The Snowbird resort provides undoubtedly some of the best vacation food there is to offer. However, its quality comes at a price. This guide reflects my short stay at Snowbird for the 2005 Animal Behavior Society conference. I only list the food services I utilized during my stay. There are others I did not visit.
$$$$$- very expensive $$$$- expensive $$$- fair $$- good deal $- it's a steal
'***don't leave without visiting it ~**tastes good *stick with the Chef Boyardee
B- Breakfast U- Lunch D- Dinner
The Keyhole is great for both its price and its proximity, if the C.L. is where you're staying. The view from the patio can't be beat, either. This is the best place for an early dinner on a sunny day. They serve sandwiches, American Mexican food, as well as some seafood. For one dinner, I spent about $18 for their delicious salmon plate. I also ate a vegetarian burrito ($12); its taste improved remarkably with a lot of salsa. The Keyhole boasts a small bar which is great if you need an afternoon beer between talks. Alcohol is reasonably priced ($4 for a pint of microbrew, beware of strange Utah beer laws).
They are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I only ordered one of their breakfasts. It was an expensive alarm clock. A small coffee is $4! Expect to pay about $10 for some fruit, a bagel and cream cheese, milk, and coffee. It's definitely worth it for the convenience, and compared to the other breakfast options, it's not too bad price-wise. Tastes like a higher quality airline meal.
I only drank coffee here. It was a good deal, served hot and to go. The coffee successfully passed my stringent Northwest screening process, meaning it was spectacular to those who live elsewhere. They also serve pastries and small snacks. Great for eating between meals. Open virtually all day.
Directly across from Baked and Brewed at Snowbird is this modest pizza joint. Great for children, I suppose. Pizza costs about $4 a slice, which is small, by the way. It just tastes like pizza to me. They also serve salads and drinks.
You can't beat the convenience for after-talk snacking. They serve sandwiches, coffee, fruit, and other continental style foods. I think it's the same food they serve for room service breakfasts. I tried their lunch option, which was a ham sandwich for $5. At first, I confused this stand for the free food tables. Not a good place to go if you're looking for a full meal and a place to sit.
This is a great option for the very frugal forager. I imagine that if you bring a backpack, you can load up on bagels and cream cheese. With strict adherence to this foraging style, it seems reasonable to suggest that you might be able to eat for free for the whole conference (not suggested).
It's like a 7-11 at Snowbird, and I think that they actually DO sell Chef Boyardee at the grocer. The deli serves sandwiches mostly, which vary in content depending on the time of day. Try a breakfast burrito ($5) in the morning or a turkey sandwich for lunch ($6). Do not forget to ask the server to toast the bread!
The food was good here, but I was a little disappointed. The Atrium is open mornings only, and their breakfast is served buffet-style. The food is of the highest quality for a breakfast, and the price reflects it (I spent about $22). They hook you with the all-you can-eat option, but the truth is, you will probably eat only one plate.
If you're not a frugal forager, this is the best place to go for dinner, hands down. The food and service are spectacular. I ordered a fantastic shrimp cocktail ($11), two glasses of wine ($16), and the lobster tail ($60). The "complimentary" salad and bread is great, too. My friend ordered a fancy steak for $44, and I tried a bite: it, too, was spectacular. If you're a bloodthirsty carnivore, you will be disappointed to learn that no veal is served.
When our group ate here, it was very crowded. The food is served buffet style, so we stood in line for some time. Aside from the wait and the noise, the food was great. I ate chicken, rice, some salmon, and a salad for about $28. I remember the view being fairly nice from where I was seated. I would say that the Aerie is the best dinner option if your want to eat somewhere nice, but not too pricey.
I really enjoyed eating here for lunch. They mostly serve great tasting, reasonably priced sandwiches and burgers. On a sunny day, try eating outside. I remember ordering an avocado BLT sandwich with French fries for $9, plus an iced tea. Definitely worth the visit.
C. Brian Smith is an undergraduate at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. He will graduate in May of 2006. His research interests are lizard push-up displays and play behavior in chimpanzees.