8 Best Restaurants in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado

Casual CP Burger offers gourmet beef, chicken, tuna, and falafel burgers for takeout or eating in. Also on the menu are hot dogs, grilled cheese, and kale salad, a locals' favorite. In the summer, take your burger, fries (regular, sweet potato, or Parmesan truffle), and shake (spiked for adults, if you like) outside to eat under white umbrellas and watch the kids on the mini-golf course. In the winter, the course transforms into an ice rink, and you can warm up inside CP Burger with a hot chocolate.

The owners of this burger joint—a trendy dining room with exposed brick, bright-green seating, and animal drawings on the walls—grind their own beef, lamb, chicken, pork, and buffalo for exquisite gourmet patties. The focus is on locally raised, grass-fed meats and unusual toppings: try the lamb burger with tzatziki and feta spread, or even a vegetarian option. Arcade games entertain kids while parents enjoy Colorado microbrews.

Colorful flags hang from the ceilings over the simple tables and chairs that surround a large fireplace at this little local-favorite eatery. Tucked into a strip mall by the highway on the west side of town, it serves wonderfully tasty, authentic Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian food: try fish kawab (marinated overnight and then baked in a tandoor) with a side of buttery naan.

The small but well-prepared menu brings everyone to this small diner just far enough off the main road that it could be easily missed—but do stop for a breakfast burrito stuffed with seasonal veggies or French toast with berry compote. White walls; wooden, metal-ringed tables; and blue chairs create a casual dining area where the wood bartop and high stools are a favorite. The tiny outside eating area fills up fast.

Mix and match tacos and hot dogs at this small, chill spot near the Roaring Fork River that attracts families and outdoor enthusiasts looking to refuel after their adventures. Tacos range from fried fish with pico de gallo to unexpected Asian flavors, and the local, natural-casing dogs are equally enticing, including the Glenwood Completo with avocado and ancho remoulade. Colorado beers and margaritas offer the perfect pairing.

Round doughnuts as big as your face and the equally huge square-shaped "croughnuts", both with endless sugary toppings, will make it impossible to choose just one. Old-fashioned, gluten-free, and cake doughnuts and fritters are among the many options. Grab a box, or two, and mix up the flavors: try the cinnamon roll topping and the one that combines peanut butter, strawberry, banana, and Nutella. Coffees with or without alcohol and hearty breakfast sandwiches are also delightful.

Locals flock to "the Smithy" for such beloved breakfast items (served daily from 7 am until 2 pm) as scrambles or traditional bacon and eggs. Vegetarians are taken care of with a tasty tofu scramble, fresh spinach and wild mushroom omelets, and deep-fried French toast. Wooden tables are packed into every nook and cranny of this brick building that was once a blacksmith shop.