Beer Towns » Vail
DRAFT Beer Town: Vail
By Lauren Glendenning
After a day on this city's slopes, you'll find a mountain of places to dine, relax and drink.
Appeared in: November/December 2008 Issue
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Bars
The Tap Room333 Bridge St
Vail CO
Those escaping the mountain to check the latest NFL scores head to The Tap Room and for multiple TVs and a solid beer selection that includes Smithwick's and Trumer. Eight beers on tap and another 20 or so in bottles make this an excellent spot for a brew, day or night, and the burgers and wings are some of the best in town. On Tuesday, $6 buys you a burger and a beer. www.taproomvail.com
The George
292 E Meadow Dr
Vail CO
The George is tucked away in the basement of the Vail Mountain Haus hotel just before the village's covered bridge. The apres ski scene starts hopping right around 4 p.m., when tired skiers and boarders plop down on the cozy sofas in front of the fireplace and sip off five taps and 15 bottles. Happy hour begins at 3 p.m., and the food and drink specials are cheap, especially for Vail. 970-476-2656
Vendetta's
291 Bridge St
Vail CO
This late-night pizza joint in Vail Village has been packing crowds for 25 years. It's the only place in town to grab a bite to eat in the wee morning hours, when it serves up slices of thin-crust to the masses. Walk beyond the pizza counter to check out the bar scene, which is usually brimming with tourists. www.vendettasvail.com
The Red Lion
304 Bridge St
Vail CO
Longtime local entertainer and co-owner Phil Long plays live music at the Red Lion Wednesday through Sunday nights in the winter, moving the party from the mountain to the top of Bridge Street. The Red Lion's patio stays full even when it's 5 degrees outside, and locals claim the place is swarming with "cougars" in the winter, so keep your wits about you. www.theredlion.com
Beer Bars
Blue Moon Bar and Restaurant352 East Meadow Drive
Vail CO
Vail Mountain is a skier's paradise, and beer is no afterthought. The Blue Moon Cafe atop the Eagle Bahn Gondola is sponsored by MillerCoors and offers a tantalizing variety of the company's beers. A menu that boasts big, belly-filling burgers lures skiers and apres-pros alike. 970-479-4530.
Brewpubs
Gore Range Brewery105 Edwards Village Blvd
Edwards CO
The Vail Valley's only brewery, Gore Range in Edwards offers and average of six of its microbrews at a time. This season, the Powder Day Pale Ale is an excellent apres ski sipper, but even more intriguing is the Great Sex Honey Ale, a beer brewed with Colorado western slope wildflower honey. www.gorerangebrewery.com
Dine
La Bottega100 E Meadow Dr
Vail CO
This Northern Italian restaurant in Vail Village has a large patio that stays full most of the day in winter. At dinner, a beef carpaccio with truffle cream practically melts in your mouth. Don't miss the White Truffle Gnocchi or the Lamb Osso Bucco, either, and ask the chef/owner's wife for an Italian wine recommendation. Local's tip: make a reservation. www.labottegavail.com
La Tour
122 E Meadow Dr
Vail CO
Gerald and Betty Ford dined at La Tour almost weekly when they lived in town. The French-inspired white tablecloth restaurant delivers with a succulent menu including extravagant selections like Colorado lamb chops and seared foie gras as rich as the customers at the next table. La Tour has as many as seven sommeliers on staff in the winter, so don't hesitate to ask for help when browsing the extensive wine list. www.latour-vail.com
La Cantina
241 S Frontage Rd E
Vail CO
The third "la" on our list is cheap, fast and delish. Locals rate it as the best place for a meal under $10 in the local newspaper's reader's poll year after year. Housed oddly under the Vail Transportation Center in the parking garage, La Cantina is where to go for flavorful burritos, tacos and fajitas. 970-476-7661
Moe's
675 W Lionshead Cir
Vail CO
This no-frills Alabama barbecue joint offers favorites like pulled pork, baked beans, ribs and sweet tea. It's inexpensive for Vail, so it's worth the extra couple of minutes it takes to walk there from the bottom of the ski hill. If filling up on 'cue, banana pudding and cornbread for about $10 sounds good, Moe's won't disappoint. www.moesoriginalbbq.com
Larkspur
458 Vail Valley Dr
Vail CO
This kitchen dishes up gluten-free options, as well as adventurous appetizes like veal sweetbreads and pork belly. The large bar and lounge opens up to the Golden Peak area of Vail Mountain, making this a ski-in/ski-out hotspot by day and a posh dinner choice by night. www.larkspurvail.com
Sleep
Arrabelle at Vail Square675 Lionshead Place
Vail CO
This majestic hotel opened up last winter with one obvious purpose: pamper the guests. A personal butler is available 24/7, and he'll do anything from adjust the room temperature to draw a bubble bath complete with magazines, sea salts and rose petals. Skiing in the morning? The hotel will warm your boots by the lobby fireplace and carry your gear to the gondola. www.arrabelle.rockresorts.com
Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer
231 E Gore Creek Dr
Vail CO
This hotel has a happening lounge that features live music and fills up during apres. The owners, who helped found Vail Mountain in the 1960s, are almost always there, giving it more of a B&B feel than that of a large ski-town hotel. Pepi's Bar and Restaurant on the main level serves up traditional Austrian fare, while the Antler's Room offers a menu of wild game like venison and buffalo. www.pepis.com
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