I was in Buena Vista a few weekends back. It was an extremely wet weekend in Denver, and climbing 285 we almost turned around due to the dense fog near Conifer and Aspen Park. Fortunately we plugged along into the wide open valley without incident. I was insistent on not stopping until reaching the Dinky Dairy – a small roadside joint in Fairplay with surprising good breakfast plates. (shown in this post.)

Sadly they were closed for spring remodeling.

After visiting the Cottonwood Hot Springs with some family we cruised down Highway 24, BV’s Main Street to the Evergreen Cafe on the north side of town. However it was 2pm, and being a breakfast and lunch diner they were closed too.

We were overnighting in Breckenridge, but too hungry to make the drive to Leadville without grub I turned back and down Main Street where I found Mother’s Bistro.

A coffee shop and bistro, Mother’s is located in an old house just a few blocks east of Highway 24. The dining area is set in the lobby of a small old hotel, centered around a beautiful vintage fireplace.

Mother’s is operated by a real mother/daughter team, who cook up healthy dishes using local suppliers from around the Arkansas River Valley. But it’s far from a “granola” joint – as I noticed older regulars chatting over coffee along with younger folks passing time as the sky turned rainy.

Their fresh wraps feature turkey, hummus, and roast beef. The paninis get creative with “brie and fig”, “nutella and banana,” and eggplant. There are also hearty standards like meatloaf and a selection of daily soups.

Mother’s Bistro is a great spot to visit and socialize, and hear live music on occasion too. I’ll return next time through Buena Vista.

Full menu at mothersbistrobv.com