The Best Après-Ski Cocktails in Aspen

Nothing beats a fireside cocktail after hours of skiing. The ability to dress down and warm up with your fellow travelers is as much of the Aspen Experience as the mountain itself. Aspen has countless après-ski bars and lounges, suitable for all preferences, but beyond the atmosphere, there are a handful of handcrafted cocktails made… Read more

The 2018 Guest Chef Series at The Little Nell

More and more often, world-renowned chefs are swapping kitchens with one another to share their culinary creations across oceans, borders, and cultures. It’s a recipe for success. Talented chefs such as Blaine Wetzel land in a new country and stir up a multi-course meal with foreign ingredients, a fresh team, and in a new environment,… Read more

Top Private Dining Experiences in The US & Beyond

The most sensational moments in life are engrained in our memories due to their intensity, their uniqueness, and their special elements. The interplay and interactions of sound, taste, and smell can help cement special events, locations, and even conversations into our mind. Here are a handful of the most memorable and unparalleled private dining experiences… Read more

Aspen’s Top Events for Foodies

Aside from red-hot sunsets and tangerine sunrises, the inspiration behind adventurous days in Aspen is simultaneously fueled by another part of the imagination: what’s next on the menu? To the relief of every summit-seeker, paddler, wayfarer and traveler’s appetite: The Valley draws creative chefs from around the country and world who participate in food-centric events… Read more

From Mushrooms to Wagyu – Aspen’s Farm to Fork Network

Progressive yet traditional; classic although contemporary; with a magnetic draw while having a taste of Wild West. Aspen is an eclectic mountain town unlike any other and while this unique place welcomes newcomers and out-of-box innovation, maintaining Aspen’s farm to fork network is what stabilizes and guides the sustainable growth. One central branch of that… Read more

The Very Best Breakfast in Aspen

Souffle pancakes. Poached eggs. Crispy bacon. Fresh coffee. All these culminate to the stellar dining experience that is Breakfast. Breakfast should energize you, recenter you, and prepare you for the day ahead, especially when vacationing at a high altitude, calorie-burning ski town . This is why being named the best breakfast in Aspen is an… Read more

Bug Out! To a New Culinary Sensation

Are you adventurous enough to eat bugs for dinner? Not as a garnish or shocking side dish; but baked, sauteed, and served front and center. If you’re feeling uneasy about eating insects, you’re not alone. There’s a mental hurdle to get over before you enthusiastically welcome them on your plate. Which is why we’re going… Read more

How Chef Ryan Hardy Left His Mark on the Roaring Fork Valley

After decamping to Manhattan in 2013, Hardy returns in December to kick-off The Little Nell’s 2nd Annual Guest Chef Dinner Series. An excerpt from Aspen Sojourner, by Laurel Miller. Food-loving locals and devotees of The Little Nell still look back fondly on former executive chef Ryan Hardy’s tenure. The chef, who helmed Montagna (now Element… Read more

2017 James Beard Awards Call for Entries

The countdown to the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards is underway. Considered the Oscars of the American restaurant world, the Beard Awards are the highest honor for food and beverage professionals working in North America. The awards cover all aspects of the industry—from chefs and restaurateurs to cookbook authors and food journalists to restaurant designers… Read more

Artists That Call Aspen Home (+Must-See Galleries)

Aspen may be recognized internationally first and foremost as a ski town, but it’s quickly earning a reputation as an arts town, too. That’s fitting, given the percentage of people employed in the arts in Aspen makes it No. 2 in the country per capita, according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s… Read more