42 Best Restaurants in Park City and the Southern Wasatch, Utah

Chef Arturo Flores will delight you with tantalizing dishes such as duck breast enchiladas, tortilla soup (his grandmother's recipe), a giant ahi tuna taco, or melt-off-the-bone spareribs in this upscale Southwestern restaurant. Order a house-made margarita (try the serrano margarita for an extra kick), and enjoy the cozy and intimate feel of this popular eatery. Star-shape lanterns illuminate the Mission-style terra-cotta tiles of this restaurant where the service is excellent and the menu is inspired. 

This cozy restaurant will feel a lot like a Sunday dinner around a large communal table, and you'll feel like you're part of the family. Meals are sourced from local food purveyors, like Payson Spring Ranch, which supplies live trout to the restaurant just hours before you sit down to eat. Chef Adam Cold is known for his devotion to local ingredients and the integrity of his butchering skills to bring the best cuts to the table whether it's a pork loin chop or the filet of a trout. There's an open kitchen at Communal, and the mantra is not to get in the way of a perfect ingredient like Snuck Farm carrots roasted simply with allspice. Don't miss the Saturday brunch with blueberry buttermilk pancakes, better than your childhood favorite.

After a day of playing in the snow, Empire Canyon Lodge's Fireside Dining is the perfect way to warm up as you eat in the timber-framed lodge surrounded by several stone fireplaces. You'll feel like a medieval lord as you go from fireplace to fireplace to be served hearty fare like veal stew, elk, or a slice of perfectly roasted lamb cooked over a spit. Feast in old-European style for hours and savor the raclette cheese melted by the fire paired with bread and charcuterie with house-made pickles, basil jam, and fig mustard. Wrap up the night with a dessert fondue of green apples dipped in white chocolate sauce made with Grand Marnier.

This breakfast and lunch hot spot offers up nourishing dishes that look and taste like works of art. The restaurant manages to pull in flavors from all over the globe while using Utah-sourced ingredients with an Aussie twist, a nod to the owners' roots. Yes, they serve Vegemite on toast topped with ripe avocados, but also Moroccan baked eggs with goat curd and dukkah (a spicy mix of pepper, hazelnuts, coriander, sesame seeds, and cumin) as well as fried chicken with apple and jalapeño slaw. Breakfast is served all day. Their coffee is not to be missed and especially their outstanding iced coffee, served Aussie style (with ice cream).

It may seem a bit out of place in the land-locked mountains of Utah, but this casual restaurant started as a food truck run by East Coast natives, then became so popular that a brick-and-mortar location opened in 2016. Lobsters are flown in fresh daily, and the lobster roll is now nationally recognized as the "World's Best Lobster Roll" after taking home the win at a competition in Portland, Maine, in 2017.

Handle was voted Best Restaurant in Park City in 2017 thanks to chef Briar Handly's inventive American dishes. Small plates make it easy to try everything, and you'll want to with dishes like buffalo cauliflower, smoked trout sausage, and the chef's famous fried chicken. The creative and knowledgeable bar staff will surprise you with inspired handcrafted cocktails. Save room for inventive, delectable desserts like the Handle Bar, made with local maple ice cream dipped in milk chocolate and topped with a brown butter crumble.

Started in 2017 by Brooks Kirchheimer, when he returned to his Park City hometown, this local favorite quickly became a hangout for those in search of comfort food and community. Built with floor-to-ceiling windows inside a modernized industrial space, the restaurant has plenty of elbow room, and the natural lighting and white-tiled open kitchen give the place a distinctive communal vibe. Locals love the H and H Burger with pimento cheese and served with a side of salt and pepper fries. 

Touted as the only ski-in, ski-out distillery in the world, High West Saloon sits at the base of Park City Mountain's Town Lift, serving hearty American fare with a locally focused menu that changes seasonally and delicious, handcrafted cocktails using the distillery's own whiskey and vodka. This lively restaurant and bar, housed in a historical home and livery, is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Head out to the distillery's newest location at Blue Sky Ranch, just outside of town, for a full distillery tour, lunch, and Sunday brunch.

Experience a rush of senses when you visit this fixture in Park City's culinary scene opened in 2015 by Robbie Stout and Anna Seear. Smell just-baked brownies with toasted Peruvian cocoa nibs and watch through an observation window as cocoa beans go into the factory's roll mill as a thick gritty paste, then come out smooth and flaky. Sample different chocolates, then take home a finished bar of smooth Old-World chocolate. Ritual makes small-batch chocolate by gently roasting single-source cocoa beans from sustainable farms around the world. The café's outdoor deck is a great place to feel alpine breezes while you drink a cup of sipping chocolate from your choice of regions: Madagascar, Peru, Ecuador, or Belize.

With two warehouse loft rooms, exposed wood beams, sleek furnishings, and original art, this award-winning restaurant feels like a big-city supper club where chef-owner Seth Adams pairs imaginative fresh food with a world-class wine list in this elegant—but ski-town relaxed—atmosphere. The menu changes seasonally, but look out for the braised buffalo short rib, pan-roasted tomahawk pork chop, or signature macadamia-nut-crusted Alaskan halibut.

Wood-oven pizzas, sizzling steaks, and spit-roasted chicken are among the hearty staples on the menu at this restaurant. Like the rest of Sundance, everything from the food presentation to the interior design is beautiful and fits right in with the eco-friendly, nature-first concept established by Redford. They're open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Sunday brunch.

It's easy to imagine that you're a personal guest of Robert Redford at this intimate, rustic restaurant with Western memorabilia from the actor's private collection. With its warm wood interior and natural light, this cozy restaurant is a great place to tuck into for hours to eat delicious food, listen to the creek nearby, and forget about your worries. Try the pepper steak, lamb tenderloin, or mushroom tagliatelle, and for dessert, berries with crème anglaise so good you'll want to drink it.

Southern comfort dishes with a sophisticated twist are lovingly crafted at this warm and inviting restaurant started by veteran Park City chef Matt Harris, formerly at J&G Grill and the St. Regis Bar. Favorite dishes include out-of-this-world flaky buttermilk biscuits with honey butter and their take on beef & barley: Niman Ranch beef with barley risotto. But you may also find deviled eggs, buttered heirloom carrots, or fritters on the menu. The global wine list is full of possibilities. Locals love the weekend brunch, especially the chicken and biscuit with black pepper gravy and an egg sunny side up.

Suitably named as this restaurant is the highest year-round restaurant in Park City, Apex is also at the top of its class for dining and service. For dinner, it transforms into a mountainside steak house. Diners will find more than a half-dozen cuts of beef from which to choose, all certified Black Angus and broiled on an ultrahot grill.

A local favorite, this establishment carries an eclectic menu that marries a surf-and-turf concept beautifully; the owners ship in fresh seafood daily (which is perhaps why their crab cakes are in such high demand), and charbroiled filet mignon are perfectly cooked to your liking. The sushi bar is always packed, especially during happy hour, which runs daily 5–6 pm, offering half-price select sushi and appetizers. Arrive a little early to order a glass of vino at the lively bar. When visiting in summer, make sure to grab a seat in the popular outdoor patio.

This family-friendly restaurant claims to have the best pizza and bagels in the state, and they may not be far off. The wood-fired pizza oven cooks to perfection, and bagel sandwiches, available throughout the day, hit the spot. Plentiful outdoor seating is a great way to enjoy the summer sun. The interior has many rooms, and brown paper tablecloths, with crayons provided, will entertain the kids.

This Main Street staple has delighted guests since the mid-1990s with a modern Italian menu in an airy café with the best patio in town. The restaurant serves well-prepared pasta and seafood dishes using only fresh ingredients for lunch and dinner. Good picks include the veal Bolognese with pappardelle pasta or herb-breaded Utah trout with citrus butter.

A welcome respite from chain fast food, this family-owned drive-in is loved by all the locals and serves the best shakes and burgers for miles around. Railroad artifacts line the walls, and an electric train entertains children as it passes over the booths.

An extension of the ski resort's famous culinary offerings, this gourmet grocery/café serves breakfast, lunch, and early dinner, and features menu items ranging from the famous Deer Valley turkey chili to shrimp tacos to a chicken tandoori wrap, and everything in between. The expansive outdoor deck provides waterfront alfresco dining and views of the ski resort. Stop in for a casual lunch after a hike, après-ski, or even to grab a gourmet picnic-to-go for a concert or a carrot cake cupcake for the road.

For quick and hearty traditional Mexican food, this popular place is perfect. Favorites are camarones a la diabla (spicy shrimp), chiles rellenos, and fish tacos. The smothered burritos are large enough to feed two, and there's plenty of Corona and Dos Equis to cool off even the spiciest items. The low-key atmosphere is part of the charm, and the salsa bar provides some of the best flavor in town.

At this lively establishment, dishes are cooked over an open flame, and antique leather chairs look out onto the open kitchen. Serving so-called heirloom American cuisine, the restaurant's seasonal, locally sourced menu changes frequently. Chef-owner John Murcko is no stranger to the Park City dining scene, as many of his local restaurants earned culinary fame in the past three decades, but Firewood is his first solo venture. The downstairs bar is not to be missed, with an industrial feel and a unique bar top finished with hundreds of nickels.

Beloved chef Zane Holmquist is the culinary king behind the restaurants within Stein Eriksen Lodge. Holmquist's inventive and soulful dishes are as much of a staple here as the wood trim, crisp white linens, crystal glasses, and fresh-cut flowers. In the summer, request a table on the deck for stunning sunset views. Try the juicy Stein's Burger, fresh halibut, or hearty wild game chili with buffalo, elk, and wild boar, and don't miss the amazing desserts. A wine cellar with more than 10,000 bottles that incorporates every major wine-growing region in the world is managed by the team of sommeliers, who can suggest the perfect pairing. Private wine seminars and tastings are available, too. You'll be tempted to make an all-day affair out of the famous Sunday brunch.

Heavy floor tiles, rustic bricks, and exposed timbers lend a warm, rustic farmhouse feel to this romantic spot. The menu offers appetizers, such as a grape-and-Gorgonzola salad with roasted walnuts, and hearty entrées, like Roman-style chicken, osso bucco, and horseradish-encrusted salmon.

The vegetarian-friendly fare includes cilantro-lime quesadillas and rice bowls; options for nonvegetarians include a Southwestern chipotle chicken wrap with a side of sweet-potato fries. An art deco portrait of Gandhi decorates one wall of this downtown hippie refuge; elsewhere you'll find metal sculptures and blue skyscapes.

Java Cow has long been a staple on Main Street. Stop in for a panini, a caffeine pick-me-up, or delicious ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Located between the Swaner Preserve and a swath of shops, this casual Italian eatery is popular with locals and welcomes the late-night crowd. Nearly 2 feet in diameter, the "Fat Kid" pizzas will remind you of something you might see in Brooklyn or the Bronx—the "Goodfella" veggie pizza or the "Italian Stallion" meat-lovers version. The house-made pastas and chicken Parmesan rival the pizzas as fan favorites. Sports fans enjoy the many TVs that always have games on. 

If you are looking for a place to grab a burger and delicious craft beer while your kids enjoy house-made mac-and-cheese, this roadhouse (formerly Squatters) is the spot. With a sleek and bustling brewpub vibe, it's a great place for either an evening out or a quick stop after a spin on your mountain bike to enjoy truffle fries and share a pint of pale ale.

With a name that comes from the ideal temperature for cooking pizza, the centerpiece of this bright, minimalist establishment is a wood-burning brick oven. Pizzas come topped with delectable items like speck (prosciutto) and soppressata (salami). The rest of the menu, which largely depends on produce and meats from nearby farmers and artisans, changes with the seasons. Try the braised beef short rib, and top off your meal with buttermilk panna cotta. Local art and quiet conversation make this intimate establishment a pleasant respite.

Belly up to the bar where the stools are made of old tractor seats, or sit down at one of the small tables and order a buffalo burger or a 20-ounce porterhouse steak, followed by a slice of pecan pie. The atmosphere is friendly in a rough-around-the-edges way, just like the early Mormon purported hit man Porter Rockwell after whom this place is named.