba), Carver Brewing

Places with issues (Only 2 poor places in CO I’ve found, and both were service related)
*Leadville-Casa Sanchez 2 (seated for 20 mins with no staff greeting/order/drink, then a nearby family that was seated after me was waited on, and I left. Before Covid)
*Durango-Serious Texas BBQ (walked in and waited in line for 30 mins. The line did not move with many empty tables. When people in front started leaving, I knew we weren’t going anywhere and left. In 2021)
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VeraUndertow
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by VeraUndertow »

Las Camelinas in Salida is my favorite Mexican food. I have been here 25+ times and the owners are always so nice to me and have remembered me since I first started coming in with my dog during the pandemic. Highly recommend them
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Shaller13
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by Shaller13 »

K's in Buena Vista. Yes it can be stupid busy but the food for the price is worth it. I couldn't tell you why the one person said he'd leave hungry. Big stomach?

To the one person who said head down the valley as if referring to Estes Park has nothing else. Never had Boss Burgers or Penelope's? I'd argue those are some of the best burgers around. Can't forget Fresh Burger in the one Sinclair station either.
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by mtnkub »

Alma: Otto's (food truck)
Fairplay: Otto's (new brick-and-mortar)
Breck: Relish (esp for the happy hour, at least if you are into escargot)
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mtnkub
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by mtnkub »

In Taos (for NM food):
-Ricky's Restaurant (the best, but not exactly date-night ambience)
-Ranchos Plaza Grill (pretty special place, but lunch service only)
-Orlando's (overall winner for dinner food/ambience combo, including in outdoor area)
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daway8
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by daway8 »

kwhit24 wrote: Mon Jul 11, 2022 7:10 pm Reviving an old thread from a few years ago. Quite a few spots mentioned have already closed down

Was putting together this list for myself so TL;DR of the comments so far. Any other places that you'd have to recommend if you heard someone was visiting/passing through a certain are?

Silverthorne
- Sauce on the Blue

Dillon
- Cala Pub
- Cafe ProFusion
- Jersey Boys Deli & Pizza
- Arapahoe Cafe

Frisco
- Prosit Beers & Sausages
- The Lost Cajun

Breckenridge
- Rita's
- Tiki Mana
- Downstairs at Eric’s
- Empire Burger

Steamboat Springs
- Back Door Grill (I always stops here when visiting. Cool vibe and I never knew I like peanut butter on my burger before this place)

Nederland
- Pepinos Pizza
- Crosscut Pizza (mentioned multiple times)

Colorado Springs
- Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q

Fruita/Grand Junction
- Starvin Arvin's
- Pollo Azado

Glenwood Springs
- Glenwood Canyon Brewing (mentioned multiple times)
- Nepal Restaurant
- Slope and Hatch
- Daily Bread
- The Lost Cajun
- Rosie’s Little Bavarian
- Chang Thai
- Chomps Deli

Basalt
- Zheng’s Asian Bistro
- Scottie’s
- Timbo’s Pizza
- Cafe Bernard
- Two Rivers Cafe
- Smoke BBQ
- Sure Thing Burger

Aspen
- New York Pizza
- Grateful Deli
- Little Annie’s Eating House
- Hickory House
- Jimmy’s
- Paradise Bakery

El Jebel
- New York Pizza
- Breakfast in America

Carbondale
- The Village Smithy
- White House Pizza
- Pepino’s Pizza
- Fat Pig BBQ
- Phat Thai
- Dos Gringos Burritos
- Mi Casita

Marble
- Slow Groovin' BBQ (mentioned multiple times)

Wetcliffe
- Chappy's (mentioned multiple times)

Leadville
- Mountain High Pies (They have long ass lines for a reason) (mentioned multiple times)
- Golden Burro (mentioned multiple times)
- Tennessee Pass Cafe (mentioned multiple times)

Alma
- South Park Saloon

Fairplay
- Brown Burro (mentioned multiple times)
- South Park Brewing

Buena Vista
- Jan's (mentioned multiple times)
- Pancho's
- The Lariat
- Asian Palate (mentioned multiple times)
- House Rock Cafe
- Biggie's Sub Shop
- Eddyline Brewing (mentioned multiple times)
- Simple Eatery (mentioned multiple times)

Salida
- Moonlight Pizza (mentioned multiple times)
- Sweetie's Sandwich Shop
- Amica's (mentioned multiple times)

Poncha Springs
- The Hunger Trailer

Gunnison
- Powerstop (mentioned multiple times)
- Mario's Pizza
- Back Country Café

Crested Butte
- Secret Stash Pizza (Where I usually stop in CB)
- Teocalli Tamale
- Ginger Cafe
- Sherpa Cafe
- Izzy’s
- Pitas in Paradise
- Brick Oven Pizza
- Mickeys Pizza
- Tacos Local
- Third Bowl Ice Cream
- The Slogar

Lake City
- Southern Vittles (I concur with this one)
- Packer Saloon and Cannibal Grill

Creede
- Kips

Ridgway
- Taco Del Gnar

Montrose
- Horsefly Brewing Company
- Colorado Boy (mentioned multiple times)

Ouray
- Red Mountain Brewing
- Maggie's Kitchen

Silverton
- Handlebars (The steak I had there was alright)
- Thee Pitts Again (I thought this was pretty good and fast for how busy it was)

Telluride
- Steamies Burger Bar
- Brown Dog Pizza (I always stop here when in Telluride)

Durango.
- Cuckoo's Wings
- Steamworks Brewing Company
- Serious Texas Bar-B-Q (mentioned multiple times)

Moab
Miguel's Baja
Reviving this old thread and particularly this nice summary comment.

For Westcliffe, note the famed Chappy's is temporarily closed but I found next door BEEZA’s Restaurant & Pub to be pretty good.

I recently confirmed the Eddyline Brewing recommendation for BV was indeed good.

To the Leadville list I would add Wild Bill's Restaurant.

I second the The Hunger Trailer recommendation for Poncha Springs.
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CheapCigarMan
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Re: Best Local Food Joints

Post by CheapCigarMan »

KB’s Kakery & Dorothy’s Tamale in Fairplay for the best tamales ever.
Even featured on The foodnetwork on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
I should be on a mountain
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