Park City’s dining community is once again inviting diners to sample new dishes with the 13th annual Dine About Park City.
Organized by the Park City Area Restaurant Association, the month-long promotion gives locals and visitors a chance to enjoy signature tastes of the area’s restaurants at special, wallet-friendly prices. Running Oct. 1 through 31, the annual program will feature 33 establishments this year, spanning casual cafés to fine dining destinations.
The promotion offers two-course lunches priced at $15, $20 or $25 per person, three-course dinners at $30, $45 or $65 and après specials for $20 that pair a cocktail with a small plate. The range of price points and dining styles is designed to highlight the variety of cuisines in Park City while giving diners flexibility to try new spots or return to longtime favorites.
The promotion has grown significantly since its beginnings more than a decade ago, said the restaurant association’s executive director, Ginger Wicks, a concept inspired by similar programs in other cities.
“Most cities call them ‘dine arounds.’ We call it a Dine About just to be different. And originally it was in August,” she said. “It originally was just a 10-day promotion, and then it grew to about two weeks. And then, actually, last year was the first year we ran it the entire month of October.”
Shifting the event to October is strategic, meant to provide a needed boost between the busy summer and winter seasons while giving diners another reason to enjoy the mountain town’s quieter, scenic shoulder season.
“It’s just such a beautiful time in the community to entice people to come up and see the fall colors and enjoy some amazing restaurants,” Wicks said
Wicks noted that participation is designed to be flexible, which helps attract a broad mix of restaurants. Each establishment can decide whether to offer deals for the entire month or for a shorter period within it, and the tiered pricing structure means everything from upscale dining rooms to casual pizzerias can take part.
The program has also expanded to include après offerings, which gives bars and beverage-focused venues a chance to join in.
“This is the second year that we have offered a cocktail and app category, which allows the bars to participate,” Wicks said. “We’re trying to always evolve and give all of our members the opportunity to participate, which then ultimately gives the community and visiting guests a lot of great dining options.”
To ensure the event is accessible, the restaurant association takes on all marketing responsibilities and builds out a dedicated website that organizes menus by restaurant and price point. That work is made possible through grants, allowing restaurants to participate at no additional cost beyond their association membership.
“You can see all the restaurants that are participating. You can see all the various different price points. You can sort by the price point, and then you can click on the menu and see what they’re offering,” said Wicks of their website. “So it’s super easy for a diner to find what they’re looking for.”
Last year, Wicks said the event brought more than 6,000 diners through restaurant doors to order from Dine About menus, directly supporting local businesses and their employees at a time of year when many restaurants would otherwise slow down.
“A lot of people, I would say, are taking advantage of it and enjoying it,” she said. “It’s become a sought-after promotion that people look for, which is, again, great for our community in a slower time. It’s great for the restaurants to obviously get the fall business. It’s great for them to be able to be busy and give their employees the hours.”
For restaurant owners, Dine About is as much about creativity and connection as it is about filling seats.
“The Park City Dine About has been a mainstay in the Park City dining scene for a long time and helps drive traffic to restaurants during a perfect time of year where the leaves are changing and the views could not be better,” said Brooks Kirchheimer, owner of Hill Top Hospitality, which includes Hearth and Hill.
Hearth and Hill is participating again this year in the three-course meal category at $45, featuring their globally inspired comfort food. Kirchheimer said it gives their chef teams another avenue for experimentation.
“This promotion allows the dining community to get creative with their offerings and really showcase who they are,” he said. “It is really awesome how the Dine About stretches from Deer Valley to Kimball Junction and everywhere in between.”
For longtime participants like Shabu, the promotion has also become a way to give back to loyal customers.
“Shabu participates because we value our local customers and want to give back to them,” said Kevin Valaika, co-owner of Shabu. “Shabu has participated since the creation of the event. Over the years more options have been provided to accommodate the variety of restaurants we have in Park City.”
Shabu is at two decades serving their Asian fusion cuisine on Main Street. For Dine About, they are offering a four-course dinner for the whole month at the $65 price point.
Unlike previous years, HANDLE will be joining in on Dine About with dinner and après options, said its general manager, Ryan Espaillat. Usually closed during the month of October, the popular restaurant has decided to stay open for service leading up to the winter and will offer a three-course dinner also at the $65 price point.
“The Dine About is a great way to engage with locals who support us year round and before the winter season arrives,” said Espaillat. “It (also) brings people in who may not come in otherwise. Whether they’re wanting to avoid the crowds or that they are looking for a great value.”
He said that their team is especially excited about the après option, now in its second year. HANDLE’s bartenders have won the restaurant association’s summer cocktail contest in three of the past four years, so this promotion further incentivizes diners to sample their bar.
Other restaurants in this year’s Dine About lineup spans cuisines and styles across Park City. Higher-end restaurants such as 350 Main, Pine Cone Ridge and Courchevel Bistro are serving $65 dinners showcasing elevated American and French-inspired menus. Midrange options include Versante Hearth + Bar and Don Gallo with three-course meals at $45, and more casual spots like 501 on Main and Este Pizza Park City are highlighting approachable dishes at lunch and dinner price points.
Daytime diners will find lighter fare at Deer Valley Café, Luna’s Kitchen, Star Bar and Sushi Blue, while après-goers can head to bars like Alpine Distilling’s Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Flanagan’s on Main and Old Town Cellars for $20 cocktails and small bites.
See the full list attached. To view menus and make reservations, visit the Park City Area Restaurants Association website: parkcityrestaurants.com/dine-about-park-city.
Lunch + Dinner
- 501 on Main — Oct. 1-26
- 7880 Club at Stein Eriksen Residences — Oct. 1-26
- Bangkok Thai on Main — Oct. 1-31
- Don Gallo — Oct. 1-31
- Este Pizza Park City — Oct. 1-31
- Hearth and Hill — Oct. 1-31
- Le Depot — Oct. 1-31
- Powder Restaurant & Bar at Waldorf Astoria Park City — Oct. 3-31
- Silver Star Café — Oct. 1-31
- Union Patisserie — Oct. 1-31
Lunch only
- Deer Valley Café — Oct. 1-31
- Luna’s Kitchen — Oct. 1-31
- Big Dipper — Oct. 1-31
- Sushi Blue — Oct. 1-31
Dinner only
- 350 Main — Oct. 1-31
- Café Treigo — Oct. 1-25
- Chimayo — Oct. 1-31
- Courchevel Bistro – Oct. 1-25
- Fletcher’s Park City — Oct. 2-25
- Ghidotti’s — Oct. 1-31
- Grappa — Oct. 1-31
- Grub Steak — Oct. 1-31
- KITA — Oct. 1-31
- Pine Cone Ridge — Oct. 1-31
- Purple Sage — Oct. 1-25
- Shabu — Oct. 1-25
- Twisted Fern — Oct. 10-25
- Windy Ridge Café — Oct. 1-31
Dinner + après
- Handle — Oct. 1-31
- Versante Hearth + Bar — Oct. 1-31
Après only
- Alpine Distilling’s Park City Social Aid & Pleasure Club — Oct. 1-31
- Flanagan’s on Main — Oct. 1-31
- Old Town Cellars — Oct. 1-25