Restaurant in Park City, United States
Hotel dining that earns a dedicated trip.
Powder is the signature restaurant at Waldorf Astoria Park City, accessible by gondola from Canyons Village and worth booking for its exclusive house-brewed Pow Day pale ale, locally sourced seasonal menu, and private dining room for groups up to 30. It sits above a standard hotel restaurant without reaching for fine-dining status — the right call for a relaxed, well-executed mountain dinner.
If you visited Powder during a ski trip and wrote it off as a convenient hotel restaurant, reconsider. On a second visit, the details that matter more emerge: the Pow Day pale ale brewed exclusively for this property, the seasonal menu anchored by local producers, and a private dining room that makes it one of the more practical options in Park City for groups. Powder earns a 4.1 on Google across 267 reviews — solid, not rapturous , but the case for booking it goes beyond the food.
The headline here is Pow Day, a crisp pale ale brewed by Park City Brewery exclusively for Powder and available nowhere else in the city except the brewery's own taproom. That exclusivity is worth something in a market where every après-ski bar pours the same regional taps. If you're exploring Park City's bar scene, Powder's bar program offers something High West Distillery doesn't: a hotel bar atmosphere with a quieter, more table-service feel. Come earlier in the evening for cocktails on the terrace overlooking the hotel courtyard , the mountain air and the West Coast oysters on the shared plates menu make this a viable aperitif stop before dinner elsewhere, or a full evening in itself.
For guests already staying at the Waldorf Astoria Park City, note that the bar and drinks program extends into room service , the breakfast menu in particular draws specific praise, anchored by dishes like a shrimp frittata. If you're using Powder primarily as a drinks stop rather than a dinner destination, the après-ski window is the right call: more energy, easier seats, and the gondola connection from Canyons Village means you can arrive directly off the mountain without a car.
Powder's menu leans heavily on local proteins and seasonal produce. Signature plates include herb-rubbed buffalo tenderloin with ratatouille and farro risotto, and a Waldorf Caesar upgraded with white anchovy and lemon-Parmesan dressing. Vegetarians are covered , roasted beet and goat cheese salad with elderflower vinaigrette and Andean quinoa with sweet potato, black beans and avocado give real options rather than afterthoughts. Every meal ends with a complimentary Linzer torte, a pastry-chef touch that adds perceived value at any price point.
Chef Howard Ko leads the kitchen. The menu's Austrian inflections trace back to a prior chef's influence and remain part of the program's identity. This is not a destination restaurant in the way that Le Bernardin or The French Laundry demands a special trip , but within Park City's dining options, it punches above a standard resort restaurant.
Winter is the obvious peak window , ski season brings the most energy to both the room and the menu, and the gondola access from Canyons Village makes Powder a logical post-run dinner stop. But the gondola runs year-round, which means the summer and fall shoulder seasons are genuinely underrated times to visit: the terrace is more relaxed, bookings are easier, and the locally sourced seasonal menu often hits differently when produce is at its summer peak. Weekends year-round require reservations; plan to spend two hours from appetizers through dessert if you're doing a full dinner.
Powder sits inside the Waldorf Astoria Park City at 2100 Frostwood Blvd. You do not need to be a hotel guest to eat here , walk-ins from the mountain, spa visitors, and locals are all part of the mix. Accessible by car, bicycle, hotel shuttle, or gondola from Canyons Village. For large parties, a private dining room seats up to 30, making it one of the more capable group venues in the area. See our full Park City restaurants guide for context across the broader dining scene, and our Park City hotels guide if you're comparing the Waldorf Astoria against other properties.
| Venue | Format | Booking Difficulty | Group Capacity | Signature Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder | Hotel restaurant, American | Easy | Up to 30 (private room) | Exclusive house beer, gondola access |
| Riverhorse Cafe | Fine dining, American | Moderate | Limited | Main Street location, refined plates |
| Yuta | Steakhouse | Moderate | Moderate | Dry-aged beef focus |
| Apex | Mountain American | Easy | Moderate | Resort-adjacent dining |
| 501 On Main | American casual | Easy | Moderate | Main Street accessibility |
Book Powder if you're staying at the Waldorf Astoria and want a no-logistics dinner on property that delivers more than default hotel food. Book it if you're arriving via gondola and want a proper sit-down meal with a house beer you won't find anywhere else in town. Book it for groups up to 30 who need a private room without the formality of a downtown fine-dining venue. Skip it if you're specifically hunting Park City's most ambitious tasting-menu experience , for that, Riverhorse Cafe is the better call. For wineries and experiences beyond the restaurant, see our Park City wineries guide and our Park City experiences guide.
Yes , and it's one of the better group options in Park City. The private dining room seats up to 30, which makes Powder a practical choice for multi-family ski trips or corporate retreats. Call ahead to secure the private room; weekend availability in ski season goes fast. For smaller groups of 2 to 4, the main dining room handles bookings without much friction.
For a more formal dinner with a longer wine list, Riverhorse Cafe is the direct competitor , it has more culinary ambition but a harder booking window on weekends. Yuta is the better call if your group is meat-focused and wants a steakhouse format. For a more casual, drink-first experience with local spirit provenance, High West Distillery is the obvious alternative. Powder sits between these options: more polished than High West, less destination-driven than Riverhorse. See our full Park City restaurants guide for a broader view. You can also compare against American-format restaurants in other markets like Hilda and Jesse in San Francisco or Selby's in Atherton if you want a benchmark on what polished American comfort food looks like at a similar tier.
Vegetarians are covered with dedicated menu items rather than modified mains , the roasted beet and goat cheese salad and Andean quinoa with sweet potato and black beans are genuine options, not concessions. The menu is otherwise meat-forward, so pescatarians and vegans should call ahead to check current availability. Specific dietary questions are leading directed to the restaurant directly, as the seasonal menu rotates.
Bar seating is available and makes sense if you're stopping in for après-ski drinks and a shared plate rather than a full dinner. The terrace, when weather permits, is the better seat for a drink-first visit , the courtyard view justifies the stop. Pow Day pale ale is the order if you want something you can't get anywhere else in Park City. Check our Park City bars guide for how Powder's bar program fits into the broader scene.
It works well for low-key celebrations , a birthday dinner mid-mountain, an anniversary during a ski trip, or a group toast in the private dining room. The Waldorf Astoria setting adds enough ceremony without requiring black-tie formality. For a more theatrical special-occasion dinner, Riverhorse Cafe raises the stakes further. If you're benchmarking against destination-occasion restaurants elsewhere, Alinea in Chicago or Lazy Bear in San Francisco represent a different tier of occasion dining entirely. Powder is a strong choice when comfort and convenience matter as much as the culinary statement.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder | American | Relaxed luxury is the theme at WaldorfAstoria Park City and its signature restaurant, Powder. The intimate diningroom known for locally sourced comfort food is near the Canyons Village basearea on Park City Mountain, the largest lift-assisted ski and snowboard resortin the United States.; Relaxed luxury is the theme at Waldorf Astoria Park City and its signature restaurant, Powder. The intimate dining room known for locally sourced comfort food is near the Canyons Village base area on Park City Mountain, the ... **Our Inspector's Highlights Powder is easily accessible by car, bicycle, hotel shuttle or gondola, which operates year-round from Canyons Village. The restaurant’s seasonal menu is influenced by the Austrian roots and worldly food and beverage experiences of Schaefer, who joined Powder in 2018.The terrace overlooking the luxury hotel’s courtyard is a great way to indulge in the fresh mountain air over a shared plate of West Coast oysters.Waldorf Astoria Park City is the only hotel in the brand’s portfolio with its own custom craft beer. Pow Day, a crisp pale ale from Park City Brewery, is served exclusively at Powder and in the brewery’s taproom.Park City is a popular destination for multi-family vacations and corporate retreats. Powder accommodates large parties with a private dining room that seats up to 30.** **Things to Know Make dinner reservations, especially on weekends, and expect to spend a couple hours from appetizers to dessert.The room service menu from the Park City restaurant is exceptional — especially at breakfast. Order a shrimp frittata and fresh smoothie to start your day. You don’t have to be a resort guest to enjoy the restaurant. Stop by for lunch before a spa treatment or enjoy après-ski cocktails.** **Treatments:** The Food Seasonal local ingredients, such as certain meats and seafood, make appearances throughout the menu. Try the herb-rubbed buffalo tenderloin with ratatouille and farro risotto. While you won’t find the luxury hotel chain’s eponymous salad on the menu, Powder does offer a flavorful Waldorf Caesar upgraded with white anchovy, garlic tomatoes, croutons and lemon-Parmesan dressing.Though the Park City restaurant’s menu is fairly meat-heavy, a selection of hearty mountain dishes featuring local produce will keep vegetarians sated. Opt for plates like roasted beet and goat cheese salad with elderflower vinaigrette or Andean quinoa with sweet potato, black beans and avocado. Schaefer is a trained pastry chef and presents Linzer torte, a classic Austrian cake, as a sweet complimentary treat after every meal. **Amenities:** 2100 Frostwood Drive, Park City, Utah 84098 | Easy | — |
| Riverhorse Cafe | American | Unknown | — | |
| Yuta | American Steakhouse | Unknown | — | |
| Glitretind Restaurant | American Mountain | Unknown | — | |
| High West Distillery & Saloon | Gastropub | Unknown | — | |
| RIME Seafood & Steak | Seafood Steak | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Powder and alternatives.
Yes — Powder has a private dining room that seats up to 30, making it one of the more practical options in Park City for large parties, corporate retreats, or multi-family ski trips. Reservations are especially important for groups, and weekend evenings fill fast. Contact the Waldorf Astoria Park City directly to arrange private dining.
For a livelier, more casual après-ski atmosphere, High West Distillery & Saloon is the sharper call — whiskey-forward and deeply local in character. Riverhorse Cafe competes on special-occasion territory with a more central location in Old Town. Glitretind Restaurant at Stein Eriksen Lodge is the closest peer in terms of mountain-resort hotel dining. Powder has the edge when gondola access and a quieter room matter more than scene.
The menu skews meat-heavy, but vegetarians have workable options: roasted beet and goat cheese salad and Andean quinoa with sweet potato, black beans, and avocado are both documented on the menu. Seafood also appears seasonally. For guests with more specific needs, it's worth calling the Waldorf Astoria Park City ahead — the kitchen works with locally sourced seasonal ingredients, which limits but doesn't eliminate flexibility.
Bar seating is not explicitly documented, but Powder is known for après-ski cocktails and the exclusive Pow Day pale ale brewed by Park City Brewery — so the bar is a genuine draw, not just an afterthought. You also do not need to be a hotel guest to drink or dine here, so stopping in from the mountain for cocktails is a legitimate visit in its own right.
It works well for a celebratory dinner within a ski trip — the Waldorf Astoria setting, private dining room, and chef Howard Ko's Austrian-influenced seasonal menu give it more substance than a standard resort restaurant. For a standalone special-occasion dinner in Park City, Riverhorse Cafe or Glitretind may carry more ceremony. Powder is the stronger call when the occasion is tied to a stay at the hotel or a day on the mountain.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
