Eat Lunch On Vail Mountain
The Vail Ski Resort is well known for its restaurants in the village as well as on the mountain. There are several great places to eat on the mountain while you are skiing at Vail. You can see photos and details below about the best mid-mountain restaurants here.
Eagle’s Nest Lodge and Restaurants
The Eagle’s Nest restaurant and ski lodge is located at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola. You can board this gondola from Lionshead Village. Inside of Eagles Nest you will find dining facilities of several varieties.
What type of food will you find in the Eagle’s Nest building? Bistro 14 is located at the top of the Gondola and this is Vail’s version of fine dining on the mountain. You will also find Gondoly’s Pizza, a full size market/cafeteria, and even more amenities in this building!
Just adjacent to Eagle’s Nest you will find Adventure Ridge – this is primarily a recreational area, but you will find Bailey’s Coffee House here as well.
Two Elk Lodge
The Two Elk mid-mountain lodge at Vail is one of the most popular places to eat lunch on the mountain. You can find this lodge/restaurant at the top of the China Bowl.
You can access this mountain lodge from the front side of Vail by taking the Sourdough Express lift, or from the backside by using the Teacup Express Lift (With a brief 3-5 minute traverse).
Buffalo’s Restaurant
This mid-mountain stop can be found by patrol headquarters – this is at the top of chairs 4,5, and 11.
Since this restaurant is centrally located at the top of several ski lifts, it provides a convenient place to get warm on a cold day. However, this is a small facility and you can expect it to be crowded on a busy weekend. Buffalo’s Restaurant is pictured in the photo below.
Wildwood Restaurant and Mountain Lodge
This restaurant and mountain lodge can be found at the top of chairs 3 and 7. Enjoy great mountain views and the smokehouse/BBQ cuisine.
Mid-Vail Lodge and Food
This is one of the most popular places to eat on the Mountain in Vail. The Mid-Vail mountain restaurant is located at the top of the Riva-Bahn express lift and at the bottom of chairs 3 and 4. This is a great place to eat lunch because you will not need to travel back down to Vail Village in the middle of the day. There are easy beginner trails leading down to the bottom of the mountain from here so this is a great place for families to eat if they have novice skiers with them.
The photo below is a few years old. Vail has recently added a new fine dining restaurant at Mid-Vail called “The 10th” – named after the 10th Mountain Division that trained at nearby Camp Hale.
Eat at Blue Sky Basin – Vail, CO
Belle’s Camp
The photo to the right shows Belle’s Camp. This small facility is located at the top of Blue Sky Basin (Beyond Vail’s backbowls). This is not a luxury mountain restaurant. This is more like an outpost with a few grills outside and a shelter to keep you warm if you are dying. However; this is one of the best places to eat on Vail mountain because this has the best view and you can spend some quality time in the spring sun with your friends. You will find a few snacks and drinks located inside as well.
Dawg Haus
Below you can see the Dawg Haus. This hot dog stand is located on the traverse below Blue Sky Basin.
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Game Creek Restaurant
This is a private restaurant that is located in the Game Creek Bowl. This is part of the private Game Creek Club, however the restaurant is open to the public for dinner between 6 pm and 8:30 pm.
This mid-mountain restaurant is only accessible by skiing and by snowcat/shuttle. First you will need to ride the Eagle Bahn gondola to the top of the mountain. You can catch a ride to the restaurant from here in the Game Creek snowcat.
You can see the Game Creek Restaurant/Club in the photo below with the Game Creek Bowl in the background. You may make reservations at the Game Creek Restaurant by calling (970) 754-4275.
Vail Mountain Dining FAQ
How much does it cost to eat on Vail Mountain?
You can expect to spend between $10-$20 per/person for a basic meal on the mountain here. You can certainly pay more depending upon where and what you eat.
Where is the best place to eat lunch on Vail Mountain?
Mid-Vail is one of the best places to meet for lunch on the mountain. This area is centrally located on the front-side of the mountain and it is easily accessible to skiers and snowboarders of all levels.
What is the cheapest place to eat on the mountain at Vail?
Blue Sky basin is one of the cheapest places to eat because you can grill your own food here, and amenities are limited.