Trek Travel’s specialty is introducing you to the nooks and crannies of our destinations that you may never discover alone, like an incredible array of restaurants across North America. You’ve probably never heard of these five eateries on our domestic trips. But after one sumptuous, decadent meal, you’ll definitely never forget them. Learn more about our five favorite North American meals here. Just don’t do it on an empty stomach.
1. Hogstone’s Wood Oven
San Juan Islands
Despite back-to-back nominations for the James Beard Foundation “Rising Star Chef” award, Jay Blackinton still considers himself a farmer first. He and the team at Hogstone’s Wood Oven have worked very hard to achieve authenticity, and you’ll feel it the first time you walk in the door. Set on a hill overlooking Eastsound, you’ll watch the sun set over town as you anxiously await samplings of the island’s most well-prepared treats! The restaurant’s Northwestern Agrarian Cuisine, comprised of ingredients sourced on the island, is only enhanced by the rawness and earthiness of the natural wood decor around you–you’ll feel completely at home, yet worlds away!
2. Healdsburg Shed
California Wine Country Long Weekend
Winner of a 2014 James Beard Award for restaurant design, Shed is a market, café, and community gathering space in Healdsburg, California designed to bring us closer to the way we grow, prepare, and share our food. A family style meal prepared by Chef Perry Hoffman will treat you to simple delicacies like the Shed salad–so basic in its ingredients but complex in taste as if it were just plucked from the garden–or the Sunchoke Pizza with meyer lemon, rosemary, roasted shallots, and manchego cheese. With an ever changing menu showcasing only what is readily available, you’re sure to try something new as you begin to discover why Shed is labeled, “The Best Restaurant in Sonoma County.”
There’s no better place to spend a Saturday night than Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, a vibrant arts district and home to local surf shops, galleries and the popular Urban Wine Trail. Named one of the 100 Best Restaurants in America for 2016 by OpenTable and Santa Barbara’s hottest restaurant by Hemispheres Magazine, The Lark is consistently recognized as one of the most popular and unique spots in town, with a locally-sourced menu that’s meant to be enjoyed family-style. So sit back and take in the bustling scene while dish after inventive dish arrives to please your palate.
4. Hell’s Backbone Grill
Bryce and Zion
In the tiny, remote town of Boulder (population: 180), you may be surprised to find one of Utah’s most highly acclaimed restaurants. But Hell’s Backbone Grill is more than an excellent Zagat rating. This unique place is a testament to how two impassioned people can bring a beautiful vision of sustainability and community into reality. Blake and Jen, the chef-owners of Hell’s Backbone, have been welcoming guests of Trek Travel for over a decade with warm smiles, lively tales, and incredible food at the end of the long first day of the trip. We can taste the moqui mac just thinking about it!
5. Michael’s on the Hill
Vermont
Situated between the small towns of Stowe and Waterbury, Michael’s on the Hill is one of the most award-winning restaurants in Vermont. Swiss-born chef Michael Kloeti’s menu features a blend of European comfort food and Vermont’s bountiful local produce. The menu changes each season and features food that comes straight from local farms to your plate–you can taste the freshness in every morsel. As you enjoy delicious local fare and the sun sets over the valley below, you may find yourself wondering what stories the old farmhouse would tell if the walls could speak.
