Restaurant File: Vail & Beaver Creek's Cozy, Stylish Dining

Located at the base of Vail Mountain, next to the Golden Peak ski area, Larkspur delivers one of the most consistent dining experiences in Vail. If you don't believe us, ask any of the countless regulars who return to this chilled out hotspot season after season. Thanks to a long-term partnership with farmers in nearby Gypsum, chef/owner Thomas Salamunovich and his terrific team have access to a cold-weather greenhouse in the winter, and valley-fresh produce in the summer. The restaurant's focal point is its glassed-in wine room and has an overall sleek look and feel. The food, which changes regularly, rarely fails to satisfy. The crab cakes, served in a bowl of sweet Olathe corn puree, and the short rib Wellington-style make hearty endings to a rigorous day on the slopes.

There must be something in the water that Sweet Basil serves guests, because its super-loyal clientele has been coming back here for 30 years. It's regularly recognized as one of the best in Colorado, but you only need to spend five minutes in Sweet Basil to have sense that all the praise that's been piled on is well deserved. The location, for starters, is an instant winner. It's located in the center of bustling Vail Village, walking distance from many of lodges and resorts. The light wood décor imbues the dining room with a cabin-comfy ambience. Creative lunch, dinner, après ski, and weekend brunch menus designed by executive chef Paul Anders takes old time meat'n'potatoes style cuisine and elevates it a few notches with his sophisticated flourishes. The grilled flat iron steak, for instance, is dressed up in creamed spinach, smoked shitake mushrooms and potato puree and drizzled with pinot veal glace. The sunny patio is a lovely setting for summer cocktails.

Dinner at Beano's Cabin, a mountainside log cabin with picture windows, is an absolute must for visitors to Vail and Beaver Creek. A members-only club by day, the large, hand-hewn cabin is open to the public for dinner. It's great for both a romantic meal for two, or a lively dinner with groups of friends and family (they have a kids' menu). Just be warned that the twenty-minute "sleigh ride" you take up the ski trails to get there is not as romantic as it sounds; the open-air sleigh is large, and pulled by a somewhat noisy Snowcat, not horses, and you'll be seated with about thirty other people. Still, the ride is a fun experience, and on a clear night it's lovely to see the stars, and the mountain bathed in moonlight (they provide blankets but you should still dress warmly). Once you reach the spacious, hand-hewn cabin, all aglow in the dark, you're in for most memorable meal. Imagine attending a festive dinner party in the rustic-chic Rocky Mountain home of Ralph Lauren, and that's a bit like the decor and vibe at Beano's, with fireplaces, leather club chairs, antler taxidermy, and live music (usually a guitar strumming, Cowboy hat-wearing type). The award-winning food and wine is the best part. Executive chef Steve Topple will treat you to a hearty, five-course meal by candlelight. He uses organic dairy products, hormone-free meat and sustainable seafood, plus, he and his team bake fresh bread daily in the kitchen. Go for dishes inspired by Colorado's seasonal fare, such as beet carpaccio and veal baby back ribs; gingerbread-crusted rack of Colorado lamb, and cider-glazed free range chicken breast. Don't miss dessert—you'll need to fatten up for the chilly ride back down the mountain! (or just drink lots of red wine to warm you up beforehand ...)

The expense account set and transient ski bums rub elbows at this posh pizza joint, which delivers a crusty slice of northern Italy to the mountains. Chef Stephen Virion and his wife and business partner Elisabetta opened La Bottega in 1998 and since then the menu has evolved to include a variety of stone-oven baked pizzas, homemade pastas and meat and fish dishes. La Bottega is also home to Vail's largest wine bar. Unsurprisingly, it's a lively hangout for the après-ski crowd during the season. The jumbo mussels, veal ossobucco and cedar-planked salmon are signature dishes, and both the restaurant staff and atmosphere are friendly and welcoming.