Some Aspen restaurants keeping doors open this offseason

News | May 10, 2016

Jill Beathard
The Aspen Times

**Meat & Cheese will remain open during the so-called offseason.**
*Jeremy Wallace/The Aspen Times |*

Town may be emptying out, but for the locals who still have to go to work or take the kids to school every day during mud season, a few Aspen bars and restaurants are keeping their doors open.

Take Ryno’s, which has never closed for more than a day or two for maintenance since opening for business in 2012. With a lot of restaurants in its niche closed down, it makes sense for Ryno’s to stay open, said general manager Jenna Conti.

“We like to cater to the locals,” Conti said. The hours are the same, and the pizzeria is offering $10.99 lunch options and other specials in addition to its regular happy hour this spring.

With screens hanging all around the restaurant, Ryno’s caters to customers looking to watch baseball, hockey or the NBA playoffs as well as young athletes who come in after their games for team dinners.

“The kids play games and the parents get to eat and drink,” Conti said. “We all win there.”

Foodie hot spot Meat & Cheese also is open year-round, with a slightly earlier closing of 9 p.m. every day.

“Mainly we stay open because we try to stay local,” said Ame Wang, restaurant manager. “We like to give back to the community, so we try to give them a place to go in offseason.”

Meat & Cheese is a combo restaurant and shop, selling farm-raised products in addition to the cheese and cured meats from its parent company, Avalanche Cheese Co.

“We make cheese all year round, so we might as well stay open,” Wang said.

In that spirit, Meat & Cheese is handing out 15 percent off coupons for the farm shop to guests who dine with them.

“I’ve been here my entire life, and every offseason we battle with that ‘where do I go?’” Wang said. “We like to give people a good option.”

Here’s a list of restaurants currently open in Aspen, according to data provided by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association. Some establishments are closing for a couple days out of the week or are only open for dinner, so you might want to call ahead if you’re making plans.

520 Grill

Acquolina

Asie

Aspen Brewing Co.

Aspen Over Easy

Aspen Kitchen

Bangkok Happy Bowl

Brunelleschi’s Dome Pizza

Butcher’s Block

CP Burger

Domino’s

Grateful Deli