Since Chef Hugo Muñoz opened his restaurant located just a mile south of downtown Glenwood Springs in 2020, his creative abilities have flourished.
Hugo’s Restaurant, situated at 1605 Grand Avenue in Glenwood Springs, offers an unforgettable dining experience thanks to the creativity of Muñoz and his cocktail specialist MarJean Montiel. Chef Muñoz takes pride in the seasonal menu and uses locally sourced ingredients from Gore Canyon and Paonia Farms.
“I had worked in Aspen for 20 years, and I wanted to bring something different to Glenwood — good, high-quality food,” Muñoz said. “There are a lot of good restaurants in Glenwood, but I wanted something different.”
Muñoz’s emphasis on using local produce also shines through the incoming summer menu dishes. The buffalo burrata, crusted with panko and parmesan cheese while bathing in a light marinara sauce bath with fanned Crostini Crackers to dip, is a new starter for the summer of 2025.
Main courses include a new saffron risotto with crispy skin wild Alaskan salmon and an angus Colorado tenderloin. The risotto is supplemented with a lemon caper bar sauce, with green beans, cherry tomatoes, capers, black olives, and fried crispy leeks on top, while the tenderloin — cooked to a perfect medium rare — is accompanied with a cauliflower gratin and a charred cabbage with a bourbon dijon mustard sauce.
Originally from Mexico, Chef Muñoz worked in upscale kitchens throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, like the Hotel Jerome in Aspen and the Viceroy Hotel in Snowmass, for over 20 years, learning under executive chefs from vastly different backgrounds.
“It’s so much fun,” he said. “I love it, I really just want to take care of my customers.”
Montiel has been working tirelessly to revamp the bar to reflect a refreshing summer drink menu.
“I specifically wanted to put something on the menu that reminded me of Hugo,” Montiel said. “When he isn’t at work, he is always on his boat so that’s why I ended up naming it Hugo’s Boté.”
Hugo’s Boté is served in a tall glass with Ocho Blanco tequila infused with Fruita hops, a yellow grapefruit puree, and Fever-Tree tonic water, garnished with a Maldon Salt rim, yellow grapefruit slices and a curled orange peel.
“Hops are amazing for a healthy digestive system,” Montiel explained. “When I infused the Fruita Hops with the Ocho Blanco, it almost turned into a light, beautiful, approachable reposado.”
The St. Michaels Blackberry basil bramble has a Colorado whiskey, vanilla simple syrup, a little bit of sweet vermouth and port wine, and garnished with fresh basil and blackberries creating a tart, light, and dry summer cocktail. Montiel also created the Hibiscus-mango Bakin Smash, a frothy drink with dark rum, pureed mango and homemade hibiscus tea and tamarind simple syrup.
Hugo’s is open evenings Tuesday through Sunday, but also offers lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Starting this summer, Hugo’s will also begin a happy hour menu from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. For more information or to book reservations with the restaurant, visit https://www.hugosrestaurantgws.com/.