39 Best Restaurants in Southwest Colorado, Colorado

Unless you're planning some serious hiking, the town-to-mountain gondola is the only way to reach this high-end, sky-high eatery with a stone-walled dining room and panoramic windows. Locally inspired fare such as elk, bison, and lamb feature prominently on the menu. Even if your wallet isn't ready for a full-dinner splurge, you owe it to your eyes to soak in the views over a drink and truffle fries in the bar.

It may be housed in one of Telluride's oldest buildings, but La Marmotte provides one of the city's most modern dining experiences, with menu offerings that expertly intertwine French and local influences. The candlelight-and-white-tablecloth atmosphere and simple, contemporary decor is, like the cuisine, sophisticated without being snooty.

Durango is a meat-and-potatoes kind of town, and the rustic Ore House is a splurge-worthy place to indulge (just ask the locals). The steaks are fantastic, and there are plenty of expertly prepared seafood and vegetarian selections as well.

"Soup's on" (get it?) occupies two intimate rooms in a historic cabin tucked away in an alley and dishes up five courses of nouveau American cuisine with a strong French accent. Organic herbs grown on the premises accent local produce, and everything, including soups, stocks, and sauces, is made from scratch.

Seven locally owned food trucks, serving global cuisine that includes everything from breakfast burritos to pizza to sushi, surround an outdoor courtyard with picnic-table seating. Ernie's Bar anchors the eating collective and offers craft beers, tap cocktails, and a wide tequila and mezcal selection. Don't miss the Chicago-style popcorn and Thai-rolled ice cream.

Housed in a beautifully restored Victorian, this classy bistro entices you to linger with its colorful artwork, two lovely garden patios, and scrumptious meals. The dinner menu changes frequently but always includes dishes made with locally sourced fish (like Rocky Mountain trout or Colorado striped bass) and meat (elk, lamb, or bison). The restaurant also offers fun cooking classes every week.

Locals go wild for the creative American cuisine with an Asian flair here, served in the building's intimate dining space. Top options include the black-sesame seared rare tuna with baby bok choy or the garlic rib eye with sweet potato gnocchi.

This Telluride institution turns out heavenly bagels, sandwiches made with baked-in-house bread, pizzas, hearty soups, and house-made pastas (try the Alfredo), as well as huge salads. Order your meal to go or grab a seat at one of the communal-style tables, where you can enjoy displays from a local art school.

The atmosphere and food at this modern, airy bistro are about as sophisticated as you'll find in Gunnison. It serves an innovative selection of small and large plates, but the real gem is the happy hour (3 to 6 every day and from 9 to close Friday and Saturday), which offers hearty portions at very reasonable prices.

This local hangout serves a mean pizza in a pub-style atmosphere, and is one of the few places in town that will feed your family for less than the cost of a lift ticket. Brown Dog specializes in Detroit-style square pizza (an international award winner), but it also offers gluten-free, classic American, and Roman-style pies. Load your pie up with unique toppings such as prosciutto di Parma, broccoli, or various chili peppers, or try one of the expertly crafted specialty pizzas

This simply decorated restaurant serves some of Montrose's most creative cuisine, such as its famous green chile chicken and potato soup or shrimp, avocado, and prosciutto pasta (gluten-free options available too). At lunch, salads with house-made dressings, hearty sandwiches, and blue-corn enchiladas fuel hungry hikers. The green and red chile is mild, so ask them to spice it up if you prefer it with a kick.

The "Brews Brothers," Bill and Jim Carver, have about 12 beers on tap at any given time at this Durango favorite. If you're hungry, try one of the signature handmade bread bowls filled with green chile, soup, or chicken stew.

The former chef for Michael Andretti's racing team runs this trendy bistro, in which every dish is cooked in one of two stone-fired ovens. The house specialty is artisanal pizza (try the four-mushroom variety and add the house fennel sausage), although pizza is only a small part of the menu. Most dishes have a Southwestern touch. Housed in a century-old building, Chimayo Stone Fired Kitchen blends historic elements like restored tin ceilings and the original hardwood floor with classy, contemporary decor.

The dough is house-made (with Italian-imported flour) and the beer is home-brewed at this trendy downtown pizzeria with high ceilings, brick walls, and contemporary decor. Sit at the pizza bar in the back and enjoy an English-style ale while you watch the chefs craft your tasty pie. You can also visit the original Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery in downtown Ridgway or the Colorado Boy Southwest Pub in Ouray.

The trendy Cosmopolitan lures guests with starters like sushi rolls and lobster corn dogs and keeps them here for some of Telluride's finest dining. Both surf and turf are expertly prepared and presented, and the wine selection is widely acclaimed. Fresh sustainable seafood is flown in regularly, which is obvious in dishes such as the seafood-loaded fish stew and the barbecued salmon. "Turf" options include ultratender Colorado braised lamb, Wagyu beef, and Colorado Angus center-cut filet. Locals rave about the bread, and an exhaustive wine list means there's a proper pairing no matter which dish you choose. Finish with the New Orleans–style beignets with a cappuccino for dessert, cheekily listed as "coffee and donuts" on the menu.

Stop in here for what's fittingly billed as "thought-provoking beer." Choose from a wide selection of craft ales and stouts to wash down a slice of tasty wood-fired pizza.

Asian food gets a bit of a Latin treatment in this inviting space. The menu has a strong Japanese bent, with sushi and sashimi, tempura, beef, and other traditional dishes elegantly presented and layered with complementary, often Southwest-inspired flavors.

The menu at this unpretentious Italian spot is surprisingly rich and complex, featuring traditional favorites, as well as surprises like the scrumptious garlic-roasted prime rib. The atmosphere is especially delightful in summer, when you can dine on the outdoor patio overlooking the Gunnison River and enjoy an after-dinner libation at the River Bar. Don't miss the popular Float & Dine package ($95 per person), which includes a mellow but scenic predinner raft trip from Three Rivers.

As much a museum as an eatery, this restaurant is crammed with mining artifacts, odd antiques, and taxidermied animals. The hearty menu includes steaks, ribs, hamburgers, chicken, pasta, prime rib, and chicken-fried steak, all with homemade sides and sauces. The elk burger is a local must-try.

This spot combines specialty coffee with cocktails, tasty food, and board games to create a unique place to socialize in downtown Durango. Hearty burritos and sandwiches dominate the menu, though homemade pastries are on offer for a sweet treat. The café makes for a great place to post up on a laptop or plan an outdoor excursion with friends, while the back room is set up like a large living room complete with classic games and comfy couches.

For a delicious summer detour, head 10 miles north of town to James Ranch, where you'll find a pleasant organic farm, with an outdoor grill that features homemade cheeses, homegrown meats, and produce grown on-site. The menu keeps things simple, featuring a short list of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. After visiting the goats, shop the local market next door.

Locals pack out this small restaurant, famous for its Baja-style tacos. Favorites include the Dos Dynamite Diablos: two roasted Hatch green chilies stuffed with mozzarella cheese and hormone- and antibiotic-free top sirloin. Fun fact: Kip's started operating out of a caboose on the side of the highway in 1996. In summer, request a spot on the deck overlooking the main street.

Stop here for artisanal cocktails and tasty tapas before dinner, and it just might end up being your dinner spot. The rum is divine (ask for a free tasting)—there's a light and a dark, both skillfully distilled on-site in copper stills from Portugal using fresh local-spring water (come by between noon and 5 Wednesday through Saturday for a distillery tour). Try the rum straight or in an inventive cocktail, such as the local favorite Maharaja, which blends chai spices with ginger and lime.

This upscale steak house is arguably Telluride's best. Here you can choose your meat (sirloin, filet mignon, and succulent bison rib eye are among the choices), then your topping (think caramelized onions, blue cheese, or glazed wild mushrooms), and then your sauce (anything from béarnaise to chimichurri).

Located within the Camel's Garden Hotel at Chair 8, Oak serves mouthwatering barbecue and southern fare. Fill up on the likes of gumbo or a Carolina-smoked pulled pork shoulder sandwich, along with creative salads, veggie dishes, and southern sides like fried okra and red beans and rice.

This three-level brewpub boasts an amazing rooftop patio, with great views of the surrounding canyon as well as the goings-on below on Main Street. The beers include four standards plus a few seasonal offerings while the food is typical pub fare, with a sprinkling of more interesting entrées like smoked-beet Reuben sandwiches.

Upscale versions of tavern comfort food—burgers, pork chops, gourmet grilled cheese, and the like—are served in an old-world-style pub, with wood and stone decor and arched doors. The house-brewed beers include red, wheat, pale, and cream ales.

Sit inside beneath sweeping tapestries in a Japanese-style booth (seating on the floor) or opt for a table on the deck to enjoy amazing pizza in a mind-bending array of formulations—from the "Notorious F.I.G." (prosciutto, dried figs, and truffle oil) to the "Mac Daddy" (with Thousand Island, shaved rib eye, pickles, and a sesame seed crust).