Jackson Hole: Come for the Food, Stay for the Tetons
We came to Jackson Hole expecting incredible scenery. We left talking just as much about the food.
By ForkBound Foodies
Photography by Patty Schmidt
Jackson Hole is famous for its views. But its food scene is just as impressive. Between sunrise over the Tetons, waffles at 10,450 feet, pizza with a million-dollar view, a surprising dining scene and a country concert at one of Jackson's most iconic bars, this trip had a little bit of everything we love. And it started before we even left the airport.
Day One: Welcome to Jackson Hole
If you've never flown into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), prepare yourself. The approach into the airport gives you your first glimpse of the Tetons, and it's hard to imagine a better welcome to Wyoming. Stepping off the plane with those mountains in the background is jaw-dropping.
We picked up our rental car and headed into town to check into Hotel Jackson, our home base for the next few days. One of the things we loved about staying here was the location. Once we arrived, we could head right outside and explore downtown Jackson on foot.
So that's exactly what we did. We spent the afternoon wandering around town, checking out the shops, getting our bearings and taking in Jackson's mix of Western charm and upscale mountain-town energy.
Dinner at Glorietta
Our first dinner was at Glorietta, an Italian restaurant tucked inside the Anvil Hotel.
We ordered the Tagliatelle with truffle and the Bison Teres Major, and we'd happily recommend both.
It was exactly the kind of meal we wanted for our first night—great food, a fun atmosphere and something that felt distinctly Jackson. It definitely had all three.
But we weren't quite ready to call it a night. We headed back to Hotel Jackson and upstairs to Juliette, the hotel's rooftop bar, for drinks and the perfect ending to our first day in Wyoming.
Day Two: A Teton sunrise worth the alarm
There are very few things that can convince us that waking up before 5 a.m. on vacation is a good idea. Sunrise at Schwabacher Landing is one of them. We arrived before 6 a.m., which ended up being perfect. The mountains slowly began to appear in the early morning light, and then the sun hit the Tetons, turning the peaks shades of pink, orange and gold. For a few minutes, everyone just seemed to stop and watch. It is one of those travel moments where the photos almost don't do it justice. If you're visiting Jackson Hole, this is one early wake-up call we absolutely recommend.
A ForkBound tip
Getting there early isn't just about securing a good spot for sunrise. Plan extra time to leave.
Once sunrise was over, everyone seemed to head out at once, and the line of cars leaving Schwabacher Landing moved much more slowly than we expected. Don't schedule something immediately afterward. Give yourself time. Or better yet, do what we did. Go back to Jackson and take a nap. Vacation is all about balance.
Lunch at Persephone
After some much-needed relaxation, we headed to Persephone Bakery for lunch. This place is adorable. We sat outside on the patio, enjoyed lunch and somehow ended up making friends—which is one of those random little travel moments we always love. Sometimes a great restaurant is about the setting, the people and how you felt while you were there. Persephone had all of it.
Dinner above Jackson
That evening, we traded the town for another view. We took the ride up Snow King Mountain for dinner at Aurora, perched above Jackson. Part of the fun is simply getting there. As you climb higher, Jackson spreads out below you and the Tetons rise in the distance. Dinner with a view? Always yes.
Day Three: Waffles, tetons & country music
Day Three may have been the most ForkBound day of the entire trip. Because it started with waffles on top of a mountain.
Waffles at Corbet's Cabin
We headed to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and took the tram up to Corbet's Cabin. Yes, you have to buy a tram ticket to get there. And yes, we think it's worth it.
There's something pretty fantastic about eating a warm waffle at more than 10,000 feet with the Tetons surrounding you.
It's touristy. It's fun. And we'd absolutely do it again.
Driving Grand Teton National Park
After breakfast, we spent the day doing one of the simplest—and best—things you can do here:
Drive. We made our way through Grand Teton National Park, following the loop and stopping whenever the scenery demanded it. Which was often.
This is one place where we wouldn't recommend packing your itinerary too tightly. Give yourself time to pull over, explore an overlook or simply stand there staring at the mountains.
Because you will. A lot.
Pizza with a view at Dornan's
Of all the stops we made during our drive, one of our favorites involved—naturally—food. Dornan's is pizza, cold drinks and Tetons. Sitting there eating pizza with that view in front of us was one of our favorite casual meals of the trip. We aren't sure there's a better pizza view anywhere.
Snake River Grill + A night at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
After a day in the park, we headed back into Jackson for an early dinner at Snake River Grill. It's one of Jackson's longtime dining institutions and a restaurant we knew we wanted to experience while we were in town. But dinner wasn't the end of the night. Afterward, we headed to the legendary Million Dollar Cowboy Bar to see Cole Swindell perform. And this was FUN. Country music. Cowboy bar. Jackson, Wyoming. It felt like the perfect way to end our final full day. If you happen to be visiting when there's a concert happening at the Cowboy Bar, check the calendar. It added something completely different to our trip and ended up being one of our favorite nights.
Day Four: One last look at the Tetons
Eventually, even the best trips require packing the suitcase. We checked out of Hotel Jackson and headed to Healthy Being Juicery for a late breakfast before making our way toward the airport. But we weren't quite ready to say goodbye. Instead of heading straight to JAC, we squeezed in one last sightseeing drive.
We stopped at Mormon Row, home to the historic barns you've probably seen in countless photos of the Tetons, and made our way to Oxbow Bend for another classic Grand Teton view. It was the perfect way to spend our last few hours. There was no rushing and no major itinerary. Just one last drive through a place we already knew we'd miss.
Then it was back to Jackson Hole Airport, where those same Tetons that welcomed us a few days earlier gave us one final look before we headed home.
What we'd do again
Pretty much all of it. We'd wake up early for Schwabacher Landing. We'd pay for the tram ticket just to eat waffles at Corbet's Cabin. We'd sit on the patio at Persephone. We'd order pizza at Dornan's and stare at the mountains. We'd leave room in the itinerary for an afternoon nap. And we'd absolutely check who's playing at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar before planning our next trip. Jackson Hole gave us exactly what we look for when we travel: memorable food and experiences that couldn't have happened anywhere else.
The ForkBound take
Jackson Hole is one of those rare destinations that doesn't make you choose between the trip you want to take and the trip you want to eat. You can wake up before sunrise and watch the Tetons turn orange, spend the afternoon exploring a national park and still be back in town in time to get dressed for a really good dinner. You can eat waffles on top of a mountain in the morning, pizza beneath the Tetons for lunch and end the night listening to country music in a cowboy bar.
That's our kind of itinerary. Our biggest advice? Don't overplan it. Make the dinner reservations. Set the alarm for sunrise. Know the few places you absolutely don't want to miss. Then leave some room to drive, wander, pull over for the view—and maybe make a few new friends over lunch.
— ForkBound Foodies
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