Featuring a diverse population in the state, the foods in Wyoming are also known to be distinctive and delectable. From classics like Rocky Mountain Oysters to more contemporary delicacies like Cowboy Caviar, there are many interesting dishes to note in the Wyoming Food scene.

What’s Special About Foods In Wyoming?

Wyoming is known for its stunning scenery, plentiful agricultural output, and different outdoor activities. However, The Cowboy State is also home to delicious cuisine and several excellent dining establishments.

Since its founding in 1868, the state has built a robust traditional and contemporary food culture.

Wyoming foods are remarkable because the most popular dishes are typically robust and home-grown fare designed to sustain hard work like ranching, hunting, and fishing.

In reflection of its cowboy heritage, Wyoming’s cuisine is often straightforward and rustic. Famous foods in Wyoming include pan-fried steaks, biscuits, chili, and beef jerky, all at home on the range. 

However, in larger cities like Cheyenne and Jackson, restaurants serve every cuisine imaginable, from excellent pizza and Chinese to authentic Mexican and even delicious doughnuts and cupcakes. Naturally, there is also an abundance of excellent steaks and renowned watering holes.

Most Famous Wyoming Food

Rocky Mountain Oysters

Oysters from the Rocky Mountains are not some exotic form of high-altitude seafood. Cowboy fare typically consists of unique foods like these, which are the testicles of young calves. Rocky Mountain oysters are a staple at fairs and festivals in the West, particularly in regions known for cattle ranching.

The testicles are prepared by being skinned, then breaded, seasoned, and deep-fried. They are usually served as an appetizer with dipping sauce or gravy. Several Wyoming restaurants, including the Bunkhouse Bar & Grill in Cheyenne and the Proud Saloon in Cody, offer Rocky Mountain oysters to their customers.

Other Famous Foods In Wyoming

Western Cookout

In certain areas of the state, people love to experience a chuck wagon dinner and feel like a real cowboy for the evening. The food typically consists of baked beans, savory meat, coffee, and biscuits.

The Western cookout experience at Pitchfork Fondue in Pinedale is one stop worth making because of how warmly it welcomes cowboy culture. 

While you enjoy your steak, chicken, and buffalo bratwursts cooked on a pitchfork, you can also take in views of the Wind River Mountains. In addition, you can order homemade potato chips, deep-fried onions, brownies, fresh greens, and other items.

Bison Steak

The official mammal of Wyoming is the bison, and it also features on the state flag. Therefore, it might not come as a surprise that they are a popular source of protein as well.

One of the best places to sample this food in Wyoming is Jackson Hole’s The Silver Dollar Bar & Restaurant, which features a rotating selection of specialty meats. 

The restaurant is charmingly decorated with Western art and red leather booths, and serves a fancy take on the animal called the ‘Grand Teton Oscar’. The béarnaise sauce and smoked Idaho ruby trout on a grilled bison fillet is an unforgettable combination.

The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is another popular Western-themed bar and restaurant. They offer both a bison steak and a bison and huckleberry sausage hoagie topped with chimichurri sauce.

Bison meat is one of the foods Wyoming is known for since they are a lean option and a symbol of the wilderness of the state.

Elk Meat

Although bison is the state mammal and buffalo burgers are widely available, many people in Wyoming prefer elk meat. Elk meat is rumored to have a flavor between beef and venison, and it’s leaner and more tender than the latter.

Many people in the state hunt this animal during the 4.5-month hunting season (which varies by region) so they can enjoy its meat throughout the year. However, those who prefer not to go on an actual food-hunting expedition have many other options. There are even businesses that offer wholesale Elk meat.

For travelers looking to try the dish, Elk can be found in burgers, meatloaf, and chops at American restaurants like The Mangy Moose in Teton Village. Be aware that the cost of the big game meat will be higher than that of beef.

Chugwater Chili

Chili is a popular food in Wyoming partly due to the cold, long winters. Some eateries in the state serve chili made with bison or elk meat for a genuinely authentic Wyoming experience. Chugwater chili, made with Chugwater seasoning, is one of the most famous chilis in the United States.

In fact, Chugwater Chili Cookoff is also a thing in Wyoming! The chili must be prepared on-site using raw meat and cooked from scratch. The champions advance to the U.S. finals in Texas.

The cookoff features a rodeo, a beer tent, a car show, a cornhole tournament, and a pie-eating contest every year in June. The money raised is put back into the neighborhood where the event occurred.

Cutthroat Trout

Wyoming’s many lakes and rivers are known for providing excellent fishing opportunities throughout the year. Cutthroat trout is a specialty of the Cowboy State and should be tried by seafood lovers.

If you’re willing to put in some effort for your meal, you can get a one-day fishing license for a low price and catch the state fish and only species of trout native to the area. The rivers of the Western half of the state are home to five distinct cutthroat trout subspecies.

Wyoming also has a thriving fly-fishing industry, and if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can even hire a fishing guide. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department website feature a section dedicated to trout recipes.

Trout can be found on the menus of several independently owned restaurants in the area, and it can be enjoyed fried, grilled, or baked. Some of Wyoming’s best seafood restaurants are the Snake River Grill in Jackson and Rocky Mountain Seafood in Afton.

Tapping on its natural environment and blessings, these fishes are some of the best foods from Wyoming to try.

Desserts And Sweet Foods Of Wyoming

Wyomatoes

Wyomatoes are unlike any other tomato since they are grown at 7,400 feet in Big Piney. In addition, they are highly sought after by chefs all over the state.

Those fortunate enough to try these juicy foods from Wyoming understand why they are in high demand; their sweetness and juice are on par with the best equivalents available at the height of summer.

Executive Chef Kevin Humphreys at Spur Restaurant & Bar in Teton Village updates the menu seasonally to feature the juicy fruit. His Southern-inspired Fried Green Wyomatoes are always a crowd favorite. 

Pig Candy

Café Genevieve in Jackson Hole is famous for its mixed salad topped with candied bacon bits, sometimes called “pig candy.” The signature thick applewood-smoked bacon is baked “low and slow” in a sugar and spice coating. 

Café Genevieve’s bacon strips are so popular that they are now sold in-store and online. Nevertheless, it’s best to eat at the restaurant, housed in a charming log cabin dating back to 1906 and featuring a deck adorned with greenery.

Another place worthy of note is Annie’s Soda Saloon & Café in Cody. This is where you can get some delicious “cowboy cookies” to go. These enormous oatmeal treats are generously studded with chocolate chips and pecans. They are excellent for extended rides along trails.

Pack some of these as you go on your trips to explore the famous landmarks in Wyoming. They make for great refreshments during breaks

Popular Ingredients And Snack Foods From Wyoming

Truffles

Meeteetse Chocolatier owner Tim Kellogg is responsible for bringing national attention to the sleepy town of Meeteetse with his handmade truffles. His downtown shop’s facade is straight out of a Western. He has been in the business of hand-making truffles for over 12 years, and his truffles are sought after by customers throughout the area.

He puts a Wyoming spin on souvenirs that may always stay in the state, such as Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, Sage, Wyoming Whisky, Sarsaparilla, and Huckleberry.

Fry Bread

Frybread is one of the most beloved snacks in Wyoming. It’s a classic Native American flatbread that dates back to when tribes had limited access to food ingredients.

Frybread is made with flour, salt, baking powder, and water or milk, and it can be fried up in oil or lard for a delicious treat. The bread is typically served hot with honey or jam as an accompaniment.

Guests at the Shoshone Rose Casino and Hotel in Lander can taste American Indian culture with a special Fry Bread dish. The platter resembles a taco salad, but the taco shell is replaced with homemade fry bread. Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and ground taco meat all find a comfortable home on the fry bread.

Iconic Drink In Wyoming

Sloshie

You’d be correct in associating “sloshie” with a frozen dessert; nevertheless, these treats feature an alcoholic edge. After making a huge splash in Jackson Hole in 2012, they’ve become a staple in the area. 

Sloshies, like slushes, are frozen drinks that can be made in vending machine drink dispensers. However, they also contain alcohol, typically vodka, gin, or rum, and juice and sugar.

Because of their potency, you should start with a single small drink before progressing to the larger sizes. Frozen cocktails can be in many different flavors, depending on the establishment. Creekside Market, Jackson Hole Still Works, and The Liquor Store & Wine Loft are some of the highest-rated places to get sloshes. Even sloshies on the go are available! 

Wyoming has strict regulations against drinking and driving, but to-go sloshies can be consumed legally if the straw remains covered until the driver exits the vehicle.

Discovering Delicious Foods In Wyoming

The food in Wyoming is unique, with a mix of classic American dishes and iconic flavors that have been around for centuries. Whether you’re looking for an indulgent treat or a simple snack on the go, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Wyoming cuisine and iconic dishes will leave a lasting impression, from fry bread with huckleberry preserves for breakfast to fresh-caught fish for dinner. Complete your trip to the Cowboy State by trying out some of the local fares after your hiking, hunting, or horseback riding!

PIN THESE FAMOUS WYOMING FOOD FOR LATER!

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