Vendetta’s in Vail Village has been a fixture for over four decades

Being a fixture on the Vail dining scene for over four decades is worth celebrating, especially if you’re a family owned and operated Italian restaurant in the heart of Vail Village. Vendetta’s is many things to many people — a place to fuel up for mountain adventures, or to wind down after work. A meeting spot, a big night out, a late-night scene. But to everyone, Vendetta’s is a high-energy restaurant and bar with a prime Vail Village location.

In the wintertime, they keep it casual upstairs, pizza bar and all, while downstairs has more of a fine dining feel. But in the summertime, the downstairs is reserved for special events and private parties, and upstairs is a bustling, busy spot filled with families, friends and, as always, a core of Vail Ski Patrollers — many turned SAC Crew (Signs and Closures) during the summer.

“During the summer we have all the sliders open,” said General Manager Jen Riddle, referring to Vendetta’s wide walls of windows and doors. “We’ve got flowers on the patio and the umbrellas are up. We have a great patio, honestly, I would say one of the best in town.”

Pizza is part of Vendetta’s soul, and many of the classic slices were named after the chefs and staff members who’ve been integral to the restaurant’s success. Riddle has her own slice (Knight Moves, based on her maiden name Knight, with sausage, pepperoncini, pineapple and basil). Her father, John “Popeye” Brennan, founded Vendetta’s. His slice is Popeye’s Passion, fully loaded with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions and black olives. But there’s a lot more than pizza on offer.

Fresh salads are a welcome offering — add grilled or blackened chicken, shrimp or salmon to any of them. Riddle’s favorite is the Summer Salad, with peaches, spinach, arugula, and avocado tossed in a berry vinaigrette and accented with red onion, almonds and goat cheese. But she’s a fan of the pasta, too, and recommends the Cacio e Pepe and the veggie-centric Primavera.

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“They’re both  light pasta dishes with really good flavor,” she said.

And for the summer season, Cioppino is back on the menu. The seafood extravaganza includes mussels, calamari, clams, shrimp and scallops, all swimming in a golden sofrito broth. Garlic parmesan toast is great for sopping up the broth, and giving a crisp counterpoint. For those wanting something a little more demure, try the Salmone, with sun-dried tomato cream and classic accompaniments: sweet pea puree, prosciutto, shoestring potatoes and spinach. Everybody has a story at Vendetta’s, but sometimes the story is simply good food with good friends, just before or just after a mountain adventure — for another 40 years.