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EAT: Step into the old American West at SaddleRidge

By Kari Mohr
Special to the Daily
Rustic decor by Avon-based Zehren and Associates and New York-based Naomi Leff and Associates invites diners to relax and enjoy.
Kimberly Gavin | Special to the Daily

Editor’s note: This story first appeared as a paid feature in EAT magazine, highlighting restaurants across the valley.

With a menu rooted in local meat and game, SaddleRidge captures romance in the American West.

A visit to the restaurant inevitably begins with some self-guided poking around. The space houses one of the largest collections of Western memorabilia outside of a museum, with tapestries, antique furniture and original Roland Reed paintings. Don’t miss a visit to the library, which features artifacts like a hat and canteen from General Custer, and a tomahawk from Geronimo.



The grand, winding staircase from the entry leads to the gleaming wood paneling and ornate vaulted ceilings of the Western Saloon/main dining area. The space is lit by wrought iron chandeliers and windows looking out over aspen forests and beyond to Larkspur Bowl. The setting goes hand in hand with the menu, says Executive Chef Adam Roth, who has been at the helm of SaddleRidge for over for 12 years.

“I use the building for inspiration,” said Roth, choosing dishes that focus “mainly on Colorado beef and game with Southwest flavors, large cuts and family style options.”

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The dinner menu offering is served family style with Black Angus filet, bison NY strip, elk t-bone and two Colorado lamb lollipops, sauces and sides for the table to all pass and share. There are fish and vegetarian options, as well, including the cedar-planked rainbow trout and the Colorado goat cheese gnocchi.

The restaurant’s slope-side location makes it an appealing spot for an adventurous on-mountain lunch. It’s located at the base of the eastern slope of Beaver Creek Mountain and can be accessed by both beginner and more advanced skiers depending on the route you take: more information on routes is listed on the restaurant’s website. Diners are then pulled back up to the slopes via a snowmobile Sherpa.

The lunch menu offers lighter takes on the dinner fare, with sandwiches, salads, kids menu, and appetizers like the addictive bacon candy. Our lunchtime favorite: the buffalo prime rib French dip.

General Manager Jenny Carll joined the team six months ago, but has been in the Beaver Creek Mountain dining scene for almost 10 years. There’s a lot she’s looking forward to about this winter at SaddleRidge, including a new self-playing piano and lounge. “This season, we have an entirely new experience available on our balcony lounge,” said Carll. “It’s a comfortable family space to play board games and watch old Western movies.”

She also touts the incredible wine and beverage program, “We have an extensive wine list with mostly American labels, whiskey and bourbon centric saloon style bar, domestic and local Colorado beer selection.” Her go to? Sipping an old fashioned next to the fireplace during après.

Saddle Ridge

Price

Lunch: $12-$20

Dinner: $28-$49

Ambiance

Western luxury

Signature dish

Slow-roasted buffalo prime rib (limited availability)


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