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Ouray Restaurants

n contrast to the lodgings, we find Ouray dining a little expensive, though there are a number of spots where you can economize. Our selective recommendations are mainly at the top of the price range. You can wear your jeans and boots to the finest and feel comfortable.

In roughly our order of preference:

Buen Tiempo, 515 Main, is an excellent Mexican restaurant with a flair; a tad pricey, but excellent quality. Now in a new location next to the Beaumont; fine interior, enjoyable patio. No reservations, so go early or plan for a Margarita or two while you wait.

The Piñon's selections often combine Southwestern and Italian influences. You'll find a variety of entrees from steak through pasta to seafood. Moderately expensive, good service, very good food quality, at 737 Main. Probably our favorite, with the Buen Tiempo a close second.

We can also recommend The Outlaw. A good steakhouse, though you'll also find seafood and a bit of pasta (as well as vegetarian, thoughtfully.) It has the feel of an Old West saloon, which may well have been the building's origin. (We found the many posters of John Wayne a bit strange until we learned the Ouray courthouse had been used for the courtroom scenes in "True Grit," and Wayne spent many hours in The Outlaw playing cards.) Stick with the excellent, premium-quality beef. Prices run toward the moderately expensive depending on selection. 610 Main.

More fine dining, and good service along with an agreeable ambiance, at the Bon Ton, 426 Main. The menu has a strong Italian influence, though you'll find Beef Wellington, and Chicken Southwest-style along with the veal and pasta dishes. The Italian dishes are tasty, but we wish chefs wouldn't try to improve on what the Italians perfected years ago. Again, moderately expensive.

The Coachlight Restaurant is a new incarnation of a long-established restaurant location, 118 W. 7th. Food good to very good. Giant dinner salad. Moderate to moderately expensive ... good value.

Pricco's is open for lunch and dinner, serving an extensive array of salads, sandwiches, very good daily soup, appetizers and refreshments. It's our favorite for a light meal. Although, the very excellent salads at 736 Main are hardly light ... sure to satisfy most appetites. (Closes at 3pm after the main summer season.)

Cecilia's, at 630 Main, offers meals from breakfast through dinner with prices in the relatively inexpensive to moderate range. The food is basic American, including full breakfasts.

Timberline Deli of Ouray is open from 11 until 11. Good soups, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, fine desserts, good coffees, giant ice cream cones. We usually drop in at 830 Main if we're looking for a small evening meal.

The La Papillon bakery is a good source of pastries and donuts if you care to take breakfast back to your room. Now open daily for lunch and breakfast, and relocated to 219 W 7th. They'll also pack trail lunches, though we were disappointed in our one sample. (After peak summer, closed on Monday.)

Julie in front of the National Belle atop Red Mountain, after enjoying her Ouray Coffee House sandwich.

Several places in town will prepare sandwiches for your daily outings. However, we highly recommend the Ouray Coffee House. Giant- sized sandwiches to go (or stay) for fair prices. They're open early every day by 7 am, except closed one day in winter, so you'll have a fresh lunch on your excursions. Eat-in breakfast and lunch (sandwiches, salads and excellent soups) until 3pm. A fine place for a mid-morning or afternoon coffee, cappucino, espresso, latte, etc. ... it's the best. Located at 960 Main Street, just south of the community hot springs facility on the same side of the street. The Coffee House will (probably) close before peak season of 2002. The owners will be opening a combination coffee bar and wine bar in the stellar Beaumont. At this writing the menu for the coffee bar is not firm ... we hope Ken and Carol will continue to provide the best sandwiches in town, along with the finest coffees.

For most of the other sandwich shops, plan on ordering the night before so you can pick them up early in the morning before your excursion.

Area Restaurants

Ridgway

Just up the road from Ouray (10 miles), you'll find some good food at the crossroads of the route to Telluride. The True Grit Cafe has recommendable hamburgers and chili as well as a variety of other dishes; inexpensive to moderate. The Mountain Market prepares good sandwiches for a day's outing. Excellent sandwiches may be had from the San Juan Mountain Bakery & Cafe, as well as, expectedly, baked goods.

Telluride

We've especially enjoyed dinners and lunches at Rustico's. The entrees are priced in the moderate to moderately expensive category, service is good to very good, and the outdoor patio is delightful in summer. Caution: the appetizers are somewhat pricey and serving-size small; if you're on a budget forget the appetizers. The Eagles bar and cafe is quite good (watch the garlic) (moderate to moderately expensive). We especially enjoy the Floradora for sandwiches and salads (relatively inexpensive).

Note this town is loaded with restaurants, many commendable and noteworthy ... we've not spent enough time there to provide recommendations beyond the above. (We've eaten at the Floradora and Rustico several times, with satisfaction.)

Silverton

Romero's serves enjoyable Mexican meals and you may enjoy a sandwich in the Gold King, both relatively inexpensive.

Durango

No experts at all on this town, we can recommend Oriano's, though. Moderately expensive, it's the best Italian food we've found on the Western Slope.

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