5 Bites Of Park City, Utah
Famous for its snowcapped mountains, outdoor sports, and the Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah is also packed with top-notch restaurants and bars. This former mining town gave way to skiing in the 1950s, transforming the area into one of the world's premiere winter sport destinations and, more recently, a gastronomic getaway. Here's how to eat like a local in Park City, Utah.
Brunch
Go on a culinary journey at Chef Matt Harris' tupelo on historic Main Street. Named after the tupelo trees whose blossoms produce honey and reflects Harris' adaptation of his Southern roots to the Beehive State, the menu is inspired by Harris' travels and dishes are made from artisanal ingredients sourced during these trips. Brunch starters like roasted mushroom toast with farmer's cheese and sunnyside egg; house-made ricotta with olive oil bread, pickled berries, and basil oil; and mains like "chicken & biscuits" with crispy chicken, open faced kimchi biscuit, scrambled eggs, and pepper gravy; and the buttermilk waffle with apricots, lemon curd, and whipped cream all pair well with tupelo's Bloody Mary Bar, an expansive spread of cocktail garnishes that could be mistaken for a buffet. From standard Bloody Mary garnishes like green olives, lemons, limes, blue cheese, onions, salt, Black Sea salt, and celery salt to the unusual like grilled pancetta, pickled Shishito peppers, and kimchi, there is something for everyone here.
Lunch
Overlooking a golf course and steps from the slopes, the patio of the casual Silver Star Café is packed with locals in the summer months and its comfy, cozy dining room is a respite from the elements the rest of the year. Its popularity continues to grow among locals and tourists since being featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — however, Silver Star Café is more local hangout than a diner, and it's certainly not a drive-in or a dive. The kitchen team handcrafts American "roots" cuisine with a menu featuring regional comfort food that has been updated and refined. Standout dishes include the pork osso bucco with Niman Ranch pork shank, fresh tomatillo salsa, coconut creamed corn, and queso fresco; vegetarian wild mushroom stroganoff with braised wild seasonal mushrooms, house-made herbed Spatzle, cipollini onions, kalets, mushroom jus, house-made creme fraiche, and lemon zest; and boneless buttermilk fried chicken with charred green beans, pickled green tomatoes, and mango-chili glaze.
Dinner
If you've timed your visit right, book a seat at one of the summer Saturday night prix fixe dinners at the three-table The Nelson Cottage by High West Distillery. Chef Ashley Chapman goes shopping at the weekly farmers market and incorporates fresh local ingredients into farm-to-table dishes that are paired with whiskey from the distillery, an exceptional bar ranked No. 10 on our list of the 150 best bars in America — which is also worth a visit. The three-course dinner begins with an individual appetizer, followed by entrees served family-style, and finished with individually portioned desserts, all expertly paired with straight and light whiskeys. A recent menu began with warm spring pea soup with confit Kennebec potato, smoked egg yolk, and Parmesan paired with High West 14-year Light Whiskey. Entrees included a grilled prime New York Strip dry aged in-house for 124 days; wahoo loin steamed with lemon and dill in parchment; Cooper Moose Farm salad with greens, watermelon radishes, compressed cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, fennel, goat cheese, and silver whiskey vinaigrette; roasted heirloom carrots, golden beets, fennel, and Brussels sprouts; and classic potato salad made with marbled potatoes, red onion, and sour cream paired with High West Double Rye & High West American Prairie. The $75 dinner concluded with roasted strawberry gelato with macerated strawberries, brioche croutons, poppy meringue, and six-year barrel aged balsamic vinegar paired with High West Silver Oat Whiskey.
Dessert
Owned by Bill White — a restaurateur who is a local celebrity for his beloved and well renowned portfolio of restaurants (and farm!) that include Ghidotti's, Grappa, Chimayo, Wahso, Sushi Blue, and Billy Blanco's — Windy Ridge Bakery was first a bakery that only served the needs of White's restaurants. In November 2015, the bakery moved adjacent to local lunch joint Windy Ridge Café (into what was once a storage space for the restaurant group) and began selling baked goods to the public. While the bakery still prepares fresh bread and desserts daily to supply White's restaurants, Windy Ridge Bakery also sells pastries like hand-rolled cookies, lemon bars, breads, croissants, and prepared and frozen meals like quiche, soups, and potpies to locals and visitors, who can quickly reheat the hearty meals at home or in their rented ski homes.
Drink
The bar that has been "helping people forget their names since 1903" is a storied part of Park City's historic Main Street. Housed in a historic Spanish Colonial revival building, the popular bar formerly housed Utah Power & Light Company offices, a bowling alley, and a liquor store before it became The Alamo, a popular watering hole for miners. Today, the No Name Saloon & Grill is a must-visit. You can't leave Park City without having a shotski, shots of your favorite liquor attached to a ski or snowboard. Grab some friends (or make some new ones) and knock back some liquid courage.