If you want a tasty breakfast in Estes Park, you have several choices. The earlier you go, the better the service you will get, especially on weekends in the summer. That's life in a tourist town for ya.
The Bighorn Restaurant 401 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-2792, $$ Highly recommended for breakfast in Estes Park - good prices, big portions. The lunch & dinner menu is an assortment of burgers, sandwiches, and other American menu items.
Donut Haus 342 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-2988, $ The best donuts in town, made fresh daily. I especially like the ones with the cream cheesy frosting and cinnamon. Map note: the online maps were off, so I pointed it to Anderson Realty (across the street).
Ed's Cantina 390 E Elkhorn, (970) 586-2919, $$ I gotta admit, I kind of miss the old Ed's. Before they remodeled, it was a cheesy sports bar with funky things like buffalo heads on the walls. Now it's got a more upscale image and *sniff sniff* a less character. The food is decent and the people very friendly.
The Egg & I 393 E Elkhorn, (970) 586-1173, $ A reliable breakfast in Estes Park with a huge assortment. Also serving lunch. Go early, though, because the place gets packed!
Grubsteak Restaurant 134 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-8838, $$ A variety of burgers and steak and such. Also serving breakfast.
Longz (at the Holiday Inn) 101 S St. Vrain, (970) 586-2332, $$ The Holiday Inn's restaurant was recently revamped, and they are serving a lot of new cuisine; I haven't been yet and haven't heard any local gossip. I'll keep you posted.
McDonald's 501 Big Thompson Ave., (970) 586-3434, $ Ummm... what's there to say about McDonald's? Eat there if you must. Haven't you seen Super Size Me?! Breakfast in Estes Park, indeed.
Meadow Mountain Café Hwy 7 Bus. (Allenspark), (303) 747-2541, $$ About 25 minutes from Estes in the tiny mountain town of Allenspark, Meadow Mountain Café serves up some seriously tasty food in a backwoodsy, homey, hippie sort of place, with a friendly dog and a smile on every face. If you're hiking in Wild Basin, stop here for breakfast.
Molly B Restaurant 200 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-2766, $$ Good old fashioned mountain cookin'.
Mountain Home Café 457 E Wonderview, (970) 586-6624, $$ A nice choice for breakfast in Estes Park, with tasty food and a small outdoor patio.
Mountaineer Restaurant 540 S St. Vrain, (970) 586-9001, $$ If mountain men had a hangout, it might be the Mountaineer. Good old fashioned food.
Nicky's Restaurant 1350 Fall River Rd., (970) 586-5376, $$-$$$ Nicky's has two restaurants - a steakhouse and a "garden restaurant" serving lighter fare. There is also a lounge/bar where, on summer weekends, you can hear the sound stylings of Ray Young on piano.
Notchtop Bakery & Café 459 E Wonderview, (970) 586-0272, $$ Notchtop has some reliably tasty food and even better baked goods.
The Other Side Restaurant 900 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-2171, $$-$$$ The Other Side offers two menus- steak/seafood and a lighter sandwich/burger menu. Beautiful views of their pond; lots of ducks and geese entertain adults and kids alike.
Shakes Alive! Fruit Shakes 513 Big Thompson Ave., (970) 577-7007, $ Tasty smoothies and fruit shakes made to order. Lots and lots of flavors to choose from and the owners are super-friendly. Some small sandwich items too.
Silverado Restaurant (at Lake Shore Lodge) 1700 Big Thompson Ave., (970) 577-6422, $$$ Lakeside dining and good food. It's been awhile, but I seem to remember some baked brie with lingonberries that was to die for.
The Sundeck 915 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-9832, $$ A rustic mountain atmosphere, nice people, and good food. Some of the best trout around.
Trailhead Restaurant (at Rocky Mountain Gateway) 3450 Fall River Rd., (970) 577-0043, $$ Very nice atmosphere, and the deck is great in the summertime. I had a delicious grilled vegetable wrap. Adjacent to the largest gift shop in the area and the Fall River Visitor Center of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The Wapiti Restaurant and Pub 247 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-5056, $$ "Wapiti" (WAH-pit-ee) is Shawnee for elk. The Wapiti is a carnivore's paradise. I had the ribs and they were yuuuumy. That was back in my "must have BBQ once in awhile because I'm from Texas" days.
My favorite breakfast in Estes Park? I used to really like the Donut Haus, until I hit a certain age and could no longer eat donuts without noticing the effects... Meadow Mountain Café is terrific, but it's not in town. The Egg and I pleases just about everyone, and Meadow Mountain Café and The Bighorn Restaurant are local favorites.
