6 Best Restaurants in Zion National Park, Utah

Drop by this intimate and urbane bakery-café with an expansive patio for some of the tastiest breakfast and lunch fare for miles around, as well as fine espresso drinks, teas, raw juice blends, and a small but well-chosen selection of beer and wine. The Belgian–French-inspired menu features sweet (crepes with jam and delectable pastries) and savory dishes, with croque monsieur, salade Nicoise, and avocado-hummus-tomato panini standing out among the latter.

Ask to be seated on the patio—with dramatic views of the area's red rock monoliths—when dining at this casually stylish bistro at the popular Driftwood Lodge. The artfully presented cuisine tends toward creative American with Mediterranean influences—think king salmon with saffron couscous, roast chicken with artichoke-olive tapenade, and charred Spanish octopus with chorizo and baba ghanoush.

Folks have been known to drive for an hour or more to partake of the outstanding modern American and Asian fare served in this charmingly intimate dining room just off the lobby of the romantic Canyons Boutique Hotel in Kanab. The small-plates–focused menu here changes often according to what's fresh, but recent standouts have included a pork belly and watermelon salad, foraged mushrooms with artichokes and goat cheese, and seared duck-breast lo mein with sambal and jalapeño cream.

Relax after a rugged day of hiking with a flight of ales or a juicy elk burger in the beer garden of southern Utah's oldest craft beer maker, Zion Brewery, which is just steps from the park's southern entrance. The kitchen turns out excellent pub grub, such as stout-glazed buffalo meat loaf and beer-battered fish-and-chips, and there's live music most weekend evenings.

Next to the shuttle stop at Zion Lodge, this small, convenient, fast-food restaurant has a lovely shaded patio. You can grab a banana, burger, smoothie, or salad to go, order local brews from the Beer Garden cart, or enjoy a dish of ice cream while soaking up the views of the surrounding geological formations.

The dinner fare at this restaurant in Zion Lodge includes steaks, seafood, and Western specialties, such as pecan-encrusted trout and cheddar-jalapeño-topped bison cheeseburgers; salads, sandwiches, and hearty Navajo tacos are lunch highlights; and, for breakfast, you can partake of the plentiful buffet or order off the menu. Photos showcasing the surrounding landscape adorn the walls of the spacious dining room; enormous windows and a large patio (which can be buggy) take in the actual landscape.