Alpine everything. That’s the trend for late summer and fall dining all along the Wasatch, and I’m officially all in on the mountain mania themed events in the works. What’s not to love about great alpine-inspired nosh, delicious European and domestic wines and brews, and settling in for cooler temps ahead? In this month’s roundup we’re spotlighting a few food events to keep in mind through September.
CAN’T MISS EVENTS THIS MONTH
Oktoberfest and alpine-adjacent beer events to get stoked about
In no particular order:
- Brian Head Resort Oktoberfest, weekends Sept. 5–20
- Deer Valley Mountain Beer Festival, Deer Valley Silver Lake Lodge, Sept. 19–20
- Brighton Not Oktoberfest, weekends and Labor Day through Oct. 11
- Snowbasin SnowWiesn Oktoberfest, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 18
- Snowbird Oktoberfest, weekends and Labor Day through Oct. 11
- At Bohemian Brewery, they celebrate the lagers of Bohemia (that’s part of the present-day Czech Republic and Bavaria) and traditional cuisine of the region 7 days a week, all year long.
Midweek pairings all month: Wednesday Wine & Dine at Cena, Deer Valley
Cena Ristorante at The Chateaux is one of my favorites of the many Deer Valley restaurants for aesthetic value alone, with the Italian-leaning wine list being equally laudable. The gorgeous dining room’s modern and natural elements evoke the clean, bright lines of an aspen forest and the food is absolutely dreamy. Plan to linger over this midweek 4-course tasting menu series that will be held every Wednesday night in September, with the menu changing each week to reflect what’s fresh. ($70 per person dining, $45 for wine pairings.) See details here or call 435-940-2200 to make a reservation.
Cena Ristorante. Photos by Darby Doyle.
Sept. 3: Alpine Wine Pairing Dinner at Glitretind, Deer Valley
This Alpine-themed wine pairing dinner is anticipated to be the first in a series, with space limited to a couple dozen diners for each dedicated seating at 6 p.m. who can expect to be wowed with some fabulous wine and food pairings. From the event description: “This exclusive evening will feature a five-course, curated dinner, with each course thoughtfully paired with wine selections hand-chosen by the Collections sommeliers. The menu includes salt-baked beets with Peekytoe crab, Spanish turbot, wild mushroom ragout, bison tenderloin, and a pistachio pain de Gênes to finish.” (See the full menu here.) Tickets are $175 per person, which includes food and wine pairings. Call 435-645-6455 to reserve your spot.
Sept. 4–5: Midway Swiss Days, Midway
Swiss food, culture and heritage have celebrated in style in charming Midway every Labor Day weekend for decades. Count on finding all your favorite Swiss-German treats and plenty of lederhosen-clad revelers. See the full schedule here.
Sept. 5: Alpine Terroir dinner at The Hirsch, Deer Valley
A visit to Goldener Hirsch is a special occasion in-and-of itself, and inevitably ends with me planning our next visit back to Berwang or Kitzbuhl. It embodies the charm of European mountain villages, along with the top resort experiences and exquisite cuisine those areas are known for. On the evening of Sept. 5, The Hirsch is hosting a much-anticipated visit from Chef Andreas Herbst of dahoam at Hotel Riederalm in Leogang, Austria. From the event press preview, attendees are in for a treat: “Holder of a Michelin star, a Green Michelin Star, and four toques from Gault & Millau, Chef Herbst is known for a cuisine where nothing is masked and nothing is wasted, pairing Utah’s late-summer harvest with Austrian products carried directly from his alpine kitchen, including his house-made garum, an ancient seasoning revived through months of slow fermentation. Each course is accompanied by a thoughtfully curated wine or mocktail pairing, included with the dining experience.” Tickets are $225 per person; event details and reservations here.
Sept. 7: Labor Day BBQ, Sundance Resort
From the Sundance Mountain Resort media alert: “Families and friends are invited to celebrate Labor Day and the end of summer with a BBQ at the Lookout. Savor the mouthwatering fusion of smoky, char-grilled delights, set against breathtaking views. $34 for guests 12 and up. $23 for guests ages 4 – 11. With each BBQ purchase, guests will receive a 50% discount on a scenic lift ride ticket.” This event will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and plan ahead for the all-weather-possible lift ride up the mountain. Reserve your tickets here.
Sept. 10–20: Utah State Fair, Salt Lake City
If you enjoy a fried foods festival that also happens to host carnival rides, a monster truck show, concerts, and a slew of other activities, then you’ve probably already got the Utah State Fair on your calendar. For a former 4-H kid like me, seeing our state’s livestock stewards, venerable vegetable growers and savvy home preservers show their stuff is the highlight of the whole shindig. Get into the spirit of competition yourself at one of the culinary arts categories or cookoffs and food contests. Or if you’d rather be on the sampling and judging side of things, from Sept. 10–13 buy some Fair Food Fight tickets ($25 each in addition to fair admission) to sample bites from a variety of vendors promoting their sweet and savory fair foods for your delectation and evaluation.
Sept. 13 and 27: St. Bernard’s wine dinners, Solitude Resort
Sundays up at Solitude have been downright delightful through the summer, and things are only looking better for the fall at St. Bernard’s. Case in point, the restaurant’s thoughtful wine pairing dinner series is continuing with a French-themed dinner on Sept. 13 ($110 dinner, $60 wine) and Italian dinner and wine menu on Sept. 27 ($70 dinner, $30 wine). Led by Yeti award-winning chef Matt Serna and sommelier/GM Jake Orion, this summer’s series has been a deservedly popular addition to the Wasatch Front dining scene. I went to the European-focused Alpine dinner earlier this summer and it was full-stop phenomenal, so I was bummed to see the Oct. 11 American Mountain West dinner has already sold out.
Solitude wine dinners. Photo by Darby Doyle.
Sept. 13–18: Eat Drink SLC’s “Savor the Week” spillover events
Although tickets for one of Salt Lake’s most coveted food and wine events, Eat Drink SLC, sold out weeks ago, the organizers have planned several Savor the Week tastings beyond Tracy Aviary’s two-night show. IMHO some of these more intimate events are a steal for being both casual and affordable, without the long-term planning pressure of attending EDSLC. Reserve your spot via the links highlighted for each hosting establishment:
- Sept. 15 (5–7 p.m.) Post Office Place and an exclusive trio of Willamette Valley wineries
- Sept. 15 (6–9 p.m.) East Liberty Tap House and BTG takeover with Browne Family Vineyards pairings and flights
- Sept. 15 (6 p.m.) Franck’s and five-pour Lorenza wine pairing dinner
- Sept. 18 (6–8 p.m.) Salt Lake Culinary Education and Communal Brands wine and cheese pairings
- Sept. 18, Brownstone 22 and Turley Wine Cellars pairings
Sept. 25: The Crafted Experience High West Edition, Grand Hyatt Deer Valley
For a fully immersive food and cocktail experience you’ll be thinking about for a while, peep the exclusive line-up of events curated by the talented team at Hidden Ace and Remington Hall. Led by hospitality maven and general manager Normandie Baylis, the culinary and cocktail teams are collaborating on a 6-course dinner and interactive cocktail experience featuring High West spirits and what looks to be a mind-blowing menu for the Sept. 25 tasting. Although most of this event series has been hosted in the speakeasy-esque Hidden Ace bar (they’ve all sold out fast!), the High West event will be held on the gorgeous Hailstone Terrace. Details and reservations here.
ICYMI
The new Knoops chocolate experience
Known for expertly crafted chocolate drinks of all sorts and temperatures, the U.K.-based phenomenon Knoops (pronunciation tip: it starts with a soft “k” then rhymes with the plural of “nope”) opened its first U.S. store in SLC’s 9th & 9th neighborhood last month. Snag one of their expertly crafted beverages to sip at the store or buy the raw materials to brew some up at home.
Michelin’s Utah and Southwest accolades
In recent news, six Salt Lake City eateries and three in Park City got word that they’d been tapped with prestigious Michelin nods, including Utah’s first Michelin star awarded to Monte in South Salt Lake. Find out who else made the list here.
Laziz Kitchen’s C9 location closing Sept. 20, now at Sugar House Station
In sad news, Sept. 20 will be the last day of operation for Laziz’s original location in the Central 9th neighborhood. On the bright side, you’ll still be able to get your kafta burger and zaatar fries fix at Sugar House Station.
Canopy Deer Valley officially opened doors at the new Deer Valley East Village
The Hilton property debuted four new culinary concepts under the direction of Executive Chef Scott Rackliff and with some collaborative weigh-in from Chef Daniele Uditi of LA’s acclaimed Pizzana. From their press intro, the new spots will be featuring the following offerings: “Tavolona: The flagship Italian trattoria offering regional classics like Crudo di Ricciola, handmade Agnolotti Ricotta e Spinaci, and wood-fired Funghi Pizza. Fornetto: A vibrant hotel crossroads serving up Venetian Cicchetti, handcrafted pizzas, and local Utah craft brews alongside live sports. Alpine Attic: A rooftop refuge with panoramic views, craft cocktails (like the Spaghetti Western), and elevated bites like a Duck Confit Sandwich on a pretzel bagel. Mountain Provisions: An all-day café celebrating Utah makers with artisanal coffee from Park City Roasters, fresh pastries, and chef-curated grab-and-go options.”
Culinary Dropout opening in September
From their presser hello: “Excited to announce that Culinary Dropout, the modern restaurant concept known for sharable plates, craft cocktails, and a passion for live music, will debut in Salt Lake City’s Granary District at 765 South 400 West, Suite #100 on Wednesday, September 2!” Formerly home to the historic Utah Pickle Company, the space is now rehabbed as a 10,000-square-foot restaurant, patio and live-music stage setup.
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