Our Favorite Restaurants in Steamboat Springs

  • A green plate with a waffle topped with whipped cream, sliced peaches, banana, and powdered sugar. A person’s arm with bracelets is visible, along with a glass of water and part of a red plate.
    A green plate with a waffle topped with whipped cream, sliced peaches, banana, and powdered sugar. A person’s arm with bracelets is visible, along with a glass of water and part of a red plate.
  • A smiling couple stands arm in arm outside near a building with red walls, next to a large hanging basket filled with colorful flowers. It's a sunny day.
    A smiling couple stands arm in arm outside near a building with red walls, next to a large hanging basket filled with colorful flowers. It’s a sunny day.
  • Three plates of assorted tacos with rice, beans, lime wedges, and sauces on a wooden table, alongside two glasses of yellow-green drinks with ice and garnished rims.
    Three plates of assorted tacos with rice, beans, lime wedges, and sauces on a wooden table, alongside two glasses of yellow-green drinks with ice and garnished rims.

We have been going to Steamboat Springs, Colorado for 30 years. It is such a dreamy little mountain town a little bit removed from many of the other popular resorts. It still has that cozy western feeling and is beautiful in the summer, fall and winter! Because we have been steamboat fans for so many years we have tried a bunch of restaurants. Here is a list of our favorites and why we love them. Sorry I don’t have a bunch of food pictures…you”ll just have to trust me that these are our favorites!

Winona’s

  • A person holds Winona’s Breakfast Menu outdoors, listing categories like Short & Sweet, Fruits & Grain, Eggs Benedict, Egstravaganza, Light & Lean, Breakfast Specialties, and The Griddle, with sunlight shining on the table.
    A person holds Winona’s Breakfast Menu outdoors, listing categories like Short & Sweet, Fruits & Grain, Eggs Benedict, Egstravaganza, Light & Lean, Breakfast Specialties, and The Griddle, with sunlight shining on the table.
  • A green plate with sliced peaches and a thick pancake covered in white sauce, next to a mug of coffee, stacked colorful plates, and glasses of water on a wooden table. A person sits in the background.
    A green plate with sliced peaches and a thick pancake covered in white sauce, next to a mug of coffee, stacked colorful plates, and glasses of water on a wooden table. A person sits in the background.
  • Breakfast served outdoors on a black metal table with pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, mugs, and a glass water pitcher. People are seated, and cars, plants, and bicycles are visible in the background.
    Breakfast served outdoors on a black metal table with pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, mugs, and a glass water pitcher. People are seated, and cars, plants, and bicycles are visible in the background.

Winona’s has been a family favorite for the three decades we’ve been going to Steamboat! We eat breakfast there at least once every trip and lunch once or twice as well. It is known for its breakfast, but their lunch is equally delicious. We have literally never gotten anything that we don’t love. They are famous for their huge cinnamon rolls.  However, all of their baked goods are made from scratch and absolutely delicious! If you can eat gluten, you should try their Foxy Squares, Lemon Bars or Hello Dollie’s. They are to die for!! I have to be gluten-free so if I want something sweet, I order their blueberry pancakes and enjoy every bite. Another sweet favorite, as weird as it sounds, is their oatmeal. It is just so yummy and comes with homemade granola and your milk of choice. The rest of my family typically sticks with a breakfast burrito, Eggs Benedict or Carnitas hash. I also love their sweet potato hash and green chile cheese grits. For lunch, we almost always get their chicken tortilla soup and some type of sandwich or wrap. The big kid grilled cheese and french dip are family favorites and I love their southwest cobb, Vermont and blueberry and feta salads. Any sandwich can be made on gluten-free bread which is so great! Jamie, the owner is almost always at the restaurant and has the best wait staff. If I could tell you only one restaurant to visit in Steamboat SPrings, it would be Winona’s!

  • A bowl of oatmeal with a side of mixed berries, a small pitcher of milk, and four small cups containing cinnamon, sliced almonds, butter, and brown sugar are artfully arranged on a wooden table—just the kind of wholesome breakfast you might find at some of the best Steamboat Springs restaurants.
    A bowl of oatmeal with a side of mixed berries, a small pitcher of milk, and four small cups containing cinnamon, sliced almonds, butter, and brown sugar are artfully arranged on a wooden table—just the kind of wholesome breakfast you might find at some of the best Steamboat Springs restaurants.
  • Salad with sliced grilled chicken, apple slices, blueberries, candied nuts, and leafy greens on a teal plate, with a fork, knife, and a cup of brown dressing on the side.
    Salad with sliced grilled chicken, apple slices, blueberries, candied nuts, and leafy greens on a teal plate, with a fork, knife, and a cup of brown dressing on the side.
  • A grilled sandwich with melted cheese and greens, cut in half on a blue plate, served with a small bowl of soup. A person in a white shirt is seated in the background at a wooden table.
    A grilled sandwich with melted cheese and greens, cut in half on a blue plate, served with a small bowl of soup. A person in a white shirt is seated in the background at a wooden table.

Freshie’s

Freshie’s is another breakfast and lunch favorite. Again, everything there is so yummy and we always walk away loving what we ordered. They have delicious gluten-free and regular pancakes and French toast. All of their egg dishes are so good as well. My favorite time to eat at Freshie’s is lunch. I always get a salad and they are fabulous. They have homemade dressing and always make the salad unique and different. We have gotten several sandwiches as well as fish tacos and they are all really good as well. Make sure you get sweet potato fries as a side…they are the best!

Creekside

If you want a fancier breakfast place, Creekside is so good. Go during the summer or fall and sit outside and enjoy the river. You can have a mimosa or mocktail and yummy brunch all at the same time. It is also a favorite for lunch. I typically go with girlfriends and we will get a soup and sandwich and split them. 

Yampa Valley Kitchen

  • A plate with a grilled sandwich cut in half, served with a basket of French fries and a cup of ketchup, on an outdoor table.
    A plate with a grilled sandwich cut in half, served with a basket of French fries and a cup of ketchup, on an outdoor table.
  • A bar with tan leather chairs, a dark wood counter, a wall of floral wallpaper in red, yellow, and white, hanging wine glasses, and a lit lamp on the bar.
    A bar with tan leather chairs, a dark wood counter, a wall of floral wallpaper in red, yellow, and white, hanging wine glasses, and a lit lamp on the bar.
  • A bowl of fresh spinach salad with sliced almonds, orange segments, cucumber, red onion, and beetroot, served outdoors on a metal patio table.
    A bowl of fresh spinach salad with sliced almonds, orange segments, cucumber, red onion, and beetroot, served outdoors on a metal patio table.

Yampa Valley Kitchen is a newer restaurant and is so cute and so fun! Don’t you just love the fun wallpaper? If you go in the summer or fall, they have the most beautiful flowers in their outdoor seating.  We went to Steamboat with friends for my husband’s 50th birthday and all the ladies ate outside and enjoyed the gorgeous flowers and yummy food while our husbands golfed at Haymaker.

We have been to TVK for lunch and dinner and both are absolutely delicious. It is a little bit of a higher price point, but worth every penny. They are a farm to table seasonal kitchen, so their menu is always changing. We have gotten delicious salads, sandwiches, soup, and pasta dishes.  Our last visit I got the Cobb salad and my friend got a BLT with fries. The fries were delicious. I go to Yampa Valley Kitchen pretty much every time I visit Steamboat…it’s that good!

  • A hanging basket of colorful flowers decorates the wooden exterior of Yampa Valley Kitchen, with an open door inviting guests inside.
    A hanging basket of colorful flowers decorates the wooden exterior of Yampa Valley Kitchen, with an open door inviting guests inside.
  • A salad with mixed greens, sliced grilled chicken, bacon, shredded carrots, avocado, a halved boiled egg, blue cheese crumbles, and a small container of vinaigrette on the side.
    A salad with mixed greens, sliced grilled chicken, bacon, shredded carrots, avocado, a halved boiled egg, blue cheese crumbles, and a small container of vinaigrette on the side.
  • Five women smiling at an outdoor restaurant table with drinks and menus, surrounded by greenery and sunlight.
    Five women smiling at an outdoor restaurant table with drinks and menus, surrounded by greenery and sunlight.

Favorite Pizza

If you are looking for good pizza that won’t break the bank my family loves Blue Sage. Their pizzas are huge and I love that you can order for dinner and have leftovers for lunch the next day. My favorite place to get pizza that is gluten-free is Mazzola‘s. It has been there for years and years and they have by far the best gluten-free pizza crust I’ve ever tasted. I always get the fig pizza and highly recommend it. It is pricey, but so so good! Slopeside has great pizza and is fun after skiing as it’s on the bottom of the ski slopes. We also like the happy hour pizza at Mambo Italiano. Mambo also has a really good dinner menu.

Primrose

  • A smiling man with gray hair and a black jacket sits next to a smiling blonde woman in a patterned shirt at a restaurant, with a colorful painting behind them.
    A smiling man with gray hair and a black jacket sits next to a smiling blonde woman in a patterned shirt at a restaurant, with a colorful painting behind them.
  • Person holding a restaurant menu at a wooden table, with a server standing nearby. Other diners are visible in the background. The menu features raw bar, starters, global inspirations, and steak options.
    Person holding a restaurant menu at a wooden table, with a server standing nearby. Other diners are visible in the background. The menu features raw bar, starters, global inspirations, and steak options.
  • An older man and woman smiling and sitting together at a restaurant table with menus, a plate, and utensils in front of them.
    An older man and woman smiling and sitting together at a restaurant table with menus, a plate, and utensils in front of them.

One of our go-to options for a nicer meal is Primrose. They also have a great happy hour menu. It is so fun and has the best homemade burger you will ever eat! We always get the burger and fries, potato, skins and dip and Brussels sprouts. However, we have gotten pasta and fish, pork and beef dishes and they have been wonderful as well.  I took my parents there the last time they visited and they both really enjoyed it as well!

Aurum

  • A wedge salad topped with creamy dressing, pickled red onions, crumbled cheese, bacon bits, and diced pears, served on a white plate.
    A wedge salad topped with creamy dressing, pickled red onions, crumbled cheese, bacon bits, and diced pears, served on a white plate.
  • Three smiling women with blonde hair take a close-up selfie outdoors on a city sidewalk. They are dressed in light, casual clothes, with shops, trees, and parked cars visible in the background.
    Three smiling women with blonde hair take a close-up selfie outdoors on a city sidewalk. They are dressed in light, casual clothes, with shops, trees, and parked cars visible in the background.
  • Four plates on a wooden table: roasted Brussels sprouts, two servings of fries with ketchup, sliced steak with sauces, and a salad with pickled onions. Two empty water glasses are nearby.
    Four plates on a wooden table: roasted Brussels sprouts, two servings of fries with ketchup, sliced steak with sauces, and a salad with pickled onions. Two empty water glasses are nearby.


Aurum is an amazing restaurant in Steamboat, especially if you’re looking for a delicious meal with beautiful views of the Yampa River. On our last trip, my daughters and I had a few days together before my husband arrived, so we decided on a happy hour dinner. Scott and I have enjoyed anniversary dinners here before, but it was the girls’ first visit, and they loved it! We ordered several dishes to share, which made it so much fun. My Bibb wedge salad was fresh and delicious, the truffle fries disappeared in minutes, the girls loved the steak frites, and we all agreed the crispy Brussels sprouts were a must-order. The happy hour prices were fantastic, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere couldn’t be prettier. Whether you dine on the patio overlooking the river or enjoy the view from inside, Aurum is a restaurant we happily recommend. Their full dinner menu is wonderful, too!

Salt & Lime

  • Three plates of assorted tacos with rice, beans, lime wedges, and sauces on a wooden table, alongside two glasses of yellow-green drinks with ice and garnished rims.
    Three plates of assorted tacos with rice, beans, lime wedges, and sauces on a wooden table, alongside two glasses of yellow-green drinks with ice and garnished rims.
  • A woman and a man smile at the camera while sitting together at an outdoor restaurant with string lights and flowers in the background.
    A woman and a man smile at the camera while sitting together at an outdoor restaurant with string lights and flowers in the background.
  • A smiling man in a checkered shirt holds a plate of churros in a restaurant. In the background, people sit at a table, and there is a mural with skeleton musicians on the wall.
    A smiling man in a checkered shirt holds a plate of churros in a restaurant. In the background, people sit at a table, and there is a mural with skeleton musicians on the wall.

Being from Texas, we are pretty picky when it comes to Mexican food and TexMex. We were skeptical when Salt and Lime first opened but let me tell you it is so so good! Their homemade guacamole and chips are fabulous. I always get the chicken Tinga and Barbacoa tacos with a side of rice and black beans. My husband and daughters love the chicken burrito or chicken enchiladas. The margaritas are so yummy and the churros are a great sweet treat if you have room for dessert. We love it so much that we eat there every trip and Salt & Lime is where my husband chose to have his 50th birthday dinner!

Steamboat Springs Restaurants

As you can tell, we are big fans of Steamboat Springs restaurants!! There are many more that we have gone to and enjoyed, but this blog post is a list of our favorites. You’ll have to let me know if you go visit Steamboat…it’s truly our favorite mountain town and such a welcoming little spot.

Grateful for you,

Julie








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