When Chris Schmidt first opened Craftsman in Edwards four years ago, it was the culmination of his life’s work and the actualization of a long-held dream. And in these four years, while the chef-driven, craft…
Special to the Daily
The night Caleb and Jaimie Mackey signed a contract to purchase the unit that would turn into The Assembly Food + Wine, Jaimie went into labor with their daughter. The day they took over the space, they had yet to find a chef to plan the cuisine. And at their grand opening on August 9, 2020, Eagle County restaurants operated at 50%, or 34 guests in The Assembly’s case. But when a passion is supposed to manifest, it does despite an apparent lack of chef, a first-born child coming into the world or a global pandemic.
Food, wine and cooking has been a cornerstone of the Mackey’s relationship: they have bookshelves loaded with cookbooks, and they plan their trips based upon what they’ll eat. And, last August, their dream of owning a restaurant not only came to fruition, but also was embraced by the community.
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Roasted Beets & Whipped Goat Cheese Salad from The Assembly baby arugula, mint, pistachio dukkah, dried fig saba vinaigrette. (Susi Thurman, New Roots Photography, provided by The Assembly)
Wherever you’re headed this season for a Colorado mountain getaway, you can expect to find a new restaurant or two to try out. And with restrictions changing regularly, they’re all outfitted with combinations of heated patios, limited indoor dining and, of course, takeout.
Here are a handful of spots that have risen to the top of our list for the next weekend or better yet, weekday visit. There’s an airy seasonal American cafe in Eagle, a fried chicken window in Frisco, not one but two charcuterie and wine bars in Steamboat Springs, an omakase counter in Aspen and an après lounge plus steakhouse in Vail Village.
The Vail Valley has a stable of staple restaurants Pepi’s at Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer on Bridge Street, for instance, which opened in 1964; or the Coyote Cafe at Beaver Creek, serving ski patrol and others for over 30 years; or Gashouse in Edwards, a rustic restaurant in an old 1900s gas station building.
However, whether you’re a local, a regular weekend visitor or planning your return to the valley this winter or this summer or next year there’s usually a new place or two to try throughout the year.
The Know Denver Post’s arts and entertainment section recently featured two new restaurants to the valley on its list of “Five new restaurants to try in the mountains this winter.”