The farm-to-table movement has swept the nation, and Wyoming is a noteworthy participant in this culinary renaissance. Owners of cafes and restaurants across the state take pride in delivering excellence through dishes crafted with fresh, local ingredients. The combination of Wyoming’s open spaces and sustainably sourced food creates a dining experience that is truly unparalleled. Explore these exceptional farm-to-table establishments to savor Wyoming in its purest, most authentic form.
1. The Cheyenne Club
Located on the 30,000-acre Brush Creek Ranch near Saratoga, the Cheyenne Club embodies the past, present and future of farm-to-table dining. Dating back to the late 1800s, the luxury guest ranch and its restaurant have a rich history, yet they also serve as a model of sustainability with their four on-site greenhouses, plus a bakery, distillery and of course, their farm.
The ranch’s 100% American Wagyu beef is notable for its superior genetics, which result in incredible tenderness and umami succulence. In addition to steak, the most popular Wagyu dishes on the menu include the bone broth, served with root vegetables and bone marrow custard, and the tartare, served on grilled sourdough with pickled mustard seeds and bone marrow aioli. The farm is also home to Wyoming’s only Grade-A goat dairy, the Medicine Bow Creamery. Beyond making exceptional cheeses, they are unique for breeding and raising their Alpine, Nubian, and Mini Nigerian goats. But perhaps most impressive is the ranch’s 20,000-square-foot greenhouse, which consists of four separate units growing produce including tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peas, strawberries, beets, carrots, lettuce, kale, and a wealth of herbs, microgreens and edible flowers. Greenhouse tours are available for guests at the ranch, and the Cheyenne Club is open to the public for lunch and dinner, though reservations are required.
Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Club / Brush Creek Ranch.
2. The Middle Fork
Open seven days a week, The Middle Fork serves breakfast, brunch and lunch on Main Street in Lander. Restaurant owners and chefs Jessica Bostick, Halle O’Neal and Samuel Poitras source as many local ingredients as they can, and they rely on vendors like Farmer’s Sauerkraut, Dandelion Farm and Spear S Produce, all of which are located right in town. The team also procures produce from the Lander Valley Farmers Market, which runs every Saturday from June to mid-October. The Middle Fork’s carefully-crafted menu also features dishes with ingredients from Wyoming Custom Meats in Hudson, and Lost Wells Cattle Company in Riverton, notable for their premium grass-fed beef. Banana bread French toast and eggs Benedict are two of the most popular brunch items on the menu, but the lunch is just as delicious, with options ranging from quinoa bowls to burgers.
3. Gather in Jackson Hole
Photo courtesy of Gather in Jackson Hole.
Gather in Jackson Hole puts a modern, eclectic twist on Western classics, both with their dishes and the ambiance inside their sleek downtown Jackson restaurant. “Our culinary philosophy extends beyond creating memorable dining experiences,” says founder Mara Swain. “It encompasses a holistic vision of sustainable, community-driven gastronomy that educates, nourishes, and preserves the environment.”
The pork buns are perhaps their most popular dish, along with their mushroom toast, which is topped with Gather’s very own homegrown microgreens. Another favorite is the pork shank, which is served with carrot puree, red rice, lentils and tequila jalapeño jam. Gather sources the majority of their meat from Snake River Farms, and their produce comes from Morning Dew Mushrooms and Vertical Harvest. Pasta is made in-house, and the eatery also buys bread from local bakery 460 Bread, located on the other side of Teton Pass, in Driggs, Idaho. Most of their drinks come from local breweries and distilleries as well, including Jackson Hole Still Works, Wyoming Whiskey, Grand Teton Vodka, Snake River Brewing and Grand Teton Brewing. Gather in Jackson Hole is open daily for dinner.
4. The Restaurant & Bar at Turpin Meadow Ranch
Photo courtesy of Turpin Meadow Ranch.
Turpin Meadow Ranch sits a few miles north of U.S. Highway 26 in Moran, which is about an hour’s drive from Jackson. First established in 1887 by Jack Turpin, the 2,000-acre ranch started welcoming guests in 1932, and it is now home to eight cabins and two chalets. Like the rest of the property, the historic dining room boasts stunning views of the Tetons, and its wood-beam architecture and roaring fireplace offer an intimate and cozy atmosphere for guests. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, and reservations are recommended. The breakfast buffet is also open to the public, and included for guests.
Chef Peter Stumme has crafted a mouth-watering menu focused on local game, including venison, rabbit, duck, elk and bison. “They all play a part in bringing the flavors of the West to the table,” Stumme says. “I want our guests to know and enjoy what our part of the country provides.” Chef Stumme uses all parts of the animal, like bones for stocks, sauces and soups, and the restaurant’s beloved bison chili (pictured below) is one of his favorite dishes to prepare for that reason. Other popular menu items include slow-braised venison and smoked duck poutine, and the lunch and dinner options rotate regularly. The restaurant sources ingredients from Young Farm and the Jackson Hole Farmers Market, and they grow herbs and lettuce on site. Coffee comes from Snake River Roasting Company, and the bar gets vodka and gin from Jackson Hole Still Works, plus tasty ciders from Farmstead Wyoming Ciders.
Photo courtesy of Turpin Meadow Ranch.
5. Sweet Melissa’s Café
Sweet Melissa’s Café serves locally-sourced vegan and vegetarian fare in the heart of downtown Laramie, open on Monday for dinner, and Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. For the last two decades, they have been the only restaurant in Wyoming with a 100 percent vegetarian menu. With hearty menu choices and incredible flavors, this award-winning eatery isn’t just for plant-based customers, either. Try the smothered sweet potato and black bean burrito, or the vegetable stir fry with Thai peanut sauce (pictured above) to give your taste buds a treat. Sweet Melissa’s Cafe also features a kids menu, a gluten-free menu and delicious desserts, like peanut butter pie and fried banana bread.
6. Roasted Bean & Cuisine
Roasted Bean & Cuisine started as a coffee shop, but this Riverton restaurant has expanded since they opened their doors in 2014, now offering a full lunch menu and dinner specials from Monday to Friday. The restaurant, which is owned and operated by Jacob and Inga Tyra, serves everything from gourmet burgers to lighter bites, like soups and tacos. The Tyras take pride in sourcing high-quality ingredients locally as often as possible, including grass-fed beef from the community’s Lost Wells Ranch.
7. Local Restaurant & Bar
Photo courtesy of Kelly Little/Local Restaurant & Bar.
Located in the charming, historic town square in Jackson, Local Restaurant & Bar is a modern American eatery serving lunch and dinner. In addition to the main dining room, the bar has a wide selection of delicious fare, plus 12 beers on tap. Owned and operated by Chef Will Bradof and his wife Jennifer, Local showcases their enthusiasm for reviving the craft of in-house butchery, with a focus on dry-aged steaks and house-made sausages. In addition to classic and specialty cuts of locally ranched meat and game (like the rosemary charred elk chop, pictured above), Local serves fresh seafood, shellfish, house-ground burgers and seasonally-inspired food for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday.
“My vision is to create simple and delicious food that features as many local farms and ranches in the western states that surround us,” Chef Bradoff says. Bradoff is especially fond of the fresh turnips from Huidekoper Ranch in nearby Wilson, and he serves these glazed with miso butter as a side. Local sources all kinds of ingredients from Teton County, including goat cheese from Winter Winds Farms, mushrooms from Morning Dew Mushrooms, bread from 460 Bread, and Wagyu beef and pork from Snake River Farms. As far as cocktails, Local takes Wyoming Whiskey’s small batch bourbon and infuses it with wild huckleberries to make the best old fashioned in town.
8. Coelette
Once the residence of a blacksmith and his family, the Coe cabin in Jackson is now home to Coelette, an upscale restaurant that pays homage to life in the mountains. “Our vision for Coelette begins with a sense of place,” says Chef Sam Dawson. “Our cuisine highlights regional ingredients prepared using methods pioneered by snowline cultures. This ethos allows us to employ a global lens to our dishes, utilizing techniques and ingredients from cultures all over the world.” Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner, Coelette’s minimalist menu blends worldly influences with fresh local fare in a sophisticated yet cozy setting.
Naturally, sourcing from local vendors is of utmost importance to Dawson, who calls them the “backbone” of Coelette’s cuisine. Dawson purchases produce from several Teton Valley farms, including Huidekoper Farms, Canewater Farms and Morning Dew Mushrooms. Coelette’s raw milk, cream, and skyr come from Shumway Dairy Farms in nearby Afton, Wyoming, who also raise 12-18 lambs each year for the restaurant. When asked about their most revered dish, Dawson suggests the venison terrine, a “hunter-style” pate made with venison, cherries, and pistachios, served with house-made mustard and fresh baked Wallisibet rye crisps, a type of dense bread popular in Scandinavian cultures.
9. Durham Ranch
While the Durham Ranch in Wright doesn’t serve food, they do provide bison meat to a handful of restaurants in Wyoming, and they also offer tours. Using the Holistic Management International sustainability model on their 55,000-acre ranch, they have helped improve the quality of the land where their bison graze. Find Durham bison burgers and more at Hank’s Roadside Bar & Grill in Wright, and at Pokey’s BBQ and The Prime Rib in Gillette.
