Minturn is a tiny town, but between the Minturn Saloon reopening, Eagle River Whisky debuting (see below), and The Rainbow’s End Cafe closing, there’s a lot happening. And now, you can add Crazy Chicken to the list. Like its predecessor, the sports bar-focused spot, which opened in September in the space vacated by BC Backcountry Wings, is all about wings (flavors range from classic Buffalo sauce to lemon poppy seed seasoning), chicken sammies, and smash burgers. The eponymous signature sandwich is a must: garlic aioli, cheese, and fried chicken tossed in your choice of wing sauce.

Minturn’s new distillery and tasting room specializes in “whisky” (which indicates the spirit is derived from Scottish, Canadian, or Japanese styles) rather than “whiskey” (which denotes American bourbon or rye). Cozy up and try both 100 percent barley options: Dowds (aged three years in American oak, named after the confluence of Gore Creek and the Eagle River 1.4 miles north) and Gilman (single-barrel limited release, aged four years in second-fill American oak, named for the mining ghost town clinging to a hillside 13 miles south). 

When Craftsman moved across the street (and added Brew Co. to its name), the restaurant left its original location vacant. But not for a second was Chris “Schmidty” Schmidt going to let that space go. Instead, he has transformed it into Il Mago (which means “the magician” in Italian), an homage to artisan pizza, hand-rolled pastas, amari, and boutique wines. Don’t miss the fig jam pizza, tortellini en brodo, or the valley’s (possibly the state’s?) best tiramisu. Like Craftsman, Il Mago is already an Edwards staple. Plan for a wait, but it’s worth it. 

At press time, the Grand Hyatt Vail announced the planned opening of a new resort restaurant concepted by celebrity chef Makoto Okuwa, a master of Edomae-style sushi, with an anticipated opening in late January 2024.

When you walk into this new West Vail restaurant, what you’ll notice first is Rime’s illuminated-from-above bar. It’s meant to sit apart and draw you in, but you don’t want to overlook the dining room and the priced-for-locals menu. The hope is that the spot will become a local draw—one where you pop in for steak frites or a pimento grilled cheese and then stay awhile over a couple of craft cocktails. (Managing partner Steven Teaver has spent many years in the valley, managing the bar at the Four Seasons and La Tour, and opening Bad Kitty.) In case you’re wondering about the name, rime is the crystalline, spiky, hoar-like frost that forms on surfaces after a very cold foggy night.  

After opening its first brick-and-mortar in Edwards in 2018, Connie and Anthony Mazza (proprietors of the revamped Minturn Saloon), recently opened a second Village Bagel in Gypsum. Situated near the Costco, appropriately in the space formerly occupied by Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli, the satellite location is ideal for New Yorkers fresh off the nearby Vail Jet Center tarmac and famished for a taste of home. As always, the bagels are hand-rolled and boiled before baking and then are sliced and topped with a bevy of choices, including, our favorite, Hatch green-chile cream cheese. In a rush? Order off the Toast app and hit the drive-through.