Restaurants

Where to eat in Aspen

Aspen restaurants for casual lunches, après, warm bistros, polished dinners, barbecue, sushi, and dependable late meals downtown.

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White House Tavern

White House Tavern serves sandwiches, salads, and cocktails in a compact, wood-paneled historic house on Hopkins Avenue. The focused menu and central location make it a polished lunch or early-dinner choice without the formality of Aspen's larger dining rooms.

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Aspen restaurants

French Alpine Bistro - Crêperie du Village

French Alpine Bistro is a candlelit, below-street-level dining room known for crêpes, fondue, raclette, and French Alpine plates. The intimate setting near the pedestrian mall suits a long dinner after a cold mountain day.

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Casual meal

520 Grill

520 Grill is a casual downtown counter-service stop for Mexi-Cali tacos, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Its central Cooper Avenue location and takeout format suit a straightforward lunch between Aspen Mountain, shopping, and the town's galleries.

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Aspen restaurants

Bear Den Aspen

Bear Den is a compact downtown bistro and wine bar serving breakfast, brunch, après dishes, and dinner. Choose it for a cafe-style morning or a smaller evening meal near the Wheeler Opera House and central shopping streets.

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Aspen restaurants

Casa Tua Aspen

Casa Tua pairs Italian cooking with a warm, art-filled dining room near Aspen Mountain. Its seasonal menu and polished service suit a celebration dinner; confirm the current menu and reserve directly for busy weekends.

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After the outing

Aspen Hickory House

Hickory House serves hickory-smoked ribs, barbecue plates, steaks, and substantial breakfasts on Main Street west of downtown. Choose it for a hearty breakfast before an outdoor day or a casual barbecue dinner afterward.

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Aspen restaurants

Zane's Tavern Aspen

Zane's is an informal downtown tavern for burgers, wings, Mexican plates, beer, and cocktails. The sports-bar atmosphere and broad casual menu work well for groups who want an unfussy meal and a game on television.

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Special dinner

Matsuhisa

Matsuhisa brings Nobu Matsuhisa's Japanese cooking, sushi, and signature seafood dishes to a historic downtown Aspen house. Multiple dining rooms and the sushi bar make it a clear destination dinner; reserve directly during ski weeks and event weekends.

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First-night pick

Aspen Public House

Aspen Public House occupies the historic Wheeler Opera House building and serves burgers, fried chicken, salads, beer, wine, and cocktails. It is convenient after checking in near Wagner Park or walking the pedestrian mall.

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Cuisine and setting

Casual counters, alpine rooms, and destination dinners

Casual Colorado

Barbecue, tacos, burgers, and tavern plates

Hickory House covers smoked ribs and breakfast on Main Street; 520 Grill serves Mexi-Cali counter food on Cooper Avenue; Zane's adds wings, burgers, and a sports-bar room downtown.

Destination dinner

Japanese, Italian, or French Alpine

Matsuhisa centers Japanese cooking and sushi in a historic house; Casa Tua offers an art-filled Italian dining room; French Alpine Bistro serves crêpes, fondue, and raclette below street level.

Morning and après

Breakfast, après, or an easy walk-in meal

Bear Den spans breakfast through dinner in a compact bistro; Aspen Public House serves American comfort food in the Wheeler building; White House Tavern focuses on sandwiches, salads, and cocktails.

Choose by meal

Breakfast, arrival night, casual recovery, or a reserved dinner

Arrival night

Aspen Public House or White House Tavern

Aspen Public House has a broad comfort-food menu in the Wheeler building and works well after checking in near Wagner Park. White House Tavern is smaller and more focused on sandwiches, salads, and cocktails; choose it when a compact, polished room matters more than menu breadth.

Breakfast before the mountain

Hickory House or Bear Den

Hickory House is the hearty choice for breakfast plates before a long outdoor day. Bear Den offers a more cafe-like start downtown and continues through brunch, après, and dinner.

Casual recovery meal

520 Grill or Zane's Tavern

Choose 520 Grill for counter-service tacos, burgers, salads, or takeout between downtown stops. Choose Zane's for wings, burgers, beer, and televised sports when a group wants an informal table after skiing.

Reserve ahead

Matsuhisa, Casa Tua, or French Alpine Bistro

Matsuhisa is the sushi-and-Japanese splurge in a historic house; Casa Tua pairs Italian cooking with an art-filled dining room; French Alpine Bistro is the intimate fondue, raclette, and crêpe choice. Reserve early for ski weeks and major event weekends.

Aspen evening

Most dinners are a short walk from downtown hotels

Restaurants cluster along Cooper, Hyman, Hopkins, and Main streets near the Aspen Art Museum, Wheeler Opera House, and central hotels. Hickory House sits farther west on Main Street; check the distance before setting out in ski boots or heavy snow.