Hungry for adventure and some high-class, house-made cuisine? Try these top-rated restaurants in National Parks Where the spectacular views and savory food compete for your attention.
EL TOVAR DINING ROOM—GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA
Right this way. Step inside the El Tovar Dining Room, just 20 feet from the Grand Canyon’s rim. Rich history echoes in the 1905 lodge restaurant with colorful murals reflecting customs of four Native American tribes. Oregon pine and native stone mingle with crackling fires in this rustic, yet elegant restaurant. Teddy Roosevelt, Sir Paul McCartney, and other celebrities dined here.
Breakfast brings classic choices, plus regional favorites like Huevos Rancheros, or the El Tovar Pancakes (with Native American blue cornmeal, topped with Arizona prickly pear syrup). The lunchtime Navajo Taco is a long-standing favorite. Dinner offers lamb, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian options. Menu items are sustainable and seasonal, changing several times a year. Reservations are recommended.
JORDAN POND HOUSE—ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE
Acadia National Park is an exploration of rocky beaches, granite peaks, and rich woodlands. And, Jordan Pond House is the classic Acadia experience. Come for tea and popovers by the pond, a delicious tradition dating back to 1895. Dine indoors, or even better–outdoors. The manicured lawn looks out over tree-covered mountains—known as the Bubbles—reflecting on Jordon Pond.
Open seasonally, this popular spot takes reservations weeks in advance. Planning ahead is worth it for these warm, huge pillowy popovers. Their crispy, golden outside breaks open to perfectly soft insides that can be filled with sweet, Maine strawberry preserves, or buttery lobster. Try the Popover Sundae made with local ice cream and dripping with dark chocolate. Pair locally sourced seafood and chowder with Maine blueberry lemonade.
THE AHWAHNEE DINING ROOM—YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA
Yosemite’s dramatic cliffs and plunging waterfalls are awe-inspiring. Yet Yosemite’s Ahwahnee Hotel and Dining Room has its own magic. Walt Disney found inspiration here, and Queen Elizabeth II felt at home with its grandeur. Luckily, for the rest of us, we can dine here too. Since 1927, the lodge has upheld its rich, historical beauty. Ahwahnee’s resort-casual dress code is still enforced today.
The chandelier-lit dining room dazzles with 34-foot-high ceilings, mammoth pine trestles, and granite pillars. The dinner buffet is an event with local seafood, roasted chicken, and prime rib. Take time to peruse the extensive wine list while listening to live music on the grand piano. The breakfast buffet is also popular, so reservations are recommended. Note: Menu changes are expected in 2024, along with renovations.
THE RIM AT VOLCANO HOUSE—HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, HAWAII
Start your morning with a buffet breakfast on the cusp of the Kilauea Crater. Greet the sun while sipping orange pineapple juice or a hot cup of Hilo Coffee Mill’s coffee. Customized omelets served alongside sweetbreads from the Punalu’u Bake Shop and house-made pastries offer a taste of the island. The Rim, a simply decorated restaurant with wood floors and picture windows, is part of the Volcano House Hotel in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Dine at night, and if your timing is just right, witness the crater’s lava glow. Either way, diners are guaranteed locally sourced seafood (and often, live local music). Try the fresh catch of the day trimmed in the aloha spirit of Johnson Farms fresh vegetables and island spices. Dishes like Ahi Poke Stack, made with yellowfin tuna, are served alongside local Hawaiian slaw and wontons. Menu choices include locally sourced meats, comfort foods, and island desserts.
SUPERIOR BATHHOUSE BREWERY —HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, ARKANSAS
Welcome to the only brewery inside a national park, and the only beer in the world that’s brewed with thermal spring water. Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is where mountain streams flow toward Hot Springs—home to historic Bathhouse Row—with buildings that date from 1892-1923.
Experience dining in a converted 1916 bathhouse at Superior Bathhouse Brewery, a family-friendly restaurant where dogs are welcome. With over 18 craft beers on tap, Superior Bathhouse Brewery offers something for every taste–even fresh-brewed root beer using thermal spring water. The food here also gets rave reviews—gourmet burgers, wings, sandwiches, and salads. Starters like the huge Bavarian pretzel is served with house-made beer cheese, bacon horseradish, or honey mustard.
