A few boxes need to be checked to ensure the success of a restaurant in the Vail Valley: proximity to community centers, consistent quality/service and killer atmosphere. Loaded Joe’s scores 100 points here and the extra credit goes to the fact that they ARE one of those community centers. I find myself arriving early for coffee and breakfast, staying around for lunch and then passing back through in the evening for a beer and a bite, lingering even longer to catch anything from trivia to open mic night and a game of pool in the evenings. Theoretically there are only 5 hours in a day that cannot be spent inside Loaded Joe’s, seven days a week.
The cuisine is created with locally sourced ingredients, chosen with intention. Breakfast favorites include their Colorado Lamb Scramble and the truly magnificent lemon ricotta pancakes served with crème fraiche and seasonal berries. Add the award-winning Tender Belly bacon to anything and call it a win. For lunch or a relaxed dinner, try the Castro sandwich — think Tender Belly ham, whole-grain mustard, pickles and whole-grain bread) or the thinly sliced rib-eye French dip.
Make sure to check out the Vail “grab and go” location (underneath 10th Mtn Whiskey on Bridge street) for a pre-ski coffee and breakfast sandwich, or to grab a pastry to stick in your jacket and then circle back for the après whiskey-shot dance party.
When in doubt about where to hang or dine, just look for a swarm of locals — I assure you plenty will be at Loaded Joe’s.
If you go …
What: Loaded Joe’s, a friendly neighborhood coffee house with a full bar.
Where: 82 E Beaver Creek Blvd #104 | Avon and 227 Bridge Street, Suite C | Vail
Cost: Breakfast: $8.50-$11; Lunch: $8-$13.50.
Signature dish: Rococo coffee and anything with Tender Belly bacon.
More information: 970.479.2883 and 970.748.1480 | loadedjoes.com.
