Tucked into the Colorado Rockies just outside Granby, C Lazy U Ranch is one of the nation’s premier all-inclusive dude ranches. Known for its five-star service, sweeping mountain views, and Western charm, the ranch offers year-round adventures, including its premier activity, horseback riding, alongside fly fishing, sleigh rides, backcountry skiing and guided hunting. Guests can indulge in signature spa treatments, yoga and much more. Many come for the wide-open spaces and come back for their signature blend of luxury and laid-back hospitality.
Dining here is as thoughtfully crafted as the rest of the experience. Meals are an integral part of ranch life, prepared with intention and a deep connection to the land.
Mornings begin in the main lodge with a hearty, homemade breakfast. Guests fuel up with made-to-order omelets, cheddar biscuits, house-baked pastries and fresh fruit. Cowboy coffee, brewed over an open flame and served strong, is as much a ritual as a caffeine fix, often accompanied by stories from the range and a smoky aroma that clings to your cowboy duds all day.
Lunches are relaxed, served outside on the patio when weather allows, with panoramic mountain views. The fare is healthful, fresh and flavorful, featuring options like grilled tacos with slaw, greens with roasted chicken or a bowl of tomato bisque. Many ingredients are grown just steps away in the ranch’s hydroponic greenhouses, in partnership with Sedalia’s FarmBox Foods, which brings fresh herbs, lettuce and microgreens to the table year-round.
Evenings sometimes begin in the pasture, where guests sip cocktails while the horses wind down after a day on the trail. Wranglers and barn staff mingle, introducing the herd by name while sharing quirks, stories and favorite scratch spots like they’re talking about old friends. The particularly social horses like to join the happy hour and conversation.
Then comes dinner, the culinary highlight of the day. A multi-course meal, dinner features seasonal, local ingredients, such as Colorado beef ribeye served with gratin potatoes and truffle demiglace or rainbow trout with salsa verde, escabeche and crispy tortillas. Served family-style, it's an elevated experience that balances rustic heartiness with refined presentation. Vegetarian options, such as BBQ falafel over jasmine rice and tomato and cucumber tabouleh topped with lemon yogurt, are always available and dietary preferences are handled with no fuss.
It should be no surprise that C Lazy U Ranch was named the No. 2 “best hotels for food in the U.S.” in Food & Wine Magazine’s inaugural “Global Tastemakers Awards" in 2023. In 2025, they were recognized by Wine Spectator's “Best of Award of Excellence” and Newsweek's Readers’ Choice Awards “Best All-Inclusive Family Resort. Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice awarded C Lazy U as a “Top 20 Resorts in the Mountain West' in 2024.
The food, like the rest of the ranch experience, follows a philosophy the team calls “five-star service with a two-star vibe.” It’s welcoming, polished, but never overly formal. Servers know guests’ names and preferences. The in-house sommelier curates wine pairings with an easy, friendly expertise, remembering what you liked the night before to guide his recommendations.
Throughout the week, themed dinners add variety. An open-air cookout with smoked brisket, grilled corn, live music and string lights one night, followed by a wine-paired tasting menu with commentary from the chef and sommelier the next. At least once, dessert means s’mores by the fire, with house-made marshmallows and locally sourced chocolate.
In summer, kids eat separately with counselors, leaving adults to linger over dessert or enjoy an after-dinner drink. On the final evening, families dine together; a chance to share stories, laughter and celebrate the special memories they’ve created at the ranch.
At C Lazy U, the food reflects the ranch’s mission: to bring people together through connection to the land, tradition and one another. Meals are an intrinsic part of the day, with every bite reflecting the ranch’s mix of authenticity, elegance and the cowboy spirit.
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