Come September, the Denver Independent Network of Restaurants (DINR), a collection of some of the top, locally owned, chef-driven food temples in the metro area, is hosting Harvest Week, a weeklong tribute to Colorado's farmers, growers, ranchers and winemakers and the bumper crop of foodstuffs - cheeses, peaches, heirloom tomatoes, trout, lamb and sweet corn - that they bestow on our plates. Matt Selby, the executive chef at Vesta Dipping Grill and Steuben's, is co-chair of Harvest Week, a celebration, he says, that's all about "cooking with and for the seasons." But while Selby is knee-deep in logistics, menus and community partnerships, the chef is also eating like a lion at Coors Field (chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, Rocky dog, nachos and Dippin' Dots, all in one baseball game) and exploring Denver's "better than it's ever been" restaurant scene. Here are his favorite go-to haunts:

* Best dim sum: I absolutely love Super Star Asian (2200 W. Alameda Ave.). When the servers come by with the dim sum cart, I rarely turn anything down. I have that "Don't ask, don't tell - just give me what's in the little basket" philosophy. Most of the patrons are Chinese, and I can't help but wonder if they're being offered the goodies that maybe Caucasians would pass up. I'm learning how to say "Give me what they're having" in Chinese.

* Best guacamole: Without a doubt, the tableside guacamole at LoLa (1575 Boulder St.). Anything done tableside is just bound to taste better, because you're in charge of picking the ingredients. I always insist that they give me extra lime wedges and cilantro leaves.

* Best bar menu: Keegan Gerhard and his wife, Lisa, just opened D-Bar Desserts (1475 E. 17th Ave.) - a dessert bar - and I love it! Their desserts are awesome and approachable, and most importantly, they're not all jacked up with pretentious spun sugar, edible gold and/or inedible garnish. There are no chocolate towers or "pyramids" on the menu.

* Best eggs Benedict: You can really taste the freshness of the eggs at The Kitchen (1039 Pearl St., Boulder), and they hand-drop poach the eggs, which is so cool. The hollandaise is well balanced and perfectly seasoned and the kitchen is really generous with the country ham.

* Best 24/7 diner: Pete's Kitchen (1962 E. Colfax Ave.). I get the gyro platter almost every single time. The joint is an institution, worthy of the Denver Hall of Fame.

* Best pizza: Marco's Coal-Fired Pizza (2129 Larimer St.) is outstanding. Here's the thing: The dough has salt! The sauce has acidity and fresh herbs! The flour and cheeses are imported straight from Italy! They've got an Italian dough mixer downstairs in the prep kitchen . . . no doubt the thing cost as much as a BMW.