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Well, your last turn was at 2, your quads are shot, and it’s time to call it a day so you can recover in time for the next pow day. The ever-so-slight problem? You’re not getting home anytime soon. Instead of parking it—literally—on I-70 and cursing the thread of burgundy streaking across your maps app, might we recommend taking a load off?
Below, we’ve picked out our favorite roadside hideaways for grub and bevvies. Replenish lost calories, wet your whistle, and kick back while you wait out the mayhem. Friendly reminder: No one enjoys you when you’re hangry.
Jump Ahead:
Best Restaurants off I-70
If you’ve found yourself coming down from Vail, Copper, Breckenridge, Winter Park, or even just Echo Mountain, you’re not alone—and you probably know it. Here, our favorite highway escapes along the I-70 corridor from Beaver Creek east to Golden.
Edwards
You’ve got a long drive ahead, but instead of filing into the aisle of Subarus and Jeeps, channel your inner Bo Nix and call an audible—in the form of a little culinary detour along Edwards Village Boulevard. The strip is booming with some of the valley’s tastiest eats.
Craftsman Brew Co.
You skied Beaver Creek’s steeps, bumps, and aspen-loaded glades from bell to bell and your legs are Jell-O. Happy hour (daily from 4 to 5:30 p.m.) at Craftsman will have you ready to hit the pavement in no time. Margs and old fashioneds are just $10 and snacks range from a $6 plate of parmesan fries to a juicy $12 burger with griddled onions, pickles, and special sauce. 105 Edwards Village Blvd., Building H, Edwards
Drunken Goat
Nothing calms road rage nerves like a little brie, bleu, and wine. Let the cheesemonger and vino experts at Drunken Goat set you up with a happy hour (daily from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.) spread worth lingering over. Nibble on $2 oysters and $8 glasses of wine while the open-format kitchen preps your prosciutto and goat cheese bruschetta. 56 Edwards Village Blvd., #104, Edwards
Il Mago
The buttery sourdough garlic knots ($10 during happy hour, daily from 4 to 5:30 p.m.) and cacio e pepe pizza at Il Mago will quickly help you forget your traffic woes, especially when washed down with a cucumber spritz. Plus, kids love the homemade gelato and creamy tiramisu—so the whole family can enjoy the pit stop. 56 Edwards Village Blvd., #112, Edwards
Vail
Instead of fighting the crowds to leave after a weekend spent in the Back Bowls, do like the locals do and belly up for après. You will pay Vail prices, but the Bavarian-inspired village vibes (and people-watching) are hard to beat.
Avanti Food & Beverage
The third outpost of this favorite food hall nestles at the base of Golden Peak, so you can simply rack your skis and saunter inside. Feed your entire carpool in one stop, choosing from five concepts that range from ramen to caviar. Don’t miss the New York–style slices at Capriata, new this season from the team behind Denver’s Glo Noodle House. 458 Vail Valley Drive, Vail
Read More: 5 Things You Need to Try at the New Avanti Food and Beverage Vail
El Segundo
Toast your day’s turns over fresh-shaken citrusy margs and a pool of Hatch-chile-laced queso fundido. The festive restaurant, which perches above Gore Creek in Vail Village, serves memorable Korean barbecue-style wagyu beef tacos and griddled (to-die-for) slow-cooked Colorado lamb quesabirria. 223 Gore Creek Drive, Vail
Mountain Standard
Craving a treat-yourself après scene? The dream team from Sweet Basil brings the heat at Mountain Standard, where chefs cook over an open and live wood fire. Thaw out over wood-grilled octopus while slathering warm bacon-onion jam pimento cheese over perfectly charred bread. 193 Gore Creek Drive, Vail
Leadville
If you choose to try to dodge I-70 altogether by cutting down to U.S. 285 through Leadville, you’re in for a treat (or three). The highest incorporated city in America is rife with new menus and tried-and-true favorites.
High Mountain Pies
High Mountain pizzas are wacky and so worth it (try the Crocodile: barbecue sauce, mozz, shrimp, jalapeños, bacon, and cream cheese). If you’re more of a traditionalist, there’s always the build-your-own calzone, a sub on a baguette, or a plate of wings to tide you over before you brave the road again. 115 West 4th St., Leadville
Treeline Kitchen
For nourishing, sustainably sourced bites, stop by Treeline Kitchen and order the local grass-fed beef meatballs, vegetable curry, or a local pork rigatoni and baby kale winter salad. The warm chocolate chip cookie skillet with vanilla ice cream is something the whole family can get onboard with. 615 Harrison Ave., Leadville
Silver Dollar Saloon
Duck into this page of Wild West history and channel your inner Doc Holliday or Molly Brown—both regulars back in the day—over a plate of rabbit and rattlesnake sausage or chicken fried yak. Order a Colorado whiskey at the original mahogany and white oak bar and scootch into a 1879 train car booth, sipping and welcoming a slower pace of life (and not the bumper-to-bumper kind). 315 Harrison Ave., Leadville
Frisco, Silverthorne, and Dillon
Most folks peeling off I-70 before the Eisenhower Tunnel file into gas stations and fast-food joints—don’t follow them.
Outer Range Brewing Company
Just off the highway, Outer Range Brewing Company’s strip-mall-adjacent location means parking is easy, and there’s plenty of seating spread throughout its two stories and multiple dog-friendly patios. Place an order for self-described Thai-ish fried chicken and a side of crispy rice poke tots at Bird Craft’s food window before snagging one of the state’s best hazy IPAs. 182 Lusher Court, Frisco
Pure Kitchen
In the same parking lot as Outer Range and Whole Foods, find Pure Kitchen and its uber-clean menu of from-scratch organic bowls, soups, burgers, and salads. Try the Summit stir fry noodle bowl or the house-made veggie burger for a feel-good nosh before braving the I-70 eastbound onramp. 116 Basecamp Way, Frisco
Saved By the Wine
Popping off Exit 205 and heading toward Dillon will lead you to locally owned Saved By the Wine for sips of pinot and bites of charcuterie and fresh-baked French bread, best enjoyed on the velvety couch over a game of chess. 765 West Anemone Trail, Dillon
Bistro North
If you’re coming from Keystone, consider stopping off at the Dillon Ridge Shopping Center to top off the gas tank and your stomach. Sister restaurant to Breckenridge’s Blue River Bistro, the Dillon location keeps the legendary happy hour going (daily from 2 to 5 p.m.) with half-price martinis and appetizers. 270 Dillon Ridge Road, Dillon
Georgetown
You’re cruising down the hill at a solid clip, then, bam, all lanes come to a halt with no gas pedal in your future. Hit the right-hand blinker and coast into Georgetown for a breather.
Cabin Creek Brewing
This lakeside pub might be the best-kept secret on I-70. Tucked in Georgetown (population: 1,200), Cabin Creek serves up killer views down Clear Creek Canyon and even more decadent delights worthy of pulling over, from loaded Colorado tots (applewood bacon, cilantro, queso) to elk bratwurst cooked in Argentine amber lager. And the house-brewed beers? They’ll help you forget about the interstate altogether. 577 Twenty-Second St., Georgetown
Idaho Springs
This little mining town packs a culinary punch with fan favorites like Tommyknocker Brewery and Beau Jo’s, so don’t be surprised if you hit another queue on your quest for relaxation.
Westbound and Down Brewing
The soft camel, leather-backed booths at Westbound and Down Brewing are much easier to melt into than the idea of cooking dinner after a long drive home. Let chefs whip up a plate of green chile beer cheese fries for you while you sip on an Infinity Pils and nod along with the Great American Beer Fest judges who gave it gold. 1617 Miner St., Idaho Springs
Smokin’ Yards
One exit later, Smokin’ Yards is all about barbecue. Satiate hungry tummies with chopped beef brisket and craveable sides like fried pickles and country-style mac and cheese. 2736 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs
Golden
You’re so close, we know—but if you need one more beverage to ease your traffic temper (or you know there’s no food in the fridge at home), Golden is a justifiable detour.
Launch
Perfect for the park-and-ride weekend warrior team, this all-day eatery sits just off I-70 at the Red Rocks exit near the Dino Lots. Browse the charcuterie boards and gourmet sandos or get cozy by the fireplace with a bowl of chili. 18455 West Colfax Ave., #101, Golden
Vice Kitchen
Step next door into Vice Kitchen if you want something a little more upscale: wine, whiskey, and entrées like elk tenderloin, bison ribeye, and a grilled salmon BLT. Call ahead for a (highly encouraged) reservation: 303-216-2568. 18445 West Colfax Ave., #104, Golden
Best Restaurants off U.S. Highway 285
Whether you’re homebound from Crested Butte or you booked it south to U.S. 285 right as weather put the kibosh on I-70, you’re in for slow goings here, too. Luckily, some of our favorite watering holes litter this route. Here, our tried-and-true highway escapes along the U.S. Highway 285 corridor from Buena Vista east to Conifer.
Buena Vista
Whether you’re sneaking over from Crested Butte or Monarch Mountain, Buena Vista has the treats you need to fuel up for the ride home.
Eddyline Brewery
Hit up post-adventure icon Eddyline Brewery for beer and steak frites with hand-cut truffle fries or the hearty layered bison shepherd’s pie. For dessert and a little kick to get your engine running, enjoy a 14er Java Stout, brewed with three pounds per barrel of organic coffee. 926 South Main St., Buena Vista
Lariat
Carbo-load at the historic Lariat, where green chile mac and cheese and a short-rib blend burger highlight a menu that will make you want to move to the mountains. Hot tip: Wednesday is open mic night, and on Friday, guests are welcomed to belt out their favorite karaoke hits. 206 East Main St., Buena Vista
Fairplay
If the wind picks up, U.S. 285 can shut its doors at Fairplay. Consider yourself lucky: Between the one-horse town’s chicken shack, food truck, and brewery, you can refuel while you wait for improved conditions.
Highside Brewing
Highside Brewing’s third and newest outpost sits at that crux and offers up plenty of distraction. Order a Blue River IPA or Hoosier hefeweizen and play pinball, pool, darts, or foosball while the Colorado BBQ Company food truck puts the finishing touches on your smoked wings with pickled veggies. 411 U.S. Highway 285, Fairplay
Otto’s
Across the highway, casual counter-service gem Otto’s serves up America’s highest fried chicken at 9,995 feet. Owner Brian “Otto” Beck stands by his roadside eatery’s slogan “don’t eat and drive.” Pull over for his famous hot honey chicken sandwich instead. It’s marinated in buttermilk, tossed in a homemade hot honey buffalo sauce, and served with a crunchy pickled serrano pepper house slaw. 450 U.S. Highway 285, Fairplay
Grant
Add virtually no mileage to your itinerary when you stop off in Grant.
Shaggy Sheep
Roadside haunt the Shaggy Sheep serves lunch and dinner, plus “small bites” like burgers, poutine, and wings during winter. Best bet for weary travelers? An overflowing bowl of house green chile and one (OK, two) $4 Fat Tires. 50455 U.S. Highway 285, Grant
Bailey
While you may be tempted to simply stop for gas and keep on going, Bailey offers up a scrumptious diversion if you’re over the two-lane traffic.
Cutthroat Cafe
Chow down on the best down-home cooking along the 285 corridor with delicious entrées like chili dogs, country-fried steak, and loaded baked potatoes. If you’re headed back early, catch the breakfast menu until 2 p.m. on weekends—the French toast and chili relleno will have you thinking less about the road and more about the next time you can return to the Cutthroat. 157 Main St., Bailey
Conifer
You might be close to home, but don’t pass up a pit stop in Conifer to stretch your legs and suck in some final lungfuls of sweet mountain air.
Rocky Mountain Wraps
Rocky Mountain Wraps serves up the cure to road rage with a fast-casual menu that allows for ordering ahead. (Some faves: locally loved shrimp po’boy and Philly cheesesteak pita wrap). 25997 Conifer Road, Units A & B, Conifer
Snowpack Taproom and Pizzeria
Securely at home in its new bi-level location—pizzeria downstairs, taproom upstairs—Snowpack dishes up everything from Detroit-style pan pies to Bavarian-style pretzel bites made locally by Schatzi’s Pretzels. The bottle shop also hosts an impressive collection of boutique Colorado beers if you want to buy a celebratory drink for enjoying when you finally make it home. 27175 Main St., Conifer
