Breckenridge - Eating, Drinking, & Shopping.

Yesterday we talked all about our favorite hikes & lodging in Breckenridge and today it’s all about the food, drinks, and shopping…my favorite topics!  When we go on vacation, so does my ability to eat sensibly.  We enjoy eating out when we travel.  I enjoy eating in general ;)  These are a few of our favorite restaurants, sweet spots, and places to grab a frosty beverage or two and shop!

Let's start with breakfast.  

Truth be told, we aren't huge breakfast eaters.  I mean, the boys love starting their mornings with pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, or muffins (all the delicious carbs), but we're not really big on breakfast meals.  If we're eating a big breakfast, we'll usually eat it at dinnertime.  All that to be said, our breakfast experience here is very limited.  We usually pick up grab and go breakfast type foods from the grocery store and eat that before heading into town.  Here are some of our suggestions...

Crepes a La Cart

If you eat nothing else while you're in Breckenridge, be sure that you stop here.The best crepes of all time (says everyone I know who's tried them).  This past summer I introduced my mom to them and we stopped here each day we were in town (#excessive #sorrynotsorry #worthit).

These crepes are perfect for breakfast (both sweet and savory), but also make the best dessert.  

Just a little word of caution...be prepared to wait.  I'm not sure how we lucked out this past summer, but we never had to wait more than 45 minutes for our crepes (that includes waiting in line to order).  Of course, Fall wait times are the fastest, but we couldn't believe how lucky we got in the summer!  We haven't been that lucky during Spring Break.  A two-hour wait time on crepes in March seems pretty standard.  Trust me when I tell you that it's worth it. 

They recently opened up a second location, so if you're determined to get your crepe fix and the line looks to long, try out the new place right across the street. 

What to order:

Grant and Landon suggest the S'Mores, Chocolate, or Butter & Sugar crepes

My mom recommends the Bananas Foster crepe

I HIGHLY recommend the German Apple Strudel crepe (my favorite!) I also loved the Strawberry Shortcake, Gateau St. Honoree, and the Blueberry Muffin crepes.

Sit down for breakfast at Columbine Cafe

We've been wanting to try this place for some time and were finally able to make it in a couple of weekends ago.  We waited a little over half an hour to be seated which wasn't terrible.  We were orginally quoted 10 minutes, but they were pretty busy and there were only two servers so that wasn't surprising.  When we were finally seated, our food arrived incredibly quick and it was really delicious.  I think I liked mine more than Adam liked his, but you can never go wrong with pancakes :)  When we asked some of the locals where we should eat breakfast, this was the place that was the most recommended.

What to Eat:

The pancakes.  Word of caution - they're HUGE.  I ordered one and couldn't finish it.  But it was really, really good!

What to drink:

The Cinnamon Roll Latte (amazing!!!)

If you're feeling like a basic...well, you know...head to Starbuck's.

I know.  I know.  These are on every corner in every city across America.  WHY wouldn't I want to try something local?! Honestly...it has nothing to do with coffee and everything to do with aesthetics.  I think this is the most adorable little Starbuck's I've ever seen....especially when it's covered in snow!

The coffee tastes the same in Breckenridge as it does in Houston, but there's something about the ambiance that draws me back in every time.  And the boys love their hot chocolates and breakfast pastries & cake pops, so it's an easy pick for us when we can't decide on anything else.

Like I said, our breakfast prowess in Breckenridge is limited, so that's all I've got.  Let's move on to lunch and dinner. 

First stop:  Downstairsat Eric’s.  

This is a family favorite.  Of course, when we go with the boys this is always our first stop.  We absolutely LOVE the atmosphere.  It’s a casual restaurant with a pub-style feel.  Several TV’s playing sports and an arcade right outside of the eating area.  4-player Pac Man is always our go-to game (I never win) with skee ball coming in at a close second.  The kids can run back and forth from our table to the games and we can pretty much keep an eye on them the whole time.  The food is really, really good to boot.  

What to Eat:

We recommend the potato skins and fried pickles for either your appetizer or a meal. We love to sample and share J    Their calzones and pizza are delicious as well.

What to drink:

AVALANCHE!   Avalanche is our favorite Colorado brewed beer and Eric’s  is one of the few places serving it.

Next up:  Empire Burger

This place NEVER disappoints.  

If you want a delicious, American meal , this little place is a must stop. We ate here for my birthday over the summer and typically stop in at least once every other time we visit.  Great atmosphere, wonderful service, and the music is always on point. We can't recommend this place enough!

What to Eat: 

 ONION RINGS - the absolute best!  

The fried zucchini strips are delish as are the loaded nachos.  Ohmiword. When we visited a couple of weekends ago, we split the nachos and a side of onion rings and left with full bellies and happy taste buds.  We also recommend the Green Chile Cheeseburger (husband’s choice) and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (my pick).  

What to Drink:  Easy Street.  YUM.

Need a Text-Mex fix?  Try Mi Casa!

image via Trip Advisor

While we’re on the subject of family favorites, we’d be remiss not to include some Tex Mex in the mix.  Mi Casa always delivers in this category.  GREAT atmosphere.  Always busy.  If you’re dining here during Spring Break, be prepared to wait for a long time.  We love sitting in the dining area closest to the windows because the view is pretty spectacular…especially when everything is covered in snow.  We’ve always had great service with each visit.

What to Eat:  Avocado Frito with Chicken (unassumingly delicious)

Be sure to order the queso to start with…it’s delish!  And the fried jalapenos are great, too.  The nachos are excellent as are the quesadillas and you can’t go wrong with the fajitas!  My husband would recommend Manuel's Burrito or the Chimichanga.

What to Drink:  

The Casa (add the strawberries!)

If you want something less casual, head to Blue River Bistro.  

Blue River Bistro was another unexpected surprise.  This is an Italian-American restaurant with a more sophisiticated atmosphere.  We were with the boys when we visited and ran in to escape the rain.  We're so glad we did!

What to Eat:  Crispy Tiger Shrimp (delicious appetizer!)   

I ended up ordering the fettucine with marinara for my main course and in my opinion, you can never go wrong with pasta.  The boys were happy with their grilled cheese and chicken tenders and overall we would definitely visit again.  Excellent service, great food.

You'll definitely want to hit up Motherloaded Tavern while you're in town!

This place was such an unexpected delight!  It's a small, family-friendly restaurant with the most unique menu.  We celebrated my brother’s birthday here over the summer and loved absolutely everything about it.  In fact, we loved it so much that we visited a few days later with the boys after the group went back home.  We sampled a ton of food the night we dined-in with just adults.  We all got something a little different and everyone shared.  Everything we sampled was SO good.

What to Eat:

  As random as this sounds, start with the deviled eggs.

Then be sure to grab an order of the NOT-CHOS.  And while you’re at it, the disco tots, too.  The homemade mac & cheese and the Mac Daddy Mac & Cheese were both AMAZING.  I love mac & cheese, but both of these versions truly take the cake.  

The atmosphere here is really amazing and the kids loved it just as much as we did.

Got a hankering for pizza?!  You MUST go to Fatty's Pizzeria!

Fatty’s Pizzeria is probably our most favorite pizza ever. The boys call this “our pizza place”.  We love the atmosphere here just as much as the food.  The boys are especially fond of the fare.

What to Eat:

We always get the meatball pizza with onion and jalapenos and the boys opt for their own pie of pepperoni and cheese.  In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with any of the pizza because the base is so amazing.  And we all know that when it comes to pizza, it’s all about that base ;)  

What to Drink:

 If you happen to be visiting Fatty’s in the early afternoon (ish) hours, order a Bloody Mary (spicy, of course).  They make their mix in-house and it’s one of the better mixes I’ve sampled!

 

Want MORE pizza?!  Try Giampietro Pizzeria

Giampetro's is a much smaller pizza place than Fatty's, but equally as delicious.  If we choose pizza from here during Spring Break, we make sure to get it to go.  When we were visiting over the summer we noticed that they added a bar area next to the dining room.  We haven't stopped to check it out yet, but it looks great from the street :)

What to Eat:

Start with the Cheese Bread (the sauce is outstanding) and top it all off with pizza.  ANY pizza will do because the base is amazing.  

Food with a view (of sports) - Ollie's Pub & Grub

This past visit we stopped in at Ollie’s and because it was just the two of us, we opted to sit at the bar.  The place was packed…game day Saturday…so the excitement was palpable.  Great music, fabulous atmosphere, and our bartenders were the best.  I found a beer I really love and we shared the most delicious appetizers.  We're anixous to visit again and try the full menu.  While this is definitely a bar type atmosphere when walking in, it's kid friendly, too.  The bar area is separate from the dining room so that makes this a great place to eat a meal with your family or watch the game with your friends.  Highly recommend!

What to Eat:

I’m always a fan of fried pickles, but some places just aren’t as good as others.  Ollie’s fried pickles are probably the best I’ve ever had (and that's saying A LOT).  Our bartender recommended the Sweet Thai Chili buffalo wings and she was spot on.  Some of the best.  

What to Drink:

try the Agave Wheat or the Left Hand Saw Tooth Amber Ale

Looking for a restaurant with a "mountain feel"?!  Head to the Blue Stag Saloon

This is the most charming, cozy little restaurant on Main Street.  We absolutely LOVED it here.  Great kids menu (which is always a bonus), excellent service, and laid back vibe.  Of course, the food made it all that much better, but this place is definitely a winner.  

What to Eat:

The Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich or the Carnitas Street Tacos. I hear the burgers are pretty fantastic, too!

Like steak?!  Try Salt Creek Steakhouse

We had our family pictures taken while we were in Breck this summer and ended up meeting my mom and dad here for a quick bite after we were done.  I wasn't super hungry so I only got a salad, but everyone else seemed to really enjoy their meals.  This is a nicer restaurant with a great ambiance and cozy dining room.  When we visited, we were the only people in the restaurant with the exception of one other table, so we really had the whole place to ourselves (almost).  Needless to say, great service!  LOL!!  But it would've been great either way...our server was a doll.   I'd love to go back again when I have a bigger appetite.

What to Eat:

My mom recommends the crab cakes and I personally loved the caesar salad

Right across the street is the Briar Rose Saloon.

Head here for dessert and cocktails and sit in the bar area (if you're without the kids).  

What to order:

the cheesecake (one of the best I've ever had. Light and airy. Perfection on a plate)

Pair your dessert with a coffee cocktail.  I recommend the signature Briar Rose Coffee.

Speaking of desserts and sweet treats, the Mountain Top Cookie Shop on Main Street (formerly known as Mary's Mountain Cookies), is a must stop.  My boys LOVE the cookies with the creme filling or just the plain...albeit delicious...chocolate chip cookies.  I personally love the Salt Mine cookies!

While we're on the subject of sweets, my boys would be extremely disappointed if I didn't mention their most favorite candy shop in all of the world...FUZZIWIG'S Candy Factory.  Dear Lord.

We don't make it a habit of eating candy on a regular basis, but we do treat them to "their pick" at Fuzziwig's when we visit.  It's a darling little candy shop with lots of old school selections.  Truth be told, we find ourselves sneaking in even when the kids aren't with us :)

If you're looking for a place to enjoy a cocktail or two, we really love Apres on Main Street. It's family friendly until 9 pm and you can even bring in your own food.  There are a variety of board games available to play while you're visiting, too.  And they always play the best music.

They have an amazing selection of craft beers on tap as well as a variety of handcrafted cocktails.

Speaking of cocktails, when we visited this past summer we celebrated my brother's birthday in town (without kids...thanks mom & dad!)   We ended up at this fun little tavern, RMU, that we loved more than we expected.  Thanks to Bob Ross streaming on all the TV's and an insanely great musical playlist, this was one of our favorite grown-up locations :)

When Adam and I visited a couple of weekends ago, we stopped in for a quick break at The Canteen.  This might be one of our favorite patios in town.  

It helps that we visited on the most gorgeous day, but the views were truly stunning.  

I enjoyed a Hot Apple Pie while we sat on the patio and took it all in.  We absolutely LOVED this place.  I highly recommend a visit when you're in town.

Last up on this very, very long list is one of the most historical places in town...The Gold Pan Saloon.

I absolutely LOVE places rich in history.  Places that have a story to tell.  The Gold Pan Saloon is just that place.  Established in 1861, Gold Pan is said to be the oldest operating bar in Summit County.  Of course, it's not just a bar...you can grab breakfast and lunch here, too.  I absolutely love the atmosphere and the overall design & decor.  

The vibe is really laid back (and possibly haunted ;)  And the best part of it all?!  This little gem also serves our favorite Colorado brewed beverage!

Last up, let's finish with some shopping suggestions. 

We pretty much stick to Main Street when we're shopping (and by we I mean me).  There are probably a lot of great places to shop, but all I know is where I've shopped on the main strip.  Since we're usually not really there to shop, that's really good enough for me!

While you're in town, you might want to stop in at The Christmas Store and pick out a Breckenridge ornament to decorate your Christmas tree.  We made sure to do this last time we were in town and we're so glad we did.

My favorite clothing boutique is Beloved.  Great selection of clothes and shoes at different price points.  It's hard to leave without a little something.  #treatyoself

I also adore Marigold's Farmhouse Funk & Junk.  This is the most adorably decorated boutique.  An eclectic mix of farmhouse style, vintage finds with a mix of jewelry and clothing, too.  I can always find something here....especially clothes-wise.  

The Joy of Sox is always a fun stop.  As the name suggests, tons of random socks, pj's, and lots of other little gift type items.  Lots of things I can't necessarily find anywhere else. Such a great little place to pop-in while you're browsing around town.

Ruby Jane is another little boutique I love to visit.  It's always decorated so adorably.  Full of seasonal decor and gift items as well as clothes and a small selection of jewelry. 

We always stop into Sun Logic to check out the sunglasses and seasonal clothing.  The guys who work here are the absolute nicest and we've scored some amazingly good deals here, too.

Of course, I love stopping into Patagonia & North Face, too.  Especially when it's off season...they have such great sales and deals!  

Our favorite souvenir/t-shirt shops are Shirt Off My Back, Arctic Attitude, & Shirt & Ernie's.  

WHEW!

I think that about does it!  

We're definitely not Breckenridge experts.  I know we haven't covered half the ground there is to cover.  But we really do love it there!  Hopefully these last few posts answer some of the questions I've been asked.  I hope it's somewhat helpful should you find yourself in Breckenridge one day.  

After writing these posts, I'm sitting here wondering why we live in Texas, LOL.  We're already planning our next trip back and can't wait to see what new things we try next time we're in town!