The famed hangout of the late Hunter S. Thompson is under new proprietors, and although the leopard carpeting might be gone, the Polaroid pics, magazine covers, and vintage kitsch adorning the walls are still intact. Operated by the locally owned CP Restaurant Group (Steakhouse No. 316, the Monarch, the Wild Fig, CP Burger), the restaurant earns the required 20-minute trek out of town with an elevated menu of comfort food. There are oysters on the half shell, salsa verde nachos, Buffalo wings, burgers, and chicken enchiladas — all paired best with the WCT’s original spicy margarita. Bonus: They take reservations and credit cards now.

Mawa McQueen’s cooking journey has taken her around the globe, but she’s called Aspen home for more than 20 years. The headquarters for her expanding, family-run empire, McQueen Hospitality, is just outside of town, where the James Beard semifinalist nominee welcomes diners right into the kitchen for healthy yet gourmet breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Known as “the queen” among loyal customers, the chef produces rotating menus influenced by flavors from her French and African heritage. This season, the group opens the doors of Latin-inspired Mawita, which joins the Crepe Shack in Snowmass Base Village.

Chef Chris Lanter, co-owner of Aspen’s upscale French-American restaurant Cache Cache, doubled down by bringing this South Carolina-based barbecue joint from the beach to the mountains in 2016. Anchoring the base of the Buttermilk ski area — home to the X Games Aspen every January — Home Team serves house-smoked meats, traditional Southern sides, and signature frozen cocktails. Outside of the X Games, the family-friendly hangout plays other sports on its TVs, so stop by for any type of game day. Catering, bulk order, and party platter menus are also available.

This original Aspen outpost of the famed LA-based empire shows off sushi at its finest and other staples from renowned Japanese chef, Nobu Matsuhisa. The restaurant is situated over two floors in a century-year-old Victorian on Main Street, with a grand dining room downstairs and a main-level lounge and sushi bar. There are two omakase menus available. Try to get a reservation for one of the super-exclusive Nobu in Town nights when the master himself is behind the bar, crafting his signature dishes, schmoozing with guests, and signing cookbooks.

A sleek and stylish trattoria — whose name roughly translates to “mouthwatering” — Acquolina shares a true taste of Roma (former owner Luigi Giordani’s native city). The in-depth menu covers all the essentials: antipasti, insalate, ministre, paste, secondi, and contorni, plus a long list of pizzas that are wood-fired to perfection in an imported oven. Though the restaurant was acquired by Aspen Hospitality Group in 2021, culinary director chef Jason Franey aims to keep Acquolina true to its roots. The restaurant also has one of the best bars in town (locals call it the “Sistine Chapel of liquor”), with seemingly infinite shelves lined with international spirits.

Championing all things local, Meat & Cheese offers a little bit of everything. Seasonal menus consist of what owner Wendy Mitchell defines as “world farmhouse” cuisine, along with copious charcuterie platters to graze on with a group. Patrons can buy cured meats, seafood, cheeses, artisan breads, specialty sauces, and chic kitchen accessories from the adjacent gourmet grocer, too. At night, head downstairs to the moody Hooch Craft Cocktail Bar for inventive concoctions like the Chronic Tonic 2.0, a CBD-infused revamp of the house gin and tonic.

The name is the only thing that’s changed at Aspen’s most European dining experience, formerly called Crêperie du Village. Inside a wood- and fur-cloaked room, the restaurant serves dinner by candlelight. Feast on French Alps-inspired favorites like foie gras, escargots en brioche, fondue, and crepes. It’s sure to inspire your next getaway to Aspen’s sister city, Chamonix.

Translating to “two hands” in Italian, Duemani offers a refined Mediterranean-inspired menu celebrating flavors from the Italian and French coasts. In 2022, Carlos Solorzano-Smith, a managing partner at Aspen Hospitality Group and longtime local sommelier, appointed Aspen native Jesus Alvarado as executive chef. Alvarado’s winter menu draws on his 10 years of experience at Matsuhisa. Must-order items include the scallop crudo, tuna tartare, grilled octopus salad, and branzino with puttanesca sauce (sizable options “from the land” are also offered).

Situated in a second-floor space, this 10,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor location by Catch Hospitality Group boasts sweeping views from Aspen Mountain to Red Mountain and heated patio seating year-round. Taking inspiration from the original Meatpacking District location in New York, Catch Steak tilts the traditional steakhouse model through a lighter, brighter, and fresher menu featuring shareable plates, a curated selection of American cuts, and a focused selection of Japanese wagyu (including snow beef from the Hokkaido prefecture, often called the “holy grail of wagyu”). For herbivores, there’s also a thoughtful selection of vegetarian and vegan options, like a vegetarian chicken parm (a plant-based cutlet with old-school red sauce) and wild dover sole with lemon-caper emulsion, spicy gigli, and aged pecorino.

Sabrina Rudin, whose passion for the plant-based lifestyle is infectious, was ahead of her time in opening Spring Cafe Aspen in 2013. Since then, clean eaters have flocked to this sunny, social spot for juice, coffee, breakfast, and lunch. Highlights on the winter menu include pumpkin oatmeal with house-made nut mylk, sourdough French toast with caramelized bananas and cashew vanilla drizzle, stuffed roasted sweet potato with sauteed greens and cashew coconut cream, and a smoky tempeh gyro.

This intimate gem of a bistro puts out some of the most creative cuisine in Aspen. Each season, chef-owner and native Aspenite Barclay Dodge unveils an inventive menu focused on locally grown ingredients. Winter highlights feature duck liver mousse with blood orange, fermented carrots, and black bread; black cod cooked over alder wood with potato, black truffles, and creme fraiche; and venison with parsnips, wild mountain berries, and puffed wild rice. A prix fixe menu is also available, ranging from four to seven courses, with wine pairings.

Not only is the Aspen Art Museum a global leader in exhibiting contemporary collections, but it’s also home to an energetic bistro in collaboration with the local team behind the Farmer and Chef on the top floor. Find modern brunch fare like sourdough toast with smoked wild salmon, sturgeon caviar, chive cream cheese, pickled onion, horseradish creme fraiche, and fresh herbs, or a warm wrap with miso-soy-marinated mushrooms, spiced pumpkin seeds, hummus, and quinoa. The official Après Parties every Saturday are always a scene, complete with a resident winter DJ; a daily après ski menu is also available (except on Monday’s when the AAM is closed).

It’s no secret that fast casual options in Aspen are very limited, but this longtime locally owned and operated restaurant fills the void with made-to-order burgers, hot fries, and fish tacos. There are also fresh kale and quinoa salads to satiate healthier cravings. The restaurant forged a partnership with the neighboring dispensary in 2020, so you can stock up on cannabis supplies while you wait for your order.

The winter residency of Montauk institution the Surf Lodge, the Snow Lodge returns to the swanky St. Regis Aspen Resort for another spirited season. As part of its tenure, the Snow Lodge not only operates a party garden with a live music series (headliners include Zedd and The Chainsmokers), but also the Supper Club inside the hotel, where culinary director Robert Sieber is back at the helm. Following his eighth summer in Montauk, Sieber traveled around Italy for three weeks for research, resulting in new Tuscany-influenced dishes for the table: cotoletta, a classic bone-in veal chop; bistecca, a 32-ounce, dry-aged porterhouse with torched rosemary; lasagna made with green spinach noodles; and hamachi crudo with winter citrus. Rounding out the multi-venue experience is the Champagne Room, a tented après ski lounge developed by the Nicolas Feuillatte brand.

The Florida- and Nevada-based 50 Eggs Hospitality Group operates Chica, overseen by chef Lorena Garcia, inside the Residences at the Little Nell. Expanding on two existing locations in Miami and Las Vegas, the Aspen location opened in 2021 to fanfare, as guests were wowed by dramatic food presentations (think: hot embers alongside crispy Peruvian octopus, steamy baby back ribs al pastor revealed tableside, and a flaming chocolate skull). Chica delivers a lively vibe where fine dining meets nightlife, including its new post-ski party, Aprés Base Camp. From the expansive patio and outdoor bar, you can enjoy all of the action on Aspen Mountain. 

For you need a break from the Aspen scene, head out to the nearby ghost town of Ashcroft (about a 30 minute drive from the downtown core), where you can take a festive, picture-perfect sleigh ride, powered by Percheron draft horses, to lunch or dinner at Pine Creek Cookhouse. For a more adventurous experience, you can opt for snowshoes or cross-country skis, rentable upon arrival through Ashcroft Ski Touring. Either way, make your way to the restaurant’s prix-fixe feast, which features long-standing favorites like Rocky Mountain trout, wild elk, and oxtail ragu. Reservations are required.