The Top 9 Ski Resorts With the Best On-Mountain Restaurants

1. Sun Valley Resort, Idaho

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: The Roundhouse

The state of Idaho is known for its fry sauce, but Sun Valley, the state's iconic ski resort, is known for a secret sauce you can't necessarily taste—class.

Each of Sun Valley's beautiful on-mountain day lodges features an assortment of high quality food that makes the price a bit easier to swallow. Sure, Sun Valley still has the regular assortment of ski resort fare, but those with more refined pallets will be delighted by the wide-ranging menu at the finer establishments.

The crème de la crème, if you will, is Sun Valley's Roundhouse. The mid-mountain lodge sits just above the upper terminal of the Roundhouse Express Gondola and offers sweeping views of the Wood River Valley. Turn the class up a notch by ordering fondue and a bottle of champagne. The decadent combo tastes even better after you've skied all morning long.

2. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: Bonnie's

As some of you are aware, Aspen Snowmass actually consists of four separate ski resorts in the Aspen, Colorado area: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands. All four mountains feature distinct ski experiences and excellent on-mountain dining.

The resort's most famous establishment is the Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro at Aspen Highlands. The restaurant is located at the top of the Cloud Nine lift at 10,900 feet above sea level. Enjoy a menu of tartare, caviar, and fondue. Stick around for the daily DJ and champagne showers. It's a party!

3. Deer Valley, Utah

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: The Sticky Wicket

Deer Valley is one of those 'usual suspects' when it comes to landing on ski resort best-of lists. The mountain is regularly considered to be among the top ski resorts, not only in America but the world.

In keeping with expectations, Deer Valley's assortment of on-mountain dining options is incredible. From fine dining to grab-and-go fare, the food is good all around the resort. If we had to pick one place at Deer Valley for a meal and a beer after a day of skiing, we'd have to go with the newly built Sticky Wicket.

This 21+ bar is decked out in memorabilia and photos from The Golden Era of skiing. Fun fact— the decorations were curated by former POWDER editor and current editor of Mountain Gazette Mike Rogge.

4. Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: Bearclaw Cabin

Robert Redford built Sundance Mountain Resort as a haven for creatives to escape the stresses of life in the modern world. With this in mind, skiers will note the rustic charm of the resort's various eating establishments.

Skiers wanting a quick bite between runs will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of food at The Lookout, described as 'fast-fresh' with a menu featuring cheeseburgers, mac 'n cheese, and fried chicken sandwiches. Finer dining can be found at The Tree Room and Foundry Grill. Don't worry! You can wear your ski boots.

Bearclaw Cabin, a lonely mountaintop lodge, is the premier destination for on-mountain fare. Order the nachos. They're famous for a reason.

5. Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: Cliff House Restaurant

With over a dozen on-mountain eating options, it's hard to go wrong at Stowe, but The Cliff House Restaurant rises above the rest. Located at the top of the Mansfield Gondola, The Cliff House serves up American Cuisine with a touch of rustic flare that will feel like Vermont, if you're catching my drift.

Outside of the resort itself, the town of Stowe has dozens of fantastic restaurants to explore.

6. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: Crystal Hut

There's a reason Whistler Blackcomb ends up on many best-of lists. The reason? Well, frankly, it's because Whistler is one of the biggest, snowiest, and most famous ski resorts in the world. This continued attention has allowed the resort to keep up with modern expectations when it comes to chairlifts, its base village, and its on-mountain dining options.

You could ski at Whistler Blackcomb for an entire week and eat at a different restaurant for every meal, but our favorite spot has to be the iconic Crystal Hut. Located on Blackcomb Mountain, this hut serves up world-famous buttermilk waffles that are as good as advertised.

7. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: The Bavarian

Skiers and snowboarders will be pleasantly surprised by the handful of high-quality restaurants in Taos Ski Valley's base village. From international cuisine to New Mexican staples, BBQ, and American classics, your appetite will be fulfilled at Taos.

There's one restaurant at Taos, however, that is so iconic it could land the resort on this list by itself—The Bavarian. The building is constructed as an idyllic European-inspired watering hole that beckons hungry (and thirsty) skiers from afar. Order a beer, wiener schnitzel, and a big Bavarian pretzel. You'll feel like you've teleported to the Alps, even if only for a moment!

8. Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Colorado

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: Il Refugio

The majority of Arapahoe Basin's on-mountain dining is respectable but nothing to write home about. The Black Mountain Lodge has regular ski resort fare, and The 6th Alley Bar & Grill is a solid watering hole with reasonably priced food.

Similar to Taos Ski Valley, Arapahoe Basin is landing on this best-of list because of one restaurant in particular. In A-Basin's case, it's Il Refugio (The Refuge). Located at 12,456 feet above sea level, this mountain top refuge is known as the highest-elevation restaurant in North America.

Il Refugio's menu is what sets it apart. Described by Arapahoe Basin as, "a European-style bistro specializing in wine and charcuterie pairings", guests can also enjoy soup, salad, flatbreads, and espresso. It's, how you say ... bellissima!

Oh! Make sure to visit Il Refugio every Friday at 2:30 p.m for a courtesy champagne toast presented by Korbel.

9. Ski Portillo, Chile

Recommended On-Mountain Restaurant: Tío Bob’s

There are a couple dozen ski areas scattered around Chile and Argentina, but none is more famous than Ski Portillo. With breathtaking views, big mountain terrain, and consistent snowfall, this resort has been welcoming the world's best skiers since 1949.

Ski Portillo is extremely remote which leads the large majority of skiers and riders to spend a few nights at the resort. Now, American guests might be fearful of not having a large variety of dining options, but those fears are typically quelled within the first meal. Ski Portillo's dining options are, for lack of a better word, fantastic.

Among a half-dozen establishments, the resort's Tío Bob’s restaurant steals the show. With jaw-dropping 360-degree views of the Andes and Inca Lake, eating outdoors at Tío Bob’s isn't recommended; it's a requirement. Enjoy a fine selection of barbecued meats and fish, or go with the classic Tío Bob’s burger.

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