10 Best Restaurants in Telluride, Southwest 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Fresh farm-to-table fare and a modern-farmhouse feel define the Butcher and the Baker, a bustling café on the town's main strip where locals gather. The delectable baked goods and sandwiches, scrumptious salads, and house-made desserts do not disappoint.