by Hannah Wright
When you mention ‘Park City, UT’ to most people who don’t live in Utah and they’ll likely discuss Sundance, skiing, and expensive dining.  As a newer transplant to the state, I was one of those people.  In the two summers I’ve experienced as a resident, I’ve learned that Park City is just as much fun in the summer as it is in the winter and there actually are some places to dine that provide the upscale experience without an extravagant bill. Today I’m going to share one of those places with you, Deer Valley’s Grocery Cafe.
Among many of the exquisite food and fun offerings that Deer Valley has to offer, Deer Valley Grocery Cafe stands out as a great spot for locals and visitors to enjoy. The cafe not only offers Deer Valley favorites and local foods you can take with you to make at home, they also offer a casual yet true dining experience of Deer Valley. Recently, I had dinner on the deck at the Deer Valley Grocery-Café.  It was an evening of meeting new friends, sampling the “Mountain View” tapas (pictured above), and sipping wine pairings.  The food was all outstanding as was the comfortable atmosphere on their deck overlooking a serene pond and the slopes ahead. And if food and atmosphere wasn’t enough, try a cocktail in hand with all of that too.  I was able to try the “Flower & Pine,” Deer Valley’s specialty cocktail that won Park City Restaurant Association’s Spring Cocktail Contest.

I had such a good time that I suggested to my husband that we take my father-in-law to the Deer Valley Grocery-Café while he was visiting from Michigan. After walking up and down Main Street, it was nice to take a break and peruse the menu, deciding which delicious sandwich or Panini we wanted.  My husband, Phillip, is a burger fanatic and he was very excited to learn that the Grocery~Cafe has a BBQ grill menu on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  Not only are you able to customize a burger to your liking, but you are also provided with several condiment choices ranging from the traditional ketchup and barbeque sauce, to more unique offerings of fireside fig mustard and basil almond aioli.

After enjoying a lovely, quiet lunch we took the chair lifts up Bald Mountain.  The lifts are a great way to see the mountainside, especially if you’re like me and hiking up a mountain after a meal is not enjoyable.  During our ride we took pictures and discussed plans for our whole family to make future visits to Park City.

Whether you’re taking a break from sightseeing or grabbing a bite before one of the Deer Valley Music Festival Concerts, Deer Valley Grocery Café is a wonderful place to dine while in Park City.
Deer Valley Grocery~Cafe
breakfast • lunch • dinner • tapas • apres ski • gourmet groceries
Served  7:30am – 8:30pm
1375 Deer Valley Drive
Another great Deer Valley summer dining destination is Royal Street Cafe, located mid-mouintain at Silver Lake Lodge.