A ski day starts with coffee, and in Vail it should start well. These are the cafés and breakfast rooms on our curated list, cross-checked with live Google ratings and ranked for the coffee, the food, the room and how well each one fits a morning with lift tickets in your pocket.
Breakfast here comes in three speeds: an espresso and pastry on the walk to the gondola, a sit-down plate before lessons, or a lazy local brunch on a rest day. Each place below is good at at least one of them.
The Vail Moments Index
The 13 best cafés in Vail, curated.
A curated list, cross-checked with the MICHELIN Guide where it applies. Beside each one, its rating on Google Maps, live, and a tap to Yelp and Tripadvisor to compare. Prefer the crowd's view? Sort by Google rating.
13 cafés
01
Photo: Two Arrows Coffee | Bar · Google Two Arrows Coffee | Bar
Vail · Vail Village
Craft coffee on Wall Street from early morning, cocktails by night. Grab a flat white and something from the case on your way to Gondola One.
- Quick coffee
- Pastries
- Late night
02
Photo: Naresh “NK” · Google Ludwig's Breakfast
Vail · Vail Village
The Sonnenalp's breakfast on Ludwig's Terrace: a hot and cold buffet, an à la carte menu and fresh pastries. A gracious European start, open to non-guests.
- Sit-down breakfast
- Pastries
- Families
03
Photo: Westside Cafe & Market · Google Westside Cafe
Vail · West Vail
West Vail's comfort-food café, a local institution since 2002. Big breakfasts, Bloody Marys and a crowd of people who live here. Join the online waitlist in busy weeks.
- Sit-down breakfast
- Locals' spot
- Good value
04
Photo: The Little Diner · Google The Little Diner
Vail · Lionshead
A tiny Lionshead counter where breakfast is cooked on the griddle in front of you. Worth the wait for a stool; it closes early afternoon.
- Sit-down breakfast
- Locals' spot
- Families
05
Photo: Joe's Famous Deli · Google Joe's Famous Deli
Vail · Vail Village
Breakfast sandwiches, subs and homemade ice cream on Bridge Street for more than two decades. The fastest way to pack lunch for the mountain; order ahead online.
- Quick coffee
- Good value
- Families
06
Photo: Treff Café · Google Treff Café
Vail · Vail Village
The Sonnenalp's European-style café and bar for lattes and light bites. A calm corner for mid-morning coffee or an afternoon pause.
- Quick coffee
- Pastries
07
Photo: Teri Ross · Google Rimini
Beaver Creek & Bachelor Gulch · Beaver Creek
Gelato, chocolate, crêpes and coffee on the plaza. A breakfast stop that turns into an afternoon treat with kids in tow.
- Quick coffee
- Families
- Pastries
08
Photo: Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea - Beaver Creek Cafe · Google Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Co.
Beaver Creek & Bachelor Gulch · Beaver Creek
The valley's own roaster, pouring espresso in Beaver Creek Village with pastries and breakfast burritos. Come back at après for a coffee cocktail.
- Quick coffee
- Pastries
- Après-ski
09
Photo: WYLD · Google WYLD (breakfast)
Beaver Creek & Bachelor Gulch · Bachelor Gulch
A polished sit-down breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, steps from the slopes. The right start to a day on the Bachelor Gulch side.
- Sit-down breakfast
- Ski-in/ski-out
10
Photo: JohnHenry Ruggieri · Google Powder 8 Kitchen & Tap
Beaver Creek & Bachelor Gulch · Beaver Creek
At the base near Chair 6: breakfast before the lifts, pizza and après later. The patio and fire pit make it an easy family meeting point.
- Sit-down breakfast
- Families
- Ski-in/ski-out
11
Photo: Loaded Joe's - Avon Restaurants · Google Loaded Joe's
Avon & Edwards · Avon
Avon's all-day coffeehouse, from 7 a.m. until late, with a second location on East Meadow Drive in Vail. Relaxed for working, meeting or warming up.
- Quick coffee
- Locals' spot
- Good value
12
Photo: Laura Herrmann · Google Hovey & Harrison
Avon & Edwards · Edwards
An Edwards café-market with locally roasted coffee, fresh pastries and a well-loved breakfast. Perfect before the drive up to Beaver Creek.
- Quick coffee
- Pastries
- Sit-down breakfast
13
Photo: Mike W · Google The Bookworm of Edwards
Avon & Edwards · Edwards
An independent bookstore on the Edwards Riverwalk with a coffee and smoothie bar inside. Browse with a latte on a snowy afternoon.
- Quick coffee
- Families
- Locals' spot
Good to know
Beat the line. Cafés near the gondolas fill up in the hour before lessons and first chair. Order ahead where you can, or come back after your first runs.
Early-season hours. Some cafés close briefly in November or shorten hours in the shoulder seasons; check before you go.
Down valley mornings. Staying in Avon or Edwards? Breakfast there, then head up: Edwards to Beaver Creek is about four miles. Our getting around guide has the free bus routes.
For lunch and dinner, see the best restaurants in Vail.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best coffee in Vail Village?
Our first pick is Two Arrows Coffee | Bar on Wall Street, a few minutes' walk from Gondola One.
Where do locals eat breakfast in Vail?
Westside Cafe in West Vail and The Little Diner in Lionshead are long-time local favorites.
Where can I get breakfast in Beaver Creek?
Rimini and Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Co. on the plaza for something quick, Powder 8 Kitchen & Tap at the base, or WYLD at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch for a sit-down breakfast.
Can I get breakfast in Vail without staying at the hotel?
Yes. Ludwig's Breakfast at the Sonnenalp is open to visitors as well as hotel guests.