No mountain getaway is complete without a few standout sit-down meals. From Dillon to Aspen, chefs are greeting guests with freshly printed menus and newly decked dining rooms. Here, seven spots you should put on your winter nosh list.

Bistro North

Bistro North's Eagle Rock Ranch beef carpaccio. Photo by Morgan Moutrie
Bistro North’s Eagle Rock Ranch beef carpaccio. Photo by Morgan Moutrie

Breckenridge’s famed Blue River Bistro spinoff Bistro North opened in Dillon in October. An elegant wine wall, leather booths, and chic, clean-lined design make it nearly impossible to recognize the former Ruby Tuesday. Owner Jay Beckerman keeps community top of mind, sourcing beer, olive oils, salts, vinegars, honey, coffee, ground beef, and ice cream from Summit County purveyors. Popular picks include seared diver scallops with goat cheese gnocchi ($18); a porcini-dusted Sakura Farms pork chop with Breckenridge bourbon bacon jam ($36); and a seafood saffron paella ($32). 270 Dillon Ridge Rd., Dillon

Related Articles

Citrea

Mussels from Beaver Creek’s Citrea. Photo courtesy of Citrea
aWood-fired pizza from Beaver Creek's Citrea. Photo courtesy of Citrea
Wood-fired pizza from Beaver Creek’s Citrea. Photo courtesy of Citrea
Beaver Creek's Citrea. Photo courtesy of Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek’s Citrea. Photo courtesy of Citrea

Exciting things are happening at Beaver Creek. (Did you hear they’re bringing back 3 p.m. après ski chocolate chip cookies?) Post-cookie break, peel off your ski boots and wander over to Citrea next to the Beaver Creek Village ice rink for sophisticated Mediterranean interpretations made with Colorado ingredients. Citrea opened in November, drawing diners with fresh-baked pita and earthy, smoky Lebanese muhammara ($15) alongside prawn tagine ($34) and rapini and Italian sausage wood-fired pizza ($21). Beaver Creek Village, Beaver Creek

Suga Moon’s BBQ & Cocktails

The owners of upscale Modis in Breckenridge are opening sister restaurant Suga Moon’s down the road in Frisco in February. Husband-wife team Teryn Guadagnoli and Chris Warren are bringing smoked Kansas City–style barbecue to the county, working with local ranchers and farmers to source high-quality brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. The laid-back lodge (formerly the Log Cabin diner) is named after Prohibition-era Colorado sugar beet moonshine and will be open from 11 a.m. until the ’cue runs out. 121 Main St., Frisco

A-Bar and Graze & Torreys

Soak up the hip boutique hostel-hotel vibes at A-Bar inside the Pad in Silverthorne. The ski-bum-friendly watering hole opened to guests and visitors in November as part of the eco-conscious development built from 18 upcycled shipping containers. Find A-Bar near the lobby’s front desk and choose from 26 taps pouring a range of beer, wines, and draught cocktails. Next ski season, look for Graze & Torreys—a sustainable craft-sandwich-food-cart-turned-brick-and-mortar—to serve all-day breakfast, noodle bowls, and smoked chicken wings in the Pad as well. The eatery opens in summer 2022 with a focus on ingredients sourced within 200 miles. 491 Rainbow Dr., Silverthorne

Eclectic Bar & Grill

Wild mushroom burger with pork rinds from Eclectic Bar and Grill. Photo courtesy of Eclectic Bar and Grill
Wild mushroom burger with pork rinds from Eclectic Bar and Grill. Photo courtesy of Eclectic Bar and Grill
Eclectic Bar and Grill interior. Photo courtesy of Eclectic Bar and Grill
Eclectic Bar and Grill interior. Photo courtesy of Eclectic Bar and Grill

Catching the Silverthorne revamp wave, Eclectic sits two blocks from the new Bluebird Market food hall in the center of all the new downtown action. Owners Britt and David Gilbert met in 2008 while serving and bartending in Keystone. The couple launched their own restaurant in mid-December, calling on executive chef Jeff Wheatley to provide approachable and wide-reaching lunch and dinner menus in a remodeled cozy farmhouse space. Guests can discover their new favorites among duck empanadas ($12), pork rind nachos ($18), and a hand-cut Colorado bison chimichurri ribeye ($48). 501 Blue River Pkwy., Silverthorne

Catch Steak

Steak dishes from Catch Steak Aspen. Photo courtesy of Catch
Steak dishes from Catch Steak Aspen. Photo courtesy of Catch

Steps from the Aspen gondola and the Gucci and Dior boutiques, Catch Steak Aspen sprawls along 10,000 square feet of rooftop terrace and indoor dining space, complete with a gorgeous bar and a tasteful private cellar. Iconic meals unfold over the world’s best steak cuts. Signature dishes include an eight-ounce truffle butter filet ($65) and the Japanese Wagyu trio flight ($80), showcasing renowned Snow Beef from Hokkaido prefecture (a.k.a. the Holy Grail of Wagyu). Look on the menu under “Not Steak” for a plant-based chicken parmesan cutlet ($41) served in an old-school red sauce. 515 E. Hopkins Ave., Aspen

La Française Bistrot

Cocktail from La Francaise Bistrot. Photo courtesy of La Francaise Bistrot
Cocktail from La Francaise Bistrot. Photo courtesy of La Francaise Bistrot

La Française Bistrot owner and chef Yvan Heraud attended culinary school in France, honing his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants in the South of France for more than a decade. Heraud and his wife opened their refined concept in mid-December next to their daughter’s La Francaise Bakery in Breckenridge. The menu features modern takes on traditional French dishes like the eponymous onion soup ($14) and roasted bone marrow with escargot ($24). Indulge in duck fat-truffled French fries ($12) and beef tartare ($28) with cornichons, capers, and egg yolk while romantic French music sets the homey tone. 411 S. Main St., Unit 4, Breckenridge

Lisa Blake
Lisa Blake
Lisa Blake is a freelance writer and children's book author living in Breckenridge. When she's not writing about food and mountain adventures, she can be found on the river with her son, pug and husband.