Restaurant in Aspen, United States
Book for the wine list, stay for dinner.
Element 47, inside the Little Nell Hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain, earns its $$$$ price through one of the Rocky Mountain West's most serious wine programs: 20,000 bottles, Star Wine List White Star, and a sommelier team of genuine depth. The contemporary American food holds a Michelin Plate and 76.5 La Liste points. Book if wine matters; consider Bosq or Prospect if food alone is your priority.
Most visitors assume Element 47 is primarily a hotel restaurant — a convenient, competent option if you happen to be staying at the Little Nell. That reading undersells it considerably. The wine program here is among the most serious in the Rocky Mountain West, a 20,000-bottle cellar overseen by a team of sommeliers that includes multiple credentialed experts, operating under a master sommelier-led structure. The food is contemporary American with a seasonal, locally sourced focus that earns a Michelin Plate and a La Liste score of 76.5 points (2025). If you are returning after a first visit, the question to ask is not whether to go back, but whether you have yet to let the wine program do the heavy lifting for your meal.
Element 47 sits inside the Little Nell Hotel at 675 East Durant Avenue, steps from the base of Ajax Mountain. The room reads as sophisticated rather than showy: silver, grey, dark brown, black, and navy are the dominant tones, with occasional bursts of colour — deep red glass water tumblers, for instance , that keep the space from feeling austere. The defining architectural feature is the wine wall connecting the bar and dining room, where around 600 of the cellar's 20,000 bottles are displayed behind glass. It functions as a visual statement of intent before you have ordered a thing. The adjacent lounge has a fireplace, which in winter becomes a natural pre-dinner gathering point. If you have been once and sat in the dining room, consider arriving earlier and spending time at the bar before your table: the bar menu runs snacks, sides, and mains, and the après-ski energy in the late winter afternoons is a distinct experience from the more formal dining room register.
This is where Element 47 separates itself from every other restaurant in Aspen. Wine director Chris Dunaway leads a team that includes sommeliers Jesse Libby, Rachael Liggett-Draper, and Adam Darlington. The list has 3,585 selections across 20,025 bottles, with particular depth in Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, Rhône, Italy, and Champagne. Star Wine List has ranked it among its leading three for multiple consecutive years (2025 and 2026), and the White Star designation from that platform signals a list that passes serious scrutiny. Fewer than 200 Master Sommeliers exist worldwide, and the sommelier structure here reflects that calibre of institutional knowledge. The practical implication: if you are willing to have a conversation with the floor team about your preferences and budget, you will drink better here than almost anywhere else in Colorado. The bar itself runs a Colorado Well , Colorado-made spirits and beers by default, meaning your mojito uses Montanya rum from Crested Butte unless you request otherwise. Local brewery representation spans Aspen, Fort Collins, Boulder, and Durango. For guests who care about cocktails as much as wine, this is a bar with a coherent regional identity, not a generic luxury hotel pour.
Executive chef Keith Theodore leads a contemporary American menu that changes seasonally and, according to available inspection notes, sometimes weekly based on ingredient availability. Expect wild mushrooms, locally raised lamb, wagyu beef, and house-made pastas to anchor the menu at various points in the year. The à la carte format means a dish you had in December may not appear in June, which is worth knowing before you return specifically to chase a previous favourite. The cheese course, which highlights Colorado-made cheeses, is consistently cited as one of the stronger orders. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus weekend brunch , a broader service window than most fine-dining operations at this price tier, which gives returning visitors more ways to engage with the room beyond a dinner booking.
Reservations: Hard to secure, particularly for dinner during ski season (December through March) and the summer festival period (June through August). Book as far in advance as your plans allow , three to four weeks minimum for peak dates is a reasonable baseline, and weekends will go faster. Budget: $$$$ at the food level, with wine pricing in the $$$ tier (many bottles above $100; the full list skews significantly higher given the depth of the cellar). Budget accordingly if you intend to drink well. Dress: Smart casual to business casual; the room is sophisticated and the clientele tends to dress for it, particularly at dinner. Group size: The space works for couples and small groups. For larger parties or celebratory occasions, contact the hotel directly about private dining options. Parking and access: Located at the Little Nell Hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain , walkable from most central Aspen accommodation, and a natural end-point after a day on the slopes.
Element 47 is the right call if wine is a priority and you want a sommelier team that will actually engage with your table rather than deliver a list and disappear. It is also the right call for a return visitor who experienced the dining room on a first trip and wants to use the bar and lounge format on a second. For guests primarily focused on the food alone, Bosq and Prospect offer comparable contemporary cooking at a similar price point, and Cache Cache provides a more intimate room. But if the drinks program is part of your calculus, nothing else in Aspen competes at this level. For broader context on dining in the area, see our full Aspen restaurants guide, our full Aspen bars guide, and our full Aspen hotels guide. For those benchmarking against contemporary American fine dining nationally, the reference points are operations like Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg and Le Bernardin in New York City , Element 47 operates below that level of recognition but punches above its weight given its mountain resort context.
Smart casual is the practical answer, but lean toward the dressier end of that range for dinner. The room is sleek and contemporary, and most guests at this $$$$ price point dress accordingly. A blazer or smart dress will not feel out of place; jeans and a clean shirt are generally fine, but avoid anything that reads as ski-off-the-slope casual, particularly in the evening. Lunch and brunch carry a slightly more relaxed register.
The wine program is not incidental , it is the reason the restaurant holds its Star Wine List White Star and ranks among the leading addresses in the Rockies for drinking seriously. A first visit that ignores the sommelier team is a missed opportunity. Arrive with time to sit at the bar before dinner. The menu changes seasonally, so do not anchor expectations to a specific dish. Budget well above the food price: wine pricing runs $$$, meaning many bottles above $100 and the cellar skews considerably higher for the premium selections. Michelin Plate (2024) and La Liste 76.5 points (2025) are the relevant quality signals to set expectations.
Yes, with a specific recommendation: the bar is a better format for solo dining than the main dining room. The bar menu covers snacks, sides, and mains, the Colorado Well gives you a reason to explore local spirits, and the sommelier team is more accessible in that setting. The dining room works for solo guests too, but the bar format lets you engage with the drinks program in a way that suits a single diner better. For solo contemporary dining in Aspen at a lower price point, Mawa's Kitchen ($$$) is an easier, more casual alternative.
Yes , it is one of the stronger special-occasion choices in Aspen, particularly if wine matters to your celebration. The setting inside the Little Nell is polished without being stiff, the service team is trained at a level that reflects the hotel's positioning, and the cellar depth means you can find a genuinely memorable bottle for the moment. For a landmark anniversary or milestone, contact the hotel directly about private dining or specific table requests. Compared to Prospect (also $$$$, contemporary), Element 47 has more service infrastructure around it given the hotel context, which can matter for occasion dining.
At $$$$ food pricing and $$$ wine pricing, the value case rests almost entirely on the drinks program. The food is competent and seasonal, earning a Michelin Plate and 76.5 La Liste points , solid credentials, but not a reason alone to pay premium Aspen fine-dining prices. Where the value equation tips in Element 47's favour is when you engage the sommelier team and drink from the 20,000-bottle cellar. If you plan to order a bottle under $80 and focus purely on the food, Aosta Aspen or Mawa's Kitchen will give you a better food-to-price ratio. But for guests who want to drink well in a polished room with genuine sommelier support, the price is justified.
For contemporary fine dining at the same price tier, Prospect ($$$$) is the most direct comparison. For a more intimate contemporary room at a lower price, Bosq is worth considering. For French-leaning comfort food with a strong local following, Cache Cache is a reliable choice. Mawa's Kitchen ($$$) is the leading option if you want contemporary cooking without the full fine-dining spend. For Japanese and sushi, Matsuhisa Aspen fills a different niche entirely. None of these alternatives match Element 47's wine program depth, which remains its defining differentiator in the Aspen market.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Element 47 | The Little Nell, Aspen’s slope side luxury hotel dazzles with its signature restaurant, Element 47.; Star Wine List #3 (2026); Star Wine List #2 (2026); Star Wine List #1 (2026); Element 47 - Little Nell is a restaurant in Aspen, USA. It was published on Star Wine List on December 2, 2021 and is a White Star.; Star Wine List #3 (2025); Star Wine List #2 (2025); Star Wine List #1 (2025); The name is a nod to Aspen’s origins as a silver mining town, and its location inside the luxurious Little Nell Hotel, mere steps away from the slopes, is certainly glitzy. Enter the sleek, modern dining room through the lounge (with a crackling fireplace in season) and settle in for Chef Matt Zubrod's approachable contemporary menu that highlights top-notch ingredients, from seasonal produce like wild mushrooms, to meats like locally raised lamb and wagyu-breed beef. Lighter dishes like salads are thoughtfully composed, and house-made pastas like hazelnut cavatelli with rabbit ragu and fennel will satisfy heartier appetites. Diners will make note of the array of bottles displayed behind glass in the bar area, a telltale sign of the restaurant’s impressive wine program.; La Liste Top Restaurants (2025): 76.5pts; HIGHLIGHTS: • COOKING CLASSICS; **Our Inspector's Highlights The à la carte menu changes seasonally, so a duck dish you enjoyed in December may not be the same in June — or there may not be a duck entrée at all. Executive chef Matt Zubrod may even change ingredients based on the freshest produce available that week — or that morning.The interior design at Element 47 is sophisticated and sleek, contemporary and comfortable. The room’s main hues are silver, gray, dark brown, black and navy. But you’ll also find occasional pops of bright color, such as the deep red glass water tumblers with an etched design.From the hostess to the sommelier, and from your main server to the back waiter, staff is on hand to ensure your dining experience at The Little Nell’s signature restaurant is superb.** **Things to Know Element 47 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on the weekends.The bar, adjacent to the dining room, is a lively spot, especially in the late afternoons in the winter months, for après ski. The bar offers snacks, sides and mains if you’d like a bite to eat while enjoying a drink.The full bar has a Colorado Well, meaning it features a selection of artisanal Colorado-made spirits and beers. So, if you order a mojito, unless you specify otherwise, the rum will be Montanya rum, distilled in Crested Butte. Also enjoy beers brewed in such Colorado towns as Aspen, Fort Collins, Boulder and Durango.The wine collection at Element 47 is composed of 20,000 bottles, about 600 of which are displayed in an impressive wine wall that connects the bar and the dining room. Overseeing the wine list is wine director and master sommelier Carlton McCoy. There are fewer than 200 Master Sommeliers in the world, so diners at Element 47 are fortunate to have one.** **Treatments:** The Food Dishes that feature flavorful, locally raised wagyu beef are gems; we especially enjoyed the Wagyu tartare mixed with gruyere and purple mustard as well as the entrée that pairs the tender meat with black trumpet mushrooms and winter squash. Hudson Valley’s foie gras is turned into a decadent torchon that’s served with sweet roasted pears, parsnips and pistachio sponge bread.The excellent cheese course, which highlights cheeses made in Colorado paired with nuts and fruit, is absolutely one of the best things to order. The taste of the apple-flavored cider doughnuts is heightened by apple jam and a dollop of crème fraîche. **Amenities:** 675 East Durant Avenue, Aspen, Colorado 81611; WINE: Wine Strengths: Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, Rhône, Italy, Champagne Pricing: $$$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Selections: 3,585 Inventory: 20,025 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: American Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Lunch and Dinner STAFF: People Chris Dunaway:Wine Director Wine Director: Chris Dunaway Sommelier: Jesse Libby, Rachael Liggett-Draper, Adam Darlington Chef: Keith Theodore General Manager: Henning Rahm Owner: Aspen One; Michelin Plate (2024) | $$$$ | — |
| Hotel Jerome Century Room | — | ||
| Matsuhisa Aspen | — | ||
| Prospect | $$$$ | — | |
| French Alpine Bistro | — | ||
| Mawa's Kitchen | $$$ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
The room is sophisticated and contemporary — the Little Nell's signature restaurant attracts a mix of après-ski guests and dressed-up dinner tables. Think resort-smart: clean, put-together clothing rather than ski gear. No formal dress code is documented, but the $$$$ price point and hotel setting mean most diners arrive in collared shirts or the equivalent.
The wine program is the headline act — 20,000 bottles, over 3,500 selections, and a sommelier team worth actually talking to. The menu changes seasonally and sometimes more frequently based on available produce, so don't arrive with a specific dish in mind. Book well ahead for ski season (December through March) and the summer festival window (June through August), when tables are hardest to secure. Element 47 holds a Michelin Plate (2024) and consistent Star Wine List recognition.
Yes, particularly at the bar. The bar area runs its own food menu with snacks, sides, and mains, making it a practical solo option — especially in winter when it draws an energetic après-ski crowd. The wine-focused format suits solo diners who want to engage with the sommelier team without the pacing pressure of a full table.
It's a strong choice. The Little Nell hotel setting, a sommelier team with Master Sommelier-level pedigree, and a La Liste Top Restaurants ranking (76.5 points, 2025) give it the occasion-worthy credentials. For a group of four or more, book early and let the sommelier team lead on wine — that's where the experience justifies the $$$$ spend.
At $$$$ with a wine list priced at $$$, it's a high-spend evening — but the wine program is what sets the value case. With 20,025 bottles across Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, Rhône, Italy, and Champagne, and a sommelier team equipped to navigate it, you're paying for access and guidance that most Aspen restaurants can't match. If wine is not a priority, the food alone at this price is harder to justify over alternatives.
For Japanese-leaning contemporary dining with a different price feel, Matsuhisa Aspen is the most direct alternative. For a more relaxed setting with strong local sourcing credentials, Prospect is worth considering. If you want a food-first focus without the wine-program premium, French Alpine Bistro delivers a distinct alpine format. Mawa's Kitchen is the right call for a lower-commitment, locally rooted meal.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
