What’s the best brunch in Breckenridge?

Warm cookies dipped in cold milk. Glimmering powder days followed by après ski. Brunch and…Breckenridge? Obviously.

As some ski bum friends of mine call Breckenridge home year round, so he is clearly an expert in this arena. I consulted them to find out the best spot to hunker down over a satisfying brunch. The resounding answer for locals? Columbine Cafe, known for its corned beef hash and generous portions of home style entrees. If you love pancakes the size of your head, inviting eggs benedict, applewood smoked bacon, trout with your eggs, and pickles garnishing your bloody mary, you have come to the right place. Generous coffee refills and friendly service abound at this establishment. During ski season, wait times for a table at Columbine Cafe can exceed an hour, the real mark of an irresistible breakfast and lunch menu.

If Columbine Cafe isn’t your cup of tea, the Blue Moose is located less than a half a mile away. Such distance! A greasy spoon that accepts cash only, Blue Moose caters to pork chile fanatics, breakfast burrito enthusiasts, and those in need of a bold, high octane cup of coffee to a fuel a long and rewarding day nearby on the slopes.

Channeling your inner European? Oui. Also on Main Street, La Francaise French Bakery serves up beignets doused in fine powdered sugar, perfectly folded crepes, and a variety of croissants.

Fuel up on a big brunch before you get in line for the lifts. Sorry, what was I talking about again? I’m still thinking about pancakes the size of my head.

— Clare Tischer