Three Park City restaurants earn spots in inaugural Michelin Guide Southwest

Matilda is one of three Park City restaurants recognized in the inaugural 2026 Michelin Guide American Southwest. Photo: Matilda // Park City Chamber of Commerce

PARK CITY, Utah — Three Park City restaurants have been included in the inaugural Michelin Guide American Southwest, placing them among nine Utah restaurants selected for the 2026 guide.

Handle, Matilda and The Nelson Cottage by High West received Michelin Recommended recognition when the guide was unveiled Wednesday, Aug. 26. The inaugural edition covers Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

A Michelin recommendation is distinct from a Michelin Star or Bib Gourmand designation. Michelin classifies Recommended establishments as “Selected Restaurants,” a category recognizing good cooking. One Star denotes high-quality cooking, while a Bib Gourmand recognizes good-quality food at a good value, according to the Michelin Guide.

“To see our local chefs and restaurants recognized by Michelin is an extraordinary moment for our community,” Jennifer Wesselhoff, president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, said in a statement. “These distinctions reflect the creativity, talent and commitment to quality that have made dining an increasingly important part of the Park City experience.”

Michelin’s anonymous inspectors evaluate restaurants using five criteria: the quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavors, the personality of the chef expressed through the cuisine, and consistency across visits and the menu.

Handle, which opened in 2014, is led by chef and co-owner Briar Handly. The restaurant serves seasonal American cuisine, emphasizing local and regional ingredients. Michelin describes Handle as a lively restaurant with an “elevated comfort food menu” shaped by the seasons.

Ian Pope owns Matilda, and he comes from the team behind Five5eeds. The restaurant centers its menu on pizza, along with drinks and other dishes. Michelin classifies its cuisine as pizza and Italian.

The Nelson Cottage by High West, located on Park Avenue near High West Saloon, offers a prix-fixe tasting menu accompanied by whiskey pairings. Chef de cuisine Julia Sorroche leads the restaurant. According to the announcement, guests begin with a guided whiskey experience before dinner.

The Michelin Guide’s listing describes The Nelson Cottage as a tasting-menu-only experience in which High West ambassadors guide diners through whiskey pours selected to accompany the food.

The American Southwest selection was announced during an Aug. 26 ceremony in Las Vegas. Michelin’s official guide lists nine Utah restaurants, including the three in Park City.