Description: Few restaurants are more beautifully situated: Gilbert Stanley Underwood knew what he was doing when he laid out this place. The dining room is just to your right as you enter the lodge (just past the bronze statue of Brighty, the mule immortalized by Marguerite Henry in her 1950’s children’s book). A few short steps lead down into the large, high-ceilinged room, which holds several dozen tables. The choicest ones are, of course along the long wall that faces south into the Canyon (with second choice on the shorter west wall). But at nearly any point in the room, the Canyon’s presence is certain to be a part of your meal here.
Options for dining at the North Rim are limited: the Rough Rider Saloon that doubles as a coffee shop during breakfast hours; Deli in the Pines, a small cafeteria serving pizza and sandwiches; and the main Dining Room. Like the restaurants at other National Park Lodges in the area, this one aims for a fine dining experience complemented by the unmatched natural surroundings.
We ate here on both evenings, believing that the splurge was worth it, and the food and service were excellent both nights. The rough-timbered lodge style extends to this room as well, accented by some decoration derived from native American designs. But most of your attention will be directed out the wrap-around windows, if not at your food.
On the first evening, we were seated by a western window during the last hour of sunlight, not long after our arrival and first view of the Canyon from the amazing location at Bright Angel Point. All of us smiled from start to finish of this meal, from rolls to salad to the excellent crab cakes. As is true at most parks, the wait staff combined college-age students from around the world with more experienced servers, happy to practice it in one of the world’s most beautiful locations.
Reservations are required, and you’re encouraged to make them by phone as soon as the North Rim opens for the season in mid-May. We booked an 8pm table for both nights, figuring we'd only want to eat after the sun went down. After I finished my hike along the Transept Trail, we headed to the Lodge for a drink and a spot on the patio to watch the sunset. By 8pm, the Canyon was fading as part of the experience, but the rim remained a silhouetted presence throughout our meal. We aimed for a slightly cheaper meal this time, sticking to pastas and appetizers, and again had a great experience.
The gap between the deli and the dining room is pretty large, in prices, food, and setting. We tried to keep our food costs down here by bringing our own breakfasts and lunches. On a longer stay, I’d certainly eat at the Deli once or twice. But I’m glad we had both evening meals here—it was a great part of the experience of the Grand Canyon.
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