You are here

Reader Participation Day: Where Do You Find The Best Meals In, Or Near, The National Park System?

Share

When you visit Glacier National Park, don't miss a stop at the Park Cafe in St. Mary for a slice of pie!

Good food and national parks aren't always discussed in the same conversation, but there are some great meals to be had in the parks.

Places such as the Metate Room at Mesa Verde National Park or the Mammoth Springs Hotel in Yellowstone National Park can compete with many fine big-city restaurants.

But there are other lodge dining rooms that, well, still have a ways to go in terms of elevating their menus.

With that understood, which restaurants and meals in, or nearby, the national parks would you recommend to your friends?

For instance, I frequently recommend the Jailhouse Cafe in Moab, Utah, for breakfast before heading off into Arches or Canyonlands national parks, the Park Cafe in St. Mary, Montana, outside Glacier National Park lives by its motto -- Pie for Strength --, and when in Bar Harbor, Maine, during visits to Acadia National Park I've had some great meals at Cafe This Way.

So, what say you? What restaurants/dining rooms in, or nearby, national parks would you speak highly of? 

Comments

The Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil station in Lee Vining, CA, near the intersection of Hwy 395 and the Tioga Road (Hwy 120). Awesome food, views, and atmosphere! Also Savoury's Restaurant in downtown Mariposa, CA on Hwy 140. Delish!


Is the lemonade really that good, or simply appears that way after that long hike down to the ranch? (I quenched my thirst with it, too!)


Those last suggestions were for those traveling to Yosemite National Park. If you're traveling to Mesa Verde National Park or are visiting the Four Corners region, try Stonefish Sushi, The Farm Bistro, and Once Upon a Sandwich--all in the historic district of Main Street in Cortez, CO (the continuation of Hwy 160). Outstanding food at all three places. For a town of about 8,000 people, we are incredibly blessed with good eats!


Laurel, I, too, was amazed at the offerings at the Whoa Nellie Deli. And really, when you see that name, you have to stop anyway!


The best meal I have ever eaten at a National Park was the shrimp scampi at Flamingo.  Unfortunately it is gone now.


Huevos rancheros at the Bright Angel Lodge for breakfast (Grand Canyon), Ribs and homebrew sampler at Smoky Mountain Brewery (Duh), Trenton Bridge lobster pound (Acadia), and the very best...drumroll please....Mountain House freeze dried Chicken Teriyaki and a peach on Angels Landing (Zion)


Everything is better after being humbled (by the Canyon).  Did I say that, lol?


Erna's Elderberry House in Oakhurst was located there because the owner had an affinity for Yosemite. It's AAA Five Diamond rated and considered one of the best restaurants in California. In Yosemite, there's the Ahwahnee Hotel dining room, as well as the Mountain Room at Yosemite Lodge.

If your definition is expansive, then there are a host of places in San Francisco. There's Greens at Fort Mason in San Francisco, which is part of Golden Gate NRA. That is an extremely well known vegetarian restaurant and considered a pioneer in fine dining for vegetarians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greens_Restaurant


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.