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Mid-Vail

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 Vail, 81657

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About

Mid-Vail is the big lunch building at the top of Gondola One (#1), the gondola that loads in Vail Village. It holds three quick-service spaces on different levels: Look Ma on top for comfort food, the Powerline Pub bar, and the Sun Terrace below, where sling chairs and umbrellas face the mountain.

It suits front-side skiers who want to eat without leaving the main runs, families who need a menu broad enough for everyone, and non-skiers: Vail lists lift access, not skier access, as required, so a gondola ride gets you to lunch.

Getting there

Skiers can ski in to Mid-Vail; everyone else rides Gondola One from Vail Village. You need a lift ticket, pass or other ticket valid for the gondola, and there is no road access for visitors.

What to expect

Everything is quick service with no reservations, and vegetarian and gluten-free options are available. Mid-Vail is Epic Mountain Rewards eligible. The lunch window runs from late morning to mid-afternoon; exact hours are in the FAQ below.

Winter and summer

Mid-Vail runs in both seasons. Late in the summer season service shrinks to the Mid-Vail Grill on weekends only, so check Vail's hours page before riding up.

Inside Mid-Vail

Look Ma is the top level, with burgers, tenders and mac and cheese alongside sausage gumbo and ramen bowls. It is the broadest menu in the building and the easy choice for families.

Powerline Pub is the bar inside Mid-Vail, a meeting point for friends in the middle of the ski day.

Sun Terrace @ Mid Vail is the lower terrace level, serving pizza, poke bowls, pasta, burgers, salads and dessert, with sling chairs and umbrellas outside on sunny days.

Also at the top of Gondola One is The 10th, a separate full-service restaurant. At the bottom of the gondola in Vail Village, Express Lift is a quick stop before or after the ride.

Sources: Vail: Mid-Vail dining, Vail hours of operation, Vail mountain dining. Checked October 27, 2026.

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Mid-Vail
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Mid-Vail, top of Gondola One, Vail Mountain
Vail, 81657

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About Mid-Vail

Quick answer: Mid-Vail is the quick-service lunch building at the top of Gondola One (#1) above Vail Village, with Look Ma, Powerline Pub and the Sun Terrace inside. In season it serves 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., walk-in only, and you need a lift ticket, pass or scenic gondola ticket to get there. It is closed between seasons and reopens for winter on November 13, 2026.

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Mid-Vail is the big lunch building at the top of Gondola One (#1), the gondola that loads in Vail Village. It holds three quick-service spaces on different levels: Look Ma on top for comfort food, the Powerline Pub bar, and the Sun Terrace below, where sling chairs and umbrellas face the mountain.

It suits front-side skiers who want to eat without leaving the main runs, families who need a menu broad enough for everyone, and non-skiers: Vail lists lift access, not skier access, as required, so a gondola ride gets you to lunch.

Getting there

Skiers can ski in to Mid-Vail; everyone else rides Gondola One from Vail Village. You need a lift ticket, pass or other ticket valid for the gondola, and there is no road access for visitors.

What to expect

Everything is quick service with no reservations, and vegetarian and gluten-free options are available. Mid-Vail is Epic Mountain Rewards eligible. The lunch window runs from late morning to mid-afternoon; exact hours are in the FAQ below.

Winter and summer

Mid-Vail runs in both seasons. Late in the summer season service shrinks to the Mid-Vail Grill on weekends only, so check Vail's hours page before riding up.

Inside Mid-Vail

Look Ma is the top level, with burgers, tenders and mac and cheese alongside sausage gumbo and ramen bowls. It is the broadest menu in the building and the easy choice for families.

Powerline Pub is the bar inside Mid-Vail, a meeting point for friends in the middle of the ski day.

Sun Terrace @ Mid Vail is the lower terrace level, serving pizza, poke bowls, pasta, burgers, salads and dessert, with sling chairs and umbrellas outside on sunny days.

Also at the top of Gondola One is The 10th, a separate full-service restaurant. At the bottom of the gondola in Vail Village, Express Lift is a quick stop before or after the ride.

Sources: Vail: Mid-Vail dining, Vail hours of operation, Vail mountain dining. Checked October 27, 2026.

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Quick Snapshot

Service: Lunch
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Business Hours

Open daily · 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mid-Vail, and where is it?
Mid-Vail is Vail Mountain's front-side on-mountain dining building, at the top of Gondola One (#1) above Vail Village, with views of the Gore Range. It is not one restaurant: it is a quick-service lodge with food on two levels, Look Ma on the top level (burgers, tenders, mac and cheese, sausage gumbo, ramen bowls, a salad bar), Powerline Pub, the bar on the same top level, and the Terrace on the lower level (pizza, poke bowls, pasta, burgers, salads, dessert, with the outdoor Sun Terrace beyond it). Vail calls it its iconic original lodge, established 1962. The 10th, the full-service restaurant at the same gondola top, is a separate venue. There is no road to Mid-Vail; the gondola, or skiing, is the only way up.
Do I need to ski to eat at Mid-Vail?
No. Non-skiers ride Gondola One (#1) from Vail Village straight to the building, which is why Mid-Vail is one of the easiest on-mountain lunches for a mixed group: a non-skiing grandparent can ride up and meet the skiers. Skiers can also ski in from the front-side runs. Vail lists lift access as required, but not skier access. Note the base: Gondola One loads in Vail Village, not Lionshead (that is the Eagle Bahn Gondola, serving Eagle's Nest).
Do I need a lift ticket or pass to eat at Mid-Vail?
Yes. Everyone who rides up needs a ticket or pass valid for the gondola. Skiers and riders use their lift ticket or Epic Pass. Non-skiers buy a scenic (foot passenger) gondola ticket at the Vail Village base; Epic Pass holders get gondola access on their pass, including in summer, and children 12 and under ride free with an adult scenic ticket, one child per adult. In summer Vail also sells a ticket-plus-lunch option (a $30 lunch voucher added for $25). Scenic prices are quoted by date, so check Vail's booking page for your day. There is no free afternoon foot access.
When is Mid-Vail open?
Lunch only, in two seasons, and closed between them. In season it serves 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. In summer the building's offer is the Mid Vail Grill (made-to-order sandwiches, salads, chips, cocktails, beer and wine), daily through early September, then Friday to Sunday only in the last weeks of the season (September 11 to 27 in 2026), at the same 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. hours; do not count on the winter Look Ma and Terrace lineup in summer. The whole building closes when the mountain closes between seasons, in spring and again in fall (in 2026, summer service ended September 27 and the winter season is planned to open November 13), so check Vail's dining pages close to your visit. There is no breakfast menu and no dinner service; Powerline Pub's après ends with the building at 3:00 p.m.
What food is served at Mid-Vail?
Three outlets on two levels. Look Ma (top level) serves classic comfort food: burgers, chicken tenders, mac and cheese, sausage gumbo, ramen bowls, and a salad bar; there is no separate noodle bar, the ramen is Look Ma's. The Terrace (lower level) serves pizza, poke bowls, pasta, burgers, salads, and dessert in a food-hall style, with the outdoor Sun Terrace for sunny days. Powerline Pub (top level) is the bar: après cocktails, beer and wine, and bar food, in a room that pays homage to Vail's history. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available. In summer the listed offer narrows to the Mid Vail Grill (sandwiches, salads, drinks). The current official Terrace menu is linked from this page.
Does Mid-Vail take reservations?
No. Vail lists no reservations for Mid-Vail; all three outlets are walk-in, quick service, and at the midday peak the counters queue. If you arrived at this question looking for a bookable table at the top of Gondola One, that is The 10th, the separate full-service restaurant at the same gondola top, where Vail lists reservations as recommended. Do not book The 10th expecting the Mid-Vail counters, or arrive at Mid-Vail expecting a reservation to hold a table.
What do reviews say about Mid-Vail?
As of October 2026, Google rates Mid-Vail 4.1 out of 5 from 162 reviews, and its own summary calls it a mountain-side ski resort cafeteria featuring spectacular views, which is the right expectation: reviewers are paying for lunch at the top of Gondola One, with Gore Range views, two levels of counters, and room for a whole ski group to eat together, at resort prices. One warning on the numbers: a second, smaller Google record for the same name shows 5.0 from just 5 reviews; the 4.1 from 162 is the record with a real base behind it. Ratings move, so treat the score as a shape, not a grade.
How much does it cost to eat at Mid-Vail?
Google classes Mid-Vail at $10 to $70, and both ends are real: a counter lunch of tenders, a burger, or a sandwich sits at the lower end, while a table ordering across the Terrace and Powerline Pub climbs quickly, and if you are not skiing, the scenic gondola ticket is part of the cost of lunch. Epic Pass holders soften both halves: the pass covers the ride up, and Mid-Vail is Epic Mountain Rewards eligible, so pass holders get their dining discount at the counters. In summer, the ticket-plus-lunch voucher ($30 of lunch credit added to a ticket for $25) is the published bundle.
Is Mid-Vail good for kids and families?
Yes; it is set up for families. Look Ma's line (tenders, mac and cheese, burgers) is the broadest in the building, the Terrace adds pizza and pasta, and the two-level layout lets a group split up at the counters and still eat together, inside or out on the Sun Terrace. Vail publishes no separate kids menu for Mid-Vail, so plan on the regular counters. The access rules apply to children too: kids 12 and under ride the gondola free with an adult scenic ticket, one per adult, and pass holders ride on their pass.
Where do I park for Mid-Vail?
You cannot park at the restaurant; there is no road up Vail Mountain to Mid-Vail. Park in the Vail Village parking structure, walk to Gondola One, and ride up; the building is at the top. The free Town of Vail bus also serves Vail Village. Do not park in Lionshead for this lunch: Lionshead is the base of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, which serves Eagle's Nest, a different building. Your gondola ticket or pass (see question 3) is what gets you from the car to the counters.

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