So many of us are saddened by the closing of three of Aspen’s best and most long-standing favorite restaurants; Pinons, L’Hostaria, and Jimmy’s An American Restaurant & Bar. Even Casa D’Angelo, the restaurant that moved into Pinons, is now closed. Ask any local and they’ll tell you the reason why Aspen can’t keep their restaurants, but that’s not our bag, so we’ll leave the research up to you. In the meantime, let’s raise a glass and cheers to great times and wonderful meals with Chef Rob Mobilian, who is enjoying his yogi and river plunging lifestyle, and Jimmy Yeager, who’s off exploring South America on his motorcycle, and Tiziano who I have spotted numerous times enjoying sunset walks with his family. We are all so glad that you are enjoying your lives and are no longer trapped in your work, but nevertheless, we miss you and your restaurants!
So where are the restaurants in Aspen where one should go to these days? Well, we’ll tell you:
Duemani
Carlos, Jason, Darko, Chef Pak, Nick, and the entire front and back-of-house team of Duemani orchestrated a truly magical evening for our Aspen Business Connect members and special guests this past December. Their meticulous attention to detail and gracious hospitality exceeded our expectations in every way. What started as a request for 1 comped drink turned into an offering of 2 types of wine and 2 custom batched cocktails. Our simple ask for a few light bites on the bar transformed into an exquisite selection of fine dining passed canapés. The team’s generosity knew no bounds as they extended the hours from 5-6:30 p.m. to the entire evening, topped off with an unexpected karaoke party in the private dining room.
We wholeheartedly recommend considering them for your private dinner celebration in the cozy wine room downstairs, attending their epic New Year’s Eve party, a private dinner party in their exclusive winter Yurt, or simply becoming a regular at the bar for their happy hours. Allow them to weave their magic and become a part of your extended family, just as they have become an integral part of ours.
Bar Under Cooper (Buck)
For those of you used to play air hockey and down pitchers of beer at Cooper Street Pier, it’s opened again by two local guys with a history of working at The Red Onion, Brad Smith and Jordan White.
We can’t tell you how nice it is to have a place for the locals, where you don’t have to give away your firstborn for a burger, fries, and a beer. Be forewarned, it’s local, and rowdy and there most likely will be sports games playing on multiple TV’s.
Clark’s Oyster Bar
Our go-to place for oysters and a chilled glass of wine, Clark’s Oyster Bar has a great atmosphere with beautiful afternoon light from the skylight and a very fun bar where you never know who you’re going to meet.
Meat & Cheese
It’s still there but under new ownership. If you’re a pickleballer you’ll see the previous owner, Wendy Mitchell cracking balls with velocity on the pickleball court.
West End Social
Aspen’s best kept secret, West End Social, formerly known as Plato’s, is located in the Aspen Institute and has possibly one of the best views in town. Surrounded by glass windows this dining room has “270-degree views” which includes Highland’s ski area. “The large outdoor deck is a perfect place for après drinks and dining.”
The White House Tavern
Square on the corner of Monarch and Hopkins in downtown, is White House Tavern. This unassuming Carpenter Gothic miner’s cottage brings Aspen’s silver legacy to the modern age. A warm, wood interior is accented by bold industrial elements. If you are able to enjoy a table on the porch, people watching is a treat!
“Guests can expect a lively and convivial atmosphere featuring an exhibition kitchen and interesting artworks set in a warm, wood paneled space.”
Ever the curated menu, White House Tavern keeps it simple, letting its dishes shine. While their menu stays consistent throughout the year, they will feature certain ingredients in new dishes on occasion.
With a full bar, White House Tavern keeps you sippin’ pretty while enjoying one of their menu staples. These staples include their daily French dips, Macho salad, and, of course, the best chicken sandwich this side of the valley!
Personally, I enjoy their kale salad with rotisserie chicken and the Brussel sprouts. Sometimes my friends and I swing by for the creamed corn – just saying.
Meat & Cheese
Seasonal, made from scratch, exquisite. A dining experience at Meat and Cheese is an inviting tribute to ancestral food culture. Original founder Wendy Mitchell opened Meat and Cheese in the fall of 2014, it has since been sold to Aspen-based hospitality group Infinite Hospitality (Wendy can be found on the pickleball courts of Aspen).
Meat and Cheese fills a niche. Elegant, savory food compliments an airy, familial atmosphere. It’s the kind of restaurant I would take my grandparents to catch up over a light lunch and great wine.
Industrial but inviting, the brick façade is complimented by large windows and a moody interior. The hybrid nature of Meat and Cheese means you can speak to their experts about gourmet ingredients for your next dish.
“Meat and Cheese is a celebration of food as prepared in home kitchens everywhere, a style we refer to as World Farmhouse. Using locally sourced, sustainably raised ingredients as our starting point, we engage in the culinary traditions of Asia, Europe and the Americas to create a menu meant for sharing that is eclectic yet recognizable for its traditional techniques.”
Ladies’ night in Aspen? Meet up at Meat and Cheese to enjoy signature cocktails as the sun sets on the patio.
A Bee’s Tea and Quesabirria Tacos to share? Yes please!
** Note: Be sure to check out the beautiful mural gracing the walls inside Meat & Cheese. It was created by Ouizi, whose work Wendy and her husband found at Astro Coffee in Detroit.
ParcAspen
We’ve only sat in the front bar area, and that’s probably all we’ll ever do because that is what we did when it was L’Hostaria, which we miss dearly. We were surprisingly happy with the atmosphere and the food.
The Steak House No. 316
Madame Ushi
One of our favorite bars in town because it reminds us of our old hangout, The Chicken Box in Nantucket. It’s especially fun when the lights go out on stormy nights and you strike up a conversation with a guy and his influencer girlfriend, at least that is what happened to us. It was great to meet you @meliniseri, @hopaygram (thanks for the bite of your dish and your gift!), good to shout across the bar with you @haasy__ !
The Boat Tow Aspen
A Gravity Haus restaurant in Aspen.
Sway Thai
Located on “Restaurant Row”, an expression that wasn’t around when La Cocina and Jimmy’s were in town, Sway Thai is modern Thai and the refreshing new kid on the block. As stated on their website, “A collaboration between new waterloo and infinite hospitality features a blend of tradition and innovation in its design, conceptualized by renowned architect michael hsu. the restaurant boasts an intimate dining room, bar seating, patio to come post-opening, and an inviting ambiance.”
Of course there are many more, which I will write about when I visit them … so stay tuned.
