"The stone-walled downstairs dining room at Ellina feels like a cozy wine cave, with low lighting, white tablecloths, and, yes, lots of wine. There are a few dishes here that have remained crowd favorites since its opening 25 years ago (an eternity in Aspen time), like the lemony braised artichokes, crispy calamari fritti, and chicken Milanese topped with a tower of fresh arugula. There’s always a fun crowd hanging around the horseshoe-shaped bar, where you can order from the full dinner menu as well as a wine list with over 2,000 bottles." - Katie Shapiro