Favorite Telluride Restaurants

The Ever-So Lovely New Sheridan Hotel and Chop House

As a resident of Telluride, Colorado, visitors are always asking me about my favorite restaurants in town. And that’s before I even have a chance to tell them I’m a travel writer! No matter where I meet people—in the gondola, on the chairlift or even just out and about nursing a drink or a coffee—the most frequently asked question concerns restaurant recommen-dations. Come to think of it, that’s what I do when traveling as well.

No matter how much you read up on a place, no matter how many online reviews you peruse, smart travelers always want to hear it from the source, a local that exudes enough confidence and soave (moi!) to reassure the visitor that he or she will be pointed in the right direction. When I mention I’m a travel writer who lived in Paris over a decade and nearly as long in Telluride, they practically shout bingo.

Of course I’m prepared to give a full dissertation on all the wonderful eating establishments we enjoy here in Telluride, however, I seemingly always begin my suggestions with my two favorites:  New Sheridan Chop House and Cosmopolitan of Telluride. Both seldom disappoint and more often than not, diners walk away feeling supremely satisfied by all the essential elements of fine dining:  food, ambiance and service. I would add that the price/quality relationship is always right there where it’s supposed to be—that’s to say the amount you pay is worth every penny of the culinary experience these restaurants offer.

Before the summer season kicked off (the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the official starter, was held last weekend), I revisited my two faves with a more discerning eye and palate. I was there to review and most of all consider all like a visitor to Telluride, a discriminating person that wants to make sure that the nights out of their well-deserved vacation create memorable moments.

Chad Scothorn from Cosmo

At Cosmopolitan of Telluride—affectionately known as Cosmo—Chef Chad Scothorn sent out a few dishes that I normally wouldn’t have ordered. Two stunningly beautiful plates of sushi were among them. I love sushi, however, I wasn’t associating it with Cosmo, a sophisticated restaurant, known for its elegant continental cuisine. What a surprise! Steve (my partner in love and dining here) and I practically swooned over their sushi, a gorgeous fusion of taste, a sort of east meets west take on traditional sushi where different creamy sauces accent the rich flavor of the fish and seafood. Their Scallop Volcano Roll prompted Steve to exclaim “there’s a lot going on in this little sushi roll.” Indeed, the medley of flavors is so delicate that it’s no wonder soy sauce is not served on the side. Cosmo works with Honolulu Fish, so the fish served here in the heart of the Rockies is overnighted-in and is as fresh as anything you’d fine in high-end restaurants in New York or L.A.

Chad, one of Telluride’s top chefs and arguably this town’s most notable restaurateur, also sent out his Finchville Ham starter, a plate filled with savory ham, artichoke salad, local broccoli sprouts, French olives and goat cheese-filled burrata. The latter, made in house like just about everything else here, tasted more like a fresh, creamy mozzarella. I slathered it on thick on the rustic bread served here along with a thin slice of the Finchville Ham. Hmmmm, that along with a few sips of French Chardonnay, made me feel as though I was dining in one of my favorite country inns in Burgundy. Or perhaps it was Provence?

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