The Dish on New Restaurants
Though Easy Street and Zoom are closed for a major remodel taking place on lower Main Street, Park City’s dining scene is thriving. Former Goldener Hirsch chef and long-time Park City favorite, Jean-Louis Montecot opened Jean-Louis, his own, very “happening” restaurant and bar with an internationally eclectic menu in the former Renee’s location on Heber Avenue. Nearby, brothers T.K. and Brent Hill from Jackson Hole opened the Back Door Deli, featuring a 50-sandwich menu and Usinger’s meats.
Ben Farquharson, who says he grew up in a deli, just opened his second location, this time on Main Street. He says his Clockwork Deli isn’t strictly “west coast or east coast” style, but caters to Park City tastes with items like house-grilled tri-tip sandwiches slathered with Ben’s own apricot-jalapeno barbecue sauce. Atlantic Pizza and Deli took over the former Hot Harry’s location, and partners Cliff Scantland (formerly at Windy Ridge Café), George “Scooter” Forbes, Greg Staples and Heather Coulson say the Atlantic is the late-night place to go for east coast Italian — pizzas, subs and pastas — until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays, and midnight every other night but Sunday when everyone is home in bed by 10. Local restaurant mogul Bill White opened the Windy Ridge Bakery, featuring pastry chef Stephanie Krizman’s talents, right behind Windy Ridge Café. Up the hill at Deer Valley, the Glitretind Restaurant and the Troll Halen Lounge at Stein Eriksen Lodge are bigger and more posh than ever after major renovations.
At the other end of town, the new Squatters Roadhouse Grill (on the old Mt. Air Café site) serves breakfast, lunch and dinner along with mountain views and Squatters’ award-winning brews. While all the Squatters beer will still be brewed in Salt Lake City, the owners estimate they’ll be hauling 30 kegs a week to Park City. Caterer and now restaurateur Ilese Jaffa, has opened Good Thymes Bistro, offering fresh comfort food (think chicken pot pie, ribs, meatloaf and more) and a new home in the former Nick’s Greek Café location in Kimball Junction.
At Quarry Village, you can now go fishing for sushi at Aah Sushi or treat yourself to Mexican fare at Café Sabor. In Heber City, transplants Jolene and Vincent Esposito from Telluride, Colorado, have transformed the old Wagon Wheel Café into Spin Café. According to Jolene, the name indicates their “new spin on casual American food” while it plays homage to the old spinning Wagon Wheel sign (which is now a part of the restaurant’s modern/retro décor). The Espositos, who owned and operated an upscale Tuscan restaurant in Telluride for 13 years, will also feature daily fresh gelato. Around the corner in Midway, Zermatt Resort’s pastry shop — or, we should say, Backerei and Eis, has opened under the direction of executive pastry chef Aimee Altizer. Look for fresh gelato, fruit tarts, artisan breads and more. The resort’s Schneitter’s restaurant offers fresh alpine fare by chef John Kotas, Jr., including a unique, by-reservation (minimum six guests) Stammtisch, a convivial, traditional Austrian feast.
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