Trail’s End Takes Over for Double Z
Move over Double Z, there’s a new meat-slinger in town. Hotdog emporium Trails End Bar & Bites has opened up at 1124 Yampa St., the former home of riverside BBQ joint Double Z. “We serve traditional bar food like Chicago-style dogs, chicken wings, loaded cheese fries, and just about anything you can think of fried,” says owner Jacob Hardin. Expect a casual atmosphere, welcoming bar and delish’ dogs. “You get that laid-back rustic feel in an 111-year-old building that’s directly across from the Yampa and Howelsen,” he adds. “It’s a great spot to watch the game or sit outside with friends and family.” Swillin’ tip: Eddy out and order a dog when you’re floating by on the river. www.trails-end.bar
New Owners for Sambi Canton (Ocean Dragon)
Sambi Canton at 941 Lincoln Ave. in downtown’s Victoria Building has new owners, with Jun Zhang and May Li taking over operations of the Asian restaurant in March and renaming it Ocean Dragon Chinese and Sushi. Zhang will be quick to get the hang of the new restaurant. Originally from northern China, he worked as a sushi chef in Arizona before working at Steamboat’s Fusion 720 for two years and running Kremmling’s Mount Dragon Chinese and Sushi for four years. He says they’ll continue to offer many of Canton’s staples, but will also add new items and recipes, including new sushi offerings and Chinese and Thai fare. The restaurant was opened in 1983 by Siou Cheou and Ney Hoa Cheng.
Dude & Dan’s Changes Hands
Don’t expect it to be renamed Scott & Seann’s, but Dude & Dan’s at 1106 Lincoln Ave. in downtown Steamboat has new owners with entrepreneurs Scott Buchler and Seann Conway—of the Café Diva, Ore House at Pine Grove and Freshies restaurant group—purchasing the sports bar in March from founders Brandon and Jackie Pfaff. Conway will now oversee operations of all four restaurants and says it will still be good ol’ Dude & Dan’s. Customers will find 20 large screen televisions to watch the game, great drinks and grub (including starters, salads, sandwiches, meatloaf, gumbo, jerk chicken and more), and a large game room upstairs for the youngsters (and those without any friends). It will also keep using the space next door, offering pool tables, foosball, darts and more “social and adult-style games,” says Conway. It’s open daily at 11 a.m. and closes at midnight, when the cows have already gone home.
Make way for…the Yampa Valley Icehouse!
Don’t expect rapper Ice Cube to show up, but get ready for the Yampa Valley Icehouse at 751 Yampa Ave. right along the river next door to SunPies. Owned by John and Jarret Duty, the new live-fire BBQ joint will feature a 14,000-lb., custom smoker trailered over from Texas, serving up ragin’ barbecue, including burgers, chicken, pork and more, by head smoker Mark Mlynski. Also look for live music outside, as well as a rooftop bar and deck with views of Howlie, the river, Mt. Werner and more. While they’ll remain separate restaurants and bars, they’re also taking the fence down between the Icehouse and SunPies, opening up the ambiance. “It’s not going to be a late-night bar, just a great venue for awesome barbecue and bands in the daytime and early evening,” says John. Maybe that will be enough to entice a visit from the Cube? Info: www.yamparivericehouse.com.
Roll Out the Carpet for…The Steamboat Commons
There’s a new food court in town, pilgrim. Showing that teamwork and partnerships are alive and thriving in the eatery world, various restaurants are saddling up to new digs in the former Ghost Ranch building at 56 Seventh St. With renovations underway, the new venture, called The Steamboat Commons, will house up to six food vendors, a full bar (operated by Justin Keys, owner of The Barley), large, 650-square-foot deck with outdoor seating over the alley, and more. Clyde’s Pies is already using one alley space in the building’s basement, with coffee shop Burlap and Berry already serving takeout options.
“We spent a lot of time planning it and wanted to do it right,” says co-owner Cam Boyd, who purchased the 7,200-square-foot building with partner Adan Feiges in 2020. “It’s great because it gives smaller vendors the ability to cook and serve great food and it gives guests a place to sit down and relax and enjoy great food and drinks.”
While four vendors will be up on the main floor, the street-level spaces will harbor two more, with walk-up access and bar seating livening up the alleyway. “It will be great for people to meet for coffee and breakfast in the morning, sandwiches for lunch, and great food as well as beer and cocktails for dinner,” says Boyd, adding they should open this summer. Keys adds they also plan to offer signature cocktails with the food vendors.
“We’re stoked for the vision the Commons has become,” says Clyde’s Kyle Nelson. “Food halls are all the rage—specially coming out of the pandemic. We’re humbled to be a part of it and also involved with The Barley and the beast that it’s become. We couldn’t ask for a hotter ticket to put our name next to.”
