Usually the best restaurant recommendations come from locals. During dinner in Durango, I asked our server where we should go for breakfast. Without hesitation, he recommended Hermosa Creek Grill.

The next morning, we headed north on Highway 550 to Hermosa, about halfway between Durango and Purgatory Resort. The small roadside café is easy to overlook, but this is one of those places where the food does the talking.

Breakfast With a Mountain View

We grabbed a table on the patio to soak up the fresh mountain air and views of the Animas Valley. Hermosa Creek Grill is casual, friendly, and a great breakfast or lunch stop before heading into the San Juan Mountains.

Veggie Benedict and Green Chile Grits

I ordered the Veggie Benedict with poached eggs, lightly grilled tomatoes, avocado, feta cheese, and an English muffin. It was normally topped with house-made hollandaise, but since I’m not a huge sauce fan, I ordered mine on the side.

The Benedict was fabulous, but the green chile cheese grits served alongside it may have stolen the show. This Southern girl happily gobbled up every bite at Hermosa Creek Grill.