With a handle on tourism, religion, skiing, and outdoor adventures, Salt Lake City truly caters to a broad audience. To feed the millions of travelers that flood in annually to take advantage of the area’s thousands of acres of snow-covered slopes, the city developed a restaurant scene that secured its position as one of the nation’s top 30 foodie cities. The secret, though, is that this title is hotly contested by a nearby city with a population that’s not even a tenth of its size. Heber Valley and the city bearing its name sit about 40 miles outside of Salt Lake, its direct path cut off by the Wasatch Mountain State Park. Here, culinary wonders have sprouted, giving the City of the Saints a run for its money.
You wouldn’t describe Heber City as a well-known destination for travelers. But while it doesn’t draw the attention of Salt Lake and its access to outdoor thrills, once word gets out about what’s hiding in this ski country destination, it’s bound to attract larger crowds. Along with the outdoor fun of Nordic skiing and snow tubing near the Wasatch Mountain Range, Heber City is a world-class food mecca, filled with eateries serving up some of the best cuisine in Utah.
Come for the snowy entertainment, and stay for the locally owned and supplied restaurants and bakeries that could go up against any five-star establishment in Salt Lake City. But before getting lost in the flavorful offerings scattered around Heber City, it’s best to work up that appetite.
Building up an appetite outside of Heber City
Just 25 minutes north of the up-and-coming foodie city is picturesque Park City and the Deer Valley Resort. There, at 6,570 feet above sea level, the base of Deer Valley Resort gazes up at the 9,570-foot Empire summit. It’s a long and thrilling way down at this ski-only resort, which converts into a bike park when the snow melts away. No matter the season, the views are spectacular, and the adventures are doubly so. You can put your nerves to the test by tackling trails and slopes or take it easy by embarking on a gentle hike, taking part in the onsite culinary classes, or grabbing a seat for a concert or festival…