I was in the exact same predicament and did go with granite -- Vermont White Granite. It looks very much like marble but has the durability we all want in the kitchen. Many people who have come to see the new kitchen ask if it's marble.

That is beautiful! I am hoping for something a bit less pricey though.

While Corian is not so popular on this site, we used their Raincloud in our kitchen. It worked for our needs and design. It was not inexpensive, but I'm sure less than real marble.

Would quartz ((ie Silestone, Viatera, Cambria) be in your price range? Depending on the pattern, it can be quite affordable, but I didn't price a marble look.

Right now in my area, many granites are substantially less expensive or equal to quartz, and quartz is either less or equal to the best looking Corian (which IMO are Raincloud, Clamshell, Burled Beach, MS Sea Salt and MS Ravine)

Here is a link that might be useful: quartz instead of marble

I looked and looked, and never found anything that wasn't marble that looked enough like marble for me.

Have you considered the quartzites? Am looking into white macaubus myself...the cross cut slabs (aka calacatta quartzite) are very marble-like and much more durable (or so I have heard!)

I went through the same issue and looked everywhere, quartz, quartzite, marble, danby marble, granites and nothing met my criteria of a very white stone, durable, doesn't etch, etc. At the last minute before fabrication, I found it. It's called bianco parana. I can't figure out how to post a picture. I even tried to etch and stain my unsealed sample and it was fine. It's a dolomite stone which I gather is like a quartzite.

Jsar, I saw some slabs of bianco parana today and I wasn't sure if it was a marble, quartzite, or marble. Is is GORGEOUS! How is the pricing for that compared to other quartzites or granites? I have a couple slabs of calacatta quartzite being transferred in from out of state but haven't paid for them yet until I see them and ok them.

I think the pricing is comparable to the calacatta quartzite, and super white quartzite. It was more than carrera marble. But worth the extra penny to not worry about etching my counters. My fabricator said it was the closest thing to marble he has ever seen.