Dinosaurland and Eastern Utah Restaurants

Because the towns in eastern Utah are small, dining options are generally more casual and less innovative than in urban areas. The area has only two brewpubs: the refreshingly trendy Vernal Brewing Company, which opened just off Vernal’s Main Street in 2013, and Grogg’s Pinnacle Brewing Co., between Helper and Price; happily, both turn out good food and beer. Price has a mix of ethnic restaurants (with surprisingly low prices) that represents its immigrant railroad and mining history. Vernal, a farming and ranching town, has good steak houses and tasty diner eats. The best dining in this part of the state can be found in upscale lodges—Falcon's Ledge Lodge, between Duchesne and Roosevelt, and Red Canyon Lodge and Flaming Gorge Resort, both near Flaming Gorge—which pride themselves on having gourmet menus. Bear in mind that most locally owned restaurants are closed on Sunday, so plan ahead or you'll likely be stuck eating in motel restaurants or fast-food joints.

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  • 1. Sherald's Frosty Freeze

    $

    If you hanker for the nostalgia, and the prices, of an old-fashioned hamburger stand, you're in luck. Order at the window and eat outside at picnic tables, or have friendly carhops deliver your meal right to your vehicle. Be aware that this place can get packed and there could be a wait.

    434 E. Main St., Price, Utah, 84501, USA
    435-637–1447

    Known For

    • Delectably thick milkshakes in a multitude of flavors
    • Delicious burgers and fries
    • Long lines

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 2. Antica Forma

    $$

    With a branch in Moab, as well, this popular pizza spot offers Neapolitan-style pies with scrumptious crusts and high-end touches, including house-made fresh mozzarella. There's also a long list of pastas and appetizers, and it's all served from a spacious downtown location that can get absolutely mobbed on Friday and Saturday.

    251 E. Main St., Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-374–4138

    Known For

    • House-made pizza dough, including a gluten-free option
    • Beer and wine available (not a given in rural Utah)
    • Personal-size pizzas, enough for one hungry person or two less-ravenous people

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 3. Balance Rock Eatery & Pub

    $

    With tall ceilings and a second-floor mezzanine, this downtown pub looks like a reformed Wild West saloon and serves up American fare and Utah-made microbrews all day long. It's best known for its generous breakfasts and juicy burgers, and while you're here, make sure to browse the eclectic assortment of gift items for sale on the upper level. Local bands deliver live music on some weekend evenings.

    148 S. Main St., Helper, Utah, 84526, USA
    435-472–0403

    Known For

    • Homemade potato chips
    • All-day breakfast
    • Live music by local bands

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
  • 4. Betty's Cafe

    $ | Coffee

    This friendly, no-frills diner has the look of a fast-food joint but brings in tons of locals and tourists alike for meals that will leave you full all day. While lunch is tasty here, too, this is the best spot in Vernal for breakfast.

    416 W. Main St., Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-781–2728

    Known For

    • Giant portions
    • Huge cinnamon rolls and other baked goods
    • Famed fried potatoes

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 5. Dinosaur Brew Haus

    $

    This friendly joint serves higher quality food than your average sports pub, with an emphasis on burgers and sandwiches. Snack on peanuts and watch a game on one of the TVs while you wait for your food, or drop a coin in the jukebox and shoot some pool. For the kids, there's a small children's menu with cheap meal deals. The interior is fun and unfussy, with green-and-white checkerboard floors, wooden tables, and a bar you can sidle up to. 

    550 E. Main St., Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-781–0717

    Known For

    • Specialty burgers, including the "Brew Haus" with sliced corn beef
    • Good selection of local microbrews on tap
    • Excellent sweet potato fries
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Farlaino's Café

    $

    Found in a historic building along Main Street, this casual diner has the feel of an old-time soda fountain and serves up home-style American fare for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner (it closes at 7 pm). Full of local color, this has been the spot for big portions and low prices for decades. Sit at the counter or at a table, where you can read old newspaper clippings under the glass tops. Most lunch and dinner options come either à la carte or as a meal (with your choice of soup, salad, or their famed curly fries). 

    87 W. Main St., Price, Utah, 84501, USA
    435-637–9217

    Known For

    • Hand-cut curly fries
    • Giant pancakes
    • Low prices (great for families)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 7. Greek Streak

    $

    In what used to be a Greek coffeehouse in the early 1900s, this low-key café is a reminder of Price's strong Greek heritage. The menu features traditional recipes from Crete, including gyros and dolmades. The baklava and other desserts are among the best Greek pastries in the state.

    84 S. Carbon Ave., Price, Utah, 84501, USA
    435-637–1930

    Known For

    • Long-time local favorite
    • Baklava and other Greek pastries
    • Delicious lemon-rice soup

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 8. Groggs Pinnacle Brewing Company

    $$

    This small, casual pub between Helper and Price is out of the way but worth the drive for its huge selection of burgers, pizzas, salads, and steak-house favorites. Start your meal with one of the many appetizers, and make sure to try one of the craft beers on tap. This place has quite the following, so be prepared for a wait on busy nights.

    1653 N. Carbonville Rd., Helper, Utah, 84526, USA
    435-637–2924

    Known For

    • Tasty burgers in more than a dozen varieties (including its Rodeo Burger, with pulled pork added)
    • Microbrews on tap
    • Friendly, welcoming vibe
  • 9. Marion's Variety

    $

    Open since the 1930s, this family-run soda fountain is delightfully old-timey, with a black-and-white checkerboard floor and sparkly red stools. Many people come for the ice-cream treats, and there's also a pretty long list of burgers, sandwiches, and other diner staples. While there, you can buy knickknacks, crafts, and house-made preserves—and make sure to ask about Marion, the woman who started it all. 

    29 N. Main St., Roosevelt, Utah, 84066, USA
    435-722–2143

    Known For

    • Family business for four generations
    • Ice-cream sodas and thick shakes
    • Barbecue burgers marinated in a sweet, tangy sauce
  • 10. Marsha's Sammich Shop-N-Bakery

    $ | Coffee

    This casual downtown gathering spot is a great place to get a sense of what's going on in Helper, plus a cup of coffee and a homebaked treat (the cinnamon rolls, in particular, sell out early). Marsha, one of the town's many colorful characters, also serves made-to-order breakfasts, burgers, soups, and sandwiches until 6 pm.

    69 S. Main St., Helper, Utah, 84526, USA
    435-472–2253

    Known For

    • Delicious cinnamon rolls (especially when heated up)
    • Homemade soups
    • Sandwiches with homemade bread (all the turkey selections are especially popular)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 11. Plaza Mexicana

    $$

    Festive, colorful interiors and authentic Mexican specialties make Plaza Mexicana a sure bet if you need a break from Vernal's ubiquitous diners and steak houses. There are about 20 varieties of burritos to choose from, as well as a large selection of seafood options. While this isn't the cheapest Mexican food in the region, it's among the best.

    55 E. Main St., Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-781–2931

    Known For

    • Huge portions
    • Fantastic homemade salsas
    • Extensive menu
  • 12. Swain Brothers Restaurant

    $$$

    This spacious steak house right downtown has a gigantic menu, venturing far from your favorite cuts to pastas, seafood, and Mexican dishes. The atmosphere is hip, with friendly service, and there's a full bar with signature cocktails.

    29 S. Vernal Ave., Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-781–8700

    Known For

    • Fantastic prime rib and other steaks
    • Large portions
    • Weekend brunch
  • 13. Vernal Brewing Company

    $$

    One of the rare breweries in this corner of the state, this gastropub also stands out for its creative takes on pub favorites, including burgers, pizza, and sandwiches. Located downtown, the interior has a big-city warehouse feel, with large windows, tall ceilings, and exposed pipes. Choose from an array of VBC's craft beers brewed on-site, and even get a growler to go. For the kids, there's a varied children's menu and house-made sodas in several flavors.

    55 S. 500 E, Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-781–2337

    Known For

    • Innovative burger menu (try the "VBC," with candied bacon and onion marmalade)
    • Chicken skillet pie
    • Hip atmosphere

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 14. Club XS

    $$$
    Closed Permanently

    The atmosphere is odd at this combo nightclub and family steak house, but the steaks are the best in town, as locals will attest. Seafood, sandwiches, and salads are also available. Come for dinner and stay until 1 am for dancing.

    1080 E. Hwy. 40, Vernal, Utah, 84078, USA
    435-781–0122

    Known For

    • Amazing service
    • Signature steaks
    • Variety of cuisine and cultural choices

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
  • 15. El Salto Mexican Cafe

    $
    Closed Permanently

    Traditional Mexican specialties such as Navajo tacos, spicy or mellow chiles rellenos, smothered burritos, and horchata (a drink made of milk, rice, and cinnamon) make this one of the area's most popular restaurants. The interior does have the aesthetics and fluorescent lighting of a fast-food joint, but the food is the best Mexican in town.

    801 E. Main St., Price, Utah, 84501, USA
    435-637–6545

    Known For

    • Burn-your-mouth salsa
    • Helpful staff
    • Chili verde

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 16. Nicki Spaghetti

    $
    Closed Permanently

    In a welcome departure from the region's typical bar and grill fare, this restaurant serves traditional Italian dishes at very reasonable prices. The atmosphere evokes the Rat Pack era with a Sinatra soundtrack, black-and-white photographs of Bogart and gang, and a low-light ambience. The food is the real deal, using the chef's family recipes. As the story goes, when the chef was four years old, his mother whisked him and the recipes away from his East Coast mobster father (named Nicki Spaghetti) and headed west.

    40 W. Main St., Price, Utah, 84501, USA
    435-637–4393

    Known For

    • Family recipes
    • Traditional Italian

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch.

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