No dining desert in Telluride this offseason
Many local restaurants remain open through November
- Special Thanks Amy M. Peters, Telluride Daily Planet Contributor
High Pie Pizza is open from 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and closed for lunch on Thursdays. High Pie is among many local eateries that will remain open through the fall off-season. (Courtesy photo)
Last weekend’s gondola closure launched the beginning of fall offseason — if there is such a thing anymore. Where the autumn months used to be slow and sleepy in past years, a growing number of local eateries remain open through November to serve locals, many offering specials on food and drinks.
Approaching its 50th anniversary, Floradora Saloon is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for brunch on Saturday and Sunday until November 14 when it will close until early December. Daily specials include $5 TBC beers from 2:30-5:30 p.m. and $5 fish and crispy avocado tacos from 3:30 -5:30 p.m.
Baked in Telluride is open daily from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m., with a week-long closure beginning Nov. 1. In addition to offering a buy-one-get-one-half-off pizza special (in-store/phone orders only), BIT offers Halloween and fall-themed cookies, donuts, cupcakes and pumpkin bread.
“Nothing hits the spot in the fall like our turkey noodle or hearty vegetable soup, perfect for when you want something wholesome and affordable,” said BIT owner Neal McKinley
Stronghouse Brew Pub is open from noon to 8 p.m., Thursday through Monday, offering $5 rotating beer specials, before closing November 7-24.
Cosmopolitan is open Wednesday-Sunday through November, offering happy hour drink and food specials from 5-6 p.m. in the lobby and bar.
Rustico is open 5:30-9 p.m. except for Mondays and recently resumed its Big Night special where, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a main course and an appetizer, soup or salad costs $35 through Dec. 6.
High Pie Pizza is open from 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and closed for lunch on Thursdays.
“We’re one of the best places in town to watch your favorite team and hang out with your friends and family,” said owner Kristyn Shumway. “We’re running NFL football chicken wing specials — $12 for 10 chicken wings all day Sunday and on Monday and Thursday nights. We’ve also got a Thursday night pizza special — any large pizza for $15 — and we offer 24 draft beers.”
Steamies Burger Bar is open from 11 a.m. -10 p.m. daily. “This season we’ve brought in the highest quality of beef available in the United States, American Wagyu, which now comes standard on all of our burgers,” noted owner Stanya Gorraiz.
Alpinist and the Goat is open daily from 4–9 p.m. except for Mondays. “We're running an offseason special: Half price on all entrees for locals, sometimes with a caveat like buy a dessert for the table and everyone gets half off, or any bottle of wine and get half off all entrees for the table,” explained owner Karla Elinoff.
Smugglers is open daily from noon- 8 p.m. offering a two-for-one-burger special along with a $28 filet mignon special with house steak sauce, garlic whipped potatoes and arugula beginning Oct. 24 through November. From 3-6 p.m. daily, beers at the bar are $3.
“We have a new chef de cuisine, Tara Ugarte from San Francisco, who will run the kitchen here as well as at Sidework,” said owner Josh Klein.
Klein also owns the newest addition to the Telluride culinary landscape, Kazahana, which serves traditional Japanese fare focused on sushi, open Tuesday-Saturday from 5–9 p.m. “Three Japanese chefs, including Executive Chef Naoki Takahashi, moved here to open the restaurant,” explained Klein.
The Butcher and the Baker is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. and on Sundays from 8 a.m. -2 p.m. “Our specials will highlight the final harvests from our farm, getting into the soups and stews we all love this time of year,” said owner Megan Ossola. “We have our Birds and Bubbles special on Wednesday nights, a $20 wine bottle special every night and we’re bringing back the hot local apple cider with or without a shot of our house-infused spicy whiskey.”
The Cornerhouse is open daily from 11a.m.–10 p.m. “Everyone knows they can get a cheap burger on Monday and Friday and a cheap taco and marg on Tuesday,” said owner Kenny Rosen.
Newcomer Uno Dos Tres taco shop, which Rosen also owns, will operate through offseason with shortened hours from noon - 8 p.m.
Wood Ear is open until Thanksgiving from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, running new drink and food specials every week. Starting in November, whole pecan-smoked briskets and pork shoulders with all the sides are available for preorder via WoodEarTelluride.com.
“Between now and December, buy one cocktail, get the second half-off if you mention this Daily Planet article,” said managing partner Matthew Arnold.
Until La Cocina de Luz closes Oct. 29, reopening Nov. 16, operating hours are 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily. Lunch Money will also close on Oct. 29 but will be open next week from 11a.m.- 4 p.m., reopening for the winter season on Nov. 20. Brown Dog Pizza is open Thursday-Monday from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-9 p.m. until Nov. 1when they will close until Nov. 17. The National is open Tuesday-Saturday evenings through Nov. 12.
In the Mountain Village, Altezza bar at The Peaks opens daily at 3 p.m., offering food and drink, and the dining room opens at 5 p.m. offering a daily dinner menu. “Our burger & beer après special continues,” said Peaks Food and Beverage Director Emily Nolan. “We’re offering popular value-driven wines that we think will appeal to our locals. Sunrises and sunsets from our space are incredible.”
For more information on local restaurants operating during offseason, visit Telluride Tourism Board’s link at telluride.com/page/off-season-dining-fall-2022/
