The bistro features lots of great bottles and more than 40 wines by the glass—yes, there’s a lot of pricey white burgundy, but they also have a lot of options for $70 and under. Grab one of the high tops in front where it’s usually pretty buzzy with small groups enjoying some post-work or après-ski time. The chicken liver mousse or the poached pear and burrata salad are perfect starters, as is the Colorado bison tartare. Always end with the orange-thyme Grand Marnier crème brûlée for dessert.

Eagle County is probably the last place you’d expect to find great Hawaiian food, but Kai Island Grill serves some exceptional poke and meat bowls. It’s a casual, counter-service spot where you should order some raw tuna mixed with sesame oil and onions, or go for it smothered in spicy mayo. If you’re looking for something a little warmer than chilled fish, they do a great grilled flank steak that’s drizzled in Maui sauce.

This is where you can find the best and most affordable street tacos in the Vail Valley. There are only about 20 seats in the narrow dining area, but you could eat their tender barbacoa with your head buried in the snow and still be happy. The tacos and burritos are our go-tos here, but when you walk in, you may notice a majority of people are eating burgers. The ones here are solid, specifically the Especial that comes with ham, cheese, and grilled pineapple.

You should indeed come to this spot for a large bowl of phở. The space is super casual, and since tha tales can easily be pushed together, it works great for kids and bigger groups. Order the veggie phở and add on rare steak so you get the best of everything: crunchy carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli, large chunks of steamed tofu, and slices of ribeye. You could easily be satisfied with that savory bowl of soup, but throw in a round of crab cheese wontons for good measure.

This Italian spot is a real choose-your-own-adventure kind of place. They’ve got an upstairs bar and lounge that looks over the dining room and an outdoor patio alongside a bocce court. Go for the brick oven-baked pizzas, like the funghi with local mushrooms, arugula, mozzarella, shaved parmesan, and truffle oil. The housemade pastas are also always on point—order both the pappardelle with veal meatballs and the rigatoni with smoked Colorado elk sausage.

This upscale gastropub is where you should spend Happy Hour sipping a $10 margarita at one of the many high-top tables. The space itself is pretty big and gets a ton of natural light from the windows, so it’s one of the more pleasant places in the area to drink a beer flight and eat a sandwich. The spicy Italian is a standout, not only because it’s made with bread from a local bakery, but because there’s one special ingredient you don’t see on a lot of cold-cut sandwiches: pimento cheese.

Across the street from Craftsman is its sister restaurant, Il Mago. But instead of burgers and IPAs, you’ll get some really excellent pizzas, Italian wines, and Fernet on tap here. These sourdough pies have a perfectly chewy and crispy crust: go for The Supernaut that’s made with crushed tomato, scamorza, pepperoni, garlic, and Calabrian chili. They also have some daily oyster specials and great snacks like garlic knots with pecorino and chili-garlic butter that you should order while you wait.

Juniper is an under-the-radar spot tucked into the Riverwalk shopping area and next to Eagle River. We like it best for a date night or just a drink at the long comfortable bar. Share some starters like grilled octopus and braised short rib pizza with gorgonzola, but don’t miss the braised short rib with a creamy smoked gouda polenta and a fresh winter vegetable slaw. For dessert, the sticky toffee pudding cake with Myers’s rum sauce is as decadent, and delicious, as it sounds.

Whether you want a casual lunch, a spot for Happy Hour, or just a relaxed dinner, you can rely on the Drunken Goat. Start with a meat and cheese spread and some oysters, add on the Thai beef lettuce wraps and a wedge salad, and round things out with one of their many bruschetta—the one with prosciutto, pistachios, and goat cheese is the best. The patio is a fun scene where locals hang out, recognize each other, and yell out things like, “I haven’t seen you since off-season!”

You’ll always find locals at The Rose for lunch, Happy Hour, or before catching a movie at the Riverwalk Theater. And you should join them to celebrate not tumbling down a double black diamond ski slope for the first time in your life. Go for the avocado fries with soy aioli, a plate of elote-style vegetables, and a rich bowl of ramen with a miso bone broth. It’s worth ordering a Paper Plane cocktail, since this one actually comes with your very own paper plane.

Hovey & Harrison is doing its best impression of an Olympic athlete who signs up for all the ski events. Except instead of downhill, slalom, and alpine combine, this communal space is part market, part deli, part bakery, and part dining room. The open-faced toasts with things like smashed avocado and roasted beets are worth waiting in line for, the peach hand pies and salted chocolate chip cookies are equally good, and there are always excellent grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, and soups.

This spot was originally a gas station in the 1940s, but the current owners renovated the historic log cabin in the early ‘80s. Since then, it’s been one of the best places to eat meat and seafood in town—we’re talking about stuff like buffalo ribeye, jackalope sausages, baked oysters, and crab cakes. Inside, you’ll find elk heads, expired license plates, and silver-haired locals (known in the Vail Valley as “pioneers”) that make the whole space feel like a real-life Clint Eastwood movie set.