Wyoming, by the Plate

Wyoming doesn’t usually come up as a food destination, and it doesn’t market itself as one. What it does have is ranch cooking: game, local beef, wood fires and a few Western traditions found nowhere else. For advisors building Yellowstone or Grand Teton itineraries, a few of these meals can turn a park trip into one that feels rooted in the place. Visitors spent a record $5 billion in Wyoming in 2025, according to the Wyoming Office of Tourism, so the best tables in summer are worth booking ahead.

Bison chili at Turpin Meadow Ranch, Moran

Jack Turpin established Turpin Meadow Ranch in 1887, and it began taking guests in 1932. Today it has eight cabins and two chalets on 2,000 acres, a few miles north of US Highway 26 and about an hour’s drive from Jackson, according to Travel Wyoming. Chef Peter Stumme builds the menu around game, including venison, rabbit, duck, elk and bison. The tourism office says he uses the whole animal, including bones for stocks and sauces. His bison chili is the signature dish. Smoked duck poutine and slow-braised venison are also on the menu. Ingredients come from Young Farm and the Jackson Hole Farmers Market, and the ranch grows some of its own herbs and lettuce. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily, and reservations are recommended. The breakfast buffet is also open to non-guests, which makes an early start from Jackson easy.

Use it for: a lunch stop between Jackson and Yellowstone’s south entrance, or a ranch stay for clients who want quiet a long way from the crowds of Jackson.

Pitchfork Fondue, Pinedale

This outdoor Western cookout, at 9888 US Highway 191, faces the Wind River Range. The tourism office describes wood-fired meats and vegetables served with homemade fondue sauces. Visit Pinedale lists it as a summer operation, Thursday to Saturday from 5 to 8:30 p.m., with weekday bookings for large groups by appointment.

Use it for: a group night out, or a lively evening for families on a Pinedale or Wind River leg.

Meeteetse Chocolatier, Meeteetse

The origin story is the draw. In 2004, bronc rider Tim Kellogg began selling truffles and brownies at the Cody Stampede to raise money for a new saddle, according to the tourism office. More than 20 years later he is still making small-batch chocolates in Meeteetse, a ranch town south of Cody. Kellogg spent eight years as a ranch hand before chocolate took over, WyoFile reported in 2009, and he keeps his truffles nut-free. Look for the Bronc Bar Tablette, made with candied ginger, dried cranberries and salted pumpkin seeds, and for the local flavours, which WyoFile reported have included sage and huckleberry.

Use it for: a stop on the drive between Cody and Thermopolis, and a gift for clients to take home.

Legacy Butcher and Burger Co., Cody

Half restaurant, half butcher shop. Legacy grinds its own all-natural meat sourced from regional ranchers, with no added hormones or antibiotics, according to Travel Wyoming. The menu runs to steaks, chops and burgers, with ranching in the Big Horn Basin as the theme.

Use it for: a casual dinner in Cody before or after Yellowstone’s east entrance.

Two more for luxury clients

• The Dining Room at Jenny Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park. A five-course menu that changes nightly, in a 1930s log building with views of the Tetons. Open June to October, and reservations are essential.
• The Cheyenne Club at Brush Creek Ranch, near Saratoga. American Wagyu beef from the ranch, Medicine Bow Creamery goat cheese and a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse. Open to the public for lunch and dinner by reservation, per Travel Wyoming.

Plan it

• When: Summer, roughly June to September, is when everything is open. Pitchfork Fondue and Jenny Lake Lodge are seasonal. Confirm 2027 opening dates before quoting.
• Routing: Jackson to Moran (Turpin Meadow), north through Grand Teton and Yellowstone, out the east entrance to Cody (Legacy) and south through Meeteetse. Add Pinedale as a detour from Jackson.
• Book ahead: Jenny Lake Lodge and ranch restaurants in peak season. Seats sell out early.
• Pair with: a guest-ranch stay with horseback riding, or a guided wildlife safari in Grand Teton.
• More: travelwyoming.com

Sources

• Percepture for the Wyoming Office of Tourism, ‘From bison chili to pitchfork fondue: The foods that tell Wyoming’s story’, 5 Oct 2026
• Travel Wyoming, farm-to-table
• Travel Wyoming, 10 food experiences
• Visit Pinedale, Pitchfork Fondue
• WyoFile, Meeteetse Chocolatier
• KOTA, Wyoming 2025 visitor spending