Summer has arrived at Deer Valley Resort. Wildflowers have replaced the snow and taken over the resort’s slopes and meadows. While most people know this place as a ski resort with great dining, summer’s menu is every bit as delectable. Swap powder turns for switchbacks and work up an appetite worthy of dinner on the deck and a classic cocktail.

Some resort restaurants close for the sunny summer months, but there are several excellent options open year-round. Here are a few of our favorite ways to satisfy our appetites during a day of hiking, biking, wildflower-wandering, standup paddleboarding, or simply reading page-turners by the pool.

Gourmet Picnic Baskets at the Snow Park Lodge: Music and a Meal

The Deer Valley Concert Series and the Deer Valley Music Festival make their home the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater at Deer Valley Resort during evenings all summer long. These shows are a favorite of Salt Lake and Park City locals. Visitors, especially first-timers, are in for a real treat.

(PRO TIP: Book the Deer Valley Concert Package and save up to 20% on lodging and concert tickets!)

It’s not unusual to get hungry during an evening show. Fortunately, the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater offers pre-made picnic bags with cheeses, breads, salads, meats, and sides for you to enjoy. You can even specify if you’d prefer a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or children’s option. Enjoy your meal while music fills the summer, twilight air. Just make sure to reserve yours online the day before.

The Royal Street Café: Come for the Crab Tower, Stay for the Blueberry Mojito

Located at the Silver Lake Lodge, the Royal Street Café is perched in the middle of the resort, geographically and elevation-wise. It’s the ideal stop after an active outdoor day. This sit-down restaurant also features a gorgeous outdoor deck—all the better for enjoying fresh mountain air.

Prioritize the fresh Dungeness crab tower, bedecked with avocado, tomato, spicy wontons, and a wasabi-soy-chile sauce. It’s a major crowd-pleaser, as is the restaurant’s signature blueberry mojito. It blends mint, lime, rum, lemonade, and of course, blueberries. It’s hard to think of a fresher pick-me-up on a balmy mountain day.

The Brass Tag: Where Everything is Touched by Brick Oven Flames

Situated in the scenic Lodges at Deer Valley, this upscale eatery relies on its centerpiece oven to prepare at least one component of each menu item. This process gives everything a little more local taste, enhanced by the season’s freshest ingredients. The Brass Tag’s location is particularly convenient for summer concert-goers. Evening shows are frequently held on the lawn at the nearby Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, and this place is a perfect stop for a bite and a drink before or after.

The oven-fired chimichurri chips are one must-have item. The fresh chips come out piping hot and topped with applewood bacon, scallions, and gruyère. After your entrée, save a little room for dessert. The skillet-cooked brownie is to die for. Along the way, sip a mountain-inspired cocktail—each drink on the menu is named after a part of the ski resort.

Deer Valley Grocery—Café: You’ll be Back

Don’t let the name fool you. This little spot is a thousand times better and tastier than what you’d expect from a grocery store. It features a full menu of items you can take on the go (for a picnic or a hike, or to heat up in your condo) and a sit-down menu you can enjoy on their picturesque lakeside deck.

The Grocery-Café caters to the active crowd. They open early to accommodate bikers’ and hikers’ breakfast needs—try the southwestern breakfast wrap or avocado and beet toast. They stay open for lunch and through the afternoon so hungry visitors can amble in for a wrap, salad, soup, tuna melt, or tacos. Naturally, there is a menu of wine, beer, and cocktails—because you shouldn’t go thirsty while eating next to a mountain lake. You can’t go wrong with the mimosa, especially if you request St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur in it.

The Silver Lake Snack Shack: Best for a Bite on the Move

The Silver Lake Lodge is at the center of Deer Valley’s trail network, so what better place for a quick grab-and-go lunch spot? The Silver Lake Snack Shack’s food is top-notch but low fuss. You can pick up a turkey BLT wrap, a Mediterranean veggie wrap, a plate of nachos, or a housemade jumbo cookie. We’ll assume you’ve earned it on the trail.

Originally written by RootsRated for Deer Valley.

Featured image provided by Deer Valley Resort