Two Eagle County restaurants make Denver list of “five new restaurants to try in the mountains”
The Vail Valley has a stable of staple restaurants — Pepi’s at Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer on Bridge Street, for instance, which opened in 1964; or the Coyote Cafe at Beaver Creek, serving ski patrol and others for over 30 years; or Gashouse in Edwards, a rustic restaurant in an old 1900s gas station building.
However, whether you’re a local, a regular weekend visitor or planning your return to the valley this winter or this summer — or next year — there’s usually a new place or two to try throughout the year.
The Know — Denver Post’s arts and entertainment section — recently featured two new restaurants to the valley on its list of “Five new restaurants to try in the mountains this winter.”
“Wherever you’re headed this season for a Colorado mountain getaway, you can expect to find a new restaurant or two to try out,” the feature says. “And with restrictions changing regularly, they’re all outfitted with combinations of heated patios, limited indoor dining and, of course, takeout.
“Here are a handful of spots that have risen to the top of our list for the next weekend — or better yet, weekday — visit,” the feature continues. “There’s an airy seasonal American cafe in Eagle, a fried chicken window in Frisco, not one but two charcuterie and wine bars in Steamboat Springs, an omakase counter in Aspen and an après lounge plus steakhouse in Vail Village.”
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The Assembly
That “airy seasonal American cafe in Eagle” is none other than The Assembly, opened Aug. 10 and created by Jaimie and Caleb Mackey with chef Chris Aycock overseeing the kitchen.
“Eagle is a tight-knit community and that’s what we love about it — it’s why we chose to raise our family here,” Jaimie Mackey told the Vail Daily after opening. “You bump into people you know everywhere. We wanted to create another place where locals could gather, another layer. The Assembly is the restaurant that we wished existed here.”
In the Vail Daily’s Best of Vail Valley 2020 awards, The Assembly earned the title of Best Newcomer.
“We have really put community in the front and center; it’s the inspiration in our name, in our menu and in everything we do,” Jaimie Mackey told the Vail Daily after a few months of being open. “Having an incredible reception from our community off the bat is really moving, and it makes us feel like we are accomplishing our mission.”
For more information about The Assembly, including menus, visit http://www.theassemblyeagle.com or follow them on Instagram. The Assembly is located at 1143 Capitol St. in Eagle. Call 970-328-2828.
The Slope Room
In Vail, The Slope Room opened in December — in the the former Terra Bistro space — and as part of Gravity Haus, the restaurant is certainly showing off what’s new.
The Know calls it an “après lounge plus steakhouse in Vail Village,” and the atmosphere is a blend of the rugged spirit of the Old West along with luxurious modern touches.
“For the team at Gravity Haus and Slope Room it has been incredibly important for us to carry on the decades-long legacy of Terra Bistro. Many of the Slope Room staff and servers had worked at Terra Bistro, and their excitement for Slope Room is palpable,” said Matt Windt, executive vice president of marketing and communications at Gravity Haus, before opening in December. “Throughout the new Slope Room concept we pay homage to one of the great restaurant spaces in all of Vail.”
When developing the menu, The Slope Room and chef Alberto Soto didn’t intentionally create a signature dish or set of dishes.
“We wanted to bring the idea of ‘pasture-to-table’ to life. In turn, we created an entire signature restaurant that fully aligns with what Gravity Haus stands for by including options for all tastes and preferences,” Windt said.
The Slope Room is located at 352 East Meadow Drive in Vail. For a menu or more information, visit sloperoom.com. Or call 970-476-6836.
For The Know’s full list of five new restaurants to check out, visit theknow.denverpost.com.
