Breckenridge’s Rootstalk restaurant has received a great deal of attention this year thanks to the prestigious honor awarded to its executive chef and owner, Matt Vawter, who won the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best Chef: Mountain.

It’s no surprise, then, that Summit County locals have voted Rootstalk as the winner of the Best Fine Dining category in the 2024 Best of Summit contest. The establishment also took home the title of Best Restaurant: Breckenridge, Best Restaurant: Summit County, Best Place for a Romantic Date and Best Restaurant Service in the 2024 contest along with a handful of honors in other categories.

Vawter and his team have built a network for sourcing ingredients with the best farmers and ranchers in the state and surrounding areas.

“I think that the impacts of that — our ability to utilize local farmers and bring in products from around the state — adds to the fabric of the town,” Vawter said. 

Housed in one of Breckenridge’s Victorian-era houses on Main Street, the charming setting welcomes patrons seven days a week for dinner starting at 4 p.m. Après are served from 4-5 p.m. 

Rootstalk’s aim to create an elevated dining experience through intentionally sourced, seasonal ingredients has produced creative menu items. Take, for instance, the heirloom tomato salad, which is served with burrata, eggplant croutons, baba ganoush and pine nut vinaigrette. Small plates, like this salad, are about $27, and large plates cost between $35 and $56. The dessert menu offers mouth-watering creations like pumpkin cake with honey brittle and huckleberry crémeux, for about $13. A seven-course, seasonal tasting menu is also available for $139.

Rootstalk’s website invites patrons to the tasting menu noting, “This is a wonderful opportunity to allow the culinary and service team to guide you through our menu highlighting seasonal ingredients with technique-focused presentations.” Both wine pairings and non-alcoholic beverage pairings are available.

Rootstalk has made a name for itself nationally in the four years since it opened while also maintaining strong, local relationships. Its chefs volunteer their time with local culinary programs and internships, making it a Summit County staple in the culinary scene.

This story previously published in the Best of Summit guide. See complete results at SummitDaily.com/best.