Dining Guide

Celebrated chefs, culinary excellence, extensive wine lists, creative cocktails, extraordinary service and our favorite local dives full of character

We are honored to showcase our dining partners that support the LGBTQ+ community.

Our dining partners are an instrumental component of our event experience and we carefully select each partner for good reasons – we believe in them and their alignment with our fans. They believe in us.

These are the restaurants that make Telluride great. Such a special place is destined to draw special people. That list includes some of the country’s most celebrated chefs, many who now call Telluride home. Truth is, you work up an appetite here, and whether you’re looking for a fresh pizza, foie gras, or free-range steak, we’ve got a collection of restaurants that get our mouths watering just thinking about them.

Explore our dining partners below and book your reservations in advance. Tables in Telluride fill up fast! We recommend these restaurants any day of the week but you might find more TGSW attendees on the days below.

Saturday, February 24 - Uno Dos Tres Tacos & Tequila
Sunday, February 25 - The Wood Ear
Monday, February 26 - The Cosmopolitan
Tuesday, February 27 - The Gay Sleigh
Wednesday, February 28 - Esperanza’s
Thursday, February 29 - The National
Friday, March 1 - Kazahana
Saturday, March 2 - 221 South Oak
Late Night Food - The Cornerhouse Grille

Saturday, February 24

123 S Oak Street, Telluride, CO 81435
(970) 728-7004

Fast, affordable and delicious! Check out our fresh, inventive menu featuring a wide variety of flavors and dishes, ranging from quesadillas and salads to tacos and burritos. Not to mention, we’ve got a full bar and crafty cocktails just waiting to be enjoyed! Stop by from 3-5:30 pm daily for happy hour specials like two for one ice cold margaritas and $10 trio (chips, salsa, queso and guacamole). Après-Ski never tasted so good, for so little!

Sunday, February 25

135 E Colorado Ave Telluride, Colorado, 81435
(970) 729-8903

Wood Ear's name is derived from an essential mushroom of Asian cuisine. The namesake of the restaurant is a nod to the faraway culture whose fusion with Texas fare aims to satisfy a diverse range of palates and occasions. Wood Ear general manager Matthew Arnold and chef Kevin Bush long wanted to open a ramen shop, but being from Texas, it was imperative they integrate the flavor of their native state.

Located in the basement of Telluride’s historic Roma building, the space centers around a stunning, hand-carved bar crafted from walnut and extinct white tiger pine that has resided in the space since the late-1880s.

The bar offers a variety of beers on draft and in bottles, as well as classic cocktails, and more than 150 spirits, including a vast selection of Japanese whiskeys. Grab a drink and post up on the patio facing Colorado Avenue for some sunshine and people watching, or cozy up on a couch and catch a live band.

Monday, February 26

301 Gus's Way, Telluride, CO 81435
(970) 728-1292

Featured Menu Item: Seared sea scallops, apple gastrique, parsnip puree, quinoa, black garlic molasses, brussels sprouts

Located in the Hotel Columbia at the base of the Oak Street ski lift and gondola, "Cosmo" is nationally recognized for its original approach to food preparation.

Chef/Owner Chad Scothorn is on a continual quest to create the ultimate dining experience. Serving dinner nightly, the elegantly simple 50-seat restaurant is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy impeccable service and food.

Chef Chad Scothorn brought his culinary vision to Telluride, Colorado, in 1996 after 22 years in restaurants from Oklahoma to Argentina. His many accomplishments include being recognized in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Nation’s Restaurant News as one of the best alpine restaurants in the country after opening Chadwick’s in Beaver Creek, CO. He was the opening chef at Beano’s Cabin on Beaver Creek Mountain, which under his guidance was named by Esquire magazine as one of the top new 100 restaurants in the United States.

The Cosmopolitan offers fine dining with generous portions and whenever possible, locally sourced ingredients. Scothorn has received national attention for his innovative cuisine and creative approach and in 2002 was invited to appear at the prestigious James Beard House in New York. He has also continued his culinary education, attending the Culinary Institute of America in Sicily, Italy, and at the internationally recognized École Lenôtre in France.

The Cosmopolitan presents a perfect balance of Scothorn’s culinary influences—a delightful blend of old-world cooking with fresh and delicious new-world food.

Tuesday, February 27

Historic Aldasoro Family Ranch, Telluride, CO 81435

Telluride Gay Ski Week is excited to present an experience unlike anything else! Join us for an evening horse-drawn sleigh ride to an authentic sheep-herders tent followed by a ranch-to-table Spanish Basque-style dinner prepared by Chef Graeme Charles. The historic Aldasoro family ranch is the ideal setting to take in the sweeping, panoramic views of the San Juan Mountains.

Dress warmly for the ride! While dinner is served in a heated tent, the sleigh ride will be outside in an uncovered sleigh or wagon. Warm wool blankets will be provided for the sleigh ride. Coats, hats, layers and gloves are recommended, ladies are advised against skirts, and winter-ready footwear is a must!

Chef Graeme Charles is an award-winning Telluride chef. Using sustainable ingredients, locally sourced food, and customized meal plans suited for each customer, Graeme Charles is a well-known and recognized private chef in Telluride. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, he came to Colorado as a child, where he began working in kitchens at the age of 14. For the next decade, he worked at Denver’s hottest restaurants in lead kitchen roles. Chef Graeme went on to study at Johnson and Wales University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. After a brief stint in Miami and Rhode Island, he landed in Telluride and became the Head Chef at Peaks Resort and Spa. Now, he cooks at 9500 feet in his kitchen, crafting unique meals. He believes healthy food tastes better when using locally sourced and fresh, in-season Colorado produce.

Wednesday, February 28

226 West Colorado Avenue, Telluride, CO 81435
(970) 728-8399

Mexican food at its finest! Served by friendly, attentive staff in a warm, cozy environment, Esperanza’s is a local eatery owned by chef Esperanza Reyes. Esperanza runs her restaurant from the heart transforming traditional dishes with fresh ingredients.

Take a culinary trip south of the border with an authentic Chicken Mole made from scratch or order up some classic Tex-Mex style comfort options. Enjoy the house-made tortilla chips with the freshest guacamole dip and mouth-watering fajitas. Don’t miss the sizzling chorizo con queso!

Try one of the legendary margaritas from an impressive selection of tequilas and mezcals along with other delicious libations to satisfy your thirsty cravings and have you feeling festive all night long.

¡Salud!

Thursday, February 29

100 E Colorado Ave Suite B, Telluride, CO 81435
(970) 728-1063

Our menu is all about embracing the seasonal ingredients from local purveyors and vibrant flavors inspired by the Mediterranean region. Dive into shared plates, fresh seafood, house-made pasta, and premium cuts, and pair your dinner with a bottle from our carefully curated wine list or sip from the craft cocktail menu.

The intimate dining room, located in the historic Telluride National Club building in Telluride, Colorado, pays homage to the decades of restaurants housed within the 120-year-old space and has been reimagined into a warm and inviting atmosphere for your next meal or celebration. Our space features banquette seating and a lively 10-seat bar to experience the full dinner menu in addition to your favorite beverages.

Cozy up to the bar while sharing plates and conversations with friends, experience a paced culinary journey with accompanying wine pairings for date night or stop by after dinner to enjoy a nightcap and something sweet from our pastry team.

Friday, March 1

126 E Colorado Ave, Telluride, CO 81435
970-239-6222

The inspiration for the restaurant is to bring an elevated Japanese dining option to town in a beautiful and historic space with multiple expressions. Street level is lively and social, the dining room is beautiful and a bit more relaxed, the Omakase Bar will offer an unforgettable 17-course chef’s choice tasting menu with two seatings each night for up to 10 guests.

Local chef and restaurant owner Josh Klein is part of the team behind Kazahana.

“Kazahana is a Japanese term for the feeling of seeing a windblown snowflake in the sunlight, when the winter wind scatters snowflakes in the air, where they are sparkling in the sunshine, and you get a feeling of joy and connection,” Klein explained. “I think we’ve all had that kazahana moment here in Telluride, that moment of pure joy.”

Saturday, March 2

221 S Oak St, Telluride, CO 81435
(970) 708-1437

221 is set in a tastefully refurbished historic home nestled in the trees on South Oak Street, just steps from the Gondola. For years, 221 South Oak has been renowned for its intimate atmosphere, incredible food, extensive wine list, friendly service and uncompromising quality.

Fresh ingredients and an abundance of hard work, make our meals great. 221 South Oak prepares fresh, quality ingredients together skillfully. We offer Beef, Game, Poultry, Seafood and have a full Vegetarian Menu. We prepare each dish at the time of your order and are happy to accommodate any allergies and dietary preferences. Homemade is 221’s Specialty. Sausages, Soups, Sauces and Salad Dressings, Pastas, Pastries and Pickles, Beignets, Brown Rouxs and Breads, Ravioli, Reductions, even Ice Creams, Candied Treats and Cheese are made on the premises. Each dish is prepared with thought and care. There is a blending of styles and flavors on our menu. There is something for everyone!

Our staff is both professional and personal, they are here to help you along your culinary journey. They have an in-depth knowledge of the dishes and are here to assist in any way. Please do not hesitate to ask, we are here to make your dining experience perfect.

Late Night Food

131 N Fir St, Telluride, CO 81435
(970) 728-6207

Set in a historic Telluride house, this relaxed bar & grill with an outdoor deck offers sandwiches & burgers. Just one block up from Colorado Ave, the house on the corner. The bar of freedom. Telluride's favorite place to cover it in fry sauce.

Finding food after 9 pm in Telluride can be tricky. The Cornerhouse Grille has you covered for all your late night cravings. The kitchen stays open until 10:30 pm daily. Stop in and try some of their famous tots.