Every year when I visit my mother in Miami, we slip out in the mornings before my sleeping angels awake and drive onto the Rickenbacker Causeway, carefully avoiding the cars where all one can see is a mass of coiffed curls and spectacled eyes peaking up above the steering wheel.
Our destination is the Oasis Sandwich Shop, a tiny shack serving the most delicious coffee I’ve ever had…in my life! I swear!
When I first walked in to Oasis I was intimidated. The line spewed out the door as the employees shouted out orders to each other in Spanglish. It was hot outside and even hotter, and steamier, inside as the customers melted together like the Cuban sandwiches being pressed on the grill.
If you want to stay and drink your deliciously sweet Café con Leche and eat your Pan con Bistec at Oasis, you stand outside at the take out window and mingle with the other regulars. It’s a scene I crave where olive skinned beach bums, clad in skimpy beachwear pull up in sparkling clean expensive cars adorned with kite boards and grab their sandwiches for the beach, as businessmen dressed in beautifully tailored suits joke around with street workers with fingers stained from hard work in the hot sun and cigarettes.
When I think of Aspen the word exotic does not come to mind nevertheless, we do have some wonderful coffee shops, each one different in its own special way.
In preparation for all of you who are coming to town to enjoy Aspen over the holidays, or for those of you who plan on one day visiting me to experience all that I am writing about, I am going to start a series of posts giving you my favorite places, beginning with hot, steamy, strong and frothy coffee.
FYI: I am only listing the places where I frequent but please know there are many other wonderful places that I may have not included. For those lists please visit my buddies over at eatAspen.
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning my friends Olivier and Amy Mottier and their French Cafe, Jour de Fete.
Located close to The Gondola Plaza one can find freshly baked bread, home-style cooking and French Pastries as well as a delicious coffee (Olivier prefers to use what he thinks is the best, Lavazza coffee from Italy, a strong coffee without the bitter taste).
Jour de Fete is a warm and cozy place to sit in the mornings and watch the locals stop by to stuff a famous breakfast burrito or chocolate Eclair into their pack before heading out to the slopes.
For lunch many a skier believes that it is quicker and a hell of a lot less expensive to ski back down to have lunch with Olivier, rather than spend their last dime at the Sundeck. Olivier offers a variety of grains, fish, meats and vegetables so you can create your own plate or if you prefer, make your own sandwich.
Owner, Olivier Mottier
Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Early Dinner
Hours are 7:00am to 6:00pm Mon-Fri & 7am to 4pm Sat & Sun
Located at 710 East Durant Ave in Aspen (Near City Market)
970-925-5055
Peach’s, with possibly the best corner location in Aspen, is a locally operated Café offering food from local vendors.
Dive into the social scene where you will see many a laptop dawning a table as casually dressed entrepreneurs hash out ideas over coffee, melted chocolate decadent muffins, breakfast sandwiches and other delicious fare.
Serving Breakfast and Lunch
Hours are Monday-Saturday from 7am to 6pm.
Located on the corner of Hopkins and Galena.
970-544-9866
Aspen’s first ZGreen Certified Café and Bakery, Boden’s Butter offers gluten free, vegan and delicious naturally baked goods. With a child who is allergic to dairy, soy and eggs, Owner Kelly Hart takes her ingredients seriously whipping up incredible treats, some more healthy than others but most with organic ingredients.
Serving Baked Goods and organic packaged products, Delicious Coffees and Smoothies
Hours are Monday – Saturday from 6:30am to 3pm
Located downstairs at 601 East Hopkins Ave, on the corner of Hunt and Hyman, sharing the same building with The Cheese Shop. FYI: Former owners of The Cheese Shop, Michele Kiley and Marco Cingolani, are opening a new restaurant, Justice Snow, in the former restaurant space where Bentley’s at the Wheeler once was. For all you little mice out there, have no fear, The Cheese Shop will re-open with a new local owner, Sarah Helsley and her husband, on December 21st. Hot and cold sandwiches will still be served.
970-925-7779.
Owner Kelly Hart stands in front of her Cafe
All you have to do is read the philosophy statement on their website to see why you should taste their coffee, “The perfect cup distills the true essence of artisanship, since it requires a complete harmony between the skills of the grower, the roaster and the barista. Our challenge is to source the best beans, adjust our grind, tampering, temperature, pressure and timing of our shot to bring out the hidden characters of the beans and to combine this with perfectly integrated steamed milk. This creative process is what we love to use for the enjoyment of our community of customers.”
With Australian Owners, one can find many a good looking Aussie at the Cafe enjoying a true Aussie style coffee and a Brekki.
Serving Breakfast, Lunch and light dinner
Hours are 7:30am to 8pm
Located at 510 East Durant, around the corner from Belly Up.
970-920-3001
Local Celeb, Ramona of Plum TV, enjoys her Aussie Coffee
Ready to venture past the rotary? Head down to this bakery for the most delicious baguettes in the valley and while there you must order their incredible tomato soup to dip the bread into. If you close your eyes while you bite into the crusty baguette, chewy on the inside, you may envision yourself at a sidewalk Café in Aix en Provence!
Serving Breakfast and Lunch
Hours are 7am to 5pm daily
Located at 305 Gold Rivers Ct #100 in Basalt
970-927-2253
Also beyond the Rotary, you will find Jen’s Cafe.
Jen is passionate about Organic and local foods. Her coffee is Organic Fair Trade and her prepared food is like none other that you will find in any Cafe in the valley.
She does her research, that Jen, and on her shelves you will find delicious items for sale such as hand dipped shortbread biscuits from the Island of Mull in Scotland and mint chocolate crisps made with organic Mitcham peppermint that is grown on a family heirloom farm in Hampshire, England as well as Goji Berries, Longan Fruit Snacks and Ron Teeguarden’s Dragon Herb Fruit.
All you have to do is hear the ingredients that Jen puts into her all gluten and dairy free “Jen Bars” to get a better idea of how serious she is about her food: Almond butter, raw honey, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, 60% organic fair trade cocoa and vanilla brown rice cereal. Talk about eating food for fuel instead of wasted calories! Jen knows the value of every ingredient she uses which often includes coconut oil and Salba Seeds.
Personally, I visit Jen for her Matte Latte’s made with Guayaki tea, and her Jen bars.
Serving Breakfast and Lunch
Hours are 7:30am to 2:30pm daily
Located at 132 Basalt Center Circle, Basalt, next to the Phillips 66 and around the corner from Clark’s Market.
970-471-9916
From here we’ll move to my favorite most casual but most delicious breakfast spots, on the go lunches, après ski, family dining and late night (for that I’ll have to ask the locals).
I think you already know I love your posts about food! LOL, looks good!
Ron Teegarden’s shop is a few blocks from my home. Great stuff there.
W.
Oh how I miss Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley! Thank you for this post – may just have to come in for an extended stay and play for awhile, and visit some of my most favorite places to eat!
Michelle´s last [type] ..Are You Unconsciously Harboring World Fears?
thanks for the update! see you over Xmas?
I’ll be here Jody.
Michelle, There’s no place like home (or at least the place that you call home)!!
Is that where you get all of your energy from Winston? I’m all over that stuff! Thank you for sticking with me while changing your email addresses!!