Enjoying your fair share of good meals shouldn’t be too difficult in Telluride. The options are rather plentiful. We made reservations for both of our dinner choices, which I would definitely encourage. The choices below run the spectrum from extremely casual to more formal. Here is what I tried … and what I thought.
- there. This is a rather cozy, casual restaurant with fantastic decor. We made a reservation a couple of weeks in advance and were seated right on time. They brought out water and a bag of popcorn to share while looking over the menu. I found the cocktail list to be really innovative. Probably my favorite drink was the devil’s doorbell with jalapeno tequila, coconut, pineapple, green chartreuse, and cilantro. Cocktails with green chartreuse always catch my attention. It seems a sign of good things to come if you spot this ingredient on the menu. Aside from their drink list, they had a great menu of small plates and also larger dishes meant to be shared. We stayed strictly to the small plates and tried spicy cauliflower, lychee lettuce wraps, and mezze salad. With this we added spicy duck and wagyu cheesesteak steamed buns. Our last choice was the wagyu kushiyaki with horseradish whipped cream. All of these dishes were really phenomenal and more than enough food for two people. Honestly, the only thing that wasn’t phenomenal was the service. For such a small restaurant, we felt ignored most of the night. They forgot to turn in the order for one of our steamed buns. I hate to say I’d return to a restaurant that provided poor service, but everything else really was exceptional. This was the only downside for our experience.
- Allred’s Restaurant. You will find Allred’s as you exit the gondola at the station between mountain village and Telluride town. On a clear day, it offers gorgeous views. The feel here is definitely more formal. Due to the views, I erroneously slated the restaurant to offer some uninspired meat and fish dishes to primarily tourists. Turns out, I could not have been more incorrect. We were seated at a beautiful table in the corner next to the window. Outside of the main room, there are other areas for views as well. We started with stuffed peppadews with goat cheese, prosciutto, and a balsamic glaze served on a bed of arugula. This appetizer was very flavorful and a wonderful start to our meal! During our visit, they were serving a price fixe menu. I opted for a caesar salad to start, but their description made it sound like much more than your run of the mill caesar. It was a very tasty and did not disappoint. For my main, I went with the halibut. There was so much creativity on this dish with gnocchi and other tasty accompaniments. Finally, for desert I tried the sticky toffee pudding cake. Yum! You could tell that this restaurant was an institution in Telluride. All of the tables around us were locals and return customers.
- Baked in Telluride. This is a quick, on the go bakery offering so many options. When you walk in, they have cabinets of mouthwatering baked goods including donuts, breakfast pastries, cookies, and brownies. It is so difficult to make a decision! Don’t forget to look behind you at the croissants and breakfast burritos. I left with a flaky croissant with egg and cheese baked inside. This was the perfect to go option for me. They had a variety of choices including turkey and green chili, ham & cheese, bacon & egg, and more. There is also the option to order off the menu everything from sandwiches to bagels with cream cheese. If you are looking for something quick and casual, this is the place to be.
- The Butcher & The Baker. After a long morning of hiking far longer than expected, I could not wait to enjoy a big meal for lunch. Our order included the cheese curds served with a side of hot sauce and two rotisserie chicken sandwiches with potato chips. The cheese curds were a nice start to the meal. My chicken sandwich had lemon aioli, pickled onions, parmesan, and arugula. While the ingredients were nice, the bread was very dry and also served cold while the chicken was warm. If I am being critical, it wasn’t my favorite meal, especially after a long day of hiking. They do serve for drinks a variety of coffees, tea, flavored sodas, and cocktails. Their grape soda was rather tasty. Overall, this meal left me slightly disappointed. It could have been my ordering selection. Their cabinet did have a beautiful variety of baked goods that looked fantastic, but my choices left something to be desired.
- Snake N Dog. If you are looking for fast food that is super quick, this is your best option in mountain village. They serve a variety of sandwiches and dogs. You can customize your own dog by picking bun, type of dog, and condiments. They also serve fun items like frito chili pies and milkshakes. It is not far from the entry of the Fairmont. There is no indoor seating just counter space to order. You can sit outside on the plaza or take it to go.
Mountain village offers a number of other dining options with some having nice patio seating to take advantage of beautiful summer weather. I thought Telluride offered an abundance of fantastic dining options. Our dinner choices were both wonderful serving up great dishes and both very different. For lunch, there are a number of on the go choices for those wanting to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
