This story is found in the summer 2019 edition of Park City Adventure Guide.
For some reason, food tastes better outdoors. Maybe it’s the fresh air, the scenery, or the company. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast on the patio, pause for a light lunch on the deck, or end a sumptuous dinner under the stars in Park City. The air is dry, the temperatures cool and the morning light is crisp. Clouds rise in white columns leaving wildflowers and rainbows behind before they light up with the sunset.
Fortunately, it seems like nearly every restaurant, café, and bistro is taking advantage of the season as they offer outdoor dining. It just feels right.
Main Street
Many restaurants on Main Street have patio seating, from Vinto at the bottom to the Wasatch Brew Pub at the top of the street. Café Terigo’s shaded patio midway up is cool and quiet and charming, and a favorite restaurant for many. On a hot day try out their salmon salad and a cold drink. Riverhorse has a 2nd floor deck, as do others, with a great view of Main Street, and the high mountain ridges. Their macada-mia-encrusted halibut is a signature dish. And then there’s the top deck at the No Name Saloon, the comfy benches in front of Java Cow or the sparkling terraces and magical gardens at Grappa.
Main Street Dining Decks
You can’t walk down Main Street without noticing the dining decks. It’s satellite seating in the middle of the action. It’s a place to see, and be seen, and have a fine meal. These decks add close to 2,000 additional square feet of dining space on Main, and since 2010 they have been a popular place to talk, drink, and eat. The decks seem to be everyone’s preference, says one waiter. You’ll find decks in front of Bandit’s, The Eating Establishment, Main Street Pizza Noodle, 501 on Main, Shabu, Flanagan’s and others.
Beyond Main Street
Off Main, there are some other great patios. Silver Star Cafe, nestled up against the mountains, has a perfect view in the evening, along with unique dishes. For a cold one and an appetizer, head to the roof at Boneyard Saloon, where you’ll be on top of the world. Windy Ridge Café is a hidden gem with a quiet, cool patio that seats at least 80. It’s certified pooch-friendly. A local’s favorite is the Deer Valley Grocery Café, whose deck sits at lakes’ edge where you can watch the ducks, stand-up paddleboarders, and fishermen.
On the mountain
Dining higher means dining cooler, and outdoor seating at the St. Regis is a perfect place to watch the sun go down and the town’s lights come up. Or head even higher to the Stein Eriksen deck for an exquisite, and comfortable, dinner. The Royal Street Café at Deer Valley Resort presents a perfect lunch; perfect for hungry bikers and hikers fresh off the mountain. At Park City Mountain, you can sip a signature margarita at Baja Cantina on the patio, or spend some time at Drafts Sports Pub at the Canyons Village for some killer nachos and a huge beer selection.
To the North
Maxwell’s East Coast Eatery is a favorite outdoor dining spot at Newpark in Kimball Junction. Enjoy an authentic pie as you take in the free tunes from the Newpark Amphitheater every Thursday evening. Billy Blanco’s, in Quarry Village, is an automotive junkie’s dream, with collector’s cars, great tacos, and an outdoor patio, again with live music.
For more stories from this edition, visit the Adventure Guide special section.