The Vegan City Guide: Steamboat, Colorado
Steamboat (AKA Ski Town USA) has always held a special place in the heart of my family as I used to go there when I was a kid to ski during the winter. So when my dad called to ask where we should go to celebrate my 30th - obviously we had to go to Steamboat!
As a Colorado native, a former San Francisco city girl and now a San Diego resident, I’m obviously used to living in places where vegan + healthy food is easily accessible. This is actually a huge reason why I wanted to start this section of the blog to begin with, because as easy as its been for the little bubbles of the world I’ve lived in, it is absolutely not the case everywhere and sometimes finding not only something vegan, but something other than fries and a salad is damn near impossible.
I was a little naive going into this vegan guide as I thought that it would be a piece of cake since we were after all in Colorado, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought. When we arrived I scoured Happy Cow + Google + Yelp and was a little confused by the reviews, the options (or lack of) and the not so vegan vibe I felt. After talking to our community over on IG, and chatting with some locals, I had a better idea of what I was dealing with and was able to actually find some places I loved and would go to again.
I want to make sure you know that this isn’t just a basic list of all the vegan options in Steamboat because to be honest, there were a few on the list that did not make it. It’s so important that anything on this guide will give you options that are worth eating and food that is delicious. Options that will make your day better and options that are money well spent.
Since we’re on the topic of money, it’s also worth mentioning that Steamboat is not the cheapest place. I spent $20 on a sub par at best breakfast burrito (don’t worry - its not in the guide) so just be prepared to pay the tourist tax here. The spots on this guide are 100% worth going to and although you’ll likely spend your budget, hopefully you can also find something you love and will be worth it. I’m always looking for quality of food, service and of course where ever we are has to pass the vibe check.
Be sure to save/ bookmark this guide for when you plan to visit and send to a friend!
With all of my city food guides, this of course is just my experience. Use it for reference and let me know what you found on your journey over at @chef_bai on IG or Tiktok.
Legend For Symbols:
(V) = Vegan Restaurant
(VO) = Vegan Options Available By Request
(VEG) = Vegetarian Restaurant
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WinonaS:
This is the cutest little Colorado small town breakfast spot that reminds me a lot of my childhood. Quick service, super friendly staff and damn the food came out quick and hot. At first I wasn’t sure about this place as I had only really seen the option for a tofu scramble online but after reading so many reviews we had to give it a shot. There were so many options for vegans, and also a lot of options depending on whatever food allergy you have. It’s clear that the owners want to provide delicious breakfast food regardless of your food preferences and they really hit the mark here. This was by far the most affordable place we ate so if you’re on a tight budget, this is the go-to breakfast spot.
What we loved: The Huevos Rancheros and The Chai.
Tips when ordering: Be sure to specify that you’re vegan and they can accommodate whatever you’d like if it states there’s a vegan option. Also, the pastries are tempting but not vegan so don’t get too excited upon seeing them on display! Also, the chai was delicious and already made with soy milk so there is no upcharge for vegan milk. Woohoo!
Yampa Valley Kitchen:
Let me start by saying this spot was one of the cutest and had a really great energy upon entering and throughout the entirety of our meal we just loved the concept and the overall vibe of the place. The restaurant is inside of an old school house and the dining areas are where the living rooms and bedrooms would be. It definitely passed the vibe check. I will admit, we almost didn’t even give this place a shot. The menu at first glance is about as opposite of vegan as you can get but after a few recommendations from locals, we knew we had to give it a shot. Although there were only a couple of vegan options, damn, they were good. It’s clear that the chef of this restaurant really pays attention to quality of ingredients as not only does it come out in the flavor, but their mission statement is clear that they only use local, organic and sustainable ingredients. This is definitely one of my core values and although I would love to see more plant based options here, they’re on the right track. We came for lunch so I’m not too sure about their vegan breakfast options but I’m sure you can call ahead and ask.
I ordered the vegan burger. Its honestly a weird order for me because I’m a little tired of vegan burgers being the only option (there were a few others like the book choy salad), but I was really excited when this burger ended up being so delicious. They make the patty fresh in house with walnuts, garbanzo beans and beets with pickled onions + a garlic aioli and yeah, it hit the exact right spot.
What we loved: The Maple Chai with Coconut Milk. The Vegan Burger, Green Juice
Tips when ordering: They have an amazing latte menu with creative lattes and I honestly wanted all of them but I’m on a crazy chai kick right now so I went with the craving. If I lived nearby I would definitely try them all!
Mai Thai:
We stumbled in here on our first night, in the middle of a snow storm and there’s honestly nothing better than hot Thai food when you’re freezing and exhausted from traveling. We got a table for 2 next to the window to watch the snow and it’s a meal with my dad that I’ll remember forever. I’m obviously feeling a really sentimental over here but everything was just right about this place. Affordable, good vibes, cheap beer + sake and Thai food that was delicious and super quick to come out. They have an entire vegan section to their menu (the only place we went to that had this) so I was confident that there wasn’t any sneaky fish sauce or chicken broth in anything we ordered which unfortunately can happen when getting Thai.
What we loved: Pad Thai, Fried Rice and Drunken Noodles!
Tips when ordering: Make sure to ask for the chili + jalapeño sauce for the side!
Besame:
This spot was not something I found very vegan friendly when looking online but wow, their veggie paella was incredible. Perfect for date night or when you want to get out of the typical ski town type meals. Vibes were great here, we sat at the bar and the bartender was very knowledgeable about the menu and was more than happy to accommodate us. He even made me a Pisco sour without the egg white and it really hit the spot. Would absolutely recommend this place for a night out and it can accommodate all types of eaters!
What we loved: The Veggie Pallea, The Peruvian Potatoes (dip on the side)
Tips when ordering: Be sure to specify that you’re plant based and they will point you in the right direction!
Otto Pint:
This place was a fire find. We came here the day we went skiing and all we were craving was pizza and beer. This was the perfect spot for that! They had violife cheese (one of my fav vegan brands) and could make any pizza vegan. Not only was it incredibly vegan inclusive, their thin crust pizza was my dads favorite & the vibes were just right. We of course had to have our leftovers for breakfast - they were that good!
What we loved: The pizza! We made two of our own and it was perfect.
Tips when ordering: They have a GF pizza option for all of my GF eaters out there!
Rendezvous Lodge:
My most nerve-wracking food day was the day we went skiing. Since I hadn’t been on the mountain in 7 years, I had no idea what the food options would be like. Since we were up early and didn’t waste a minute on the mountain, I knew I would be starving the time lunch came around. We ended up on the Rendezvous Lodge. Its located on the sunny side of the mountain located half way down the High Noon run. This spot did not disappoint as it had a vegan option at every single one of the sections of the food court. Vegan Chili, A Chickpea Salad Sandwich, A Vegan Burger + Fries were some of the options and I was so pleased to see that there were decent options!
What we loved: Vegan Chili - had to!
Tips when ordering: It’s a food court so find your spot to sit before grabbing food!
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