Midway has quickly become Utah’s worst-kept secret—the city known for Swiss Days and the Homestead Crater is growing rapidly. So many tourists, Salt Lake day-trippers and new residents are drawn to Midway’s quaint, small-town ambience that, pretty soon, it won’t be so quaint or small anymore. How longtime residents feel about that is a discussion for another day, but there’s no denying that Midway’s restaurant scene has changed a lot in just a few years. Along Main Street—largely because there aren’t that many streets to begin with—Midway now has a small hub for fresh, creative cuisine served in a gorgeous setting.
The Corner
The Corner opened in 2018, but the restaurant’s Midway legacy stretches back far longer. Owner Burkley Probst’s grandparents owned the now-closed Burgermeister restaurant, and The Corner aims to recast that establishment’s mold of a small town neighborhood gathering place. The menu has upscale versions of pub fare and classic comfort food, like “cowboy mac” with pulled pork and short rib stroganoff. The Corner has built a reputation for desserts—order pies in advance, and carrot cake is even available at breakfast.
195 W. Main St., 435-657-5494
Heber Valley Artisan Cheese
There are no secrets about how Heber Valley Cheese gets the milk to produce their artisan cheeses—the cows are right next door. That’s one of the many charms of this family-owned dairy farm, creamery and cheese shop, featuring classic cheeses like Snake Creek Cheddar and unexpected varieties like Lemon Lavender and Honey Jalapeño Pecan. Take some home to create a better-than-mom-used-to-make grilled cheese, or have them make one for you in the winter. Scoops of Utah State’s famous Aggie Ice Cream are in order during summer months, and they host year-round events like Baby Animal Days, meet-the-cows farm tours and mozzarella making classes.
920 River Rd., 435-654-0291
Lola’s
This friendly Main Street spot used to house the summer-only burger joint The Timp Freeze. Lola’s, the new kid on the block, sells burgers, too, along with salads, gyros, melts and bowls. The setup is still designed for pleasant summer days—order outside at the window and sit at the large covered patio or nearby Midway City Park. The chicken sandwich with lemon aioli is a tasty update on a classic, sides of mac and cheese and garlic parmesan fries are comfortingly carb-loaded and rotating daily specials like the chile relleno burrito serve more fresh takes on favorite street food.
24 E. Main St., 435-671-3970
Midway Bakery on Main
There’s really no way to go wrong with the decadent pastries, breads and desserts at this tiny but well-loved bakery. Buttery, flaky biscuits are a particular highlight—with gravy, it’s a breakfast that will keep you full past lunch, but they’re just as good plain. Call ahead and try to get them warm. Or, try a pan of cinnamon rolls (read: small planets,) sugar-dusted brioche or fresh scones. Midway Bakery hardly has a dining room to speak of, so plan on getting up early and eating most of your to-go order on the way home.
206 W. Main St., 435-557-0518
Midway Mercantile
The story behind Midway Mercantile’s striking Main Street location is apropos for a town going through major changes. Constructed in 1874, the building served as a community food and supply store for decades, and now the remodeled space is a cozy lounge-style bar and “hearth to table” restaurant with killer views of Mt. Timpanogos. Pasta specials change daily, and creative bar snacks and appetizers include cheese fondue and Chinese Five Spice-scented cracker jacks.
99 E. Main St., 435-315-4151
Wasatch Stalwarts
Even with the influx of new restaurants, some longtime favorites are still kicking in Midway. Café Galleria (101 W. Main St., 435-657-2002) serves great pizzas and bagels cooked in a wood fired oven. The classic Blue Boar Inn (1235 Warm Springs Rd., 435-654-1400) recalls a centuries-old European hunting lodge, with rustic favorites like schnitzel and wild boar carbonara. Zermatt (784 W. Resort Dr., 435-657-0180) hosts both the high-end Z’s Steak & Chop Haus and the less formal Wildfire Smokehaus.
The Other Side of the Valley
A few miles east of Midway, Heber’s food scene also has a growing mix of old and new favorites. Dairy Keen (199 S. Main St., Heber, 435-654-5336) has been a local icon for decades. The menu is pretty standard fast food, but the model train and play tables are unique fixtures. The coffee shop OG Café (595 S. Main St., Heber, 435-657-6789)—it stands for Old Goat, not the other thing—also has massive specialty burgers. The Junction (1268 S. Hwy. 189, Ste. 200, Heber, 435-657-2200) is a no-frills fast, casual place with pizzas, burgers and, my favorite, a good-and-greasy chicken parm sandwich. A bit outside of town, Back 40 (1223 N. Highway 40, Heber, 435-654-3070) emphasizes locally sourced, farm-to-table cuisine. The beef comes from just a couple pastures away, and other ingredients are sourced from Midway, Salt Lake and Ogden. End with peach cobbler, basically the perfect summer dessert.
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