Keystone

To go upscale, take the gondola to the Alpenglow Stube mountain restaurant, which claims to have the best haute cuisine of any ski resort in North America—it stands at 11,444 feet (3,488 m) so one hopes the “haute” is not a pun. The Wild Boar is recommended and the wine list extensive. Another restaurant requiring transport is the Soda Creek Homestead, reached by horse-drawn sleigh, but for a really reliable gourmet evening try the Ski Tip Lodge or the Keystone Ranch—both highly rated by regular customers. You can eat very well indeed in and around Keystone—and, as a final tip, try the steaks at the Keystone Lodge. Keystone has four mountain restaurants: two cafeterias, one gourmet dining, and one BBQ.  At night, one of the cafeterias converts to the Der Fondue Chessel, a Bavarian-style fondue restaurant complete with raclette, live music, dancing, and lots of food.