Where to find gooey, cheesy fondue and raclette in Colorado

Ski season is also fondue season, the glorious time of year when dunking cubes of crusty bread, tart slices of Granny Smith apples and rounds of cured meats into melted cheese counts as a meal.

Often made with a generous splash of white wine in a garlic-rubbed pot, piping hot fondue is a staple on après-ski menus. But we’d be remiss to not also mention raclette in this niche alpine food grouping. A staple associated with European ski lodges and Christmas markets, rich cheese is scraped from a heated wheel, providing a gooey blanket over crispy potatoes.

Wondering where you can find the gooey goodness this winter? Here are five great spots in the mountains and Mile High City where you can indulge in fondue and raclette.

Swiss Chalet at Sonnenalp in Vail

It almost feels like a meal here should require a passport stamp. At Swiss Chalet in the Sonnenalp hotel, cheeses are imported from Switzerland and the alpine vibe carries through in the restaurant’s uniforms and the honey blonde wood furnishings.

“Hearty favorites such as schnitzel, fondue and raclette transports you to a chalet in the Swiss Alps,” executive chef Josh Marshall says.

Diners can customize their fondue experience with add-ons like truffles and champagne or, for some heat, jalapeños and chile pepper flakes. On the raclette route, you can order the cheese with potatoes and balsamic mushrooms or opt for meats including beef tenderloin, bacon, chipolata (a spicy sausage) and smoked Polish sausage.

20 Vail Road, Vail; sonnenalp.com/dining/swiss-chalet

Wyld at The Ritz-Carlton, in Avon

Nestled against Beaver Creek Mountain, The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch has the ambience of an upscale ski lodge (think: three-story, wood-burning fireplace, cozy leather furniture, live music and large windows that frame views of the snowy mountain).

A favorite winter dish, the fondue is made with alpine cheese that’s been aged 12 to 18 months and served with apples, torn pieces of fresh-baked bread and kielbasa. The fondue is served at Wyld, the hotel’s upscale restaurant, as well as The Great Room lounge.

0130 Daybreak Ridge Road, Avon; ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/colorado/bachelor-gulch

Margie’s Haas at The Hythe in Vail

Through its design and dining outposts, The Hythe Vail pays tribute to the area’s history: Elite soldiers once trained near the Vail Valley before deploying to fight alpine battles during World War II. Margie’s Haas, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is a nod to a home cook who prepared meals for the troops driving through the valley.

Influenced by cuisine of the Italian and Austrian Alps, the restaurant serves tableside raclette that’s melted and shaved on to Tyrolean speck (a ham), steamed garlic butter potatoes and rustic bread alongside other fixings.

715 W. Lionshead Circle, Vail; thehythevail.com/dining/margies-haas

The Truffle Table in Denver

A fromage-focused bar in LoHi, The Truffle Table is the sister outpost to the wildly popular cut-to-order Truffle Cheese Shop in Cherry Creek. The cute bar has plenty of fine cheeses to sync up with wine, beer or a classic cocktail — just ask for a pairing recommendation.