Breckenridge is to Coloradoans what Mammoth Lakes is to Californians: a playground that offers plentiful snow and winter sports activities during the cold months and beautiful scenery for hiking, fishing, and boating during the summer months. It is not surprising that the venue prides itself on its restaurants!
Take a look at the top 10 restaurants in Breckenridge, Colorado and see if you agree!
Starting with breakfast – the most important meal of the day – is easy. Choose either the trendy Columbine Café at 109 South Main Street (open daily from 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM) or the local favorite known as the Blue Moose at 540 South Main Street (open daily from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM). The former prides itself on the sheer mountainous portion sizes while the latter has a few more menu frills up its sleeves, such as the fruit smoothies and also some rather fancy omelets. Keep in mind that at the Blue Moose cash is king and plastic frowned upon! Both eateries are cheap and will leave you plenty of money for lunch!
For lunch you have a number of options, but two are definitely standing out. If you brought the kids, then the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company at 231 South Main Street is a good fit. Open Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM and Friday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM, the atmosphere is relaxes, there is plenty of shrimp on the menu and the kid friendly food options are sure to make small palates water.
Anyone wanting to eat on the run or just being in the market for some good American fare will appreciate Downstairs at Eric’s. Open daily from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM, this eatery at 111 South Main Street is relaxed, fun filled, and famous for its tasty burgers. Of course, with a statement on their website that “everywhere else just sucks,” the food and atmosphere had better be good! If you’re ready to add a great beer to your lunch, choose the Breckenridge Brewery & Pub at 600 South Main Street. Open daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM, the food is high end pub fare and the beer selection worth any minute you might have to wait for a table to become available.
As you are getting ready to contemplate your dinner options, you will find that anyone wishing to have a formal sit down dinner in a cultured atmosphere will almost automatically be drawn to the upscale Victorian atmosphere of the Hearthstone Restaurant at 130 South Ridge Road which is open daily from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM. This is the perfect place for an adults-only night out and the menu is impressive! Lamb, elk, beef, duck, lobster and salmon are but a few of the choices and when coupled with the extensive wine list, you are in for a great night. Dress the part and enjoy a beautiful evening.
Yet before you make up your mind, check out the Café Alpine at 106 East Adams Avenue where reservations are strongly suggested (call 970-453-8218). A 2000 Zagat survey award winner, dinner begins at 5:00 PM and the menu changes nightly. Dress is business casual but is not taken too serious so as to spoil the fun.
Another great place that is also a bit upscale is the Blue River Bistro at 305 North Main Street. Traditional French, Italian and all American fare – think escargot, New York strip steak, and Chicken Marsala – is paired with live jazz and available daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
If you don’t want to dress up but still want some great food, the South Ridge Street Seafood Grill at 215 South Ridge Road (open for dinner from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM) essentially divides its menu into things that swim and those that don’t. Both options are great! Consider the Herb Roasted Chicken or the Seared Sea Scallops. Since this is an insider tip for anything seafood, consider that during peak season this place will be hopping and you will be wise to call ahead (970-547-0063) for a reservation.
For a Jamaican feel of laissez faire attitude and great eats, Rasta Pasta is the place to visit. The address is 411 South Main Street; the design a mix of Bob Marley meets mountain snow, and the colors traditional red, green and yellow. Opening at 10:00 AM daily, the dishes center on pasta and the gazillion ways you can serve it. A great place with cheap eats.
