Open since 1937, the Ram is the original Sun Valley restaurant. A recent remodel gave the space a much-needed update without altering its old-school charm. The nightly heritage dinners are a must-do, highlighting dishes and recipes from the restaurant’s 80-plus years. Think: stuffed sole from 1967, lamb mixed grill from 1941, or Hungarian goulash from 1966. The Ram features indoor dining and takeout.

Named after Sun Valley’s own Gretchen Fraser, the first American to win an Alpine Olympic Gold Medal, this indoor-outdoor, all-day restaurant is adjacent to the Sun Valley Lodge lobby. Executive chef Derek Gallegos makes almost everything in-house, from the English muffins for the eggs Benedict to the house-brined pastrami for the Reubens. Indoor dining is available, as well as outdoor tables and a heated terrace where you’ll often find families regrouping and refueling after long days of skiing. 

Cookbook Restaurant opened in late 2019 to much local praise. This winter, the restaurant is offering takeout dinners from Wednesday to Sunday with hearty dishes like wild mushroom ravioli, heirloom tomato bisque, and braised pork osso bucco. If you’re hungry on a Monday or Tuesday, Cookbook also offers prepackaged pizzas, pastas, and desserts, available at Ketchum Kitchens.

Lebanese spiced chicken fatteh, curried corn, harissa-roasted carrots, and Tunis-spiced chicken are among the Mediterranean dishes found at Town Square Tavern, located in the center of Ketchum. Flavors span the region, from the Middle East, North Africa, Spain, Italy, and France, all served in a vibrant and modern atmosphere. The 10-foot glass windows and plenty of modern indoor lighting keep this place bright and inviting all year long. It also has one of the best patios in the area, the perfect spot to enjoy a drink from the bar, which specializes in wine and craft beer.

A Ketchum native and former dishwasher at CK’s Real Food, chef-owner Jesse Sheue attended culinary school in San Francisco before returning to his hometown to open The Covey in 2018. The warm local spot is decorated by many of Sheue’s family and friends in the area, the kitchen is open and bright, and the dishes change with the seasons. The restaurant offers indoor dining, where you can watch that open kitchen prepare things like dry-aged rib-eye, fresh pasta, and a variety of smoked meat dishes. Six large, circular tables provide seating outside around a central fire pit for moderate weather conditions. Call in advance for seating details.

Owners Duffy and Sheila Witmer have been running the Kneadery for more than 40 years, and their hard work has made it a local mainstay for a large breakfast to power a day of activity on the slopes. Benedicts, frittatas, waffles, and omelets are the cornerstones of their morning menu, served in a rustic, Western-themed dining room that shows off much of Witmer’s personal Western art collection. The restaurant is open for indoor dining and, weather permitting, front and back patio seating, though there are no heaters or coverings beyond a few small umbrellas. Online ordering for takeout is also an option.

While you can’t enjoy the restaurant’s popular fire pit or ping pong table during the winter 2020/2021 season, you can still order takeout from Rickshaw. The restaurant assembles some of the greatest hits from across Asia in its small-plates menu, with an emphasis on organic and conscientiously sourced ingredients. Hunker down for a winter feast of wonton chips, green papaya salad, chile-oil udon noodles, Korean fried chicken, and Chiang Mai curry.

The decor leans heavy on taxidermy, but that doesn’t squelch the appetites or the mood of the rowdy crowds at the Pioneer Saloon, a requisite for every Sun Valley trip. They’re here for the bar as well as classic Western grub like the Jim Spud (loaded baked potato) and house-aged beef, including hulking sirloins, filets, rib-eyes, and prime rib. The restaurant is open for indoor dining and bar service with social distancing, and it continues to accept takeout orders as well (including margaritas to go).

The Warfield is a lot of things: a brewery, a distillery, and a restaurant serving some of the most progressive cuisine in the region. Executive chef Jay Veregge — who worked as executive chef at the Tadich Grill when it won an America’s Classic James Beard Award — serves an ever-changing menu of elevated brew-pub plates like grilled wagyu flank steak frites, stout braised brisket, and lamb with dates and chorizo. In-person dining is indoors only, and takeout is available.

Tundra quickly established itself as a powerhouse in the area. On Wednesdays through Sundays, the cafe’s kitchen whips up delicious new American takes on crispy tempura cod, French onion soup, patatas bravas, and organic elk meatballs, all served with a tidy and thoughtful list of bubbles, wine, and beer. Tundra serves diners inside and offers takeout. The few outdoor tables, adjacent to the main dining area, are generally not available during the ski season.

Chef and owner Chris Kastner runs this eco-conscious restaurant with his two children, Gavin and Simone. Gavin mans the kitchen and some front-of-house operations and Simone makes all the desserts. The restaurant is surrounded by lush vegetation, and the menu skews healthy and local. There is some bar seating overlooking the open kitchen, and as at nearly every venue in the area, resort casual is fine. Offerings change almost daily depending on what’s in season, but you can expect dishes like Cajun-style grilled Idaho trout, Washington steamed clams, and rack of lamb with an array of sides showcasing produce at its peak. Reservations for indoor dining are available, along with takeout and in-person shopping for pantry goods.