If you’re a food lover, no great vacation is complete without a memorable meal (or meals!). Check out our foodie-approved recommendations for restaurants in Durango perfect for every meal of the day.
Breakfast On the Go: Doughworks or Durango Bagel
You can tell that we’re true, die-hard food fans when we can’t even decide on the singular best grab-and-go breakfast spot. Breakfast burrito fans, Doughworks is for you. They also have a heavenly spread of homemade donuts that should not be resisted! If you’re headed out for an action-packed day, swing by for one of their mouth-watering breakfast burritos and homemade salsa. Our fave is the egg and green chili—a southwestern staple. For those seeking a delicious breakfast sandwich or a simply perfect bagel, you can’t miss Durango Bagel. You can actually see this little shop crank out homemade bagels in the back right from the cash register. And you better believe they taste every bit as good as they look.
As one local put it—brunch at El Moro is the best thing you’ll ever eat. Hard to argue with that! Located in the center of downtown Durango, this is a can’t-miss brunch spot and we recommend making a reservation ahead of time if you can. The menu is sure to please everyone in your party, offering house-made sausage, six different takes on eggs benedict and some heartier options. Their diverse options easily make El Moro one of the best restaurants in Durango, especially for brunch. My mouth is watering just writing this!
Lunch 1: Nini’s Taqueria
So maybe you’ve had Tex Mex before, and maybe you think you’ve tried all the great taco places you’ll ever need to. But we’re here to tell you that if you haven’t tried Nini’s yet, you need to add it to your to do list. This brightly colored and cozy little restaurant is located right on Main Avenue, making it the perfect place to end or begin a shopping trip or to people watch while you dig in. Everything here is good, but our go-to items are anything with shredded chicken (tackle the giant order of nachos if you bring a group!) and the Mexican chocolate chip cookies. Prepare to lick your plate clean—it’s that good.
Yup—we picked two lunch places too! Make sure to save room in your schedule and your belly for some seriously good barbeque at Serious Texas BBQ. This is a local favorite and you’ll find this funky, fast-casual barbeque joint’s two locations on the North and South ends of town. If you’ve had a busy morning and you’re ready for a hearty lunch, chow down on the famous Texas Taco: a generous helping of tender pulled pork, covered in cheesy potatoes, jalapenos and onions, all somehow packed into a warm tortilla. Don’t forget to drench it Serious’ one-of-a-kind barbeque sauce and treat yourself to their fresh-brewed sweet tea. We have to warn you, no matter what you end up enjoying here, odds are that you’ll fall head-over-heels for this BBQ sauce. The good news is, they do sell it by the bottle and they’ll even ship it to you!
Dinner: The Ore House
Treat yourself to unbelievably delicious steak at the Ore House. This restaurant is may not look like a lot on the outside, but don’t let that fool you. Inside you’ll find a cozy, classic steakhouse with low lighting, exposed wooden beams and leather-bound menus. This is one of the best restaurants in Durango for steak lovers and surf and turf seekers. Pick your favorite cut, your steak’s preparation and temperature and dive into some tasty apps while the magic happens. You won’t be disappointed.
Drinks: The Diamond Belle Saloon
Inside Durango’s most famous hotel, the Strater, you’ll find the incredible Diamond Belle Saloon. Being here is truly like taking a step back in time. The staff dresses in old West-style clothing, ragtime piano music is often played live and the architecture itself is a treat. Enjoy happy hour from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. or sing by for a late night drink.
More Drinks: Check out our ode to Durango’s premiere speakeasy the Bookcase and Barber in an earlier blog post.
