While much of Vail’s front door remains shuttered for construction, its back door is open for business. The tiny town of Minturn – one exit west of Vail on Interstate 70 – recently emerged from a restaurant renaissance of its own with grand reopenings of a pair of low-key eateries designed to get you through the day and well into the night. The Lift Café at 291 Main Street in Minturn (formerly Harry’s Bump and Grind) opens more than an hour before the Vista Bahn, giving skiers ample opportunity to fuel up on classic breakfast burritos, bagels and Belgian waffles. Lunches range from sandwiches to house-made soups and salads. The best part? Everything on the menu is under eight bucks. Down the road at 474 Main, the former JB’s BBQ has changed hands, doubled its floor space, added a liquor license and reopened as Kirby Cosmo’s BBQ Bar. In addition to Southeast BBQ fare, the restaurant has expanded its menu to include pizza, sandwiches and already famous “Three-Way Wings” (smoked, fried, then grilled). A new stage hosts live music.
Get there — Main Street Minturn, a.k.a. U.S. Highways 6 & 24, begins about 2 miles south of I-70 at Exit 171. Southbound, The Lift Café (970-827-5231) is on the right. Kirby Cosmo’s (970-827-9027) is about two blocks down on the left.
