It was only a matter of time until Steamboat Springs became a hub for great food. After all, the ranching community turned alpine-sports playground has roots in both providing a source of calories (two of the town’s first businesses were meat markets) and burning them off (Steamboat sent its first local to the Winter Olympics in 1932). Both traditions continue, as evidenced by the hundreds of working ranches in the Yampa Valley and the 100-plus athletes who have followed ski jumper John Steele to the Games.

The mountain town’s dining scene has improved and evolved accordingly. “We’ve seen the restaurant offerings grow from tried-and-true barbecue and steakhouses to globally inspired but locally sourced options,” says Laura Soard, senior director of destination development and communications for the Steamboat Springs Chamber. “People come to Steamboat from all over the world and have brought fresh ideas to the food scene.”

Indeed, more than 130 eateries now cater to the diverse taste buds of visitors and locals alike. Try them all—but start with these eight standouts.

Primrose

  • Address: 1110 Yampa St., Suite 100, Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: Contemporary steakhouse

Primrose’s executive chef and owner Collin Kelley had one objective with his locally raised USDA Prime black angus steak: packing as much umami as possible into a single mouthful. That’s why they’re dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days and served with whipped jamón Ibérico butter. Mission: successful.

While the menu is undeniably meat-forward (prime your palate with steak tartare or lamb koftas before your hand-cut main) and booths feature backrests made from local buffalo hide, Primrose avoids the overdone steakhouse trope by allowing a trio of brightly colored floral paintings (rather than animal heads or lassos) from Steamboat-born artist Brooke Mack to dominate the otherwise charcoal gray and exposed-wood decor. The restaurant’s three bars—a chef’s counter that highlights the skilled hands making your meal, a more traditional cocktail bar with a TV to catch a few minutes of the game, and a wine bar that shows off more than 450 bottles—further elevate the warm, buzzy atmosphere.

Bésame

Two empanadas with sauce squiggles and herb garnishes on a ceramic plate
The empanadas are calling at Bèsame. Photo courtesy of Bèsame
  • Address: 818 Lincoln Ave., Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: Latin fusion

Bring the whole crew to lively Bésame because, yes, you enjoy their company, but also because arriving en masse means you can sample more tapas. Get your protein fix with the braised short rib empanadas and habanero-pineapple pork dumplings, but don’t miss the apple and manchego salad (which, in a delightful twist, showcases julienned slices of sweet manzana as the primary ingredient, with arugula as a peppery accent) and charred shishitos that come with a fairy-dusting of Tajin and smoked Maldon salt over orange oil.

Of course, if your synapses are a little slow after a day of adventure (and too much après), you can also keep things simple. Just pair two pitchers of red sangria (each serves four to six imbibers) with Bésame’s signature paella (feeds eight to 10), an aromatic combo of chorizo and chicken, swimming with PEI mussels, shrimp, and calamari in a saffron and smoked paprika bath.

Café Diva

Three spherical fritters sit in sauce on a rectangular ceramic dish.
Café Diva is one of the most coveted reservations in town. Photo courtesy of Café Diva
  • Address: 1855 Ski Time Square Dr., Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: French-inspired new American

Since opening Café Diva in 1998, classically trained chef Kate Rench has consistently earned the right to call her two nightly seatings the most sought-after reservations in town. Expect to find belly-warming dishes when the snow falls—say, duck confit croquettes with tart cherry gastrique or mushroom agnolotti with sage and miso brown butter—and lighter fare like zaatar pea and feta fritters or seared scallops in the summer months. Maybe get two plates of the peanut butter and bacon sandwiches (made more interesting than the name implies with Asian-style braised pork belly, peanut sauce, sriracha, and toasted pecan-raisin bread), since they only resurface in the winter, despite loud and frequent protests from the locals.

Contrary to what you might expect, this haven for understated excellence is a diva in name and nosh only, so go ahead and wear your flannel and newly purchased 10-gallon hat from 120-year-old F.M. Light and Sons; you’ll fit right in.

Yampa Valley Kitchen

Blue wicker chairs surround restaurant tables in a sunny dining room
French meets Southern at Yampa Valley Kitchen. Photo courtesy of Yampa Valley Kitchen
  • Address: 207 9th St., Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: Fresh, organic, carefully sourced eats

With its sun-filled main dining space, blue-and-white wicker chairs, poppy-themed wallpaper, and a rich wood bar original to this historic home turned restaurant, Yampa Valley Kitchen doesn’t just welcome guests, it embraces them. If you come mid-morning, request the Beet Down Sour with berry shrub and a citrus splash, but convince your brunch buddy to share sips of their Sunshine Lift, a bright amalgamation of peach bitters, lemon, mint, and turmeric (both available with or without booze).

Of course, YVK puts as much care into its food as it does its drinks, so expect locally sourced meats, fresh produce, and thoughtful flourishes like flower and microgreen garnishes. Going Southern with your food choices will match the atmosphere. Start with crab and jalapeño hushpuppies before moving on to cheesy shrimp and grits topped with a poached egg; cut through the richness with a side of refreshingly tangy yuzu pickles.

Hazie’s

  • Address: 2305 Mount Werner Circle, Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: New American

Those who knew Hazel Ralston Werner considered her the warmest heart in their winter wonderland. Today, she’s remembered for hosting thousands of people (including former President Gerald Ford) at her ever-expanding kitchen table, which, legend has it, eventually took over most of their family home’s first floor. Steamboat Ski Resort honored her legendary hospitality by naming its full-service restaurant, midmountain at Thunderhead Lodge, after the uncontested matron of Steamboat Springs.

Visit Hazie’s all year for the friendly waitstaff and the best views in town, which are actually the best views of town with notable mountains like Sleeping Giant and Hahn’s Peak in the distance, but expect to leave with a stomach just as full as your heart. Lunch guests will find sizable sandwiches—like the open-face croque madame, made with black forest ham and gruyere, and the wagyu burger—alongside truffle fries and vegetarian Colorado green chile. Dinner (reservations required) includes four courses and a gondola ride up to Thunderhead Lodge included in the $99 prix-fixe menu.

The Paramount

  • Address: 1865 Ski Time Square Dr., Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: Brunch and beyond

Steamboat isn’t short on spots to après. For handmade pizzas and a pint of Storm Peak Brewing Money Trees IPA, Slopeside Grill is your best bet. For the see-and-be-seen scene, head to TBar. But for post-slopes French toast piled with apples and honey butter or arrachera (flank steak) with eggs, the Paramount is the place. The restaurant’s all-day breakfast offerings pair well with the “best happy hour ever,” which includes draft beers, Aperol spritzes, and red or white sangria for $6 each, served from 3:30 to 5 p.m. daily.

The Range Food & Drink Hall

The Range food hall includes four types of cuisine, a coffee shop, bar, and full-service dining. Photo courtesy of the Range
  • Address: Gondola Square at the base of Steamboat Ski Resort
  • Cuisine: Food hall variety

Opened as part of Steamboat Ski Resort’s $200 million capital improvement project in summer 2023, the Range features a quartet of cuisines, plus a coffeeshop/bar and full-service dining upstairs, all in one convenient location. Guests can slurp noodles topped with black pepper shrimp from Sunshine Bowl Ramen, inhale a slice of the meaty Long Horn pizza from Pioneer Pie, try a chile-crunch mushroom taco at Twister Tacos, or go for a classic grinder or Caesar salad at the Why Not Sandwich Shop.

But this inviting food hall, situated adjacent to Skeeter’s Ice Rink, offers more than just good grub. Photography by Steamboat local Jace Romick of grazing bison and bronc-ridin’ cowpokes likewise play into the moniker and pay homage to the mountain town’s ranching history. Got a hankering for some hooch? Reserve a custom cedar Stranahan’s barrel (seats four) for a satisfying whiskey tasting.

Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails

A restaurant bar decorated with rustic beams, exposed brick, steel wine racks, and high bar stools.
The bar at the Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails. Photo by Regan Baroni.
  • Address: 127 11th St., Steamboat Springs
  • Cuisine: Small plates

Back in 1910, when Carl Howelsen was teaching the locals how to fly on skis, the Soda Creek Building was Steamboat’s go-to spot for dry cleaning. Fast-forward more than 100 years and the historic space still wears its exposed brick walls and original wood beams with pride, though the rotating selection of house-infused spirits available at Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails gives away its less-than-dry reputation. Have a Moment of Clarity, which features Castillo rum and brandy, before moving on to bison chuck roast from Lucky 8 Ranch or homemade linguine with jowl bacon from Hayden Fresh Farm; both vendors are located about 30 minutes from town. Complete your meal with some vanilla-bean bread pudding finished with bourbon crème anglaise and a cinnamon sprinkle.

2 Steamboat Springs Hotels with Delicious Menus

A large hotel with windows lit at dusk with snowy trees in the foreground and mountains in the background.
The Steamboat Grand offers several restaurant options. Photo courtesy of the Steamboat Grand

Steamboat Grand Hotel

When the 400,000-square-foot Steamboat Grand Hotel opened in 2000, it ranked as the largest building between Denver and Salt Lake City. Luckily for foodies, that impressive footprint means that, in addition to the hotel’s more than 328 lodging options (ranging from standard rooms to spacious condos and penthouses), the Steamboat Grand also offers an abundance of eateries.

Pop into the Grand Market for a breakfast burrito on the way to the hill (located just across the street). Order a mid-dip glass of white for yourself and a sandwich for your kiddo from the Poolside Bistro. And if you’re looking for a sit-down experience and scratch-made ingredients, you can’t go wrong with the Cabin.

Gravity Haus Steamboat

Skiers, riders, and lift-served downhill bikers who prioritize playing and imbibing will dig the slopeside accommodations at Gravity Haus Steamboat. Thanks to the hotel’s White Rabbit Tavern, they can have their champagne (powder) and drink it, too—or at least a glass of Ruffino Prosecco. After a hard day on the slopes, warm up with mac and cheese blanketed in alpine mornay and truffle zest or cool down with a Little Gem wedge salad. By morning, the White Rabbit begins its day as Unravel Coffee for all your pick-me-up needs.