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La Cantina

Restaurants
 Vail, 81657

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About

La Cantina has served San Diego-style Mexican food in the Vail Valley for more than 25 years, from South Frontage Road East on the north side of Vail Village. The menu is built around burritos, tacos, enchiladas and combination plates, with a complimentary salsa bar that comes with any food or drink purchase.

It suits skiers, families and groups watching the budget, anyone who wants a burrito to carry back to the condo, and a casual lunch or early dinner. La Cantina bills itself as the cheapest place in town to eat or drink.

The menu

Burritos are the backbone: bean and cheese, carne asada, carnitas, mahi, cod and shrimp, a surf-and-turf burrito with shrimp, bacon and chorizo, a California burrito with fries rolled inside, and the El Gordo Grande for anyone planning to eat once a day. Around them sit crispy and soft tacos, taquitos, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tostadas, nachos, lime-cured mahi ceviche and queso dip, plus carne asada and carnitas platos, hot wraps, a burger and a Beyond Burger.

Dietary notes and sweets

The menu flags gluten-free choices; order corn rather than flour tortillas on tacos. Vegetarians have bean burritos, a veggie quesadilla and a sautéed vegetable wrap. Desserts are flan, sopaipillas with cinnamon, sugar and honey, and Mexican apple pie, and the drinks list includes horchata and IBC root beer, with free refills on fountain sodas.

Before you go

The kitchen is open daily from late morning into the evening; hours are in the FAQ below. The full menu is a PDF behind the View Menu button, and the restaurant takes orders online through its own website or by phone.

Sources: La Cantina, La Cantina menu (PDF). Checked September 24, 2026.

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Contact Information

Company Name
La Cantina
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Location
241 S Frontage Rd E
Vail, 81657

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About La Cantina

Quick answer: La Cantina is a restaurant at 241 S Frontage Rd E, Vail, CO 81657. San Diego-style Mexican food in Vail Village for 25+ years: burritos, tacos, enchiladas and a free salsa bar with any food or drink purchase.

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La Cantina has served San Diego-style Mexican food in the Vail Valley for more than 25 years, from South Frontage Road East on the north side of Vail Village. The menu is built around burritos, tacos, enchiladas and combination plates, with a complimentary salsa bar that comes with any food or drink purchase.

It suits skiers, families and groups watching the budget, anyone who wants a burrito to carry back to the condo, and a casual lunch or early dinner. La Cantina bills itself as the cheapest place in town to eat or drink.

The menu

Burritos are the backbone: bean and cheese, carne asada, carnitas, mahi, cod and shrimp, a surf-and-turf burrito with shrimp, bacon and chorizo, a California burrito with fries rolled inside, and the El Gordo Grande for anyone planning to eat once a day. Around them sit crispy and soft tacos, taquitos, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tostadas, nachos, lime-cured mahi ceviche and queso dip, plus carne asada and carnitas platos, hot wraps, a burger and a Beyond Burger.

Dietary notes and sweets

The menu flags gluten-free choices; order corn rather than flour tortillas on tacos. Vegetarians have bean burritos, a veggie quesadilla and a sautéed vegetable wrap. Desserts are flan, sopaipillas with cinnamon, sugar and honey, and Mexican apple pie, and the drinks list includes horchata and IBC root beer, with free refills on fountain sodas.

Before you go

The kitchen is open daily from late morning into the evening; hours are in the FAQ below. The full menu is a PDF behind the View Menu button, and the restaurant takes orders online through its own website or by phone.

Sources: La Cantina, La Cantina menu (PDF). Checked September 24, 2026.

Mexican Casual Dining Takeout Vail Village restaurants restaurants/mexican restaurants/casual restaurants/lunch restaurants/vail-village
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Business Hours

Open daily · 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM

Amenities at La Cantina

  • Free salsa bar
  • Patio
  • Counter service
  • Takeout
  • Online ordering
  • Vegetarian dishes
  • Gluten-free-marked items
  • Bar

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is La Cantina in Vail, and where do I park?
Inside the Vail Transportation Center at 241 South Frontage Road East, in the same building as the Vail Village Parking Structure, on the north side of Vail Village. That is the building day skiers park in and the Town's free in-town buses load at, about a 7-minute walk from Gondola One. If you drive, you are already in the garage: in winter the first hour is free and entry after 3 p.m. is free; in summer the first hour is free and the day maximum is $10. If you are staying in town, ride the free bus to the Transportation Center stop and walk in.
What are the hours of La Cantina in Vail, and is it open in mud season?
The restaurant's own website lists Monday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and the kitchen runs straight through the afternoon with no break between lunch and dinner. Two cautions. Restaurantji currently shows an 8 p.m. close, which matches the spring schedule the Town of Vail published for this restaurant (11:30 to 8 in spring 2024, with a short closure, May 7 to 12, that year). In the shoulder seasons, and before any late dinner, call (970) 476-7661 to confirm.
What does a meal cost at La Cantina? Is it really the cheapest place to eat in Vail?
On the restaurant's published menu, yes, it is the budget end of Vail Village, and it is not close. Soft and crispy tacos run $2.95 to $4.50, burritos $6.95 to $11.95, combination dinners $8.50 to $13.50, and carne asada or carnitas platos $13.95. The most expensive item on the menu is the Beyond Burger at $14.00. Fountain sodas are $2.75 with free refills. Prices are from the menu PDF the restaurant publishes; the in-store board governs if they have moved.
What is on the menu at La Cantina, and what should I order?
San Diego-style Mexican, built around burritos: bean and cheese, carne asada, carnitas, mahi, cod, and shrimp, a California burrito with fries rolled inside, and the El Gordo Grande ($11.95), the one-meal-for-the-day burrito. Around them sit crispy and soft tacos, taquitos, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tostadas, nachos, lime-cured mahi ceviche, queso dip, combination dinners, carne asada and carnitas platos, hot wraps, salads, a burger, and a Beyond Burger. Start with the complimentary salsa bar, which comes with any food or drink purchase. The dishes the record keeps naming are the El Gordo Grande (La Cantina won Best of Vail Valley's burrito vote in 2023 and was a finalist in 2025), the crispy beef tacos, and the chile rellenos. Desserts are flan, sopaipillas, and Mexican apple pie.
What do reviews say about La Cantina?
Reviews praise the value above everything. As of October 2026, Google rates La Cantina 4.2 out of 5 from 856 reviews; TripAdvisor rates it 3.9 from 125 reviews; Yelp rates it 3.5 from 165 reviews. Diners praise the prices, the portions, the speed, and the free salsa bar, and criticise the small room, which can feel messy at peak times, and margaritas that reviewers call average.
Is there a salsa bar at La Cantina?
Yes, and it is the house signature. The salsa bar is complimentary with the purchase of any food or drink, self-serve, with salsas across a range of heat levels. It comes with burritos, tacos, and combination plates alike; you do not need to order chips to use it, though guacamole and chips are $5.95 if you want them.
Does La Cantina have vegetarian or gluten-free options?
Vegetarian, yes: bean burritos from $6.95, a veggie quesadilla with sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and onions, a sautéed vegetable wrap, cheese enchiladas, and a Beyond Burger. Gluten-free, the menu's own instruction governs: it marks gluten-free choices and tells you to order corn rather than flour tortillas on tacos. No dish is certified gluten-free, and vegans will find less: staff at the counter will say which items and sauces are vegan, and reviewers note they are open about it.
Can I order La Cantina online for takeout, and does it deliver?
Yes to takeout. Online ordering runs through the Order Online link on the restaurant's own website (order.lacantinavail.com), or call (970) 476-7661.
Does La Cantina take reservations?
No. La Cantina is counter service: walk in, order at the counter, and your food is brought to your table. There is no booking channel, and none is needed; the room turns over quickly, and the format is part of why the prices stay where they are. Large ski groups should expect to take tables as they free up rather than be seated together.
Is La Cantina kid friendly, and is there a patio?
Kid friendly in format and price, with one honest caveat: there is no children's menu. What families get instead is counter service with no wait to order, small tacos at $2.95, a grilled cheese with fries at $7.95, bean burritos, and free fountain refills, and Yelp lists the room as good for kids. Google's business description also lists a patio with the salsa bar, so in good weather there is outdoor seating at the transit center as well as the indoor room.

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