21 Best Restaurants in Southwestern Utah, Utah

This cheerful food truck, which doles out superb burgers with imaginative toppings, along with fries and soft drinks, parks in different parts of Torrey (often beside The Chuckwagon hotel)—check their Facebook page for the latest hours and address. Favorites among these over-the-top creations include the burger topped with gooey mac-and-cheese, smoked bacon, coal-roasted green chilies, and whole grain mustard; and another slathered with pulled pork, cream cheese, pickled jalapeños, and barbecue sauce. 

You can watch your handmade artisanal pizza being pulled from the fires of the brick oven, then sit back and enjoy a seasonal pie layered with ingredients like house-made fennel sausage and wood-roasted cremini mushrooms. The creamy vanilla gelato layered with a balsamic reduction and sea salt is highly addictive.

Husband and husband Joseph Shumway and A. C. Ivory operate this hip artisan ice cream shop adjacent to the Wild Rabbit Cafe and Shooke Coffee Roasters along with the small regenerative farm in nearby Bicknell where they source some of their ingredients. Some of the interesting flavors include dark chocolate–mint, juniper berry, and mango-chili-lime.

Stop by this cheerful coffeehouse with hanging plants and several tables on a spacious side patio to fuel up before your big park adventure or to grab some healthy sustenance for later. Hearty acai and miso-quinoa bowls, toast with goat cheese and fresh strawberries, bagels with the requisite schmears, breakfast burritos, and house-made granola are among the tasty offerings. There's also a nice selection of camp mugs, travel tumblers, and coffee-related gifts.

This warm and inviting log cabin–style restaurant—operated by a popular tour operator that also runs a camp store and cabin and camping compound—is a great place to sit back and relax after a day of hiking, fly-fishing, or road-tripping. Try one of the creatively topped pizzas, a veggie sandwich, or an apple-pecan-arugula salad, or drop in for a well-crafted (Fair Trade) coffee and a light breakfast to kick off the day.

This hip sidewalk café and bakery on the ground floor of a downtown St. George apartment building is a pleasing option for both decadent sweets—think passionfruit-coconut–glazed doughnuts and blood-orange tarts—and filling sandwiches on crusty house-baked breads. Notable drink options include brown sugar–cinnamon lattes and high-octane cold brews.

This casually hip, counter-service restaurant with picnic tables outfitted with big rolls of paper towels serves tender pulled pork, smoked chicken, and beef brisket barbecue, along with classic sides like mac-and-cheese, baked beans, potato salad, and cornbread. You can enjoy your barbecue as a platter or sandwich, or take things to another level and try it smothered over nachos or in a loaded baked potato. No alcohol.

This fun stop along scenic Highway 12, 13 miles east of Escalante, was constructed by the late artist and inventor Bradshaw Bowman, who began building it when he was in his eighties and spent two years finding and transporting the 13 Douglas-fir logs surrounding the structure. The distinctive eatery with amazing views serves a daily-changing array of made-from-scratch soups, bagel sandwiches, tamales, oatmeal pancakes, salads, and decadent desserts, plus exceptional coffee and espresso drinks. Open from March through October, the café also rents two overnight accommodations in a nearby cabin.

Drop by this airy, contemporary, downtown coffeehouse—which adjoins a yoga studio that offers a wide range of classes—for the best espresso drinks in town, including bourbon barrel–aged cold brew and crème brûlée cappuccinos. There's also an extensive menu of flavored lemonades and fresh-squeezed juices, plus tasty breakfast items like blackberry parfait and chai oatmeal.

Head to this local chainlet's light-filled, high-ceilinged east side location—near the Virgin River bike and jogging trail—for well-crafted coffees, teas, and lemonades as well as an assortment of tasty, generally healthy, dishes. Start the day with some BLT avocado toast or a turmeric-tofu scramble, and for lunch, try the harvest berry salad. Additional locations are in Ancestor Square and Springdale.

This quirky food truck–style café beside Canyons of Escalante RV Park doles out filling and flavorful Mexican and Southwestern standbys, including prodigious chicken or beef burritos with Oaxacan and Jack cheese and house-made green salsa, and seasoned-cod tacos with aioli. There's ample seating on the cheerful patio. Alcohol isn't served, but there is a nice array of zero-booze drinks, from lemonade to horchata.

A reliable standby for tasty Mexican-American fare since 1993, this humble spot serves affordable, no-nonsense food that can be quite spicy if requested. Specialties include pork tortas, massive burritos smothered in red or green sauce, and shrimp enchiladas. There's a good kids' menu, too.

At this funky, updated downtown take on a burger joint, the brick walls are hung with local art for sale. Creatively topped beef and veggie burgers are offered, plus breakfast burritos, several varieties of quinoa salad, and thick milkshakes. Choose from a long list of toppings and sides, like sauerkraut, sriracha mayo, pineapple relish, and kimchi for your meal.

Dive into one of the hefty burgers at this local fast-food spot set in a low-slung mid-century building on Main Street—there's no indoor seating, just order at the counter and enjoy your meal at one of the green picnic tables. Bison, beef, and veggie patties are available, along with beer-battered-cod baskets, corn dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, and homemade ice cream and shakes.

Notable for its big patio with fantastic views into the park and for one of the better selections of vegan and vegetarian dishes in town, this funky little café decorated with colorful artwork serves plenty of tasty meat and egg dishes, too. The grilled ham Benedict has plenty of fans, as do buffalo burgers with Havarti cheese and apple-pear-berry salads with organic greens, feta, and walnuts.

What you could easily mistake for a classic diner with its black-and-white-checkered floor and green-vinyl seats is actually one of the few restaurants in the state specializing in boldly flavored cuisine of the Andes. At this friendly café across from the downtown Hurricane's civic park, enjoy classics like grilled rotisserie chicken with Peruvian spices and chilies, Venezuelan arepas stuffed with shredded beef, and fried rice with seasoned ham, eggs, and vegetables. Alcohol isn't served, but there is a selection of seasonal fruit juices.

Don't be fooled by the name—coffee and tea are the only brews here, but pastries aren't the only thing on the menu. Build a sandwich of meat, egg, cheese, and more on a freshly baked bagel, croissant, artisan bread, or one of four flavors of wraps. For dinner, chicken, steak, quesadilla, and tostada are added to the menu. Enjoy your meal in the spacious dining room or people-watch from the outdoor patio.

Festival-goers, take note: This is the best bet for a late-night bite after the show.

One of the closest dining options to Capitol Reef National Park, this casual and lively pizza and barbecue place is located at The Rim Rock Inn, which has its own respectable but more expensive restaurant, but The Patio is perfect for tasty, reasonably priced food and beer after a long hike. Save room for the chunky homemade brownie with ice cream.

With bird's-egg-blue cuckoo clocks and light-hearted Victorian-theme prints on the walls, this café in St. George's historic downtown is all about whimsy and fun, right down to the to-die-for homemade cupcakes, such as orange blossom and chocolate espresso. Lunch offerings include pastas, panini, deli sandwiches, and salads. You can also order a panino for breakfast, which is served until noon, though most people opt for buttermilk pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, or a frittata or other egg dish.

Torrey's best little source of fair-trade organic coffee and fresh-baked pastries is a terrific go-to for breakfast or lunch before you head to the Capitol Reef. Consider pancakes with fresh fruit, buttermilk biscuits with black-peppered gravy, and bagels with smoked trout and capers. Don't overlook the feathery-light orange–honey blossom and blueberry scones.