By Erin Spillane

221 South Oak

Photo: Ryan Bonneau

Located a stone’s throw from Telluride’s Gondola station, this cozy eatery is notable for the inventive menu of chef/owner Eliza Gavin, alumna of a number of prestigious restaurants and stages, as well as the television program Top Chef. Look for brunch favorites with a wildly creative twist served indoors in the charming period house at the 221 S. Oak St. locale from which it takes its name and outdoors on the sun-dappled patio. Chef Gavin talks us through it all.

What’s the vibe?
I like to think that our brunches are the perfect start to a Colorado summer day. Wake up early to hike, then 221, then an afternoon nap, or before a festival, although you may have to stretch out on your tarp for a snooze before the music starts.

What do you most want brunch lovers to know?
We don’t pull any punches for brunch. We make it larger than life with big flavors and portions. I’m thinking of our duck confit, spinach, mushroom and ramen waffle, our praline bacon and our vegan braised jackfruit chilaquiles. We always want to do something different, something unexpected.

Signature menu item
Our signature item is a freshly made blueberry muffin and they are amazing — everyone gets one. Another is our eggs benedict offered two ways: a smoked trout and fried green tomatoes benedict or a soft-shell crab benedict. 

Favorite summer beverage
It has to be our blood orange mimosa or bloody mary. 

Reservations are recommended but not required. 

Black Iron Kitchen & Bar

Photo: Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection

Located alongside bustling Heritage Plaza and with indoor and outdoor seating, the Madeline Hotel and Residence’s Black Iron Kitchen and Bar (BIKB) is a wonderful spot to brunch before an afternoon spent enjoying Mountain Village’s vibrant outdoor activity scene. Executive Chef Zachary Ladwig clues us in on what to expect.

What’s the vibe?
Brunch at BIKB is laid back and convivial — the perfect place to gather with family and friends. The summer brunch menu is light and fresh, showcasing the bounty of local farmers and foragers and complemented by an expertly curated seasonal wine list that features an abundance of bubbles and delicious rosés.

What do you most want brunch lovers to know?
I am working to elevate and break away from the norm of traditional hotel dining. My goal is for the menu at BIKB to represent our rich geographical area and its bounty in every dish. Amazing ingredients are grown and foraged right on our doorstep. I believe it is paramount to highlight them.

Signature menu item
The poached yard eggs with wild asparagus and West Fork porcini mushrooms. The mushrooms are foraged by the sous chefs, the wild asparagus is from a friend’s ranch and the greens and herbs are from local hillsides. 

Favorite summer beverage
My personal highlight is a preserved clementine orange and mezcal fizz. Our team is also working on some punchbowl-style cocktails for sharing and some great mocktails using fresh local fruit.

Reservations are recommended but not required. 

Floradora Saloon

Photo: Floradora Saloon

In 1973, Florie Kane established this much-loved local treasure. Five decades later, her son, Roscoe Kane, an Arizona Culinary Institute-trained chef with an impressive resume, presides over a kitchen that serves a delicious mix of comfort food, pub-grub classics and elevated cuisine from a central main street location. Chef Roscoe gives us the lowdown. 

What’s the vibe?
We still have that old western charm. This is also a local favorite; you’ll find groups of locals hanging in the sun enjoying some drinks and delicious food as they recall their exploits of the night before. And it’s a family business. Florie is the official owner. Our dad, Charlie, is the entertainer and my brother, Hurley, handles front of house and the bar.

What do you most want brunch lovers to know?
We are a family business that works with small family farms for the freshest ingredients. We source our eggs locally and our ground beef and steaks are from Ferguson Family Ranches in Ridgway. And, enjoying brunch at our outdoor tables, surrounded by such beauty, should not be missed. 

Signature brunch menu item
Our fried avocado benedict, which is a perfectly poached egg, Panko crushed avocado, crispy bacon and tomatoes on an English muffin with freshly made hollandaise sauce. Or the “trucker” — an open-faced, freshly made biscuit with two fried eggs, cheddar cheese and bacon, smothered with sausage gravy and accompanied by a side of home fries.

Favorite summer beverage
It has to be the big boy mimosa — it’s a mimosa on steroids. Also, our hibiscus French 75. The house-made bloodies are a favorite as well.

No reservations; seating is first come, first served.

New Sheridan Chop House

Photo: Brett Schreckengost

The New Sheridan Hotel is the grand dame of Telluride’s main street and brunch at its restaurant, the Chop House, reflects that stateliness. In summer, there is seating indoors and out, with sidewalk tables offering iconic views along Colorado Avenue to the peaks at the east end of the box canyon. Managing Partner Ray Farnsworth tells us more.  

What’s the vibe?
Brunch at the New Sheridan is fun. We offer a classic style brunch menu with plenty of crowd favorites from which to choose, always offering the finest selection of food, wine and spirits.

What do you most want brunch lovers to know?
Dining at the New Sheridan is an experience to remember. We proudly feature the friendliest staff, finest cuisine and beautiful historic ambiance. You are invited to experience a new level of old-world service at Telluride’s social epicenter since 1895.

Signature menu item
Classic eggs benedict, chilaquiles, French toast with real maple syrup, Denver omelet, Rocky Mountain trout salad, French onion soup or our Chop House steak burger.

Favorite summer beverage
The famous New Sheridan flatliner, mimosas, bellinis, house-made bloody marys. Our state-of-the-art Cuvée system allows us to serve small pours of premium wines by the glass.

No reservations; seating is first come, first served.

The View

Photo: Telluride Mountain Lodge

This aptly named restaurant, located at Mountain Lodge in Mountain Village, offers stunning vistas from its perch beside Double Cabins ski run. Dine indoors in the lovely dining room or outdoors on the sunny pool deck in an atmosphere that manages to be both lively — the drag brunches are a locals’ favorite — and serene. Director of Sales Sam Barnes fills us in on what to expect.

What’s the vibe?
The vibe at The View is casual, laid back. Having brunch up here in the morning by the pool or in our dining room during the summer is a real treat and a great way to start a day in the mountains. You can enjoy the views and the food.

What do you most want brunch lovers to know?
Because of our location, we are not as hectic as many other restaurants. In addition, you can come and have brunch and then hang out here all day if you want. Brunch-goers are welcome to stay, play lawn games and relax by the pool or take a dip.

Signature menu item
Our avocado toast is made with Blue Grouse Bakery bread, cucumbers, feta, pickled Fresno peppers and chives. I can tell you 100 percent that we have the best avocado toast in Telluride and Mountain Village.

Favorite summer beverage
Our bottomless mimosas and Aperol spritzes.

Reservations are recommended but not required for brunch. The View can accommodate larger groups of people and accepts reservations for private brunch parties.