At Jill’s Restaurant at St Julien Hotel & Spa, contemporary American cooking meets traditional French bistro fare with an organic ethos of Boulder, Colorado. The result is a destination with a menu full of classic cuisine (steak au poivre, rack of lamb) elevated with the freshest local ingredients and sustainably raised products.
Given the tremendous sense of terroir in every dish, it comes as no surprise that the executive chef grew up foraging and cooking among France’s vineyards — and yes, there’s an award-winning wine list here, too. Jill’s Restaurant is impressively versatile, serving breakfast, lunch, happy hour, dinner and a lavish brunch on Sundays and holidays.
The modern space seats 70 — big enough to accommodate high drama like tableside flambé — and offers patio seating during the summer. In fact, with a full bar, warm-weather patio and views of downtown Boulder through floor-to-ceiling windows, the establishment feels more like a comfortable, local hot spot than a hotel dining room.
Given the tremendous sense of terroir in every dish, it comes as no surprise that the executive chef grew up foraging and cooking among France’s vineyards — and yes, there’s an award-winning wine list here, too. Jill’s Restaurant is impressively versatile, serving breakfast, lunch, happy hour, dinner and a lavish brunch on Sundays and holidays.
The modern space seats 70 — big enough to accommodate high drama like tableside flambé — and offers patio seating during the summer. In fact, with a full bar, warm-weather patio and views of downtown Boulder through floor-to-ceiling windows, the establishment feels more like a comfortable, local hot spot than a hotel dining room.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- The Boulder restaurant uses fresh, local ingredients. It grows some of it in the onsite garden, procures produce from the farmers market across the street and partners with area farms, creameries and ranches for the rest.
- For a taste of prime meat, try the harissa-spiced rack of lamb with feta mash, roasted garlic and lemon glazed vegetables.
- The menu offers vegan and vegetarian offerings, like the spaghettini alla checca with extra-virgin olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and a sprinkle of chili flakes.
- The bar is known for its happy hour. Come between 4 and 6 p.m. daily for the tots, each topped with a dollop of truffle aioli and a dusting of Reggiano, and the blood orange paloma on draft.
- Jill’s has a selection of wood-stone-fired pizzas, from the classic Margherita to a pie with fig, prosciutto, caramelized onions, blue cheese, arugula and truffle vinaigrette.
Things to Know
- Jill’s Restaurant welcomes a lively mix of guests and locals who love the locavore cuisine, elegant atmosphere and casual dress code.
- If you’re looking to avoid the crowd entirely, Jill’s Restaurant offers a few private-dining options, including the lovely Honey-Onyx Room that seats up to 40 guests. There, the scene is what you make of it.
- You can choose city or country vistas when dining at the Boulder restaurant. Large open windows provide you with a glimpse of scenic downtown. Those who seek a view of the Flatiron Mountains can opt for the restaurant’s patio.
The Food
- Start your dinner with escargots served with garlic butter or try the corn chowder dotted with smoked crawfish, pancetta and jalapeño crème fraîche.
- Entrées include a choice of spice-rubbed Scottish salmon, rigatoni Bolognese made of spicy sausage with porcini mushrooms, hand-rolled potato gnocchi or a Colorado lamb.
- One of the signature dishes at Jill’s is the filet mignon Diane. It is flambéed tableside with brandy and served with a mushroom medley and truffle sauce. Mashed potatoes topped with caviar are plated on the side.
- A popular New Orleans dessert, bananas Foster receives special attention at Jill’s. Bananas are flambéed next to your table with butter, brown sugar, dark rum and banana liqueur. The chef then carefully plates it with ice cream and sprinkles cinnamon on top.
The Chef
- Laurent Mechin has been the executive chef here since 2010. His passion for food can be traced back to his early childhood in France, where he prepared food with his father using ingredients from the Jura Mountains region.
- Mechin has won many accolades for his approach to both French and American cuisine throughout top restaurants around the globe. He’s helmed kitchens at Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo and Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole.
- The inspiration for many of chef Mechin’s dishes at Jill’s comes from the organic fruits, vegetables, plants and artisan cheese he finds at the Boulder Farmer’s Market.
Getting There
Jill's Restaurant
