When you look at the menus of Colorado’s nine restaurants that were awarded at least one Michelin Star in 2025, the cost sticks out as much as the food. That is if the restaurant even lists prices on its menu, or the menu. Regardless of how much the potential tab is obscured, the fact remains that only a certain class of people can afford to casually dine at the state’s best restaurants, prompting the question: Does Durango even need a Michelin Star restaurant?
It was announced earlier this year that the Michelin Guide is expanding its reach to all of Colorado, a change from the previous three years only covering Denver, Boulder, Aspen, Snowmass, Vail and Beaver Creek. The reason only those four areas received coverage is consideration costs money, which in 2023 was between $70,000 and $100,000 annually from those four areas, as well as $135,000 from the Colorado Board of Tourism for three years, according to The Colorado Sun.
The new contract – a $100,000 yearly commitment from the state’s tourism board – was lauded by Gov. Jared Polis as a boost to the entire state’s restaurant industry.
“Across Colorado, our diverse and delicious local restaurants strengthen local communities, encourage tasty entrepreneurship, and create important jobs. Michelin Guide’s expansion to cover the entire state will shine a spotlight on more communities and strengthen the entire restaurant industry,” Polis said in a statement.
That’s a pretty tone deaf reading of mountain towns across Colorado, whose real estate prices have eliminated a lot of locals from opening local restaurants. I lived in Aspen for about a decade and watched a lot of beloved eateries go under or get bought out because the overhead outpriced the menu. What replaced those spots were usually high-end bistros.
I understand the appeal of a star to some of Colorado’s overlooked municipalities like Grand Junction and Colorado Springs, places whose tourism draw doesn’t directly include ski mountains. Outside of that, I’m not sure who is asking for more opulence in mountain towns. It feels like these ski destinations, with large wealth disparities already, need another high-end restaurant like they need another sprawling mansion.
One thing I’ve noticed regularly walking Main Avenue in Durango is the busiest places are rarely the most expensive. They’re usually spots catering to families not named the Kardashians, or brew pubs for college students and plebeian beer lovers.
I did venture into a higher end restaurant over the weekend to see if anything from the bar menu fell into my price range. After a burger, two beers and a cocktail – don’t judge me, it was a Friday – I left $100 poorer. While journalism is one of those careers that you kind of can’t complain about because everybody warns you that there’s no money in it, there are gobs of Americans with normal jobs who also have been screaming about affordability, especially food cost.
There are perks to Michelin-level restaurants. The recognition of a star can elevate or legitimize an area’s dining scene, which will draw diners and foodies. That level of dining also can open up avenues to new things and new cultures, but there are plenty of restaurants that can provide similar experiences that won’t break a bank account. If an existing restaurant in town is good enough for a star, or it happens organically, that would be awesome – and improbable.
I’ve been fortunate to eat some world class food at high-end locations by A) mooching off chefs who also happen to be relatives of friends of mine, or B) spending money in an extremely irresponsible manner. One of those options is available to everyone, but I would not recommend it. The other is a borderline curse because fine dining is addictive.
Like, I get it. It is artistry. Palate is an appropriate homonym. I’m constantly chasing the ways chefs make simple ingredients sing, or combine spices to create complex curries and moles. And there are moments worth celebrating with oysters, caviar and Champagne.
Yet there are vastly more random Wednesday nights when you just want a hot plate of food at a reasonable price. You know how much parents love someone else feeding their kids a night or two per week? So much.
Now think about how useful a fine-dining establishment is 95% of the time that the moment doesn’t call for foie gras and duck fat fries.
Sean Beckwith is the food editor at the Durango Hearld. Rach him at sbeckwith@durangoherald.com.
