2 Best Restaurants in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Background Illustration for Restaurants

When traveling in Yellowstone it's always a good idea to bring along a cooler—that way you can carry some snacks and lunch items for a picnic or break and not have to worry about making it to one of the more developed areas of the park, where all restaurants and cafeterias are managed by two competing companies (Xanterra and Delaware North). Generally you'll find burgers and sandwiches at cafeterias and full meals at restaurants. The entrée selection includes beef and chicken, game meats such as elk and bison, fish like salmon and trout, and there are kids-oriented offerings. At the several delis and general stores you can purchase picnic items, snacks, sandwiches, and desserts like fudge and ice cream. Considering the park's remoteness, the selection and quality are above average, but expect to pay more as well. Reservations are needed for dinner at the Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, and Grant Village dining rooms; during the summer reservations are recommended for all dining rooms.

Lake Hotel Dining Room

$$$$ | Lake Village Fodor's Choice

Opened in 1891, this double-colonnaded dining room off the lobby of the Lake Yellowstone Hotel is the park's most elegant dining spot, and with a menu that focuses on regional ingredients. Arrive early and enjoy a beverage and the view in the airy Reamer Lounge, which debuted as a sunroom in 1928. The dinner menu includes such enticing starters as a charcuterie sampler with Montana cheeses. Favorites among the main courses include steelhead trout with spring pea puree, and bone-in maple-glazed pork chops with an apple-cider vinaigrette. The wine list focuses on California and the Pacific Northwest. Reservations aren't needed for breakfast or lunch, but they're required for dinner; advanced dinner reservations of up to 30 days are available for anyone staying overnight in park lodging or campgrounds (60 days for guests staying at Lake Hotel). 

Old Faithful Inn Dining Room

$$$$ Fodor's Choice

The Old Faithful Inn's original dining room—designed by Robert Reamer in 1903 and expanded by him in 1927—has lodgepole-pine walls and ceiling beams and a giant volcanic rock fireplace. Note the whimsical etched-glass panels that separate the dining room from the Bear Pit Lounge; the images of partying animals were commissioned by Reamer in 1933 to celebrate the end of Prohibition. The dinner buffet favors quantity over quality, so it's wiser to order from the à la carte menu, which features dishes like wild sockeye salmon, New York strip steak, and pork osso buco, and at least a couple of vegetarian options.