28 Things You Must Eat
A Dish by Dish Throwdown
The local dining scene reaches far beyond your standard tourist town pizza, nacho and burger joints. We’ve got trend-driving chefs and fresh harvest menus playing out at new to tried-and-true eateries. We’ve got flavors canvassing Germany to the Louisiana bayou. And those burgers and nachos? We’ve got those too.
Boatyard American Grill
How to: Navigate a Massive Menu
There’s a reason the Boatyard attracts so many regulars. Folks keep coming back for the Thai chicken pizza, the bacon and blue burger and the award-winning bloody Mary. A long list of cravings are covered at this nautical nosh spot.
Two to try:
Kale and Spinach Salad + Salmon
Leafy dark green organic kale and spinach are tossed with strawberries, toasted pecans and blue cheese crumbles with a generous hunk of salmon and douse of homemade balsamic vinaigrette and sweet pomegranate reduction—healthy done right.
Seared Scallop Sliders
Almost too pretty to eat, three meaty scallops sit open-faced on grilled ciabatta with mango red pepper salsa, peppery arugula and a spicy aioli.
304 Main St., Frisco
Sugar Lips Mini Donuts
Hit this locally owned sweet stop for your fill of these delightful fried circles. The s’mores donuts with chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker crumbs are the most popular.
Copper Mountain
Kemosabe
Head to Kemosabe during happy hour (4 to 6 p.m. daily) and peruse the $4, $6, and $8 deals on sushi, beer, sake and apps. Splurge on the dancing eel specialty roll.
605 Main St., Frisco
Endo's
You’re not likely to find a more talked- about après snack than Endo’s massive four-person nacho platter. Shovel through layers of jalapenos, onions, olives,
tomatoes, cheddar and jack, guac and sour cream.
Copper Mountain
Peppino's
Arguably one of the best pie’s in Summit County, the buffalo chicken specialty pizza from Peppino’s takes chicken roasted in zippy wing sauce, crumbled blue cheese, red onion and roasted red pepper and piles it on a hand-tossed crust dressed in classic red sauce.
610 Main St., Frisco
Jack's Slopeside Grill
Hit this super-sized food court, pass the noodle bowls and pizza and ask for the piada. Dough is made fresh daily and it's grilled to order. Fill yours with housemade meatballs, grilled salmon or oven roasted chicken.
Copper Mountain
5th Avenue Grille
This unpretentiously upscale eatery is a fun and fab local meeting place. Cut into the buttery sesame seared ahi with pickled ginger, bamboo rice and stir-fry veggies for a healthy and exotic dinner.
423 Main St., Frisco
Bagalis
Snag a seat at the first-come community table or the bar between 4 and 6 p.m. for happy hour deals on apps and artisan pizzas. The gorgonzola and applewood smoked bacon pie includes surprising layers of thin-sliced potato, garlic, spinach and champagne vinaigrette.
320 E. Main St., Frisco
Log Cabin
Tall stack, short stack, plain or wheat, speckled with blueberries or chocolate chips. The Cabin’s pancakes are as big as your head and worth every decadent forkful.
121 Main St., Frisco
Island Grill
Go beachside Memorial Day to Labor Day. The blackened ono fish tacos and slushy passion fruit Island Sunset at the Frisco Bay Marina’s Island Grill are delightfully tropical.
249 Marina Rd., Frisco
Mountain Melt
Copper’s cheese-focused Mountain Melt is all about hearty, screw-the-diet comfort food. Get the made-to-order sautéed lobster mac for generous lobster chunks in heavy cream with sharp cheddar and crisp peas.
Copper Mountain
JJ’s Tavern
How to: Order a burger you’ll dream about
Stroll into this turn-of-the-century tavern, belly up to the bar (said to be the longest in Summit County), and order the JJ’s Tavern Burger. It’s seven ounces of grilled, all-natural Aspen Ridge Colorado beef on a fresh baked BBQ cheddar roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and cheese. Make it ultra dreamy and add house-smoked pulled pork, bacon, beef brisket, green chili or guacamole. You’ll find it under Tavern Favorites.
Copper Mountain
Blue Spruce Inn
Sometimes you just want to sit down to a nice steak dinner and a bottle of red with your favorite person. The Blue Spruce Inn has been around since the 1940s and sides dim-lit historic cabin ambiance with a to-die surf and turf. The six-ounce parsley buttered filet and five-ounce lobster tail is served with fresh-baked bread, the daily veggie and potato.
20 Main St., Frisco
Tavern West
Walk into Tavern West and utter four words: New Orleans grilled oysters. These bubbling beauties are swimming in butter, garlic, bread crumbs and parmesean. Seeking a light bite? The steakhouse with an elegant edge also serves a mean chopped salad built with rotisserie chicken, avocado, roasted corn, diced tomatoes, scallions, almonds, cornbread croutons, dates and goat cheese.
311 W. Main St., Frisco
Double Diamond Bar & Grill
If you go to Copper’s Double Diamond Bar & Grill, make sure it’s a Friday. Their famous Friday Fish Fry is an all-you-can-eat Wisconsin-style (the owner grew up skiing in Wisconsin) affair complete with fresh fish, French fries, coleslaw, tarter sauce and lemon.
Copper Mountain
Camp Hale
Build your own breakfast sandwich any time of day at Camp Hale. No. 1 seller: The French Revolution with bacon, egg and cheddar on a croissant. The average time for a made-to-order sammie at this grab-n-go counter is five minutes.
Multiple locations, Copper Mountain
Vinny’s
No microwave, no fryer, no premade foods here. Vinny’s is all about farm to cozy Continental table. Start with the blue lump crab cake with greens and coleslaw and move on to the melt-in-your-mouth braised boneless beef short ribs with creamed corn sauce and truffle polenta.
310 Main St., Frisco
Incline Bar & Grill
A gourmet version of the standby BLT, the duck breast meat in the duck bacon BLTA at Incline Bar & Grill is minced, pressed, cured and applewood smoked in-house. It’s leaner than bacon but still delivers that salty savory experience. Crunch into the creation on toasted buttered challah (a Jewish egg bread) with mixed greens, tomato, avocado and slow-roasted garlic aioli.
Copper Mountain
C.B. Grille
C.B. Grille takes comfort food to epicurean levels with their steakhouse mac n’ cheese. The creamy local pick is jacked with tenderloin tips, arugula, pipette, gorgonzola, bread crumbs and caramelized cippolini onions.
Copper Mountain
The Breakfast Deli
Frisco’s breakfast take-out pit stop is at the ready with single serving biscuits and gravy and on-the-run yogurt parfaits. For a.m. sustenance, grab a hot Bob’s Backcountry chile relleno burrito. Imported from Bob’s kitchen over in Dillon, the half-pounder is fat with refried beans, a whole roasted chile relleno, green chile, cheese and spices.
310 Main St., Frisco
Q4U Barbeque
The Brunswick stew at Frisco’s Q4U Barbeque is a Colorado spin on the Southern classic bowl. Some call it liquid ribs. 'Nuff said.
857 N. Summit Blvd.
Deli Belly's
Follow the steady flow of lunchers into Deli Belly and order the Italian grinder. This baby is packed to the gills with ham, cappicola, provolone, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and sweet and hot peppers for a nice kick. Oil and vinegar, a quick hit of mayo and brown mustard and special Italian seasonings complete this cravable beast.
275 Main St., Frisco
Butterhorn Bakery & Café
You can’t go wrong with anything from Butterhorn’s griddle. The four thick slices of powder sugar-laced home-baked multi-grain French toast with wild Maine blueberries and walnuts is a satisfying pre-hike or ski treat.
408 Main St., Frisco
Carlos Miguel's
Start happy hour with Carlos Miguel’s tableside guacamole. Your friendly server rolls the cart over, scoops out three ripe avocados, squeezes fresh lime, tosses in pepper, garlic and sea salt, cilantro, tomato, white onion, and chopped jalapeno, mashes it all up and voilà—a garden fresh app for four.
740 Summit Blvd., Frisco
RECIPE
Food Hedz World Cafe
Bacon and Double Cheese Quiche
Paired with a tossed green salad, this full-flavored quiche is the perfect lunch or light dinner.
Crust:
1 1/3 cups all-prupose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2-3 tbsp cold water
Filling:
10 strips lean bacon
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups light cream
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar (about 2 ounces)
To prepare the crust, in a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until coarse and crumbs form.
Add water, 1 tbsp at a time, tossing with a fork until a dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 11-inch circle, fit into 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges leaving a 1/4 inch overhang. Fold this under to form a standup edge. Prick dough with a fork. Line with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Bake until lightly golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare filling. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon till crisp, drain on paper towel.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, thyme and pepper. Pour into the crust. Crumble the bacon. Sprinkle the bacon and cheeses on top of the egg mixture. Bake until golden and custard is set. About 30 minutes. Serve warm.
Food Hedz, 842 Summit Blvd., Frisco
