Feeling less sporty, more scene-y? Take in the views of the Gore and Sawatch ranges with a drink in hand at Vail’s famous Ice Bar—made of actual snow—which has returned to Eagle’s Nest this season for an Instagram-ready en plein air après set up replete with signature cocktails, music, and food, and four cozy Snow Bungalows. (The first Ice Bar, founded by early Vail investor Bill Whiteford, who has been called “the Baron Munchausen of Vail,” only operated for a few weeks in 1963 and advertised crepe Suzette, pizza, pastrami, corn beef, pea soup, milkshakes, and “other goodies.’ It was shut down in 1964 for lack of a liquor license; happily, both this and the menu have changed.)
Where to Eat
Photo: Scott Cramer / Courtesy of Mountain Standard
In Vail Village, the buzzy Mountain Standard aces the whole indulgent gastropub thing with New American classics like crudo, flatbreads, and hearty grilled proteins. For a culinary experience in lockstep with the surroundings, Alpenrose offers fondue, rosti, and schnitzel in a setting that harkens nearly back to the town’s founding (the restaurant opened its doors in 1974). Almresi is another Swiss-focused rustic charmer from the same group, with all the excellent raclette and schweinshaxe that implies. Stop by Pepi’s Bar at the Gasthof Gramshammer for an Austrian beer under the framed gaze of past famed patrons. And for those tired of wood paneling and even the mere suggestion of schnapps, Vail Village’s El Segundo has excellent Mexican food, as well as a branch of Matsuhisha for sushi and single malts. Seeking something lower-key? Bart & Yeti’s in Lionshead is a local-beloved institution, with the sports bar decor and pub grub to match.
Where to Shop
Photo: Courtesy of Axel’s of Vail
