The occasional date with your Chinese takeout, Netflix video and six-pack of Tsingtao is unavoidable. And we fully understand that along with the grass clippings of summer come block parties, backyard barbecues and competitive games of croquet.

The fact that you're truly, madly and deeply committed to the neighborhood pizza joint, burger barn, sushi stop and burrito shack two blocks from your house is understandable, too. All of which begs the question: Why head beyond your boundaries to nosh when you've got your favorite restaurants already at your fingertips?

From this altitude, the reasons are abundant: It's the season of mountain food and wine festivals, dancing til you drop at live concerts on the lawn and rugged outdoor adventures, all of which require an appetite.

Among the best statewide spots to satiate your belly:

Dish

56 Edwards Village Blvd., #230, Edwards

1-970-926-3433 or eatdrinkdish.com

A mere 10-minute trek down-valley from ritzy, glitzy Beaver Creek Resort will land you in Edwards, where chef Jenna Johansen lives up to the name of her popular dining den, dishing out a smorgasbord of playful foodstuffs that hopscotch between countries and continents. Snag a stool at the chefs' counter for an up-close-and- personal view into the exhibition kitchen, and nibble on starters of shrimp ceviche, spicy lobster shooters and the Thai-styled broccoli bisque. Then delve into main dishes such as the pistachio-crusted halibut and mustard-glazed pork tenderloin. The market-inspired menu changes nightly, as does the eclectic wine list, its ever- changing bottles snatched from the boutique wine shop below, which, incidentally, is run by the same owners as Dish.

Frasca Food & Wine

1738 Pearl St., Boulder

303-442-6966 or frascafoodandwine.com

Unless you've been imprisoned in a yurt above a remote hilltop, you already know the story: Two remarkably talented French Laundry alums left that renowned culinary castle to set their sites on Boulder, where they quietly and without fanfare unleashed a faultless restaurant celebrating the Northern Italian cuisine of Friuli. It's been more than four years since Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey and executive chef Lachlan Mackinnon- Patterson opened the floodgates, and while they've generated enough accolades to last a lifetime, they continue to turn out season-shifting culinary epiphanies - pork belly with warm faro salad, house-made gnocchi with wilted green chard and escolar bolstered by ricotta ravioli - that never fail to inspire.

Flying Fork Cafe & Bakery

101 Third St., Paonia

1-970-527-3203 or flyingforkcafe.com

Chef-owner Kelly Steinmetz's destination hideaway squats on a street corner of a small town better known for its Bohemian lifestyle than its notable restaurant scene, which is somewhat surprising, considering the wealth of fruit and produce farms that dot Paonia's lush landscape. Steinmetz, however, takes full advantage of the local crops, turning out rustic pizzas festooned with fresh herbs and straight-off-the-vine tomatoes coupled with excellent salads tussling with Bing cherries and arugula and delicious, down- to-earth pastas like the farfalle with roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts, goat cheese and fresh basil. The shaded, serene patio, flush with fruit trees, is among the top outdoor respites in the state.

Juicy Lucy's Steakhouse

308 Seventh St., Glenwood Springs

1-970-945-4619

It's not remotely innovative, and the straight- up American fare is hardly groundbreaking, but this venerable, old-school locals' joint in Glenwood Springs turns out swoonworthy, juice-dribbling Prime-grade bricks of beef that would hold their own in any major meat mecca. The decibel level is ear-shattering, but there's plenty to shout about, including the Colorado elk sirloin, imposing porterhouse and tender New York strip. White linen napkins rest on weathered wooden tables; the superb wine list peddles well-priced offerings; and the antiquated bar, albeit small, is always packed with convivial regulars who warmly welcome out-of-towners.

D19

305 S. Mill St., Aspen

1-970-925-6019 or d19aspen.com

Affluent Aspenites flock to this intimate food temple helmed by executive chef Dena Marino, whose oft-changing, globalized menu proffers mussels bobbing in a broth of Serrano peppers, garlic and orange zest alongside rosemary- infused doughnuts plated with prosciutto de Parma and lasagna layered with venison, spinach and ricotta. The dimly lit space, flanked by white tablecloths, arched windows and dark woods, buzzes all year long, but the patio, overlooking Aspen's street scene, is prime real estate for people-watching.

Route 6 Cafe

41290 U.S. Hwy. 6, Avon

1-970-949-6393

A bona fide breakfast joint that swells with early morning risers and mid-day loungers, Route 6 Cafe, which sits on a swath of road peppered with quirky storefronts and auto-mechanic garages (appropriately, Route 6 also doubles as a gas station), dishes out perfect eggs Benedict crowned with a lemon-sprayed, scratch-made hollandaise, plus biscuits and gravy, pudgy pancakes and house-made corned beef hash. The aggressively spiced and unapologetically strong Bloody Marys induce a mind-altering haze, so sip them slowly or fuel up on steaming, oversize mugs of java instead.

Samplings Wine Bar & Restaurant

320 Main St., Frisco

1-970-668-8466 or samplingswine.com

Tricked out in exposed brick, hardwood floors and oversize leather chairs, this stylish high country hot spot, illuminated by the golden embers of a cracking fireplace, simultaneously wows foodophiles and oenophiles with its sophisticated, globalized menu and worldly wine list. True to its name, Samplings is a grazer's breeding ground graced with seasonal small plates that embrace the communal vibe of the easygoing crowds who go grabby for the duck confit ravioli, smoked artisan sausages and elegant cheese plates. Wines are available by the glass and flight, and there's even wireless Internet access if you want to blog about your favorite sips.

Smoke Modern Barbecue

241 Harris St., Basalt

1-970-927-5158 or smokemodernbbq.com

The requisitely rich macaroni and cheese at this rollicking barbecue spot in the burgeoning burg of Basalt is the equivalent of food porn: sexy, sinful and slapped with smoky pulled pork, specks of heat-inducing jalapenos and spring onions. The approachable and decidedly down-home menu also trumpets tender pork spareribs, beef brisket, smoked chicken, cornmeal-crusted oysters and fresh corn-studded muffins glossed with cane syrup butter. And where else can you find barbecued tofu? But while the kitchen practices simplicity, the industrial-edged dining room, bedecked with high ceilings, leather booths, a wall of windows and a lively bar, is wholly hip.

Spago

Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch

0130 Daybreak Ridge, Avon

1-970-343-1555 or wolfgangpuck.com

Dinner here will cost you more than a Faberge egg, but this Wolfgang Puck show-stopper, housed in the refined Ritz-Carlton in Bachelor Gulch, is worth the Prada price tags (bonus: the views of Beaver Creek mountain are free). The menu changes frequently, depending upon what's seasonal, but you can always count on executive chef Mark Ferguson to unleash seductive creations that zigzag from Thai lobster soup and smoked salmon pizza to house-made celery root agnolotti draped with black truffles. Polished - but unpretentious - service and a stunning dining room that strikes the perfect balance between Rocky Mountain rustic and big-city splendor just elevates the altitude.

Vin48 Restaurant & Wine Bar

48 E. Beaver Creek Blvd., Avon

1-970-748-9463 or vin48.com

Sitting up front in the vibrant bar area, you can behold the shimmering sunset through the 32-foot-high floor-to-ceiling windows that encapsulate Avon's newest dining darling. This is a confident - and always crowded - culinary oasis where you can sample chef Charles Hays' delicious plates orchestrated in a narrow exhibition kitchen, complete with a voyeuristic chefs' counter. Half of the menu favors small plates (coconut curry mussels, onion risotto or house-made garlic sausage sided with black pepper- flecked fettuccine), while the larger plates feature bacon-swathed elk medallions and pan-roasted wild bass paired with shrimp ravioli. As an added benefit, the impressive wine roster offers all of its bottlings by the glass.

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