A bit removed from the Corviglia epicenter, the Alpina Hütte is another mountain classic: a rustic wooden hut that has a restaurant and a glorious terrace and that serves quick, Swiss specialties. You can call to reserve a table or one of the covered, whicker beach chairs that are perfect for soaking up the sun while having a coffee and rich, regional dessert.

This restaurant in the Bellavista hotel overlooks the Silvaplana Lake, making it a particular favorite in the summertime. According to many locals, it serves the best venison dishes in the valley.

In an enviable location on the Corviglia, with breathtaking views, El Paradiso is the fanciest of the St. Moritz mountain huts – and that's saying something. There's a large al fresco grill station, a bar with red-lined stools, and seemingly every table, bench and chair is covered in something soft, a lambs' wool throw here, a crimson blanket there. If it's too cold to sit outside, the dining room indoors is utterly chic, with grey linen–lined benches and massive picture windows. In short, this is a place where you want to loosen your ski boots and settle in for a while. Locals grumble a bit how chi-chi the formerly laid-back ski hut has become; i.e. how lofty the prices now are, but the food is excellent and the setting cannot be beat. Non-skiers need not worry: the Paradiso is easy to reach on foot via a 20-30 minute walk from the top of the Signal Gondola. On a sunny day during the ski season, reservations are crucial.

This incredible restaurant is a must for a first-time visitor. Located at an altitude of 2,456 meters (8,057 feet), the restaurant at Muottas Muragl has a glorious terrace for sunny lunches and a Alpine-chic dining room where diners can watch the sun dip into the valley at dinner. The menu features a host of regional specialties, but all prepared with more innovation and finesse than at your regular mountain hut (a list of where ingredients are sourced is found on the back of the menu). There's an excellent wine list but remember that you're at 8,000-plus feet altitude, which may effect some diners. Everyone has to take the funicular up and down the mountain, and the last one returns to the valley at 11pm. Guests who cannot tear themselves away from this special location can, however, book one of the sixteen basic but chic guest rooms and wake in the gorgeous silence, towering above the world, of Muottas Muragl.

Indagare Tip: Small groups can also book the private Villa Lyss, a converted pasture hut that has been turned in a cute, rustic dining room with a fireplace and wood-paneled interiors. It's a very special spot for up to twenty people.

Kids can be motivated to hike into the Roseg Valley, a gorgeous half-day excursion, thanks to the legendary dessert buffet served at this restaurant/hotel. The display of regional sweet specialties, all homemade, is massive. Highlights include Nusstorte (a hearty cake with nuts) and Rote Grütze (a glorious red-berry compote). The Roseg has a beautiful terrace for summer dining and a cozy Stube during winter. The rest of the menu is classic Swiss fare, and anyone who does not want to walk back to Pontresina—about a two-hour hike—can also call the horse-drawn carriage.

For a non-skier – or for a skier needing a break –the absolute perfect combination is to have lunch at the Paradiso and then meander over to the nearby Trutz Hütte for an afternoon hour or two in one of the lounge chairs on the terrace. You can – and should – reserve them the day of, and there's nothing more glorious than lying on thie terrace, beneath the cozy blanket that's offered, and stare into the stunning distance or read a book.

The Trutz also serves a very good lunch, though on the terrace, where you will want to sit when it's sunny, everything is self-serve, which may stress out older guests. (The dining room with service can be crowded and noisy.) Wait for the lunch rush to be over, then line up for the Trutz's most famous dessert: Kaiserschmarrn, an Austrian pancake-like dessert that's served with warm plum compote and is a must for any first-timer.

Indagare Tip: The Trutz Hütte belongs to the Suvretta House, so guests of this hotel can actually make a reservation on the sunny terrace (though they still have to fend for getting their own trays with food), while it's first come/first serve for the rest.