Mountain restaurants

Aspen Snowmass

There are 23 mountain restaurants in Aspen, including some of the best in North America, serving international, traditional, self-service and fast food. The Sundeck, at the top of Aspen Mountain, offers a good self-service menu, but the neighboring Aspen Mountain Club—one of the world’s most exclusive clubs—is open only to members. At upper mid-mountain Bonnie’s restaurant, with its famous two-tiered outdoor deck, is a popular hangout, and Ajax Tavern, at the base of the Silver Queen Gondola, is a favorite après-ski venue.

Buttermilk’s Cliffhouse does an excellent stir-fry and the outdoor deck has renowned views of the Maroon Creek Valley.

On Aspen Highlands, the Cloud Nine Café, at the top of the high-speed quad, is a quaint Alpine-style chalet featuring excellent European food with table service and magnificent views. Mid-mountain the Merry-Go-Round has the largest outdoor deck in the valley.

Over at Snowmass, Gordon’s High Alpine includes an elegant European-style restaurant and cafeteria-style self-service for guests on the move while Sam’s Knob has both self-service and an Italian full-service restaurant with beautiful views down the Brush Creek Valley.