News

Meaningful morsels: Local dining in Riverton
Agricultural roots in Riverton
By Wolf Johnson

In Riverton, the “Rendezvous City of Wyoming”, there’s more being exchanged than just ideas and inventory. For example, the burgers have an exchange rate of 100% all-natural beef to 110% absolute deliciousness, there’s no in-between. Do you want to know what makes them even better? The fact that all the ingredients come from locally-raised cattle and the produce is freshly grown in the community. This makes the burger more than just a recipe, it’s a mixture of people’s hard work and determination to provide the most authentic food possible. If you’re traveling through Riverton, the burgers are only just one example of how the community influences the food. 

Even before Riverton’s founding in 1906, the area has hosted people from all walks of life. With them has come an abundance of diverse produce, cattle, and commodities. As the community has grown all these years later, so too has the locally-sourced food that is available for people to enjoy. Whether it’s some famous Wyoming beef, fresh alfalfa, lettuce, baked goods, savory cheeses, or fresh milk, Riverton offers a wide variety of different food to eat.

Local meat headlines at the Trailhead Restaurant.

Locally-sourced food is important because it lends itself not only to being delicious but to also creating an immersive experience in the community. When visiting Riverton, there are more than a few options when it comes to deciding where to eat. If you want to immerse yourself in the community cuisine, we have some recommendations for you while you’re on your trip.

If you’re in the mood for a warm cup of artisan coffee with an invigoratingly fresh sandwich or wrap, either Brown Sugar Roastery or Roasted Bean & Cuisine will satisfy. They both serve a wide variety of refreshing drinks and meals for all hours of the day, with most ingredients being locally-sourced. For some cozy diner-style eating, we recommend the Trailhead. They offer an incredibly savory prime rib and juicy burger with their local meat and produce, and some sweet slices of pie for dessert! If you’re interested in some finger-lickin’-good barbeque, check out Bunk’s BBQ and Smokehouse Burgers and Fries. If you’d like to have some authentic Mexican or Italian cuisine, try out The Depot Restaurant or Perrett’s, which both craft their food with local ingredients.

Be sure to grab a cupcake at Sweet Surprises.

Or, if you’d like to see for yourself how incredible Riverton’s commodities are, attend the Riverton Farmers Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer. There, you can see for yourself all the homemade food the community has to offer and even bring some home to make a  nice dish for yourself!

After a day of exploring Riverton, check out the Rusty Truck, which has locally brewed beer and world-class wood-fired pizzas. Around the corner, cocktails and other local beers await you at Bar Ten! They have a wide selection of pizzas, sandwiches, and appetizers that are all handmade with the best local ingredients. 

Before Riverton was founded, the area was home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes—and it still is today. At the Wind River Hotel & Casino, you can learn about their history and living culture in the Wind River Valley and  experience a handful of delicious traditional dishes from a couple of Native American-owned restaurants on the property. For some authentic savory frybread tacos and sweet ice cream, check out the Cee Nokuu Cafe. For a more intimate and fancy dinner setting, we recommend eating at the Red Willow Restaurant, which offers pasta, fish, steaks and a superb prime rib. At these restaurants, most dishes are made with local ingredients and all-local meat, making for an incredible culinary—and important cultural—experience.

Fine dining with local Indigenous art at the Red Willow Restaurant in Wind River Hotel & Casino.

By enjoying locally-sourced food while dining in Riverton you’re guaranteed to have a memorable trip and meal at every turn. Help support the community’s continuous mission to offer you the freshest, most nutritious, and most delicious food Wyoming has to offer. Come visit Riverton and dive utensils-first into some great plates made and served up by the community!