Steamboat Springs — Sweetwater Grill owner Kim Haggarty says her restaurant’s outdoor dining emphasis along the Yampa River was all part of the plan. And she adds it was intended not only to be a great place to dine, but also a great place for families.

In addition to the second-story tables that overlook the Yampa and the fire pit and outdoor bar on the first level, a wide-open lawn features a stage for summer concerts as well as a bouncy house, playground and playhouse for children. It all came together for Haggarty last summer.

“I thought, ‘Oh, my God, this was my vision,’” she says. “It’s exactly what I wanted.”

For views and outdoor ambiance, it’s also what customers wanted. Diners can watch everything from tubers, kayakers and anglers in the summer to jumpers flying off Howelsen Hill’s Nordic jumps in winter. “It just brings a good vibe to the Yampa River,” Haggarty says. “That’s what we were going for.”

Second place

Sunpie’s Bistro

Like Sweetwater, Sunpie’s is located along the Yampa River. Without the river, owner Mike Miller says, Sunpie’s wouldn’t be quite the draw it has become after opening in 2005.

“No way would we be as popular,” Miller says. “Summertime is our time for sure.”

Miller says he and his wife, Colleen, weren’t targeting a riverfront spot for their New Orleans-themed bistro but took the opportunity when it came up. He says they just wanted to sell some sandwiches, and all of a sudden people started buying drinks.

And they haven’t left, thanks to its views as much as its brews.

Porch, lawn and ice bar — what more could you want?Matt Stensland

Third place

Slopeside Grill

Slopeside Grill general manager Chad Gagliano says the view of the Flat Tops, southern sun exposure and improvements to the base of the ski area, including the public promenade and daylighting of Burgess Creek, are what make the restaurant such a desirable place to dine outside.

Gagliano says that ever since the restaurant opened in 1996, it’s always seated patrons outside, whether they’re at the ice bar or on the grassy lawn. But as beautiful as the views are, he says, that’s not the only highlight of eating at Slopeside. “I think the staff is the huge reason for our success here,” he says.