ASPEN

Swirling together “a love of adventure, fitness, and the planet” like the frothy lattes it pulls from beans sourced directly from Ethiopian farmers then roasted in-house, Gravity Haus Aspen unveiled Unravel Coffee + Bar in December. The first phase of an 18,000-square-foot redevelopment on Hyman Avenue (formerly Su Casa, Eric’s Bar, Aspen Billiards & The Cigar Bar), this light-filled sanctuary also serves breakfast, sandwiches, wraps, snacks, desserts, and booze. Mirroring other Gravity Haus membership clubs in mountain towns from Breckenridge to Truckee, Aspen’s will soon add a fitness and recovery center, co-working space, ski lockers, and full-service restaurant. 315 E Hyman Ave, 970-425-0644; unravel.coffee

A dinner-and-dancing hot spot since December, Madame Ushi restaurant and Gala nightclub replaced 7908 Aspen thanks to the powerhouse hospitality group behind Gala in Miami. Wrapped in a hand-painted mural of the Japanese countryside with a red and rustic wood ceiling, the dining room is a chic lair showcasing pricy plates of Wagyu steak, sashimi, and refined comfort dishes by Executive Chef Wei Chen (formerly of Nakazawa Aspen). Named for Salvador Dalí’s wife-muse, Gala pumps out music curated by French DJ Cedric Gervais on a sound system that’s four times more powerful than the next best setup in Aspen. 
415 E Hyman Ave, 970-516-7908; madameushiaspen.com

Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar, the first Aspen branch of the eponymous pasticceria and confetteria founded in Milan in 1936, at press time was expected to open in May on the Hyman Avenue mall (serving coffee, pastries, panini, and cocktails), while a Sant Ambroeus restaurant and production facility in the former Main Street Bakery was under construction. 520 E Hyman Ave, 970-742-2525; santambroeus.com

SNOWMASS

On July 1, the owners of boutique Harper & Hudson and eatery Aspen Country expect to open The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, a gastropub and music venue in the Snowmass Mall upstairs  space occupied by Slow Groovin’ BBQ. Find fan-favorite burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, breakfast burritos, and sandwiches, as well as tableside steaks, salads, cocktails, and desserts in the 6,000-square-foot restaurant and game room with outdoor patio and a second bar. 
67 Elbert Ln, 970-429-8369; 
harpandhudco.com/tavern 

EL JEBEL

Shrimp and grits, fried chicken, pork spareribs, pickled-then-fried green tomatoes: Aspen Kitchen alumnus Jake Burkhardt brought good ol’ home cooking from his native Tennessee to El Jebel when he opened Hominy Southern Kitchen at the start of ski season last November. Find his Southern charm here for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch—paired with sweet tea and whiskey cocktails. 60 El Jebel Rd, 970-446-6469; hominysouthernkitchen.com

CARBONDALE

Locals rejoiced in April when Aspen Mi Chola owner (and SoCal transplant) Adam Malmgren and Executive Chef Rigo Vasquez (with Brad Smith and Jordan White of the still-shuttered Red Onion), opened La Raza in the space Mi Casita vacated in spring 2021 after nearly 40 years. Vasquez’s traditional Mexican menu features Oaxacan specialties and authentic dishes from the chef’s Guadalajara hometown (made with his grandmother’s recipes). The family-friendly cantina infuses fresh energy into the location’s legacy as a community hub—fitting, since the name in Spanish means “the people.” 
580 Main St

Since January, chocolatier and beekeeper Mark Burrows—the proprietor of single-origin, bean-to-bar Pollinator Chocolate Company—has been a busy bee at Cocoa Club, the brand’s new cafe/shop in the Red Rock Plaza. Watch Burrows in action behind a glass-windowed exhibition kitchen, while grazing on chocolates and desserts (paired with Seattle’s Broadcast Coffee) or charcuterie with biodynamic wine. 786 Hwy 133, 970-340-4608; pollinatorchocolate.com/pages/cacao-club