Breckenridge Restaurants

While I haven’t been out to any new restaurants in a while, I did go out to dinner every night while on vacation in Breckenridge, CO. So just in case you’re ever in the area, you’ll have some suggestions. But do realize there are MANY restaurants to choose from in the town and I know I missed quite a few of them. I have a feeling that some of the better ones are those off the beaten path, away from Main Street.

One of the top restaurants by far was Blue River Bistro, which is one of the few higher-end restaurants in the area. The restaurant was hosting several large parties on the night that we went and yet they were still able to find a place for us and give us top service, so I was really impressed. I ordered the special, a Red Ruby Trout with polenta and shoestring fried zucchini. The polenta was so thick that it tasted just like mashed potatoes and the zucchini might as well had been French fries. Very heavy meal for someone like me! I was jealous of my friend’s dinner: beef tenderloin with shrimp and cute, baby potatoes with spinach. We also split a Cloudline Pinot Noir from Oregon 2009. A perfect pairing for such rich meals.

This fancy meal sharply contrasted the more casual restaurants that are everywhere in the resort town. My favorite probably had to be Eric’s, the downstairs sports bar. I was probably influenced by the fact that Thursday night football was on and all the Broncos fans really livened up the place. Extensive selection of beers on draught and in bottles and typical bar food. While I just got a steak salad, my friend got a giant calzone! It was impressive! Full of cheese! With a large menu, there is something for everyone and a happening environment.

Another favorite of mine was the Breckenridge Brewery since we got to try one of their newest beers, the Agave Wheat. So light and fruity and it paired well with everything, including our mussels! I was really impressed with their beet salad with a full filet of salmon and goat cheese. My friend was brave and tried their Double IPA 147 that had 9.2% alcohol…very strong stuff!

My friend read that Giampietro’s had the best pizza in town and she really wanted to “carb me up” for a day on the slopes so we walked down there and had to wait in the small foyer for a while since the restaurant is pretty small. With only two of us, I was afraid to order the larger Italian-style pizza that came out in a full sheet pan of thick squares. Instead we opted for the NY style, which wasn’t quite as hearty. Their long list of pasta specials on the chalkboard all looked good and I would probably try that instead.

I wanted to take my friend out for something special for her birthday and we found a sushi restaurant hidden behind a touristy t-shirt store in one of the strip malls. Because it was hidden, it was nice and quiet in the restaurant. I’m not sure if Wasabi is part of a chain but it definitely fixed our sushi craving and we were quickly full after just a few rolls. With such an intimate environment and just a few tables, the service was excellent.

The first and last restaurant we tried in Breckenridge was actually nothing special but we loved the convenience of Mi Casa Mexican restaurant located on the main floor of our “hotel”. Without having to go far and sneaking in from the back, Mi Casa was a personal favorite. Service was excellent with a full staff spread throughout the large dining area. We skipped the noisy bar and got a large table for just the two of us. We both had the cod special the first night, which came with quite a few peppers as well as a side of black beans and rice. I mixed all the ingredients together, which made the meal even spicier, and took a couple of nights to finish. Yet, our favorite part of the meal was the side of queso and we ended up making a meal of it on our final night along with a chicken quesadilla.

I think the only place we were sorry we missed was the Crepe A La Cart stand that was open until 9pm most nights and smelled so good as you walked by in the cold.

Also be sure to visit Cool River coffee shop. They’re only open until 3PM but had a wide variety of coffees, Danishes, bagels, and sandwiches. So comfortable and relaxing with a beautiful view of the mountains. It’s nice to spend money at a local shop instead of Starbucks for a change.


Resources:

Blue River Bistro = http://www.blueriverbistro.com/

Downstairs at Eric’s = http://downstairsaterics.com/

Breckenridge Brewery = http://www.breckbrew.com/

Giampietro Pasta & Pizzeria = http://www.giampietropizza.com/

Wasabi Breckenridge = http://www.wasabi-breckenridge.com/

Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Cantina = http://www.micasamexicanrestaurant.com/

Crepes a Lar Cart = http://www.crepesalacarts.com/

Cool River Coffee = http://www.skitownrestaurants.com/breckenridge/restaurant.php?rid=125