Over a few short years, mountain dining has changed significantly at our resort. It began when Vail Resorts first began managing Canyons, remodeling the popular Cloud Dine restaurant and upgrading various menus at other locations on the mountain. After merging our resorts to become one, the same commitment to the on-mountain dining experience has been expanded across the entire resort with the introduction of the brand new Miners Camp restaurant, upgraded menus and the remodeled Red Pine Lodge. The day of soggy french fries and thin hamburger patties are over, Park City’s goal is to keep you fueled and healthy to ski all 7,300 acres without a mid-day slump.
For one day, I teamed up with Executive Chef Alex Malmburg to explore the various mountain restaurants. We’ve stuffed our faces and skied off the calories to provide you with our top recommendations for this winter. Enjoy.
Miners Camp
Feature Menu Item: Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin Sandwich
Walking in the door for my first time in the newly built 500 seat Miners Camp restaurant, I instantly felt like it was chow down hour back in the mining days. The camp is beautifully decorated with a rustic yet state of the art dining facility, featuring historic decorations from the old mining days. The menu is decorated by dishes like the house-made Artisan Focaccia Pizza, a Mediterranean bar serving gyros with locally sourced lamb and feta cheese and a fresh, made-to-order salad station. My recommendation: the Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin Sandwich. This sandwich is stacked high with slow roasted beef tenderloin that alone would be enough to exceed even the highest standards. The chef then adds pickled red onions, gruyere cheese, crispy pancetta, baby arugula and a garlic thyme aioli served on a ciabatta roll. Come hungry!
Red Pine Lodge
Feature Menu Item: Curry Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwich
I’ve always loved Red Pine Lodge specifically for their lesser known breakfast options. If not blitzing off the Red Pine Gondola for powder turns, stop in a try the breakfast burrito or bagel sandwich to keep you moving up the mountain in the morning. Two summers ago, this lodge made their appearance match their food quality by adding an additional 250 seats, a huge upstairs deck, and added a variety of other menu options. As soon as I unbuckled my boots, Chef Alex presented me one of the new options at Red Pine: a simple, made-to-order deli sandwich at their new deli counter. As an east coaster, I feel I have a pretty good grasp on what a deli sandwich should taste like and up until this day, I haven’t found a shop in town that delivered the goods until I bit into the Curry Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich. The Curry Chicken Banh Mi is made up of Sriracha Aioli, Vietnamese pickled vegetables, Thai basil, mint cilantro, chili peppers, and cucumber all served on a French baguette. I am very pleased with my newfound sandwich spot.
Legends Bar & Grill
Featured Menu Item: Wagyu Top Sirloin Steak
Situated in the PayDay plaza of the Park City Base Area, Legends Bar & Grill is a foodie’s dream. Legends is already known for an awesome après scene featuring crafted cocktails and a fantastic beer and wine selection. However, the amazing tastes waiting you to compliment the beverage of your choice are what I am here to tell you about. What goes better with a great cocktail to regale the day’s great ski experience, than an appetizer? One I was so lucky to enjoy was a flash fried cauliflower that could fool anyone into eating their vegetables. The chef marinates the cauliflower overnight in a tasty blend of flavors such as soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chili sauce. The dish is prepared for the fryer to pull all of the flavors together harmoniously. The sauce is one of the best I things I have ever tried, forget that it changes your mindset about eating your vegetables…you will want to eat every last one, believe me! Not too spicy, just right. They will go fast!
When you begin to realize it is now time for dinner, there is no need to go anywhere else. Legends offers one of the best chef-driven gastropub menus in town! I tried the Wagyu Top Sirloin Steak. It is amazingly tender and complimented well with a twice baked potato, grilled maitake mushrooms, and set on a bed of baby arugula tossed in preserved lemon vinaigrette meant to create a flavor profile that allows the diner to better experience the many wonderful flavors of the dish. Paired with a glass of red wine, you will be happy you stayed and enjoyed the warm, vibrant atmosphere.
The Farm
Featured Menu Item: Spätzle
Over a year ago, we were thrilled to announce Manual Rozehnal’s appointment to Executive Chef of The Farm. After spending a year with Chef Rozehnal on our team, we are even more excited going into his second season at The Farm. The Farm is known for its regionally sourced ingredients and Rozehnal has done a wonderful job incorporating his own flavor to an already fantastic menu. If you didn’t get a chance to try it last winter, we strongly recommend you try the Farm Spätzle. Inspired by Rozehnal’s Grandmother’s recipe originally served in a small village in the mountains of Germany, you will like it so much that you just might come back for more every night of your vacation.
Red Tail Grill
Featured menu Item: Spiced Pear Drop Cocktail
Red Tail Grill serves traditional tap house fare and is known for its booming après scene on a huge outdoor deck in the heart of Canyons Village. With over 16 beers on draft and a long list of specialty cocktails, guests can enjoy après dining surrounded by a bustling village filled with activities. New this season, manager and Mixologist Christopher Moore has added to the menu a Spiced Pear Drop Cocktail. Served in a martini glass rimmed with sugar, this clove infused pear vodka cocktail embraces the feeling of winter and après dining at its finest.
- Christie Johnson and Marc Glauser