Culinary aficinados can breath a sigh of relief. Instead of fading into history, two favorite local restaurants changed ownership last year, and a popular deli that had recently closed has a worthy replacement. The unmatched sense of community in Crested Butte has attracted chefs and owners like Salih Can Johnny Konuk, Robert Hyre, and Matt Santor to continue the strong legacies of Mikey’s Pizza, The Gourmet Noodle, and the Crested Butte Deli (formerly Frank’s Deli).
From a business perspective, owning a restaurant in a small town like this is incredibly rewarding. The community support is huge. Instead of trying to reach millions of people, you can truly connect with your customers, tell your story, and build trust face-to- face,” says Konuk, who purchased Mikey’s Pizza and has been working in Crested Butte off and on since 2018. “Knowing the people who walk through your door every day is a blessing as a business owner.”
Robert Hyre was looking to move from Denver to the mountains when he ran across the opportunity to acquire Marchitelli’s Gourmet Noodle. “Crested Butte is a true community. People care about where they eat, who owns the places, and how you show up. That makes owning a restaurant here both challenging and incredibly rewarding,” he says. “I’m grateful to the staff, the regulars, and the community for trusting me with a restaurant that has meant so much to Crested Butte for decades.”
Matt Santor and his wife, Hannah Smith, jumped at the opportunity to purchase a larger commercial kitchen for Crested Butte Catering, which they founded in 2020, and to fill the gap left by the closing of Frank’s Deli. Longtime local Josephine Kellett was retiring in October 2025 and closing Frank’s and Creative Catering when she sold the space to Santor and Smith.
“Shopping local is important, and supporting local businesses is what will continue to keep Crested Butte the Crested Butte we know and love. We are so grateful for all the people that have stopped in since we opened Crested Butte Deli in December,” Santor says.
BETWEEN THE BREAD
Crested Butte Catering Company/Crested Butte Deli
A location only steps from the Majestic Theatre and Clark’s Market is ideal for a deli, but the real attraction was the sizable commercial kitchen “built for Le Bosquet, a 200-seat restaurant that fed Crested Butte for many years,” Santor explains.
Longtime locals, Candy and Vic Shepard, set the table for a successful local deli and food-to-go business when they opened Why Cook?. It was an extension of Le Bosquet, which they owned and operated for 40 years until retiring in 2017.
Santor and Smith envisioned expanding Crested Butte Catering Company in the space and elected to reopen a deli as well. “We were able to acquire all the deli equipment, give the place a small facelift, and open our business, Crested Butte Deli, on December 15 [2025] with all new recipes, sandwiches, and a new focus on takeaway chef-prepared frozen meals,” he says. “Being from Chicago, I think having a quality sandwich option in this town is fundamental.” Santor’s favorite? The Johnny Salami: “a spicy Italian sandwich that people genuinely love. I get texts from locals every week telling us how good it is… and how perfectly messy it is in the best possible way.”
Also expect two different soups every day and pop-up offerings for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and the Super Bowl. Those with a sweet tooth can rest easy: the carrot cake and other favorite dessert items remain on the menu. Smith and Santor are familiar faces to many.
Smith was raised in Crested Butte, and Santor arrived in 2002 after spending the summer traveling through 22 states to decide where to move. He has been a chef stateside in Austin and San Francisco and globally in the United Kingdom, Chile, and New Zealand. Santor describes his wife as the “backbone” of the operation. “She coordinates all events (big and small), staffing, orders, daily operations, and the back-end details that ensure the two businesses function effectively and efficiently,” he says.
FROM THE BOSPORUS TO THE BUTTE Mikey’s
Pizza/Mountain Kaz Catering/ The Rolling Kaz
Konuk arrived in Crested Butte from Turkey in 2018 through the J-1 work-and-travel program and was initially employed at Coal Creek Grill. He was only 19 at the time, but his culinary background led to his promotion from prep cook to line cook in just two weeks. He was born in Çanakkale to a Turkish father and Bosnian mother, and his family relocated to Istanbul, a city of more than 20 million people. Amid the city’s massive population, young Konuk was seeking a smaller, nature- driven community like Crested Butte.
“I’ve been cooking since I was about 12 years old, starting in my family’s restaurants back in Turkey. I never attended culinary school, but I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible chefs along the way, including Douglas Dodd at Coal Creek Grill and Curtis Higgins at Elk Avenue Prime,” Konuk says. “That hands-on experience has shaped my career.”
Although Konuk traveled home to attend college, he returned to the U.S. the following year to attend a community school in Houston. When COVID brought most things to a halt in 2020, Konuk pivoted back to Crested Butte and the Coal Creek Grill, only for the restaurant to close for good in late 2020. Being nimble has its benefits: Konuk began working for Elk Avenue Prime until the building sold. Konuk then decided to work for himself and launched Mountain Kaz Catering in early 2022. An opportunity to manage and partially own a 350-seat restaurant in Arkansas beckoned, but once again the mountains were calling, and Konuk was back in Crested Butte 18 months later.
“Crested Butte reminded me of my roots,” he shares. “My family is from Balıkesir, near Mount Kaz, which is where my business name comes from. I grew up spending summers in the mountains there, and that love for nature and mountain life is what ultimately brought me here.”
Once back, Konuk began working at Mikey’s Pizza in early 2025 and used the restaurant’s kitchen for his catering business and food truck, The Rolling Kaz, which specializes in Mediterranean food. He quickly became a manager at Mikey’s and eventually purchased the business in November of last year. The beloved local pizzeria, located on Third Street across from the skate park and Crested Butte Nordic Center, was founded by Mary Hayes and Mike Larson in 2007 and was most recently owned by Drew Stichter.
“Mikey built something special here, and the restaurant means a lot to locals. I wanted to help bring back and preserve that legacy — how Mikey did things and what the place stood for,” he says. Aside from adding breakfast burritos, Konuk hasn’t changed much of the menu, which he loves for its something-for- everyone range: vegetarian, meaty, and a combination of both. “The variety is part of what makes Mikey’s special,” Konuk notes. His favorite is the Mushroom Man: mushrooms, onion, blue cheese, roasted red pepper, garlic, arugula, and truffle oil.
Konuk’s focus has been on attention to detail and consistency. “Owning a pizza shop like Mikey’s isn’t about fancy culinary techniques; it’s about consistency, execution, and making sure every product that leaves the kitchen is A-plus, every single time,” he says. Konuk is working with the Town of Crested Butte to operate The Rolling Kaz food truck full-time next to Mikey’s Pizza. “Beyond that, we have ideas for creating more of a community-oriented space — possibly a community corner or block where people can gather, hang out, enjoy live music, and spend time together,” he says.
A NEW NOODLE
Chef (Hyre’s) kiss to the beloved Gourmet Noodle
The fact that Marchitelli’s Gourmet Noodle was already well- established and well-loved by the Crested Butte community attracted Hyre. Michael Marchitelli moved from Pittsburgh to Crested Butte in 1997. Using Italian recipes handed down by his mother and grandmother to create flavors reminiscent of dining at home with family, Marchitelli established a comfortable place for people to gather over a meal.
“It had history, regulars, and a strong foundation. I wasn’t interested in coming in and reinventing the wheel; I wanted to build on something people already loved and thoughtfully improve it,” says Hyre, who acquired the eatery in May 2025 and shortened the name to The Gourmet Noodle.
“I had been looking to move to the mountains. When I came across The Gourmet Noodle, I knew I had to figure out how to make it happen. I sold my condo, packed up my dog, and made the move,” says Hyre of his move with Scooby, his mini goldendoodle.
With 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry and a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, Hyre spent the last 10 years as head chef at Esters, a group of neighborhood pubs in the Denver area. “I was part of the original team that helped build the concept from the ground up. During my time there, we grew from one location to three,” he shares.
As for the menu, Hyre is focusing on scratch cooking, refining sauces, and dialing in flavors while keeping the menu approachable. “The food is still comforting and familiar, just a bit more intentional and balanced,” says Hyre, who has kept The Gourmet Noodle’s classics as part of the mix. “Dishes like chicken parmesan are part of the restaurant’s identity and were important to preserve.” Hyre’s favorite: “Our meatballs with house-made focaccia bread. A simple dish, but I think it says a lot about who you are if you can nail a beloved classic.”
Behind the scenes, Hyre is building a culture of “shared ownership,” empowering his team with high standards and strong leadership. The community is already noticing. A recent locals special drew in the community to experience the transition firsthand. “The response has been very positive,” Hyre notes, adding that he plans to keep the locals-focused specials running year-round.
Whether you live here or are just visiting, the message from the new guard is clear: Crested Butte’s culinary soul remains intact.