15 Best Restaurants in Park City and the Wasatch Back, Park City and the Southern Wasatch

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In a part of town where fast food reigns, Vessel Kitchen has a sustainable and healthy menu without sacrificing the fast-casual environment and reasonable prices. Here, you'll find hearty grain bowls, proteins such as braised beef and pork confit, and seasonal vegetables for sides. The high-quality ingredients are sourced locally from farms and purveyors across Utah.

It's hard to believe it's been more than 30 years since Wasatch became Park City's first brewery in the post-Prohibition era back in 1986. At the top of Main Street, this pub stays on top of its game with celebrated beers and down-to-earth yet elevated pub food. Sidle up to the bar for a mug of Polygamy Porter and a burger, or cozy up with the entire family in a booth. The menu is a step above regular pub food, with items such as house-made coconut shrimp, a buffalo burger with a Cajun remoulade sauce, and a side of tater tots (both sweet potato and regular) instead of your typical fries. Top it all off with a Brigham's root-beer float. In summer, grab an outside table for people-watching.

Don't overlook Windy Ridge because of its industrial park neighborhood—the dining room is warm and inviting, and the baked goods are delicious. Lighter appetites might fancy the homemade chicken noodle soup and a Southwest salad, or if you've spent the day skiing or biking, tackle the meat loaf or a rack of smoked ribs. It's well worth the short trip from Main Street for this affordable menu. Just be sure to save room for a pastry or two from the neighboring Bakery at Windy Ridge.

The name means "snow mountain" in Japanese, and the menu has a whirling blend of sushi, sashimi, and maki, as well as hot entrées, including noodle dishes. Observe sushi-making theatrics at the bar while they prepare the 84060 roll in homage to the local zip code, or retreat to the sunken seating of the tatami room. A simple interior—spiced up by a few colorful paintings—keeps the focus on the fresh fish creations.