If you're planing on an active day up on the mountain and starting in Lionshead, The Little Diner is your spot. The place is usually pretty busy so you may have to wait a little, especially if you have a group of people, but the food is worth the wait. The Little Diner is
an Americana throwback to the '50s style diners of yesteryear, where your meal is cooked right in front of you from the freshest ingredients. The hash browns special, the taxi driver and the dutch pancake are some of the most Yelped about dishes at The Little Diner, but visit once and you're going to want to come back and try everything.
If you are planing on starting your day in Vail Village, stop by the Loaded Joe's coffee shop near the Covered Bridge and take your delicious breakfast to go. The menu is not overwhelmingly big, the breakfast sandwiches are delicious with #2 bacon & swiss being a favorite. And don't forget to grab a cup of coffee for the gondola ride.
If you are not a breakfast eater but you have a big mountain adventure planned, try the Green Elephant Juicery for a bottled breakfast. A delicious smoothy such as the Funky Monkey, Javalanche or Mountain of Youth will give a good start of the day. Packed with super foods like berries, banana, kale and hemp protein the Green Elephant Smoothies will keep your energy level high and let you enjoy yourself in nature. They have a location in Lionshead right next to The Little Diner and also just opened up a drive thru spot in West Vail near City Market's underground parking entrance.
If brunch itself is your planned adventure for the day, the Westside Cafe is your spot. No need to wake up at the crack of down to get breakfast here, they're open all day. Come in for the early afternoon, sit on one of the tables on the deck if the weather permits, sample their famous bloody marys, breathe in the crisp mountain air and enjoy yourself. The Captain Crunch French toast and the hangover cure are some of the most loved choices, and the generous sizes of the plates are guaranteed to keep you full till happy hour.
