Vail Ski Resort Guide
Best Vail Restaurants
Where to Eat in Vail | Fine Dining Ratings
Vail is known as a luxury ski resort, so you will have no problem finding a meal fit for a king or queen here. Vail boasts some of the best restaurants in Colorado. You are bound to find a restaurant that suits your taste here no matter whether you like Italian food, Asian cuisine, or a good old American steakhouse.
Restaurant Kelly Liken
Chef Kelly Liken has been featured on several TV programs including Iron Chef America and Top Chef. This restaurant combines seasonal American cuisine with great service and a wonderful environment. The Cocktail list and bar menu are almost as unique as the food here. Restaurant Kelly Liken is a 4-Star Restaurant that I recommend to anyone visiting the Vail Valley.
La Tour
La Tour is a contemporary French restaurant. You will find a well-trained Sommelier and intricate menu here. La tour is located adjacent to the Vail Village parking garage. You can expect to pay $30-$40 for en entree here, but you will receive an authentic Vail Valley dining experience that can rival almost any large city.
Sweet Basil
This is one of the most popular restaurants in Vail Village. Sweet Basil has hundreds of different wines to choose from - one of the largest wine selections in the Vail Valley. You will find traditional American food here and most entrees cost between $30 and $40. The meat selection ranges from Duck Brest to Lamb, Pork Chops and Steaks.
Ludwig's Restaurant
Ludwig's is located in the Sonnenalp Resort, right at the base of the Vail Ski Resort. As quoted on their website; Ludwig's serves "Contemporary American cuisine with a classic influence". This is a great place for fine dining in Vail and you will find a full list of exquisite wines in the cellar here.
Blu's Restaurant
Eat in or order take out food here. The restaurant is open from 9 in the morning until 11 at night. Get a sandwich for about $10 or an entree for less than $20. This is an affordable place to eat but it also has great food and a tradition of filling stomachs.
You will find Blu's Restaurant at the base of Vail mountain on E. Gore Creek Drive.
Non-Rated Restaurants in Vail
La Botega
This is an Italian restaurant; located on the corner of E. Meadow Dr. and Vail Rd. (Next to the Sebastien Hotel and near the Sonnenalp, Restaurant Kelly Liken, and the rest of Vail Village). There is an outdoor patio that overlooks part of the pedestrian village, a casual wine bar area, and several tucked away areas in the dining room that could be considered "semi-private" dining areas. Atmosphere is relaxed.
The Red Lion Restaurant and Nightclub
This is a great place to eat in Vail if you like barbeque and burgers. This restaurant has a casual atmosphere and there is usually live music during apres ski hours.
Eating here is affordable; you can get a hamburger for about $10. There is a large assortment of barbeque plates available up to about $30. You'll find this restaurant on Bridge Street, right near the heart of Vail Village.
The Bully Ranch
This restaurant serves traditional American food that will keep even the largest man happy after a day of skiing in Vail. Here you can find Hamburgers, Chicken Wings, Crab Cakes, Hanger Steak Salad, Lamb Loin, Salmon and several types of Steaks etc.
You can eat here for $20, but most of the main entrees cost between $20 and $30 at this restaurant. You can find the Bully Ranch in the Sonnenalp Resort of Vail.
Vandetta's Italian
This restaurant is located right across from the Red Lion Pub in Vail Village. This is a popular restaurant among the locals. A large pizza will cost you a little bit more than $20 here. There is also a lengthy list of traditional Italian foods on the menu that range up to $30.
You'll find a wine list of approx. 100 different wines at Vandetta's. This restaurant serves great food and that's just one of the reasons that they have been in the Vail Valley since the early 1980s. This restaurant will usually serve food and drinks until 2 AM during peak seasons.
Mezzaluna Restaurant
This is a Mediterranean-Italian restaurant located just a few steps from the Gondola in the Lions Square Lodge. Most of the entrees here will hover around $30 in price. This restaurant specializes in hosting parties of 200+ people as well as running their own catering service.
Swiss Chalet at Sonnenalp
This restaurant features Swiss/European cuisine with a great dessert menu and kids' menu. To get here, just head to the Sonnenalp Resort after 3 p.m. for apres ski, or 5 p.m. for dinner. You can expect to pay at least $30 per person by the time you are done eating here.
