YOUR AD HERE »

Dine inside a gondola car

Refurbished gondola cars offer a new way to dine, celebrate and experience the Vail Valley

There’s an exciting new way to dine in the Vail Valley, but it isn’t at a brand new restaurant. The Blue Plate in Avon took a familiar mountain town icon and has reimagined the dinner table and surroundings to create a fun new way to enjoy a meal with friends.

Elli Roustom, co-owner of the Blue Plate with her husband, Adam, who is the executive chef, came up with this idea after a friend suggested it to her.

“My best friend gave me the idea. She showed me a different kind of gondola dining, it was much smaller, but really nice as well. What would be more fitting than dinning in a gondola in the Vail Valley?” Elli Roustom said.



Elli soon ordered not one but two gondola cars to be delivered to Eagle County. From there, she and Adam enlisted the help of Balz Arrigoni or Arrigoni Woods on the interior finishes of the gondolas. “We just put it in his hands and knew he would do an excellent job. He had the perfect idea and a great vision and we were blown away by his work.” Roustom said.

In just three weeks, the gondola cars were transformed into little dining rooms complete with custom European wood with intricate details and traditional Austrian textiles. In fact, Elli ordered the fabric for the curtains from Austria and made them herself. “Each private gondola cabin embodies the luxurious warmth of an Alpine chalet,” Roustom said.

Support Local Journalism




The gondola cars, affectionately referred to as Hansel and Gretel, have air conditioning and heat so they can be used year-round and have their own lighting system and music piped in.

The gondola cars can fit up to four people for a special dinner or celebration. Guests can choose between two special menus: an alpine menu or chef’s tasting menu. Both menus serve four courses and guests may choose to add wine pairings, or talk to the staff about customizing everything from the menu to the music. You have a dedicated server who takes care of only you that evening, ensuring a special experience.

“Everyone who has dined in the gondola cars so far has been absolutely ecstatic. It is just so much fun and something not seen in the valley before,” Roustom said. “So far we have had multiple birthdays, anniversaries, a couple of marriage proposals as well as just sharing this experience with friends and family.

To learn more and book a reservation in one of the gondola cars, visit http://www.blueplateavon.com.  


Support Local Journalism