World-class skiing? Of course. Endless natural beauty? For sure. Unplugging and unwinding? Definitely. But did you know that Park City’s Montage Deer Valley is also a top-notch destination for some serious wining and dining? With its close relationship with local farmers and purveyors, the resort is a glowing example of farm-to-table deliciousness.

 

Apex

There are few things more blissful than sipping a steaming latte to warm your bones while a blanket of white snow awaits you outside. This is a regular occurrence at Montage Deer Valley’s Apex restaurant. Though hearty favorites like brioche French toast and huevos rancheros fill the menu, the smashed avocado toast is not to be missed. The dish—which is so gorgeous, it deserves its own Instagram handle—features crispy honey-sunflower toast with avocado and a poached egg. The real fanfare comes next with the toast’s gorgeous crown of lightly dressed local greens and oven-dried grapes.

Come sundown, Apex transforms in a cozy, dimly lit steakhouse setting, with a roaring fireplace acting as the centerpiece. The kind of place you’d be just as comfortable in your après-ski gear as you would in a tie. To really wake up the taste buds, the coriander-crusted Utah pork belly is a true treat, with an incredible and fragrant banana vindaloo, oven-dried grapes, verjus reduction and chicharrónes. For a light kickoff to the meal, the salt-roasted baby beets are as fresh and flavorful as they get, paired with house-made goat milk ricotta, red beet-cranberry purée and those delicate farm-fresh greens that paired with the avo toast at breakfast.        

Chicken schnitzel

Though you can’t go wrong with a glorious steak cut (there are nearly 10 to choose from), chicken at Apex is basically the bird at it’s best. If you’re stopping in for lunch, the chicken schnitzel, with herb spätzle, cinnamon-accented braised red cabbage and lemon-caper butter, is so celebrated that it might cause a riot if it were to be discontinued. Come dinner, Joyce Farms poulet rouge, with whipped potatoes and preserved lemon broccolini, is the definition of elevated comfort food. Seafoodie? The Maine lobster risotto with leek fondue, sweet corn, confit tomatoes, pancetta and pecorino romano is warm, creamy and doesn’t hold back on the lobster goodness.

Now, dessert at Montage Deer Valley is the stuff of legends—the carrot cake, in particular. Executive Pastry Chef Stephen Jones happened upon his famous recipe on accident. Jones says he didn’t have a grater for the carrots at the time, so he opted to use a juicer and incorporated the fresh juice into the recipe. The result was a gorgeous orange confection, and the rest is history. The carrot cake is only listed on the in-room dining list, though those in the know can order it at any of the dining venues.

Shake Your Bon Bon: You know what else Chef Jones is known for? The incredible bon-bons that guests can purchase at Buzz, the on-site coffee shop, or wait until turndown when they grace the bedside table. In fact, Chef says that the resort is California chocolatier Guittard's biggest client.

 

Daly’s Pub & Rec

With its endless entertainment, big-screen TV’s at every turn and selection of comfort food classics, it’s easy to play the day away at Daly’s Pub & Rec. Daly’s features its own bowling alley for guests of all ages to enjoy, as well as bar shuffleboard, darts and vintage arcade games. Since a game of darts simply isn’t the same without a cold one in hand, Daly’s serves up a selection of local craft beers by the bottle and on draught, with faves being the Park City Brewery Last Pitch IPA. Though game-day grub like burgers, wings, pizzas and nachos (which are delicious!) are up for grabs, the grilled watermelon salad, carrot-miso soup and roasted shishito peppers are out-of-the-box standouts.

Spa Moment: Spa Montage Deer Valley happens to be the largest spa in Utah and makes the perfect spot for a little reprieve from outdoor fun—or bowling at Daly’s. Hit up the heated lap pool, take a breather in the eucalyptus inhalation room or soak up the sauna.

 

Burgers & Bourbon

Though Utah has long raised eyebrows from its unique liquor laws, some have been modernized as of late—perfect timing, as Park City, like much of the country, is undergoing a whiskey boom. And the perfect spot to kick one back is Burgers & Bourbon. The restaurant is home to more than 200 bourbons and whiskeys. Dave Wallace, the resort’s beverage director, even says that the resort carries options from each of the top-producing countries, including on-trend Japanese whiskey. Wallace also notes that there has been a revival is classic cocktails, which can be appreciated in Montage Deer Valley’s newest cocktail lineup (the menu, in fact, will be rolled out at all Montage properties to ensure that classic cocktails are kept just that—classic).

To get a taste of what the area has to offer, a flight of local whiskey from High West is a must. The Side Bar, with Midnight Moon moonshine, Cointreau, lemon and sugar, as well as the Brown Derby, a simple but scrumptious lineup of Woodford Reserve bourbon, honey and grapefruit, are also tasty testaments to the whiskey and bourbon revival.

As well as they do cocktails, Burgers & Bourbon stays true to its name with incredible burgers as well. The Classic, with Gold Creed Farms aged cheddar, is a no-frills, keeping-it-classic winner, topped with a pillow-soft bun. The Southwestern kicks it up a notch with hatch green chile, Oaxaca cheese and guacamole. On the side, the truffle parmesan fries are sinfully delicious.

The S’More You Know: A beloved tradition at Montage Deer Valley is s’mores around the roaring fire. At around sundown, the firepit outside of Burgers & Bourbon hosts a veritable smorgasbord of s’mores accoutrements. Think several flavors of homemade mallows, both milk and dark chocolate bars and, of course, hot cocoa to wash it all down.

 

Library

Sticking to its selection of incredible restaurants isn’t the only way to get a bite out of Montage Deer Valley. The resort is known for its incredible group business offerings, including eats and drinks that have guests looking forward to their conference-room lunch and an incredible lineup of fun to be had.

Year-round, the resort offers amenities and activities to satisfy any group and of any size, whether for a retreat or a business conference. The warm-weather months make way for the likes of biking, hiking and archery while the powder-coated winter months means plenty of opportunity to hit the slopes or cozy up for indoor activities (how about Chef Christian Ojeda perform a fun- and info-filled cooking demo of that famed chicken schnitzel?). Looking to wind down like royalty? The cozy Après Lounge features a menu with gourmet bites (like caviar, smoked fish and local cheeses) created by Montage Deer Valley's culinary team and paired with bubbly. 

Après Lounge

The food offerings for groups are far from run-of-the-mill; the team puts great thought and effort into the dining options, whether that be a unique theme, outside-the-box dishes or thoughtful touches. Chef Jones has been known to make is famed bon-bons in a company’s colors or a pastry inspired by a logo. Plus, options for guests with dietary restrictions are always presented.

When it comes to actually getting down to business, the resort has a variety of conference areas to choose from, including traditional settings with all the needed bells and whistles to mountain-modern spaces that are as chic as they are functional. 

Happy Birthday to You: In 2020, Montage Deer Valley will be celebrating a decade of Montage Memories with its 10-year anniversary!