Surprisingly, there are not a ton of Estes Park Italian restaurants. I'm not sure why, I mean, I would have thought Italian food was popular stuff! Here's the short list, and I have no problem recommending any of them:
The Dunraven Downtown 101 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-3818, $$ This used to be the downtown location of The Dunraven Inn, but they have since become two distinct entities. This would explain why I thought the food tasted different (better) at the downtown restaurant. They use natural, organic, and local products when possible. Hooray!
The Dunraven Inn 2470 Hwy 66, (970) 586-6409, $$ A truly unique environment - there are approximately 13,000 dollar bills signed by guests and stapled on the walls! The Italian food is tasty, but not exceptional. There could, however, be something wrong with my taste buds, because the Dunraven Inn has hordes of adoring fans.
Mama Rose's 338 E Elkhorn, (970) 586-3330, $$ Good Italian food in a nice atmosphere on the Riverwalk. A good choice for families- last time I ate here I couldn't eat anything else for three days because I was stuffed! First it was the salad, then the bread, then the huge entrée, the dessert… They have very affordable winter specials, and they're just nice people.
Sweet Basilico 430 Prospect Village Dr., (970) 586-3899, $$ EXCELLENT Italian food. One of the best restaurants in Estes. They are always packed, so reservations are a good idea. (Although, since they just moved to a larger location, this may be less of a problem now. Here's hoping they do just as well in the new location.)
My favorite? For the quality of the food, I'd have to go with Sweet Basilico. Raoul, the chef, knows how to cook Italian food. My picky Italian friends agree. That said, however, Mama Rose's cooks up some good stuff, and they offer an all-you-can-eat pasta and bread special. So if you have kids, Mama Rose's may be a much more economical choice!
The Dunraven Inn has the most unique environment, and is worth a visit just to see all the dollar bills (approximately 13,000) stapled on the walls.
The Dunraven Downtown may be the unspoken gem, however. It is a quiet little restaurant in the heart of downtown, and a good place to avoid the noise and bustle of the other three.
