When I think of Aspen, I think of beautiful views, nice weather, and mountains. I also think of money, fancy people, AND fancy restaurants which can make this a somewhat intimidating place to travel with toddlers. Knowing my kids are generally well behaved but sometimes like to get up and pretend to be dinosaurs in restaurants, I mapped out a few “safe” places to eat in Aspen with young kids.
While in Aspen, I was pleasantly surprised there were quite a few people with young kids there. While Aspen does have a lot of fancier and ritzy places to eat and shop, I was pleasantly surprised on our family trip. Aspen offered a wide variety of toddler acceptable places to eat that were also tasty!
This post offers info about the places we tried and enjoyed, but I definitely wouldn’t limit it to this list! While I don’t think you necessarily need a full strict itinerary before visiting, I do recommend making a list of places to eat. When I planned our road trip to Aspen, I made sure to research places to eat with kids and our dog. Researching “toddler safe” restaurant options before traveling helps ensure some eating sanity while visiting new places with littles!
Dine in Options
CP Burger
We LOVED CP Burger. I probably would have eaten here more than once if we had more time in Aspen. CP Burgers offers a laid back patio with a mini putt putt course! I’m told there is an ice rink in the winter. Umbrellas shade the tables while you can watch your littles attempt putt putt and chow on burgers, kale salad, truffle fries, and more. Personally, I really enjoyed the grilled chicken sandwich and kale salad. My littlest had enough shade to nap in the stroller while my older one basked in the wonders of putt putt. Putt putt gladly provided some distraction from a hangry toddler undergoing a nap strike. Put CP Burger on your list.
Hickory House
Hickory House sits off of Main Street and dishes up delicious BBQ and brunch options. We sat on the patio and took in the scenes while we devoured our delicious food. My kiddos split the chicken and waffles which was unsurprisingly a big hit for them. Not only did we appreciate the food, but our server was absolutely so kind. We will be back!
Crepe Shack
Who doesn’t love Crepes? We actually ate at Crepe Shack TWICE during our trip. Once at the base of Snowmass and once in downtown Aspen. The downtown location has a nice shaded patio adjacent to Wagner Park making this a great option for littles. Crepe Shack’s serving size is fairly large, so I’d consider sharing before buying a crepe for each kiddo. I recommend the Huevos Rancheros and the Boomer. Delicious.
Mountain Peak Options
If you’re ready to ride the gondolas up to the peak, you’re in for a lot of fun. I’m definitely going to need to write a separate post all about the mountain peaks.
Elk Camp
Elk camp sits at the peak of the Aspen Snowmass gondola. The peak offers SO MUCH FUN in the summer that you’ll want to stay up there! Elk Camp’s patio is wraps around the back of the restaurant and has a wide range of comfortable seating. The food seems mostly typical for ski options (which I like!) but the atmosphere is really top notch. Keep your kiddos having fun at the peak while you fill your belly on this patio.
Sundeck
Sundeck sits at the peak of the Aspen gondola (located in downtown Aspen). While this peak doesn’t offer quite as much as Snowmass in terms of activities, it offers amazing views. The food seems above average for “ski food.” Sundeck’s menu includes not just burgers and fries, but delicious salads, Reubens, and more. Don’t worry, chicken nuggets for the littles are abundant as well.
To go options
Aspen’s parks and beautiful scenery make to go options a great eating with kids option in Aspen. Grab your food and head to a park!
Paradise Bakery
I’m familiar with the Paradise Bakery chain. I am not familiar with it being as popular as it was in Aspen. They have DELICIOUS gelato in Aspen. The restaurant has no available indoor seating but there are benches outside. We enjoyed a little bit of live music while we chowed on our gelato. If you see people in Aspen with delicious looking ice cream, it’s probably from Paradise Bakery.
The Whole Empanada
When we arrived in Aspen, we walked by the whole empanada and picked up a couple of empanadas for dinner before walking to Wagner Park to eat on a picnic blanket. The food was quick and delicious – perfect for a hungry fam that had been on the road most of the day. The beef empanada was to die for.
New York Pizza Aspen
New York Pizza’s aroma spills into the street. You can’t miss it. Honestly, I would have skipped it on the list if the pizza wasn’t so dang tasty. The interior is pretty gross, hot, and not super family friendly, but it is really close to Wagner Park which makes it a great to go option in Aspen. When you need something quick – this is a great option!
Toddler Eating in Aspen Final Thoughts
Aspen dishes up tasty bites in a wide variety of scenes. With a little bit of research, the eating part of the family vacation can be fun even if your little humans find proper dining behavior to be optional. Hope this helps you have fun with your littles in Aspen AND have happy bellies! Let me know your questions about visiting Aspen or anything about eating with littles in the comments. Happy vacationing!