Strolling around Montrose is like ending up in one of those too-good-to-be-true mountain towns from a Hallmark Channel movie. The main drag of Honolulu Avenue is lined with cutesy boutiques, a retro bowling alley, and bakeries that make us want to give it all up and open a scone shop. But less common are restaurants like Backbone, a splashy dinner spot where you can get dressed up and eat tasty, thoughtful, just-cheffy-enough food without sacrificing any of that signature foothill charm. This polished American-ish spot—run by the husband-and-wife chef duo that founded McCall’s Meat & Fish—has all the modern restaurant design tropes: exposed rafters, those curved back wooden chairs you see everywhere, and an airy open kitchen. It’s a comfortable space with a warm energy that works for all kinds of occasions, whether that’s appeasing fussy, kaftan-wearing parents or dates whose online profile reads “pet-nat enthusiast." You’ll rarely see anyone, locals or otherwise, show up without a reservation. The plush blue banquettes against the wall are usually filled with married couples splitting rich, pull-apart lamb shoulder over polenta, or retired professors catching up over a nice piece of seared fish. If you’re dining solo or just two, booking a seat at the black marble bar is worthwhile, too. We love snacking on neatly played dishes like pickled albacore tartare and buttery squash-filled agnolotti while the bartender sneaks us a pour of whatever’s being decanted on the counter. Backbone isn’t necessarily a restaurant we’d send anyone across the city to experience, but it isn’t meant to be either. It is, however, the kind of reliable neighborhood spot everyone wishes they had in their neighborhood—and sometimes that’s the Hallmark fantasy we all want.