First, let’s clear things up. Yes, the Grand View restaurant at Garden of the Gods Resort and Club is open to the public. That wasn’t always true, but it is now. And that is excellent news for Colorado Springs foodies and diners. Since the restaurant underwent a full redesign and reboot in 2023 as part of a $40-million overhaul of the resort, Grand View is achieving its potential as one of the best restaurants in Colorado Springs. With a delicious and wide-ranging menu, top-shelf cocktail program and unrivaled views, Grand View is operating at full must-go status.
Unrivaled Garden of the Gods View
Let’s start with the obvious. Grand View is appropriately named. Its vista gives an unrivaled overlook of Garden of the Gods with Pikes Peak looming behind it. Put it up there with Maroon Bells, Royal Gorge, the Black Canyon or your favorite 14er along the Continental Divide — this is one of the best views in Colorado.
That fact has always been true, since the Garden of the Gods Club was opened in 1951. For decades, the club and its Dining Room was available only to members and plenty of Hollywood celebrities and A-list guests drawn to the spectacular scenery. The club was sold in 2007, and lodge rooms were opened to guests. In 2013, local business leaders Brenda Smith and Judy Mackey bought the club, renamed it Garden of the Gods Resort and Club and ushered in a more inclusive focus. They expanded resort offerings for guests and added new amenities, including Strata, a med spa that opened in 2017.
But the Dining Room remained open only to club members and resort guests.
That first changed in 2020 when the Dining Room opened to the public for the first time. Then big changes came when the Dining Room was reimagined as part of a large-scale resort renovation. The restaurant had been updated through the decades, but it still had a bit of a cavernous feel. In 2023 it reopened as a chic mountain-modern restaurant named Grand View, featuring finishes of wood, stone and leather blended with modern lighting and decor. Yes, that’s Turkish onyx backlit below the hickory-wood bar. And the addition of that new bar included lounge seating and a large, glass wall of wine. The physical transformation was complete from dining hall to stylish restaurant.
An Elevated But Accessible Menu
Garden of the Gods aimed high with Grand View’s first menu, created by Chef Keith Theodore, whose credits include Denver’s Michelin-star-awarded Beckon and Aspen’s The Little Nell and St. Regis Aspen. With a contemporary Colorado steakhouse approach, the gourmet menu included a prominence of Wagyu beef — and associated high prices.
By early 2024, Grand View changed course — food pun intended — and unveiled a new menu, version 2.0, to provide a broader and more accessible range of dishes and prices for club members and resort guests.
“It was a Wagyu steakhouse before. I wanted to open up more of a modern American, approachable menu,” says Chef Nathan Gresham, vice president of culinary and executive chef. “That’s kind of what we did.”
Gresham served as the executive sous chef at Garden of the Gods Resort and Club from 2020 to 2022 before taking a position as executive chef at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver. He returned to lead and refresh Garden of the Gods’ culinary offerings.
“I have two crowds to please,” Gresham says. “I have a membership, and I want to make sure they get their club food that they know and love historically. And I also want to keep it interesting for the hotel guests and the public.”
The menu range reflects a variety to satisfy regular members, multi-day guests and repeat locals. The lunch menu offers an almost equal blend of salads, sandwiches and entrees. Its Dagwood is Gresham’s spin on a long-time favorite Club Sandwich. And the G/G Burger and Mushroom Swiss Burgers cross over to the dinner menu as well.
On the dinner menu, Gresham lists the Roasted Mushroom Enchiladas and Steamed Mussels as some of his personal favorites. The enchiladas are hearty and flavorful, thanks to a ragout of squash, zucchini and carmelized onions and topped with a well balanced red chili sauce. Gresham says the vegetarian enchiladas are the most popular dish among members, resort guests and the public. “They’ve become our No. 1 seller here,” he says. “We fly through them. They’re really full of flavor.”
Other menu standouts, in our opinion, are the Sautéed Ruby Red Trout, Seared Divers Scallops and the Meyers All-Natural Prime Filet. The Truffle Pommes Puree are a noteworthy side to the filet, and the dish pairs perfectly with a bottle of Austin Hope Cabernet.
Gresham says the Grand View menu will see seasonal updates, but he says to expect more variations than complete overhauls. Some items, presentations or sides may rotate on and off the menu, but club favorites will remain.
If you’re looking for lighter bites, starters such as the Beef Carpaccio and Spicy Tuna Tartare make for excellent shareables, bar bites or appetizers. Speaking of drinks…
Cheers to the Grand View Cocktails
The addition of the bar inside Grand View was a clear signal that the restaurant was ready to level up its cocktail program, and its mixologists have delivered. Led by Food and Beverage Operations Manager Jesse Murillo, the team has prioritized its craft, training and experimenting together in mixology labs in Denver.
One unique note is the team’s knowledge of rum. On one visit, Jesus Hernandez gives me a rundown on some of the excellent rums coming out of Central America. And it is a smooth, aged Ron Zacapa 23 rum from Guatemala that forms the base of the GoG Old Fashioned along with Distillery 291’s Decc liqueur. With flourishes of walnut and chocolate, it’s an exceptional cocktail.
If you want to go next-level, ask bartender Victor Arroyo to make his Presidential Old Fashioned. The off-menu specialty features a Diplomático Exclusive Reserve rum distilled near Arroyo’s hometown in Venezuela. Arroyo recommends it as a dessert cocktail, thanks to its cherry and chocolate notes and smoked finish with cherry wood. But its sweet notes are not overpowering and shouldn’t be ruled out for any timing. The cocktail is a masterpiece. For that matter, so is Jesus’ Pistachio Lime Gin Sour, another off-menu treat.
On their own, Grand View’s drinks, food or view are each worthy of a visit. Together they are an excellent trio that cannot be ignored.
“We want to be one of the city’s favorite restaurants,” Gresham says. “We want to be a place for everyone in town.”
Although that’s a decision ultimately decided by diners, Grand View has deliciously put all the pieces in place to accomplish its mission and it has become undeniable as one of the best restaurants in Colorado Springs.
Grand View is open to the public for breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour. Find hours and details at gardenofthegodsresort.com.
