Bon Vivant — Restaurant in Colorado

Bon Vivant has the benefit of being in the most amazing location. On a bluebird day, the view and atmosphere is unbeatable. But they also adhere to the Will Guidara principle of providing unreasonable hospitality...in a tiny outdoor restaurant at 11,000 feet and just off a chairlift. Not where you'd expect fine dining and top notch service. But that's what you get. Today our hostess made us feel instantly welcome and at home offering either a table, seat at the bar or a comfy seat on the couch. Then our (brand new) waiter Will came to greet us as if we were old time customers with a long standing reservation. Just kind and welcoming. Next was Josh. He made sure we felt comfortable and engaged in the perfect amount of conversation/banter (my wife was wearing an Ohio State jersey on the day of a playoff game...so there's bound to be some chatter😎).

Just a wonderful experience. And yes, the drinks were great as was the french onion soup, somehow delivered with short ribs, perfectly hot with melted cheese just right at 11,000 feet from a tiny little restaurant at the top of the mountain. We'll be back...

French eatery Bon Vivant is an absolute mainstay on the mountain. Luke runs the show with flair, creating a distinctly unique vibe that simply can’t be found anywhere else. The menu, already outstanding, offers some excellent vegetarian and vegan options this season as well as a nice selection of wines and spirits. The scene is European. Think French Alps meets the Rockies. At 11,000+ ft., the views are outstanding, especially on a clear day. If you’re in Telluride, it’s a must-go. Just remember to get there anywhere between 11:00 - noon (day of) to add your name to the list for lunch. There is seating at the bar as available, but it tends to fill up quickly. There’s a reason those in-the-know come back...

Fine dining outdoors at 11,200'. This is a world class experience. Perched at the top of Lift 5 in Telluride, this is fine dining in an unexpected place. The food, service, and atmosphere are amazing, with incredible views of the surrounding mountains. To start things off, my wife had a glass of Taittinger champagne and I had a wonderful Cotes-du-Rhone. Then she had trout, cooked to perfection, and I had wonderful beef bourguignon. And to top things off, Crepes Suzette. The staff - Luke, JD, Rosemary, and Will, went above and beyond to make our...