Since 1971, Flagstaff House has provided an unparalleled dining experience overlooking Boulder, Colorado. Natural beauty and culinary delight combine at Flagstaff House with expertly crafted hyper-seasonal menus, and globally-renowned wine and beverage programs, providing magical dining experiences and unforgettable events rooted in over 5 decades of family ownership. We welcome you to learn more about our restaurant and history.
Family Roots
Beyond crafting unforgettable dining experiences set in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, dining at Flagstaff House invites guests to join a family legacy spanning three generations.
Originally built in 1929 as a summer cabin, Don Monette purchased the Flagstaff House property and surrounding five acres in 1971 with the vision of owning a truly fine dining establishment. The Monette family expanded the building with several outdoor terraces and weatherized the structure to provide guests with year-round experiences. Don, his wife Carol, and their 5 children and 13 grandchildren, built the foundation for the globally renowned establishment known today.
“There was a point in time where there were 16 Monettes working throughout the restaurant from valet, host, bartender, server, dishwasher, line cook, you name it,” reflected Adam.
Mark and Scott Monette, Don’s sons, became partners of the business and evolved the reputation of Flagstaff House with guest experience remaining at the forefront of every advancement. Pillars of exceptional cuisine, an extensive wine collection, and personalized hospitality took hold, while the roots of the business held firm to family values, building strong bonds between staff, guests, and the community.
In 2018, General Manager Adam Monette and Executive Chef Chris Royster purchased the restaurant overlooking the city of Boulder, Colorado. The pair continuing the legacy laid out before them while elevating the guest experience to be on the global stage for its cellar, service, and cuisine.
“Our trees are taller. The city is larger. When you look out, there are more twinkling lights in the city of Boulder,” Adam reminisced on the restaurant’s evolution. “But one thing has not changed, and that is our interest in delivering the most amazing dining experience to guests and having everyone leave saying, ‘wow’.”
Culinary Creation
Pushing culinary boundaries through unwavering dedication to hyper-seasonality, responsible sourcing, endless innovation, and constant creation, Flagstaff House provides an unparalleled fine dining experience.
“The cuisine here is classic but new,” explained Executive Chef Chris Royster. “I really like to take classic dishes, or classic ideas, and reinvent them.”
Chef Chris Royster joined the Flagstaff House in 2011, initially as Sous Chef and then Chef de Cuisine. He partnered with Consultant and former Executive Chef Mark Monette, son of the establishment owner Don Monette, to build his portfolio of food knowledge. In 2018, he was promoted to Executive Chef, became a Partner at the Flagstaff House Restaurant, and purchased the property with Adam Monette becoming Co-Owner of the growing legacy business.
Previously an à la carte standard menu, Chef Royster transitioned the restaurant offerings to feature a pair of multi-course tasting menus.
“Tasting menus and having that experience is what I love to do when I go out to eat,” related the Zagat 30 under 30 awardee and Food Network CHOPPED champion. “It’s also what I like to prepare for people.”
Flagstaff House’s Four-Course Menu invites guests to choose their own adventure. Selections of culinary creations crafted by the seasoned chef team showcase extraordinary talent and seasonal produce. Guests can experience entirely different menus from winter to spring.
The Chef’s Tasting Menu showcases Executive Chef Royster’s creative artistry. “These dishes are where I like to get a little bit more playful or whimsical with things.”
This curated dining experience features ever-evolving dishes of Chef Royster’s creation, inspired by his travel, childhood nostalgia, local farmstands, and latest outdoor escapades. Both visually and gustatorily magnificent, the Chef’s Tasting Menu stands alone as an unrivaled fine dining experience with Boulder roots.
Flagstaff House cherishes its long-standing relationships with Colorado small businesses. Partnerships with Anne Cure, Cure Organic Farm, Christina Manning Lebeck, 100x Farm, and Chad Pettrone, Colorado Seafood Distribution, allow the restaurant to source around 90% of produce and ingredients locally, dependent on the time of year.
“We get the highest quality ingredients because it is seasonal,” remarked Chef Royster. “It is from right down the road.”
Mountain Man Micro Farms, Tonali’s Meats, and Olympia Rare Foods also contribute to Flagstaff House’s passion to procure the perfect bite featuring produce in the prime of the season. This network of local partners provides both the highest quality ingredients and a supportive community.
“They have become a part of our family over the years,” affirmed Executive Chef Chris Royster. “They are all part of the family that is able to bring a beautiful plate to every guest that sits down.”
Wine and Beverages
A family passion established in 1971 by Don Monette, the wine list at Flagstaff House remains extensive and award-winning 54 years later.
Home to a wide variety of over 15 thousand bottles, including vintage and boutique selections and many hard to acquire varietals, the Flagstaff House wine cellar exists as a historical timestamp of its beverage program predecessors encompassing one of the largest collections of Domaine Romenée-Conti Grand Cru Burgundies globally, over 30 vintages of Dom Pérignon, one of the world’s few complete vertical selection of Château Mouton Rothschild Artist Collections, and over 20 vintages of Australia’s Penfolds Bin 95 Hermitage.
“We have a lot of depth to pull from which is really exciting,” said Adam. “You can have an anniversary year wine, birth year wine, you can find the perfect wine for any wine lover.”
Stored across four carefully temperature-controlled cellars resides the all-encompassing collection of New World and Old World wines.
Since 1983, Flagstaff House has annually received the Wine Spectator Grand Award, a prestigious recognition highlighting the most coveted wine lists in the world, establishing the restaurant as one of the longest standing continuously operated winners of global recognition. The establishment was also awarded Best Dessert and Fortified Wine List in North America by The World of Wine in the summer of 2024 for its plethora of ports from the sixties, seventy-year-old Madeira’s, Vin Santo, and obscure TOC’s.
Flagstaff House’s focus on seasonal ingredients affords the opportunity for the beverage team to tie in the same components with their pairings. Zero-proof cocktail and wine pairings are available to accompany each course of the Chef’s Tasting Menu. Flagstaff House’s skilled team of sommeliers and bartenders also coordinate complementary beverages for the Four-Course Menu upon request.
“The menu at the Flagstaff House changes every single day, whether it’s a full menu revamp or just individual items, so we make sure that the cocktails and the wine pairings change accordingly,” explained Adam.
Flagstaff House tailors their beverage program to satisfy the preferences and price points of all their guests. In addition to special wine tasting dinners and seasonal offerings of exclusive Coravin pours showcasing rare and exotic wines, the bar team expertly observes trends among diners and curates beverage selections based on popular desires.
“We have an incredible bar team here at the Flagstaff House that is very creative, innovative, and just downright passionate about their craft and striving to provide the best bar program in Boulder and in the state of Colorado,” stated Adam.
Unforgettable Events
Backdropped by peaks and meadows, illuminated by the sparkling city lights of Boulder, natural beauty, and culinary delight, private events at Flagstaff House make for unforgettable memories of wonder and timeless romance.
“Our team at the Flagstaff House is one of a kind,” said Director of Events Annie Floro. “We really treat each event, and we do quite a few throughout the year, individually.”
Exceeding expectations of standard private dining experiences, Flagstaff House offers highly curated and well executed, social and culinary events revered for years to come. Private use of the entire venue allows for the utilization of dining rooms and terraces for a multitude of experiences, including business meetings, cocktail receptions, scenic photography, dancing, and dining. Additionally, all dining rooms are available for private reservations seating parties of 18 to 100 people.
“Our team is always thinking one step ahead of what our guests need here,” Annie explained about the event planning process. “It really allows the host to relax and enjoy the event.”
Menus for private parties feature the same hyper-seasonal and expertly crafted cuisine offered during full dinner service. Several weeks prior to the event date, guest selections are requested from the current Four-Course Menu. Weddings typically feature a slightly paired down menu featuring three courses; passed hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie, and custom-made wedding cakes.
Wedding cake offerings include triple chocolate, lemon poppyseed, white, yellow, carrot, and Flagstaff House Signature. Created by Linda Monette, mother of restaurant co-owner Adam Monette, the Flagstaff House Signature Cake, a gluten-free almond cake with chocolate mousse, fresh berries, and Chantilly proves to be a guest favorite. Pastry Chef, Danielle Mazziotti, bakes all wedding cakes on the day of events to utilize the freshest seasonal ingredients.
“One of my favorite parts about weddings is seeing the wedding couple take their first bite of cake, and just seeing joy come across their faces because their wedding cake is actually delicious,” beamed Annie.
Restaurant Magic
Deep-rooted history, culinary creativity, globally renowned wine and beverages, and unforgettable events solidify Flagstaff House’s reputation as a respectable, fine dining restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, but the true magic of this establishment resides within the kind people and countless lives touched over its 5 decades of business.
“The core of who we are is taking care of people as if we’re inviting them into our home,” said Co-Owner and Executive Chef Chris Royster. “It is about making that guest feel like they are the only one in the room.”
“I truly love my role here at the Flagstaff House for so many reasons,” said Director of Events Annie Floro. “Not only do I love being event Director but getting to do it in the food industry at such a beautiful location and a family run restaurant. It is hard to beat it. I feel so lucky.”
“It’s about delivering the most amazing meal of your life while getting to spend quality time with amazing people at the dinner table,” said Co-Owner and General Manager Adam Monette. “It’s truly special that we have this vessel with the most amazing ambiance, world-class service, and incredible cuisine to be able to bring that to guests on a nightly basis.”
