Dining

There are several options at the base area. Purgy's Pub serves burgers, Mexican and pizza in a bar atmosphere. After a full morning of skiing you'll savor the hearty homemade soups and stews at the Mountain Market Deli, a local's favorite lunch spot. Village Coffee Co. ($) is the requisite coffeehouse and bakery. Creekside Cafe ($) serves up breakfast and lunch in a family-friendly atmosphere.

Dante's, at the Grizzly midway station, serves lunch. Upstairs, Café de los Pinos has gourmet lunches with great views of the slopes and a nice bar. The Powderhouse Restaurant beneath the Hermosa Park quad serves lunch fare along Italian themes.

You can find several great dining spots along the highway between town and the area. For fresh fish and local game, try the Cascade Grill (259-3500; $$$), 2 miles north of the resort. It offers elegant dining in a rustic setting. The Hamilton Chop House (259-6636; $$$), 10 miles south of the resort in the Lodge at Tamarron, serves excellent wild game, prime beef and seafood. The Sow's Ear (247-3527; $$–$$$) at the Silverpick Lodge is famous for its large hand-cut steaks. The Aspen Café (259-8025, $–$$) in the Needles Country Square is small and casual, but the owner cooks up a fine dinner.

You'll find restaurants of almost every persuasion downtown. Most don't require, nor accept, reservations.

Chez Grand-mere (247-7979; $$$) is a delicious taste of France in the Colorado southwest. Owner and Chef Michel Poumay is one of only 33 living Master Chefs of Belgium's Culinary Society. His award-winning, five-star intimate restaurant offers a six-course fixed-price or a la carte menu. The little building near the train depot is hard to find, so look behind the Polo Store and the Gaslight Theatre. Seasons (764 Main Ave., 382-9790; $$$) features rotisserie-roasted dinners (sea bass, trout, chicken, lamb) and fine wines by the glass. Try the garlic mashed potatoes.

Ken & Sue's (636 Main Ave., 259-2616; $$) is a favorite among locals. Continental fare with a homey twist make for memorable meals. Sunday brunch is served until 2:30 p.m. Ariano's (150 East College Dr., 247-8146; $$–$$$) serves northern Italian cuisine. Swanky Randy's (247-9083; $$–$$$) next door serves just about the nicest prime rib in town and is one of the few restaurants in Durango that accepts reservations. Ask for a curtained booth for a romantic dinner.

The Ore House (147 College Dr., 247-5707; $$–$$$; above left) is an Old West steak house, rustic and casual. The Red Snapper (144 East 9th St., 259-3417; $$–$$$) has fresh seafood, by far the nicest salad bar in town, along with an exotic saltwater-aquarium decor. The Cyprus Cafe (725 E. Second, 385-6884; $$) offers delicious Mediterranean dishes at quite reasonable prices. Their lamb dishes are to die for.

Francisco's Restaurante Y Cantina (619 Main Ave., 247-4098; $$) has a Southwestern menu and has been a Durango landmark since 1968. Hidden-away Gazpacho (431 E. Second Ave., 259-9494; below) rivals Francisco's with authentic New Mexican cuisine. Tequilas (948 Main, 259-7655; $$), where the waiters all pretend not to speak English, is another local's favorite and serves the finest margarita in town, made with fresh-squeezed limes. Ask for an Especial. East by Southwest (160 E. College, 247-5533; $$) has a full sushi bar and Pan Asian cuisine.

Olde Tymer's Cafe (1000 Main Ave., 259-2990; $–$$) is tops for a good hamburger. Monday is burger night, Friday is the taco special. Christina's (21382 US Highway 160 West, 382-3844; $$) offers very reasonably priced continental cuisine. The parking lot is always full, telling you something!

Carver's Brewing Co. (1022 Main Ave., 259-2545; $$) is the best place in Durango for breakfast; muffins and bagels are baked fresh daily. Carver's has a nice children's menu—their meals are served on a Frisbee they get to keep. College Drive Cafe ($) bakes the best homemade cinnamon rolls (closed Monday and Tuesday). If you prefer the eggs-and-bacon-type breakfast, head for the Durango Diner (957 Main Ave., $). Sunday brunch at the Doubletree Hotel ($$) is outstanding and a good choice for mountain visitors departing on Sunday, since the hotel is between the ski area and the airport. Or start the day off at the Steamin' Bean ($) on Main Street, a great hangout for coffee, chess and chai. Oscar's in the City Market South Center is famous for decadent French toast.

Dining Legend: $$$$—Entrees $30+; $$$—$20–$30; $$—$10–$20; $—less than $10