When you’re inside Zion National Park in Utah you can go to Zion Lodge and dine at the Red Rock Grille or the Castle Dome Cafe. However, if you’d like more options there are plenty of them just outside the park. Springdale, just south of the park has a number of restaurants, cafes, & bars where you can get good food. Some of the best restaurants near Zion National Park are listed here in this post.
This post will tell you where you can find good Mexican and American food, filling breakfasts, and all-day coffee. And you’ll also know where you can pick up wraps & sandwiches for your hikes. You’ll also see what places come with the spectacular sights that Zion is known for!
1. Bit & Spur Restaurant and Saloon
Bit & Spur started out as a bar in the 70s. Now, the roadside bar-turned restaurant is one of the most recommended places to eat near Zion National Park. First of all, it’s in an ideal location with views of some red rocks. And you might get to see some deer, too. It’s also a great place for sunsets or to watch the stars if you’re dining late.
The cuisine here is Southwestern and some of the best things to order here are the sweet-potato tamales, shrimp tacos, burritos, grilled chili-rubbed rib-eye steak, & stuffed jalapeños. So are the homemade guacamole & salsa! As for the drinks, ask for a margarita or sangria.
Bit & Spur Restaurant and Saloon is quite a busy place so you might have to do some waiting to eat here. However, you can have a drink while you wait for your table. If you’d like to eat late, it’s recommended that you make reservations.
2. Spotted Dog Cafe
Also in Springdale, offering the famous view of the region, and serving delicious food is Spotted Dog Cafe. This is also one of the best restaurants around Zion National Park that visitors make repeat visits to, sometimes even in the same trip.
Spotted Dog Cafe’s menu changes with the season as they try to stick to high-quality local produce & organic meats for the dishes cooked here. The food is American and the specials are lamb shank, crab cakes, trout coated with pumpkin seeds, & their wild game meatloaf. The cafe does serve vegetarian dishes, too. The house-made desserts such as crème brulee, cheesecake, & lava cake are also much talked about. The winelist here is also pretty good.
This place happens to be a perfect restaurant to watch the sunset. They have indoor as well as patio dining here. Placed inside Flanigan’s Inn, Spotted Dog Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, & dinner.
3. Whiptail Grill
If you’re looking at eating someplace where you’ll get the local feel, the restaurant to go to is a Mexican cantina-style restaurant called Whiptail Grill. The food here is highly recommended and the portions and prices are hard to beat, according to regulars here.
What to eat here is a long list of items, some of which are nachos, salsa, spaghetti squash enchiladas, tacos, burgers, Mexican pizza, & their famous chiles rellenos.
Opened in 2006, Whiptail Grill’s in a building that is over 50 years old and that used to be a gas station. The building is quite an attraction by itself. It also comes with red-rock views.
Whiptail Grill is quite a busy place so go prepared for a wait. The taste, the portions, and the prices will make the wait worth the while.
4. Oscar’s Cafe
Yet another one of the best restaurants around Zion National Park to find Mexican food is Oscar’s Cafe. This restaurant, also in Springdale, is known for its huge portions & its reasonable prices.
This quaint cafe selling great food in the middle of Southern-Utah scenery also comes with an interesting story. It’s said that the present owners once visited Zion, stopped here for food, and told the then owner that they’d be happy to buy the place if ever he wanted to sell it. And the very next day, the small eatery changed hands.
Today, 20 years later, it’s a larger place and has an extensive menu. If you’re wondering what to eat here some recommendations are flautas, sweet potato fries, enchiladas, & pork burritos. Oscar’s Cafe is also a breakfast favorite among visitors to Zion who say the food here is filling and just right for a day of hiking in the park. If you’re stopping for breakfast you have huevos Rrncheros, breakfast burritos, & green chili omelettes to consider.
Oscars, like the other restaurants listed above, is a busy place. However, you might find the lines moving fast. Even if you’re doing take out here, your service should be pretty fast.
5. MeMe’s Cafe
Here’s an all-day cafe that will also meet the needs of hikers. MeMe’s Cafe serves sandwiches, burgers, salads, and sweet & savory crepes. They serve gluten-free crepes, too.
At this cafe in the middle of Springdale, there’s indoor & outdoor seating. And the outdoor seating includes patio as well as lawn settings. And the service is friendly!
MeMe’s is family run and has been open since 2012.
6. Cafe Soleil
Another cafe recommendation as one of the best restaurants around Zion National Park area is Cafe Soleil, also in Springdale.
This place also has sandwiches and salads. You’ll find wraps, pastries, & pizza at Soleil. They are also open for breakfast & try to focus on organic ingredients and healthy options so if you’re on a plant-based diet, you might want to go here! They have vegan food, too. Their healthy options include cereal, oatmeal, & granola, too.
Located at the foot of red sandstone structures, this is a good place to pick up sandwiches for your hikes. They also sell Zion and Utah souvenirs here.
7. King’s Landing Bistro
King’s Landing Bistro is located in Driftwood Lodge and serves food from different cuisines. One of the most popular things here is their pretzel. Also much appreciated here are the local beer, cocktails, & the desserts.
Steak, pork, lamb, octopus dishes; they have them all. And the menu at King’s Landing Bistro changes with the season so the food is known for its freshness.
One of the biggest draws here is the view. Ask for patio seating to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings!
8. Deep Creek Coffee Company
One more cafe for the list of best restaurants around Zion National Park is Deep Creek Coffee Company. This place is known mainly for its coffees & teas, smoothies, pastries, & other baked items.
It’s good for breakfasts, too. They have Bagel Sandwiches, breakfast burritos, & waffles in the morning.
You can expect a crowd and some wait time here at Deep Creek Coffee Company.
9. Zion Pizza & Noodle Co
As the name says, Zion Pizza & Noodle Company has on its menu several pizzas & pastas. And it’s a pretty popular & busy place in Springdale.
Zion Pizza & Noodle Company is housed in a building that used to be a Mormon Church, giving it a unique charm. Otherwise, it’s a simple, casual restaurant that is also family-friendly. It’s also has patio seating that allows you to enjoy the rocky environment while you enjoy your food.
Things to try here include Thai chicken pizza & angel fire sticks, which are bread sticks that are sweet, spicy, & cheesy.
10. Switchback Grille
Switchback Grille is a contemporary restaurant near The Watchman (a rock formation in Zion National Park). It definitely earned it’s way onto the list of the best restaurants around Zion National Park!
They serve high-end bar food here. This grille is known for its steak & fish, desserts, & salads. Also, much talked about are the portions of the food served here. They are said to be huge and often good to share with another person. This place is vegetarian & vegan friendly, too. They also serve gluten-free food.
Switchback Grille scores high in the areas of taste, quality, service, & ambiance. This also seems to be a place that visitors to Zion go to to celebrate special occasions. Make sure you book your table before you go to Switchback.
