December 2, 2024

AmericanHummus

Food & Travel Enthusiast

The 12 Best Restaurants in Park City, Utah

The 12 Best Restaurants in Park City, Utah

Located about 30 miles east of Salt Lake City and framed by the Wasatch Mountain range, Park City is a wonderful mountain destination in the Western state of Utah. Known for its world-class ski facilities and as the host city for Robert Redford’s annual Sundance Film Festival, Park City is also emerging as a foodie destination, with no shortage of restaurants serving a diverse range of cuisines.

Looking for the top places to dine in this former mining town? From award-winning restaurants on Historic Main Street to hidden gems, fast-casual options and chef-helmed dining destinations, U.S. News has rounded up the best places to eat in Park City with the help of expert knowledge and dozens of restaurant, dining and travel industry review sites.

Note: If you plan a visit for spring or fall, know that some restaurants in Park City may be temporarily closed for the offseason. You should also be aware that, because many menus change seasonally, recommended dishes may not always be available.

Price range for entrees: $20 to $32
Recommended dish: Special garlic noodles with tiger prawns

Located a bit off the beaten path in the Marriott’s Summit Watch plaza just off historic Main Street, Baan Thai Cuisine & Bar is, for all intents and purposes, a hidden gem. It’s known for authentic, chef-driven and yet home-style Thai cooking. Think: belly-warming bowls of tom kha (coconut soup), northern Thai khao soi with crispy noodles in curry broth, or the special rad na noodles with tiger prawns. Patrons rave about the friendly service, easy and efficient takeout process, great presentation, and generous portions. With a handful of bar seats and a verdant living wall sculpture that spells out the name of the restaurant, Baan is well-appointed, cozy and intimate – ideal for solo diners, couples and small parties.

Cut of meat at Chop Shop Park City.

(Courtesy of Chop Shop Park City)

Price range for entrees: $10 to $30
Recommended dish: The Butler Dip

For some of the best sandwiches and pizzas in all of Park City, venture to Kimball Junction for a taste of Chop Shop. Inspired by a butcher shop and tasting room in Northern California, John Courtney, Chuck Heath and Dan Ibach created their own European-style deli and butcher shop in Park City. This eatery offers butcher cuts, deli-style provisions, and a menu of sandwiches and pizzas for dine-in or takeout. Favorite sandwiches include The Gencarelli, filled with juicy roasted pork loin; The Butler Dip, a version of a French dip made with the house dry-aged beef; and the simple yet unforgettably decadent Le Croque (French-style ham and cheese) served with tomato soup. If you’re especially hungry, go all in with one of the shop’s Detroit-style thick-crust pizzas. The Four Corners pizza, made with Courtney’s specially developed gluten-free crust, is noteworthy for its incredibly crisp, airy quality – so good you’d never know that it was made with something other than wheat.

Price range for entrees: $38 to $64
Recommended dish: Elk loin

Chef John Murcko has helped open some of Park City’s most beloved restaurants, but Firewood on Main is the restaurant he opened for himself, so it immediately feels more personal. Behind an exhibition-style window, golden flames light up the kitchen, where Murcko and his team of cooks make everything the old-school way: over wood-fired flames. Using different types of woods and different cooking vessels, Murcko’s “heirloom American” cuisine is seasonal, rustic and tied to the land. For a starter, you’ll get choices like foraged wild mushrooms or wood-roasted heirloom carrots. The main course creations come from land and sea, ranging from elk loin to the vegetarian-friendly roasted cauliflower to king salmon. The restaurant’s industrial design exudes a welcoming warmth even as it pays homage to the city’s mining culture with exposed brick walls and iron detailing. In addition to the food and ambiance, patrons enjoy the strong wine list, craft cocktails and attentive service.

Interior of Five5eeds including chairs, tables and plant wall.

(Courtesy of Five5eeds)

Price range for entrees: Lunch $16 to $22; breakfast $9 to $18
Recommended dish: Hotcake

Since its debut in 2016, Five5eeds has become the go-to place in Park City for breakfast, lunch and brunch. Owned and operated by local couple Andrew and Tiffany Percy, who moved to Park City from Melbourne with their five children (hence the name), this stylish, Aussie-inspired cafe provides nourishment in a vibrant, healthful way. Executive chef Emma Leigh Hunsaker’s menu brims with dishes that are not only beautiful but also delicious. Must-not-miss items include the wholly Instagram-worthy hotcake topped with berries and the shakshouka (a Moroccan baked eggs dish). But truly, you’ll find little to lead you astray at Five5eeds: From the coffee and house-baked goods to the PC Superfood Bowl at this restaurant, the general consensus from guests is that everything is amazing.

Price range for entrees: $6 to $32
Recommended dish: Lobster roll

It may seem counterintuitive to dine on Maine lobster rolls in Park City, but there’s a reason why Freshies continues to thrive year after year. The restaurant’s lobster rolls, filled to the brim with fresh and buttered Maine lobster, are simply outstanding. They’re so outstanding, in fact, that owners Lorin and Ben Smaha won the title of World’s Best Lobster Roll in 2017 at the Down East Lobster Roll Competition in Portland, Maine, even beating out local New England favorites. So while Freshies also offers items like crab rolls, grilled cheese and hot dogs, it’s no surprise that the dish visitors tend to get above all else is the lobster roll. Just choose the size – Tourist (1.9 ounces), Real Mainah (3.7 ounces) or XL (5 ounces) – then add in a cup of clam chowder or lobster bisque and enjoy.

Closeup of dessert at Glitretind Restaurant, Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley.

(Courtesy of Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley)

Price range for entrees: $33 to $59
Recommended dish: Utah lamb loin

With its mid-mountain location set within the award-winning Stein Eriksen Lodge, Glitretind is the destination for Alpine-inspired fine dining. This restaurant is led by executive chef Zane Holmquist, chef de cuisine Lester Lepiten and executive sous chef Evan LaValley. Focusing on sustainable local ingredients and creative flavor combinations, the seasonal menus read like an ode to local farmers. Utah tomato is served with Parmigiano-Reggiano, while the beet and beef tartare is enlivened with black garlic aioli, quail egg yolk and other ingredients. Other excellent dishes include the bison rib-eye or the Utah lamb loin with pickled blueberry. Patrons describe the dining experience as world-class. Come Sundays, Glitretind’s legendary brunch buffet is widely regarded as the best in the state, with live music and a sumptuous spread that includes stations for omelets and meat carving, a dizzying array of mouthwatering desserts, and much more.

Bar at Goldener Hirsch Restaurant.

(Courtesy of Goldener Hirsch)

Price range for entrees: $33 to $62
Recommended dish: Wiener schnitzel

Located mid-mountain in Deer Valley Resort’s Silver Lake Village, Goldener Hirsch provides an old-world alpine experience like no other. Inspired by its namesake historic hotel in Salzburg, Austria, this restaurant’s delicately painted murals, handcarved antique chairs and wood-burning fire set the scene for a meal filled with classic Bavarian fare. The restaurant has been operating for decades. Returning guests cite the fondue and wiener schnitzel as the can’t-miss dishes. The restaurant serves farm-to-table seasonal creations such as duck aux cerises (with black cherries) by executive chef Nicolas Lebas, and there’s a cozy, fire-lit bar area for pre- and post-dinner drinks.

Price range for entrees: $22 to $92
Recommended dish: Cauliflower

Established in 2014 by executive chef Briar Handly, wife Melissa Gray and partner Meagan Nash, Handle has received numerous accolades for its locally sourced, seasonal small plates menu. In 2022, Handly earned a semifinalist nod for best chef in the Mountain division in the James Beard Foundation awards – essentially the Oscars of the culinary community. His claim to fame is plates like the addictive sweet chili cauliflower, pork belly and fried chicken enrobed in the crispiest buttermilk batter. The design of the restaurant is upscale but casual, accented in shades of green, with a retro bar area designed for a pre- and post-dinner lounging over inventive cocktails, wine or your spirit of choice.

Exterior of High West Saloon at night.

(Courtesy of High West Saloon)

Price range for entrees: $20 to $56
Recommended dish: The burger

As Park City’s most famous watering hole, High West Saloon has the distinction of being the only ski-in gastro-distillery in the world. Skiers can access the saloon straight off of Park City Mountain Resort’s Quittin’ Time ski run – one reason the spot is so popular with the après-ski crowd. Food here is meant to pair with whiskey, so you get flavor-packed shareables like caramel popcorn with cashew and bacon, or the pastrami-spiced pickle-brined wings served with coffee barbecue sauce and blue cheese dressing. The house burger, topped with bourbon-braised onions and aged Gruyere, is second to none. Reviewers of this top-notch lunch and dinner spot enjoy the food, drink and great vibes, as well as the mining town-inspired decor, emphasizing that the experience is worth the wait. Be sure to also make a stop at the High West Distillery for whiskey tastings and tours.

Price range for entrees: $29 to $49
Recommended dish: Pork osso buco

A hidden gem at the base of the Silver Star chairlift at Park City Mountain Resort, Silver Star Cafe is the kind of place where you can come as you are and enjoy a meal as if you’re dining at a friend’s home. Owned by longtime locals Jeff and Lisa Ward, this eatery serves up food described as “roots cuisine”: seasonal, made-from-scratch expressions of the American melting pot. Diners can choose from dishes such as Baja-style fish tacos or a strip steak alongside sandwich and burger options. The hearth-fired pizza is always winning, as are the house-made desserts, which might take the form of a seasonal pie or giant slice of the best carrot cake you’ve ever had. This cafe is typically open for lunch throughout the week or brunch on the weekend, as well as dinner nightly; visitors can also enjoy live acoustic music on certain nights. Silver Star Cafe made it big time when it was featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” but given the lack of pomp and circumstance, you’d never even know it. Past diners praise the cozy vibe and great views, and recommend making reservations because the place is quite small.

Atrium and patio at Riverhorse on Main.

(Courtesy of Riverhorse on Main)

Price range for entrees: $48 to $75
Recommended dish: Macadamia nut-crusted halibut

For more than 30 years, the award-winning Riverhorse on Main has enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest restaurants in Park City. It’s located on historic Main Street in the town’s former Masonic Hall, and from the moment you arrive on the restaurant’s second-floor landing, you know you’re at a special place. High ceilings, a vaulted skylight and a wall of windowed patio doors frame a suspended glass ball sculpture that hangs in the center of the room, bathing the entire scene in a soft glow. But chef and co-owner Seth Adams’ locally sourced, mountain-inspired fare is of course the highlight here. Indulge in seasonally rotating plates like handcut buffalo tartare or the lauded macadamia nut-crusted Alaskan halibut. Diners can cap off a meal at Riverhorse with an excellent bottle of wine from the restaurant’s extensive wine list, then end the night on a sweet note with a decadent dessert.

Price range for entrees: $19 to $115
Recommended dish: Chef’s savory meat pie

About 25 miles from Park City proper, The Lakehouse at Deer Creek is to Utah what Chez Panisse is to Northern California. Positioned on the water’s edge, with spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of Deer Creek, the restaurant is helmed by chef and visionary Tamara Stranger, who is putting out some of the most exciting cuisine in the region. Aptly described as “Utah heritage cuisine,” her menu has a distinct sense of place, offering a glimpse into the bounties of Utah with plates like nixtamalized squash, rabbit lasagna or bison meatloaf. The chef’s savory pie is a must-not-miss – but then again, just about everything on the menu has that quality. The Lakehouse is open for lunch and dinner year-round. Reviewers enthuse about their experiences at this restaurant and recommend it as worthwhile destination for gastronomes and special occasions.

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