Best Dining Bets

Frasca, 2328 Pearl St., Boulder (tel. 303/442-6966), has impeccable service and peerless cuisine, drawn exclusively from the culinary traditions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a subalpine region in northeastern Italy.

The Broadmoor's snazzy, new Summit (Colorado Springs) is at once slick and romantic, with contemporary metalwork and a glassed-in, rotating turret behind the bar. The visual spectacle is aesthetically matched by the fare, which is innovative and adventurous.

Colorado Springs locals splurge on a night out at the Cliff House Dining Room, Cliff House Inn, 306 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs (tel. 719/785-2415). It offers an elegant Victorian atmosphere, superlative service, and innovative variations on old favorites, such as smoked bacon-scented petite prime-rib roast, with vegetables and potato purée.

In a converted Victorian, the Tibetan/Nepalese Sherpa's, 825 Walnut St., Boulder (tel. 303/440-7151), has no shortage of Himalayan relics, photos, and art to look at, especially in the cozy bar that doubles as a library.

You'll get fine food at reasonable prices in a casual atmosphere at the Corner Bar in the Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder (tel. 303/442-4560).

It's amazing to find a restaurant that prepares so many different dishes well -- candy, ice cream, Southwestern, Greek, basic American -- and for such low prices. Perhaps that's why Colorado Springs residents have been coming to Michelle's, 122 N. Tejon St. (tel. 719/633-5089), since it opened in 1952.

There's something about trains that brings out the kid in all of us. Giuseppe's Old Depot Restaurant, 10 S. Sierra Madre St., Colorado Springs (tel. 719/635-3111), has one parked outside the door and plenty more rolling by just outside the large windows.

A full 1/3 pound of good ground beef is the foundation of a great burger at Tom's Tavern, 1047 Pearl St., Boulder (tel. 303/443-3893). Choose from a variety of beers to wash it all down.

Sitting inside or outside, you'll get a great view of the Pearl Street Mall at 14th Street Bar & Grill, 1400 Pearl St., Boulder (tel. 303/444-5854). You'll see all kinds of people passing by -- students and families, old and young, and even street entertainers, from musicians to mimes.

Large picture windows at Charles Court, in The Broadmoor, Lake Circle, Colorado Springs (tel. 719/634-7711), afford diners a splendid vista out over The Broadmoor's personal lake. Shouldn't everyone have one?

The rotating wine turret holds about 400 of the 1,400 bottles on hand at the Summit (Colorado Springs).

The Palace Arms, at the Brown Palace Hotel (Denver), has one of the city's most widely respected and award-winning wine lists.

With all the fine restaurants that seem to specialize in desserts, the Craftwood Inn, 404 El Paso Blvd., Colorado Springs (tel. 719/685-9000), stands out, particularly for the way it combines raspberries and chocolate.

While its taste in wine is also terrific, the desserts at Table 6, 609 Corona St., Denver (tel. 303/831-8800), are equally praiseworthy, especially the Nutella beignets and margarita nachos.

Fresh and healthy are the key words at Adam's Mountain Cafe, 110 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, outside Colorado Springs (tel. 719/685-1430), which serves interesting dishes with a decidedly Mediterranean flair.

It certainly isn't cheap, but the creative and exquisitely prepared American cuisine served at Charles Court (Colorado Springs; see address and telephone above) is tough to beat.

Everything at Jack-N-Grill, 2524 N. Federal Blvd., Denver (tel. 303/964-9544), has chili in it, roasted by the Martinez family on-site. Both the green and red chili are top-notch, as are the Mexican dishes and the fresh homemade salsa.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Denver, Boulder & Colorado Springs, 9th Edition Author: Eric Peterson Pub Date: January 23, 2007 Price: $16.99				Related Titles: Arizona For Dummies, 4th Edition Colorado & the Rockies For Dummies, 2nd Edition Frommer's American Southwest, 3rd Edition