Casual elegance and a menu that highlights a multitude of French pan-American dishes from Parisian-born chef-owner Laurent Cantineaux are the draw at Betula Aspen. Working closely with his team, including executive chef Kris Keating, Cantineaux’s dishes feature a collection of culinary masterpieces based on his storied career, which includes stints at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, the three-starred Restaurant Troisgros and with Daniel Boulud in New York. Oh, and there was his own awardwinning restaurant in Caracas as well.

Betula Aspen is a standout on Aspen’s culinary map, blending French technique with Pan-American flavors in a bright, contemporary space above Restaurant Row. The menu is refined yet approachable, with highlights like duck magret, tuna tacos, Chilean sea bass, and ceviche—each dish carefully plated with attention to detail. The dining room and wraparound terrace offer sweeping mountain views, while the lively bar serves an inventive cocktail list featuring mezcal, pisco, and fresh herbs.

Betula is another import, this time from the team behind the Bonito restaurant in St. Barts. The upstairs dining room and lounge's open-fire cooking does right by Colorado rack of lamb, served with a balanced sweet-and-savory caponata, and other dishes that reflect chef Laurent Cantineaux's classical French training. (Co-owner and designer Juan Carlos Pérez Febres handles design duties.) While balmier days and evenings last, enjoy alfresco dining on the outdoor patio.

Betula’s breezy, chic vibe brings a hint of Saint Barth to the mountains of Aspen. The menu features a number of standouts from the sea—don’t miss the tuna tacos or pulpo anticuchero—and a number of stellar signature cocktails like the yellow paloma, which is colored by fresh bell pepper juice and served in a bird-shaped glass. Pro Tip: When offered bread, choose the baguette, a famous recipe that was painstakingly modified to work at altitude.

Betula Aspen: Betula Aspen is the sister restaurant of the extremely highly rated Bonito on the French island of St. Barth. Make your reservation as far in advance as possible. The staff are exceedingly knowledgeable and genuine, the mixologists will ensure no one is ever disappointed with their libation, and the menu (focused on French-Caribbean cuisine) has some of the most aesthetically pleasing dishes you'll find in any Colorado ski town.

On the site of the old BB’s Kitchen, Betula features a sexy interior, lounge area with a DJ, and a gorgeous expansive exterior patio space with fireplace to dine al fresco in the summer. I love that Betula has a St. Barth’s vibe (it also has a sister restaurant in St. Barth’s called Bonito) right in the heart of Aspen. The French-Pan American cuisine changes with each season and you can’t go wrong with anything you order.

If it’s not too cold, the deck at Betula—where one can gaze out onto town or Aspen Mountain—is reason enough to make a reservation at this bonafide hotspot. Yet the mountain-meets-French-island cuisine (it’s the sister property to Bonito in St Barths) is certainly as delicious inside the dining room as it is out: start off with one of their several crudos and then splurge on the bison ribeye steak.

Betula Betula’s incredible sashimi dish This chic restaurant brings a bit of St. Barths’ beachside glamour to the Rocky Mountains. Betula opened in December 2018 as a collaboration between the co-owners of Bonito St. Barths, chef Laurent Cantineaux and architect and proprietor Juan Carlos Pérez Febres. Betula is glamorous but warm and welcoming — the intimate couch seating is lit by candlelight.

For couples looking for a cozy-chic atmosphere, Betula is perfect for a smaller rehearsal dinner. Accommodating up to 50 guests and featuring a private dining space for 12, Betula offers an indoor-outdoor seating area, a rooftop view, and French-Pan American cuisine. An easy walk from any hotel in Aspen, Betula provides an exciting gastronomical experience that maintains Aspen's charm.

Betula (the sister restaurant of the St. Barths staple, Bonito) in Aspen is a chic, second-floor restaurant that offers stunning views of Ajax Mountain. The menu features French Pan-American cuisine, blending French techniques with flavors from the Americas, crafted by famed Chef Laurent Cantineaux. You have to try the Crispy Skin Striped Bass – a menu staple everyone raves about.

Betula Aspen serves up French Pan-American fares in a chic and cozy setting. This second-floor restaurant boasts a patio with comfortable couches and lounge chairs overlooking the stunning Ajax Mountain. Chef Laurent Cantineaux brings a French approach to his American-inspired dishes, providing patrons with a flavorful and multi-faced dining experience.

Set on a second-floor space with a beautiful view of Ajax Mountain, Betula Aspen offers a chic and casual dining experience. The restaurant combines Aspen's relaxed Victorian style with modern touches, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. Chef Owner Laurent Cantineaux crafts French Pan-American cuisine that delights both locals and visitors.

The best cocktails in town may arguably be at Betula upstairs on E. Cooper Ave.; it certainly has some of the prettiest. Janet O’ Grady, freelance writer for The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, New York Times & other publications, and the former co-founder and editor-in-chief of Aspen Magazine, raves about Betula’s cocktails:

Betula offers a contemporary take on French Pan-American cuisine, blending the flavors of St. Barth’s with Aspen’s alpine charm. With its chic design, open-air bar, and creative menu, Betula is perfect for a romantic evening out or a sophisticated meal with friends. The rooftop deck is a favorite for both the cuisine and the views.

pan-americanThe sister restaurant of Bonito Saint Barth serves beautifully plated dishes from land and sea that reflect French and South American influences, in a breezy, contemporary setting with music by a house DJ. 525 E Cooper Ave (upstairs), 970-922-8103, betulaaspen.comD, $$$–$$$S

Betula passed the vibe check for Rachel Meyers and Schuyler Bailey, who both recommended the Aspen restaurant as a lively hangout. Betula features a unique blend of elevated French, South American and Caribbean flavors. But the menu also incorporates international culinary traditions.

It is a warm and inviting space that features French Pan-American cuisine. I was very impressed with my first meal there. The burrata and roasted acorn squash appetizer was really great and the pan-seared jumbo scallops with cauliflower and capers was a great choice for my entree.

When you’re ready for an adult beverage, Betula (525 East Cooper Avenue, #201) is the place to go. According to Erin, whose order of choice is the “Drink Me From the Bottom,” and Amy, who prefers the “Yellow Paloma,” you have to see their cocktails in person to believe them.

A quick spoiler: a near-unanimous top ranking of Clark's Aspen and The Hotel Jermone for cocktails and ambiance, as well as high marks for Bear Den Aspen, Betula, and Mawa's Kitchen. But trust, many more gems are to be uncovered ahead—plan your visit accordingly.

Betula Aspen – From the same group that owns Bonito in St. Bart’s, Betula Aspen does not disappoint. The menu is comprised for French Pan-American Cuisine so it’s sure to please everyone. The must try cocktail is the Paloma it’s served in a bird shaped glass.

We love the outdoor seating area at Betula’s when it’s nice out!. This is another French spot that serves some of the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted!. Their appetizers are all great, and anything I’ve ever tried on the menu has always been incredible.

There’s something that makes St. Barths and Aspen seem to go hand in hand. And it’s not just the crowd that seems to jet between the two destinations in the winter. Betula is a St. Barths transplant that’s one of the places to be in Aspen.

The rack of lamb with caponata, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and roasted garlic is heavenly. The pan-seared Colorado trout with artichokes, cauliflower, and pickled onions is a delightful rendition of a local catch.

The co-owners of the restaurant Bonito in St. Barth opened a new restaurant called Betula in downtown Aspen over the winter season. The restaurant blends French and Pan American cuisine. (525 E. Cooper Ave.)

1, Tempranillo’s Lavender Mojito; 2, Element 47’s The Apiary; 3, Ellina’s Tulum Bloom; 4, Betula’s Bubbling Bonito; 5, Brass Anvil’s Delta Dawn; 6, Bear Den’s Sweet Like Anna; 7, Jimmy’s Kayla’s Bees Knees.

Great date spot with phenomenal cocktails and the owners left no detail left unturned. Aesthetically it resembles a Malibu or West Palm and always has great energy.