Is it your anniversary? Are you hosting an important client? A birthday? A family gathering? Whatever the new milestone or occasion is, the best way to celebrate is with a luxury private dinner in Aspen, CO.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best restaurants in Aspen, highlighting venues that combine exceptional cuisine, ambiance, and privacy. We’ll also share insider tips on hiring private chefs, so you can create a fully customized, intimate dining experience in your chalet or estate. Whether you prefer a curated restaurant experience or the ultimate in-home luxury, this guide will help you plan a dinner that leaves a lasting impression.
What Are the Best Restaurants for a Luxury Private Dinner in Aspen?
| Kenichi | Buy out the Tatami room for a private and authentic sushi experience! |
| French Alpine Bistro | Rent out the full space or just one section for an intimate candlelit evening. |
| Ajax Tavern | Perfect for large, private gatherings. Indoor capacity of 85 guests; outdoor space can hold 110 guests. |
| Bosq | Offers full restaurant buyouts as well as catering, all with collaborative menus that tell your unique story. |
| PARC | The Chef’s Table is a private room with seating for 12 people and a view of the extensive wine collection. |
| Acquolina | Best for private events of 50 to 125 people when you rent out the entire restaurant. |
| Campo di Fiori | The Community Room is perfect for events with fewer than 36 guests, the bar area seats 46, and the main dining room can be rented out for parties of 60 to 70. |
| Madame Ushi | The Club Room and Dining Room are available for private gatherings that walk the line between fine dining and clubbing, all complete with bottle service and tasting menus. |
| Swedish Hill at Aspen Art Museum | Offers both catering and full restaurant bookings. The Aspen Art Museum and Swedish Hill are a popular place to host artsy, low key weddings. |
| Betula | Experience chic and elegant pan-American flavors in the Living Room, on the Patio, in the 32 person private room, or by booking the main dining room. |
| Las Montañas | Enjoy classic Mexican food with Aspen flair when you rent out the restaurant for your private event. |
| Angelo’s | The Tuscan Room, an intimate setting hidden behind the 500 bottle wine rack, is best for small private dinners. The patio and entire restaurant can be booked for larger events. |
The 12 Best Restaurants for a Luxury Private Dining in Aspen
People who have visited Aspen will often report that you really can’t go wrong when it comes to picking a restaurant. That’s partially true. Everywhere you go is sure to serve you a delicious meal made with wholesome ingredients and presented with exceptional service. However, not all restaurants offer the type of opulent atmosphere that you may be desiring. These 15 establishments are considered the best restaurants in town and the place to go when you want to have a luxury private dinner in Aspen, CO.
1. Kenichi
Kenichi is a sushi restaurant that has endured in Aspen since 1991 – for good reason. Each dish is a full sensory experience that gives your eyes a feast of color long before you can smell the tang of sauce, feel the temperature differences in the ingredients, or taste the unique flavor combinations.
Even when you sit in the main area of Kenichi, you will still feel like you and your dining partners are the only people in the world. The moody lighting and privacy-maximizing booth arrangements create an intimate dining experience. Alternatively, you can book the Tatami room where you can control the music and atmosphere while receiving highly attentive service.
2. French Alpine Bistro
When you walk into the French Alpine Bistro, you will feel as if you have just been transported to another world. Barnwood chairs are draped in soft furs and accentuated by decorations of the owner’s family heirlooms. It feels all at once like the coziness and relaxation of returning home with the thrill of visiting a real chalet in the Swiss Alps.
At one time, French Alpine Bistro was exclusively a creperie, but now the menu is so expansive as to include nearly all types of meat and just as many varieties of cheese. Guests often rave about the fondue experience, especially when visiting in the winter. After you’ve indulged in authentic alpine flavors of the savory variety, there’s a whole menu of crepes waiting for you.
3. Ajax Tavern
While Kenichi and French Alpine Bistro are firmly considered fine dining establishments, Ajax Tavern manages to be an even mixture of a casual establishment with a lively party atmosphere and a luxury dining location, complete with hands-on service. The menu consists of classic tavern fare, but with a sustainable twist. All the meat comes from ethically and sustainably raised animals and seasonal produce from local farms. In addition to the classic wagyu burgers and iconic truffle fries, Ajax Tavern features exceptional raw bar selections.
Ajax Tavern is an excellent place to host private events such as wedding dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, and business gatherings.
4. Bosq
To dine at Bosq is to taste the natural world. The menu reflects the natural rhythms of the wilderness around Aspen and changes with the seasons as new flora pushes its way up through the earth. Guests have two options for their dinner: the 5-course Choose Your Own menu or the 9-course chef’s tasting menu. While the ingredients and dishes change by the season, some things you may see on your plate include lobster over juniper branches, grilled rabbit, duck liver mousse, bison tartar, or nordic caviar.
Since Bosq does not have a private dining area, guests who want a private dining experience must rent out the entire restaurant. When you choose Bosq as your event venue, you can collaborate with the chefs to tailor the menu to your tastes.
5. PARC
Every town has a restaurant that represents its ethos perfectly. For Aspen, that restaurant is PARC. While it is best known for the award-winning wine list and pairings that make food critics swoon, the food menu is a flavorful delight that combines French technique, the chef’s Peruvian roots, and local ingredients.
If your mouth is watering for fine dining, the five course tasting menu will take you on a journey through ingredients that you’ve never heard of. For a more casual dining experience, guests have the option of ordering off the bar menu, which has familiar dishes that have been elevated in both presentation and flavor.
The best way to have the PARC experience is to sit at the Chef’s Table, a private dining room that can accommodate up to 12 people. This area is framed by PARC’s wine collection; who knows, you may discover a new favorite red this way!
6. Acquolina
Acquolina is an authentic trattoria and pizzeria that serves familiar Italian dishes with added flare and depths of flavor. Compared to other dining establishments in Aspen, this eatery is very much on the casual side. The atmosphere is bright and lively. It’s the kind of place where you might make a new friend or get a recommendation from a local and fall in love with something new.
If you are seeking a place to have a luxury private dinner in Aspen, don’t discount Acquolina just yet. That bright, lively atmosphere could be the venue for your next celebration if you book the space for your event.
7. Campo di Fiori
Campo di Fiori is an Italian restaurant that imports key ingredients straight from Italy for a more authentic dining experience. Like Acquolina, the atmosphere is lively and friendly. It’s the kind of place where you might find yourself making friends with the people at the nearest table.
If you want an atmosphere as lively, friendly, and flavorful as Campo di Fiori on a normal night, you could rent out one or all of the rooms of the restaurant. For smaller gatherings, Campo di Fiori has the community dining room, which holds 36 guests and creates an intimate atmosphere. For groups of more than 36 guests, there’s the bar area, which seats 32 guests at tables and 14 at the bar. If you book the main dining area – perfect for gatherings of 50 to 60 people – you can watch your food be prepared in the open kitchen.
8. Madame Ushi
Madame Ushi is more than just a sushi restaurant; it’s a place that blurs the line between fine dining and nightlife. During the dinner rush, you can expect perfect sake pairings and mouth-watering sushi rolls. Once the dinner rush ends, Madame Ushi turns into a nightclub with DJ beats, bottle service, and a dance floor.
Perhaps you want to add a little party to your luxury private dinner in Aspen. In that case, you’ll be pleased to know that Madame Ushi’s dining room and club room can be rented out for intimate dinners, curated tastings, and vibrant celebrations.
9. Swedish Hill at Aspen Art Museum
It may not be fine dining, but Swedish Hill is a hidden gem of a meeting location. Located inside the Aspen Art Museum, this open air restaurant offers views of the mountains and views of art all at the same time. Swedish Hill is just one of many areas of the museum that can be rented out for parties and events. When you book the rooftop area, you can take full advantage of Swedish Hill’s cafe and bar menus.
10. Betula
If Madame Ushi is the place where you celebrate with your brothers, bachelor party, and work buddies, then Betula is the place to go for bachelorette dinners, anniversary parties, and birthday bashes. The interior is effortlessly chic with a relaxed Victorian elegance combined with all the personal touches that visitors expect out of Aspen.
When you book the main dining area, living room, lounge, patio, or entire restaurant for your soirée, your guests can indulge in the French pan-American menu. When you visit, don’t forget to peruse the cocktail menu, which features creative twists on well-known drinks.
11. Las Montañas
If rich, spice-filled Mexican food is what you seek, look no further than Las Montañas. The menu is filled with recognizable favorites, but each dish has been elevated to reflect Aspen flavors. As you dig into your tuna avocado tartar, octopus a la brasas, or baja style oysters, make sure to ask for cocktail pairing recommendations. The margaritas are to die for and the agave cocktails will wow any guests you bring alone.
If you are planning a luxury private dinner in Aspen, Las Montañas can accommodate parties of anywhere from 11 people up to gatherings of 150 guests.
12. Angelo’s
When you dine at Angelo’s, it feels as if you’ve been transported from Aspen to Tuscany. Located in the heart of downtown, Angelo’s is a popular summer dining location. The patio with its mountain views and blooming flowers offers a familiar, comfortable atmosphere. Meanwhile, the bright, calm, clean dining room provides a luxury experience, all topped off with hands-on service bringing you authentic Tuscan dishes.
Angelo’s can accommodate up to 100 guests for larger gatherings. For parties of around 30, renting out the patio is the way to go. However if you want the experience of private dining while still feeling plugged into the energy of the town, you could rent the semi-private Tuscan room.
Have a Luxurious Private Dinner in Aspen with a Personal Chef!
Everyone loves the ambiance and novelty of dining at a new restaurant, but if true privacy and customization is what you desire, then hiring a private chef is the way to go. There are a few benefits of hiring a private chef that you just can’t get at a restaurant:
- The convenience of dinner at your chalet, estate, or vacation rental. No need to go anywhere to have a luxury experience
- Menus can be customized around guest preference and personal touches can be added
- Fully staffed dinner parties provide you and your guests with a high level of service in a private environment
- Sommelier-selected wine pairings and cocktails can take your custom menu to the next level
- With tablescape design, setup, and clean up services, you can have a coherent, beautifully decorated event without having to lift a finger
- Private chefs are able to accommodate dietary needs and preferences far better than restaurants, which is ideal for people with complex diet needs
- Your private gathering can be in any format you choose, whether it’s après-ski dinner (sans the crowds), family-style menus, or tasting menus with dishes of your choice.
Best Occasions for a Luxury Private Dinner in Aspen
Special milestones and important moments deserve to be celebrated with luxury. These are the occasions that may warrant a private dinner party:
- Romantic proposals, wedding events, and engagement dinners
- Anniversary celebrations
- Family vacations and milestone birthdays
- Corporate retreats and executive dinners
- Holiday gatherings and Christmas dining
- Bachelor and bachelorette luxury dinners
- VIP entertainment and client hosting
Come to Aspen to Dine in Luxury!
Whether you want an intimate dinner in a tucked away booth with your beloved, a venue to wow your guests in both flavor and aesthetic, or a completely customized dinner party in your chalet, you can have it in Aspen. Not only does this little mountain town attract world-class chefs and have access to prime ingredients from local farms, it’s a place that values service above all else.
Of course, it can be a lot of work to plan a private dining experience no matter how many guests you are inviting. To make it easier, consider working with Aspen Luxury Concierge. ALC acts as a single point of contact for all your books, as well as local experts who can hook you up with restaurant recommendations and trusted local chefs. If you’re ready to plan your luxury private dinner in Aspen, give Aspen Luxury Concierge a call!
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