Fresh air, open skies, and time outside is a magic flavor. It’s where a simple bite turns into a delectable morsel. Outdoor dining is central to life in the warmer months, yet the al fresco meals don’t have to end when the temperatures drop. Winter picnics are an ideal outdoor activity for off-piste days. Bundle up and leave the cooking to one of Park City’s restaurants specializing in winter-worthy feasts.
Hill’s Kitchen
Brooks Kirchheimer, a co-founder of Leave Room for Dessert Eateries, which owns Hill’s Kitchen, Hearth and Hill, and Urban Hill (SLC), knew Kimball Junction needed a trustworthy space for grab-and-go meals. “We felt that Park City needed a location that provides variety with fresh and creative food and beverage options. A place locals can trust and service that provides a welcoming tone every time you come in. We offer everything from your traditional coffee beverages to freshly made juices, boba tea, smoothies, acai bowls, delicious pastries, made-to-order egg dishes, frozen meals, and more,” he explains.
Cold weather outdoor dining demands something substantial, and Kirchheimer has seasonally appropriate recommendations. “You certainly want something warm and filling for a winter picnic. Guests will love our house-made pretzel or pretzel dog. Our house soups are the best! We also offer a hummus pack in our grab-and-go fridge and a variety of desserts to finish things off, all of which are made by our pastry team.”
Hill’s Kitchen is a couple hundred feet from the groomed 224 Connector Trail, which hugs the expanse of Swaner EcoCenter and Preserve. Meander the path to find a stunning vista of the preserve for a meal in solace.
Good Earth Market Café
When the Utah-grown natural food and supplement store Good Earth Markets acquired Fairweather Natural Foods in 2023, they chose to preserve the tastes and character of the beloved café. “The Fairweather Cafe was a local favorite in Park City for over 30 years,” explains Good Earth Market’s director of marketing, Spencer Pettit. “We immediately recognized that the simple, clean, and healthy options were right in line with our company values, and there is nothing else quite like it in the whole area. Locals love the affordable, made-from-scratch options that cater to specific dietary preferences and needs. Good Earth Markets is proud to carry the offering forward following the acquisition, preserving long-time favorites on the menu and making some exciting additions.”
Fairweather’s rotating daily stews are famous for being a quick, satisfying meal. “Most soup options are vegan or vegetarian, so they are packed with plant nutrition and are the perfect warm meal on a cold day,” says Pettit. Fresh vegan biscuits or homemade croutons are excellent companions to a hearty stew, or pair it with a freshly made sandwich or wrap for an even more satisfying meal. Browse the market to round out the feast with nearly any health-oriented accouterment: bottled drinks, café-made cookies and muffins, salty snacks, and fresh produce.
Good Earth Market and Café is a few steps off the Poison Creek Trail, which connects Prospector Square to Main Street. A short ramble on the paved path leads to City Park, with ample pavilions, tables, groves of trees, and spaces to relish a feast.
Nosh
When Jason and Katie Greenberg moved from New York City to Park City, they fell in love with the small-town vibe. Yet, they missed the diversity of big-city cuisine and were inspired to utilize their combined 30+ years as professional cooks to launch Nosh. “We decided to introduce our own unique take on Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine (which we’ve dubbed ‘Middle-terranean’) to the Park City food scene. This is a cuisine you can find in street stalls, carts, and high-end restaurants. We both love to eat this style of food and found that it naturally lends itself to providing healthy, vegetable-forward options,” Katie describes.
Nosh offers bowls and pitas for single diners, plus appetizers and platters ideal for sharing. “Our menu is diverse and offers plenty of options for varying tastes and most dietary restrictions,” Katie says while pointing out a perfect selection for a winter picnic. “One of our most popular items is the ‘Nosh Platter,’ a shareable (1-2 person) portion of many of our most popular offerings. This includes our classic hummus, spiced rice, pickled cabbage slaw, roasted veggies, small house salad, herbed falafel, pita, and your choice of protein (chicken, lamb, and beef kofta or a mix of any two). The vegetarian/vegan option adds extra veggies and falafel. Also included in all orders are yogurt sauce, tahini sauce, and house-made hot sauces.”
The Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail starts behind Nosh at White Pine Touring. Hop on the paved and groomed trails for a quiet saunter and look for an inviting bench or underneath a tree to relish the Middle-terranean spread.
