The Little Diner

The Little Diner, classic breakfasts in Lionshead Village (Vail)

The Little Diner is a full-service diner located in the Concert Hall Plaza building, on West Lionshead Circle, Vail (Colorado). It presents itself as the city's only full-service diner and operates with a breakfast format available all day and lunch from 11:30, during the winter and summer seasons.

The establishment is locally owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Brian and Peggy Little, who opened its doors on April 8, 2008 after a complete renovation of the premises. The couple has a stable kitchen and front-of-house team.

Breakfasts and regional specialties

The culinary offering focuses on classic breakfasts and regional specialties from the United States. Everything is made from scratch using family recipes and in view of the customer, as the establishment has a fully open kitchen. Dishes are prepared to order, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The menu also includes lunch options, specials, cocktails and a dinner menu, although dinner service remains suspended during the summer season.

The company describes its own offering as "breakfast and a show," referring to the open kitchen. The menu is presented as extensive, with traditional classics and regional specialties from different parts of the country, designed for both residents and visitors to Vail.

History and family origins

Brian Little grew up near Seattle and spent much of his childhood at his grandmother Dorothy's house in Brighton (Tennessee), where he became familiar with home-style cooking of the southern United States. His parents passed on the culinary basics, including his father Jim Little's hollandaise sauce recipe. Brian worked in the restaurant industry from the age of fourteen, including at an Italian restaurant on Mercer Island and at a golf resort in Ferndale, and paid his way through college in Arizona working nights in the kitchen.

Peggy, a New York native, met Brian in a chemistry class and moved to Vail years after completing her nutrition degree. Both settled in the valley and, after years of working in hotels, restaurants and private homes, they took the opportunity to open their own business when the diner space became available in the summer of 2007.

Continuity project and crowdfunding campaign

The building that houses the diner, Concert Hall Plaza, is scheduled for demolition starting May 1, 2027. Faced with this situation, the owners have launched a crowdfunding campaign with the goal of purchasing the commercial space in the new Concert Hall development, named "The Apogean," when it is rebuilt. According to their explanation, buying the space and reaching an agreement with the developer to adapt it to their needs would allow them to guarantee the diner's continuity for future generations. The campaign was launched to coincide with the 18th anniversary of the opening, on April 8.

Services and operations

The diner offers dine-in service, online orders and gift card sales. The published information includes sections for menu, hours and location, reviews and press, blog, contact and job openings. The establishment is next to the West Lionshead Plaza bus stop.

Location and contact

616 West Lionshead Circle, Vail, CO 81657