This happy place is one of the few spots in Snowmass that invites one to plop down at the bar and enjoy a cold draft while watching a game on TV. Bar stools line its huge corner windows that afford unobstructed views of the mall. If you prefer a table, there are several booths that strangely resemble wooden Tilt-a-Whirls. Video machines, and pool and foosball tables adorn the room. The menu offers classic bar food such as wings, pizza, calamari, burgers and sandwiches.

For any first-time visitor who wants to experience the glitz and glamour of Aspen, this is the spot. For two years in a row it has been voted as Aspen's "best place to see and be seen". The interior somehow manages to blend cozy with contemporary in a minimalist manner. If you need culinary direction, opt for one of its signature dishes such as the Bamboo Salmon or the Ruby Red Trout. Sushi lovers can choose from over 30 items. The sake list, the largest in the mountains, offers 12 varieties. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Trying to distinguish one Mexican restaurant from another is difficult. Most, if not all, serve big plates with six digit calorie counts. Su Casa, however, is refreshingly different for it emphasizes low calorie fare that does not sacrifice on taste. Despite the downstairs location, this restaurant has a lively atmosphere which at times feels like permanent Mexican style celebration. The menu serves the usual array of tacos, burritos and enchiladas. It also cooks specialty dishes like Carnitas, Camorones, and Chillies Rellenos. Salads such as the Yucatan, Avocado and Tostada are all generous in size.

Few, if any, Aspen restaurants can match Mezzaluna for its combination of great food and a lively bar scene. But it is this fusion that makes it so popular and prompted Gourmet Magazine to rank it as one of the top three restaurants in Aspen. The interior is Los Angeles hip: marble tables, big glass windows and tall potted plants. If you can secure a window table it is a great perch for people watching both inside and outside. If you covet booze-addled Happy Hours this is the place to go. The entrées feature an array of pasta, fish and meat dishes. There is also an audacious selection of avant-garde pizzas including one that features French onion with Swiss cheese and smoked bacon.

It is not often that one can use the words Chinese restaurant, pool table, foosball, Happy Hour, and large screen TV in the same sentence, but this restaurant pulls it off in style. It is a blue-ribbon combination that has made it the oldest oriental restaurant in Snowmass. Besides a preponderance of Asian art, the interior's most outstanding feature is its uncompromising views of the Snowmass Valley. When the weather allows opt for its sun-splashed deck. The menu is wonderfully diverse, and better yet, is MSG-free. For a nice twist surprise your tongue with a Squid Salad. Then try the Shitake Mushroom Duck, or the Lemongrass Pork Chops for dinner. Sushi and sashimi options abound.

There is a good honesty about this restaurant in that what you order is what you get. Too often these days restaurants place presentation ahead of food. Consequently, when you order a steak it comes out the size of an Advil gel cap and looks like the chef was trained by an Impressionist painter rather than by a culinary school. The Steak Pit, fortunately, does not fall into this category. The menu, as expected, serves prime rib, sirloin steak, filet mignon, beef kabobs and New York strips, all of which are charbroiled to order and include salad, bread and choice of potato. There are also plenty of seafood options too. The salad bar, which is so big it could apply for statehood, is almost a meal in itself.

World-renowned chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, whose gourmet Japanese food has filled stomachs in New York, London and Los Angeles to high praise, is now working his magic in Aspen. The interior is so stark and simple that it somehow drips with style. Seating options include table, booth or sushi bar. It is not often that one can say that everything on the menu is outstanding, but this restaurant is one of the rare exceptions. Specialty dishes include mussels in a spicy garlic sauce, and Tuna Tataki. It also offers an array of sashimi options.

It is rare that a bistro can find a happy medium between casual charm and highbrow taste, but Sage pulls it off very well. The presentation of the dishes alone is worth the meal in itself. They are so meticulously prepared that you do not know if you are supposed to eat them or use as centerpieces for your table. The entrees have a Colorado-lean, but with worldwide flair. The Vanilla Grilled Lamb Chops and Honey-Mustard Roasted Chicken are very popular. The menu constantly changes to match the season, but be forewarned: Sage closes during certain seasons, so make sure it's open before you plan to visit! Breakfast and lunch are also available. Try to snare a table on the patio area for the mountain views are outstanding.

For over a decade now, this friendly restaurant has been handling Aspen's sushi fix by offering the town's largest selection of fresh fish. If you are looking for a fun and boisterous dining experience try to snare a seat at the sushi bar. For a tamer dining setting wander towards the back of the room where conversations are hushed and border on intimate. Octopus, flying fish egg and jumbo clams are just a small sampling of its many sushi offerings. There are also plenty of sushi rolls, sashimi combinations and innovative salads. Chilean Sea Bass, Pacific Rim Lobster Tail and Strip Steak Teriyaki are musts on the entree list.

This Tuscany-inspired restaurant is an authentic trattoria. The dimly lit dining room's low ceilings and closely positioned tile-topped tables exude an intimate, family feel. The main entrees feature authentic Northern Italian dishes in hearty portions, along with meaty offerings like grilled veal and filet mignon. The pasta dishes are the most affordable entrees on the menu and come in all sorts of varieties. An excellent wine list features a wealth of Italian offerings. Restaurant opens daily at 5:30p.