Aspen's Famous Red Onion to Reopen

The Red Onion is Aspen's oldest watering hole. During the silver boom of the late 1800s, the Red Onion was a casino and saloon and known as "New Brick." It was remodeled in 1947 and given the name the Red Onion. This famous landmark became one of Aspen's first apres ski and late night entertainment venues - Billie Holiday even performed there once.

Dave "Wabs" Walbert took over the restaurant at the Red Onion in 1984 and owned it for 23 years until his lease expired in March of 2007. Aspen attorneys Ron Garfield and Andy Hect purchased controlling interest in the establishment and wanted to raise the rent to three or four times what Wabs had been paying. Unfortunately, even raising food prices would not cover that kind of increase, so Wabs said goodbye to the Red Onion.

Hect and Garfield invested millions in remodeling the Red Onion, and it will open under new ownership June 1st, 2010! Brother and sister team Jennifer and Thomas Colosi plan to keep prices affordable for the locals. The new Red Onion will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night menus, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Breakfast will be served all day, with old favorites returning, like chicken waffles and steak and eggs. There will also be a food cart outside by the patio for quick items like burritos, tacos and meatball subs.

Check out the Redo Onion on Eat Aspen for menu details!

Try the new Red Onion if you're staying at the Ritz Carlton Club Aspen Highlands this summer!