As you may have seen on my social media pages, I spent the last weekend on vacation in Crested Butte, Colorado. Needless to say, it’s probably the most beautiful mountain town I’ve ever visited. The lovely Elk Ave (their main street) paired with the staggering Crested Butte mountain looming overhead makes for an incredible view, and it’s not a town I’ll soon forget. It’s the kind of place that you want to go back to as soon as you leave.

So, here are a few of my favorite spots that we hit on our little weekend excursion.

Butte Bagels

If you’re looking for brunch somewhere, Butte Bagels is a local staple that deserves all the love it gets. From what I was told, it was started by a small group of friends during the pandemic, and since then it’s turned into one of the town’s most popular spots – and rightfully so. The bagels are delicious, and the vibe of the shop fits Crested Butte perfectly. There’s usually a line out the door, so get there early!

Camp 4 Coffee

Camp 4 Coffee is another staple similar to Butte Bagels, except in coffee shop form. It’s built out of a tiny house-like building with a large patio, and it’s one of those places that really feels like a pillar of the community. Every day the line was at least 15 people long, and the patio was packed with lively coffee drinkers.

Kochevar’s

If you’re looking for a divey bar with super reasonable prices, Kochevar’s is the place to go. It’s an old gaming hall that’s changed quite a bit since its establishment in 1886, but they’ve put the old roulette table and other cool features on display. It’s a great spot to people-watch and grab cheap drinks, and to me it feels like a better place to experience Crested Butte than the overpriced high-end restaurants and cocktail bars down the street.

Resilient Threads

There are a bunch of vintage stores in Crested Butte, but my favorite was Resilient Threads on the east end of the main drag. They had a great selection of vintage clothing to browse, and it wasn’t super overpriced like most vintage shops.

Secret Stash

Secret Stash is another hot spot in town, and it’s funny because it’s some sort of Nepali (or one of the countries in that region) pizzeria, but you would have no idea if you ate on their patio. Their menu is very American, their pizza styles are American, their patio is pretty normal, but the interior of the restaurant is hardcore Nepali. We’re talking tapestries everywhere, traditional Nepali decor, and even some of those low tables where you almost have to sit on the floor. Not that it’s a bad thing, it just leads to some confusion in terms of the vibe they’re going for. And they don’t mention which country the style is from or anything about what inspired it anywhere on their website or social media. Regardless, the pizza was pretty good.

T bar Tea House

This is another great coffee shop on Elk Ave, with endless tea options as well as great coffee. I can always appreciate when a coffee shop makes their own syrups instead of using those horrendous Torani or Monin syrups, and T Bar had some great house made seasonal syrups. I can also see this place being an amazing spot to sit and read a book in the winter months.

Tin Cup Ice Cream

Looking for a sweet treat after grabbing a tasty meal on the main drag? Tin Cup is the place to go. They have some excellent ice cream flavors as well as some other dessert options that offer a much-needed respite from the summer heat.

Townie Books & Rumors Coffee

Last but not least, Townie Books is an excellent bookstore with a wide selection to choose from and a nice small-town vibe. It’s also connected to Rumors Coffee next door, so I highly suggest picking up a good book and a coffee and enjoying it all on their patio with a view.

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Thank you for reading! I hope this post has motivated you to start planning your next trip to Crested Butte, you won’t regret it!

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Have a great week!