We have been fortunate enough to visit the quaint town of Crested Butte, Colorado many times now and we want to share our favorite places to eat while there.
When you think of a small ski town, amazing cuisine does not typically come to mind. However the first time we visited Crested Butte we were pleasantly surprised to find that was not the case here! Now eating at our favorite spots is one of the things we most look forward to every time we return. There are no chain restaurants or franchises allowed in the city of Crested Butte so every time you eat out, you are supporting local! We love so many of the local restaurants that it was actually really hard to narrow down into our top five choices but here there are:
A list of the top restaurants in Crested Butte would not be complete without Secret Stash. I think this is one of the most talked about restaurants in all of town. With its funky interior and amazing pizzas everyone from locals to tourists flock here often. Due to its popularity, there is more often than not a wait to be seated but you can always grab a drink from the bars (one upstairs or downstairs) to help pass the time. Kyleena (the owner) traveled the world for several years and collected unique souvenirs that she then used to decorate her restaurant. Our favorite menu items include the crack fries (trust us you need to try them), garlic bread, Asher's Pie, Spicy Wais, The Hamptons, and You're Driving Me Caprese. Truly though you can't go wrong with anything on the menu here!
Even though you are smack dab in the middle of the country, this is some of the best Asian food we have ever had. I don't know what they do to make their classic chicken fried rice so delicious but it is truly the best version of that dish I have ever tasted. Unfortunately they do not take reservations so we recommend getting there earlier than when you plan on eating because you will have to wait for a bit. Some of our other favorite menu items include the Chinese Egg Rolls, Dumplings, Siracha Beef, Thai Currys, and Pad Thai.
If you are looking for more of a fine dining experience then Elk Prime is the place for you. The one and only true steakhouse in Crested Butte, they offer everything from wagyu beef to elk to pasta. The steaks here are cooked to perfection and the accompanying sides never disappoint. For an appetizer you need to order the Honey Pepper Bacon.
Insider tip: Our favorite thing on the whole menu is the burger but you can only order it at the bar. Seriously, we dream about this burger with its crispy tobacco fried onion strings and honey pepper bacon.
4. Lil's Sushi
Another shocking discovery was that there is incredible sushi in Crested Butte. Some of our favorite specialty rolls include The Frenchy, Jane's Addiction, The Green Man and Surf & Turf. For an appetizer you must order the Dynamo Shrimp, it is sweet and spicy in the most perfect way. Lil's is one of the few restaurants in town that takes reservations so we would recommend booking one in advance. They also have a great bar if you want to stop in for a drink and watch all of the sushi be made.
This is one of the few restaurants that is actually located on the mountain. So when you are taking a lunch break from shredding the pow, this is our fav place to go for a quick and delicious meal so we can get back out on the slopes. There is nothing fancy about the burgers here but they make a quality classic burger which is sometimes all we really want anyway! We also love their cajun fries, which have a really good spice kick to them! It is also really fair priced for being on the mountain which is another reason we love it.
Bonus Faves
This is not a restaurant which is why it is not in our top 5 but we couldn't forget to mention our favorite ice cream place, Third Bowl! All of their ice cream is home made and the flavors continually rotate so when they run out of one tub they replace it with a new flavor. It can be 5 degrees in the middle of winter and yet you will find a line out the door of people who want this amazing ice cream. Our favorites of their classic flavors include honey lavender, salted caramel, and raspberry fudge.
7. Dogwood's
Located in an old minor's cabin off of Elk Avenue this craft cocktail bar is one of our must visit spots when we are in town. They make super creative cocktails and their light bites menu is the perfect combo for a pre-dinner spot. Our favorite drinks include the Poco Loco, Thai One On, and London Press.
Voted best cup of Joe every year in CB and it is easy to see why. Their coffee is leaps and bounds better than Starbucks and they roast their own beans. I always try to snag one more cup to go on my way back to the airport as we leave town.
This is just a small handful of the many wonderful choices you have when it comes to enjoying the culinary scene of Crested Butte. Truly we could have easily listed 5 more places that we love to dine at when we are in CB. If one of your favs didn't make our list let us know what some of your favorites are in the comments section. Cheers to good food and full bellies!