When Ridge + River replaced Lord Gore at the Manor Vail Lodge this past winter, we were eager to check it out. The retooled menu is Colorado-esque with plenty of game but also a lot of nuance. Don’t miss the duck breast with Parmesan farro risotto and grilled fennel. Also, the patio views are worth the price of admission. Manor Vail Lodge, 595 Vail Valley Dr, Vail, 970-343-6111

Whoever said you can’t be everything for everyone clearly hasn’t been to Chasing Rabbits at the Solaris Vail. The 13,000-foot complex is many things: It’s a restaurant (Mediterranean-inspired), a lounge, a speakeasy, an arcade, and a film house. How you choose to spend your time there is up to you, but supping on braised rabbit Bolognese and Moroccan lamb tagine ought to be at the top of your list. Solaris Vail, 141 E Meadow Dr, Suite 104, Vail, 970-444-4677

The restaurant scene in Edwards has been steadily expanding and Ed’z is proof that established restaurateurs are paying attention. In late January, Noah Bender, James Pavelich, and Steve Shelman—the trio from Avon’s Northside Kitchen and Fattoria and Southside Benderz—opened a rotisserie-based restaurant in a space just north of the Edwards main roundabout, and for weeks, it remained one of the valley’s most elusive reservations. At Ed’z, a small but mighty menu dives deep into comfort food with favorites like a pot roast sandwich, hushpuppies, and a whole rack of rotisserie ribs. Make sure to order the hot skillet biscuit with pepper jelly. 69 Edwards Access Rd, Edwards, 970-855-2734

Downvalley, while Eagle lost both its brewpubs (Bonfire Brewing and 7 Hermits Brewing) and one of its only upscale restaurants (the short-lived The Assembly), it seems that the trend finally has begun to reverse itself with a veritable restaurant boomlet. Well-loved El Segundo got its start in Vail, but it recently opened a second location in Eagle in the former home of 7 Hermits. At this bustling taqueria and tequila bar, you can order classics like carnitas and posole, but you’d be remiss to skip the creative items such as tacos filled with Korean-barbecued Wagyu, spicy kimchi, jalapeño aioli, and toasted peanuts. Trust us. 1020 Capitol St, Eagle, 970-328-6220

At press time, Casey Glowacki, owner of The Drunken Goat in Edwards, announced that come May, he would be opening a new restaurant, dubbed Wild Sage, just across the street from El Segundo in the space formerly occupied by The Assembly. Executive Chef Kevin Nelson says the new venture will take some culinary cues from the The Drunken Goat, but the menu also will be dedicated to fresh herbs, and healthy locally/regionally sourced ingredients, with an emphasis on options for vegetarians. 1143 Capitol St #104, Eagle, 970-705-1689

And just next door from nascent Wild Sage, in December Eagle resident Christina Hoffman opened Social Oak, a 52-seat wine/cocktail bar/bistro with an open concept kitchen under the tutelage of Anthony Ferrozzo, the former executive chef of Beaver Creek’s Grouse Mountain Grill. On the rotating menu when we stopped by on a Friday afternoon: Shareable portions of local game sausage, a toasted baguette with house-made honied ricotta, a buffalo burger with bacon jam and blue cheese crumbles, pan-seared Chilean salmon, and a Colorado flatiron steak with whipped buttermilk potatoes—and some four-dozen exceptional wines by the pour and bottle, from Bordeaux to a chardonnay bubbly from New Mexico, in Riedel stemware. 1143 Capitol St #3, Eagle, 970-705-1639

If you’ve ever been to the original Sweet Coloradough in Glenwood Springs, you know how sweet it is that the doughnut shop recently opened a satellite in Eagle. And the location is brilliant: It’s just off the highway in the Sinclair filling station (where Stout House was once located). On opening day, the shop sold 1,000 doughnuts in less than an hour—all of which is to say, get there early. The 11-layer cronuts (doughnuts made from croissant dough) get a lot of attention, but don’t miss the fritters. Opens at 7 a.m. 131 Chambers Ave, Eagle, 970-230-9056