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In the southwestern corner of the state, reflecting the pioneer heritage of the region, traditional and contemporary American cuisines are most common, followed closely by those with Mexican and Southwestern influences. St. George and Springdale have the greatest number and diversity of dining options. Around St. George there are a number of restaurants that serve seafood; keep in mind that at nicer restaurants the fish is flown in daily from the West Coast; at the less expensive locales the fish is usually frozen. Because this is conservative Utah, don't presume a restaurant serves beer, much less wine or cocktails, especially in the smaller towns, and don’t be surprised if you are carded no matter what your age. Most restaurants are family-friendly, and dress tends to be casual.
You can watch your handmade artisanal pizza being pulled from the fires of the brick oven, then sit back and enjoy a seasonal pie layered with ingredients like house-made fennel sausage and wood-roasted cremini mushrooms. The creamy vanilla gelato layered with a balsamic reduction and sea salt is highly addictive.
One of the closest dining options to Capitol Reef National Park, this casual and lively pizza and barbecue place is located at The Rim Rock Inn, which has its own respectable but more expensive restaurant, but The Patio is perfect for tasty, reasonably priced food and beer after a long hike. Save room for the chunky homemade brownie with ice cream.
