Best bars in Park City Utah: Why this Mormon ski town has the best après ski scene

The only thing dry about Park City Utah is the seven plus metres of powder snow that falls every ski season

Raise a toast to some of the world's best skiing

Quick word association game: I say “Utah,” you say… Did the word “Mormon” pop into your head? The majority of Utahns are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, and the Western US state is famous for its strict (and often bizarre) liquor laws. But it’s also home to the Greatest Snow on Earth, and it was this second claim to fame that drew me to Park City, 45 minutes’ drive from the international airport at Salt Lake City. 

So where does the law stand on the important subject of après ski? Is it possible to sip an Aperol spritz on a slope-side deck, or nurse a hot toddy beside a raging fire? Is craft beer a violation of the Utah Constitution? 

The last question was answered on my first night, while enjoying a can of Wasatch Brewery’s Polygamy Porter. “Take some home to the wives!” read the label, which included a risqué cartoon of four consenting adults enjoying each other’s company. Clearly I’d been misinformed about the wowserism. 

But then again, Park City has always been a haven for hedonists. The silver mining town was originally established in the 1880s to deter the Mormon advance (it was hoped that the debauchery associated with mining would scare them away). Skiers then took up where the miners left off, and today booze flows freely.

You can take a Mines & Wines tour, or visit the world’s only ski-in whiskey distillery. The town is even embroiled in a tit-for-tat battle with Breckenridge in Colorado for the title of world’s longest shot-ski. The last effort stretched 850m along Main Street, and was slammed back by 1,363 revellers. This ain’t no town of teetotallers.  

Utah’s draconian liquor laws have also been liberalised, a legacy of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The days of bars having to erect screens to shield patrons from the sight of alcoholic drinks being prepared - AKA the “Zion Curtain” – are gone, and you’re now allowed to carry your own drink from the bar to your table (land of the free, baby!).   

Drop in for a dram at the Umbrella Bar in Canyons Village.

Some weird rules remain, though. You must be intending to eat at a restaurant if you want to drink, for example. “Intending,” is the operative word here, because as long as you have a menu in front of you, you’re allowed to be served alcohol, even if you never order food. Shots of spirits are dispatched with clinical precision by a kill-joy measuring device, and you’re advised to carry ID on you at all times, even if you look 45. Tragically, mine wasn’t checked once.   

Try these Park City drinking spots

No Name Saloon

Historic Main Street’s legendary drinking den is a place everyone gravitates to at some point. It’s casual, always packed, and a great spot to meet people. Arrive early to snag a spot by the fire in the Western-style main saloon, or find some space on the rooftop patio. 

Alpine Distilling Social Aid and Pleasure Club

I couldn’t tell you where it is (because I’ve forgotten), but I do remember the soft red light, plush sofas and warm ambience of this classy underground cocktail bar. It’s home to Park City’s premier gin distillers, and a top spot for a nightcap. You might need a password to get in. 

Pig Pen Saloon

Did someone say après ski? You can ski or snowboard right up to the sun deck of this Park City favourite, right in the middle of Mountain Village. An unpretentious antithesis to swanky Deer Valley, it’s the perfect place to debrief over a bowl of nachos. 

The Vintage Room at St. Regis   

Speaking of Deer Valley, it’s worth popping your head into the ooh la la opulence of The Vintage Room, a transparent marquee strung with chandeliers, located on a ski beach. Order freshly-shucked oysters, caviar and champagne and experience how the one per cent live. 

This writer travelled as a guest of Park City .

Originally published as Best bars in Park City Utah: Why this Mormon ski town has the best après ski scene