The Story Behind Root & Rafter

Chef Claire Donovan spent a decade cooking in New York — at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Gramercy Tavern, and Estela — before the call of open space and honest ingredients brought her to Colorado.

She opened Root & Rafter in 2020 with a simple thesis: the best restaurant in a small town should showcase the best ingredients within driving distance. Every relationship with a farmer is personal. Every menu change reflects what’s actually growing.