For a town of just about 30,000 residents, Gillette, Wyoming sure has some great dining options. Between big, juicy steaks, fancy margaritas, steaming bowls of pho, and delicious cupcakes for dessert, Gillette’s food scene is well worth checking out. Whether you’re driving through on a cross-country trip or you’ve made this charming town a destination in itself, use our list of the 10 best restaurants as a guide for your time here.
The Coop takes two simple concepts — rotisserie chicken and Latin flavors — and puts them together to make something new and exciting. At the basis of almost every meal is their perfectly roasted, deliciously seasoned chicken. On top of that, you’ll find all sorts of sides that really make the meal like potato dishes, beans, tortillas, salsa, and mac and cheese. The place itself is cozy and full of character; as soon as you walk in, you can tell that it’s a real local favorite.
As anyone who loves bagels knows, finding a good one can be a lot harder than you would expect. Inhabitants and visitors to Gillette have no reason to worry, however, because The Main Bagel has them covered with fresh bagels every day, prepared the same way that they do it in New York City. The key, of course, is boiling them before baking them. Grab a baker’s dozen of your favorite mix of flavors to go if you want, or stick around and let them prepare a delicious bagel sandwich for you.
In operation since 1983, The Prime Rib is one of Gillette’s premier dining establishments. As you might guess from the name, they pride themselves in having excellent steaks, but it certainly doesn’t stop there. Their wine list is also one of the best in the city, and their staff will be happy to tell you which pairing will make the flavors in your meal really pop. They’ve won a host of local and national awards, including recognition from Wine Spectator and the Gillette Chamber of Commerce. In addition to some of the best steaks around, they are also well known for their variety of desserts and appetizers — see if you can try something from all three courses.
Gillette, Wyoming might not be a place you’d expect to find fresh, authentic Vietnamese food, but Pho and Bakery 59 will blow all your expectations out of the water. They really have something for all seasons — light spring rolls for a snack during the warmer months and steaming bowls of pho, Vietnamese noodle soup, for the cold Wyoming winter. You’ll love the mixes of flavors in their noodle and rice dishes, which come with all different combinations of meat and seafood. For a taste of Vietnamese street food, try one of their banh mi, or sandwiches with either pork or beef.
A great sports bar is a very valuable thing, and Humphrey’s Bar & Grill wants to be that for you when you’re in Gillette. Conceived by a group of friends towards the end of their college career, Humphrey’s started as a way to let the owners put their true loves of beer, sports, and food into their career, and since then, it’s existed to share their joy with yours. You’ll find something for everyone on their menu from burgers to salads to steak; everything you could ever want while watching the game. On top of that, they even have a number of choices from Southern cuisine, which is a welcome surprise in a place as far from the South as Gillette.
A microbrewery with the city’s best pizza inside — it may sound like a dream, but it’s a dream come true at Gillette Brewing Company. Pizza Carrello, a mobile pizza-baking unit that became a real local favorite, has now located itself at Gillette Brewing Company, and now everyone wins. You can drop in every day for wood-fired pizzas in a dazzling array of choices, including but not limited to a Nutella dessert calzone. Nothing goes with a great pizza better than a great beer, though, and you have ample choices of those, ranging from Grampa Phil’s Pils on the light end to the Blacktooth Indian Paintbrush Ale (their own version of an IPA) for those who crave bitterness.
While you’re in Gillette, maybe you’d like to get an idea of what the Old West was really like — and that’s when you should head over to Jordan’s Western Dining. Their menu is packed with American classics, although you’ll notice plenty of interesting twists on what you’re used to. One of the best examples of this is the lobster corn dog appetizer. Beyond the food, though, the part of the restaurant — the bar, specifically — is really a part of history. It used to be the bar at the Silver Dollar Log Cabin Saloon in Baker City, Oregon, and it had already been in business for over 120 years before moving to Gillette.
The Chophouse is truly the epitome of fine dining in Gillette, so come here when you have a big occasion to celebrate. Something for everyone, the extensive menu features fish flown in for optimal freshness; steaks made only from the best quality Angus beef; pastas covered in creamy sauces; all of your favorite salads; and burgers with fresh, new flavors. It’s okay that your decision will take some time, though, since this isn’t a place where you’ll want to rush. Let them recommend a nice bottle of wine for you, and sit down to enjoy your meal.
A couple of Alla Lala's offerings | Courtesy of Alla Lala Cupcakes & Sweet Things
Los Compadres
Mexican dining is supposed to be fun and colorful, and Los Compadres really goes out of their way to make sure that’s exactly how you’ll remember your meal there. Their food menu, which includes an especially enticing seafood selection, will surprise and impress you at every turn, and then the margarita menu adds a whole new level of greatness. Whether you’re a newbie to the exciting world of everyone’s favorite use of tequila or you’ve had your fair share, Los Compadres’ bar and happy hour menu will put a smile on your face and a gorgeous drink in your hand.
As Alla Lala Cupcakes & Sweet Things knows, there’s just something great about having a cupcake in your hand. They’re some of the happiest foods: little packages of sweet goodness, all packaged up and stuffed with flavor. At Alla Lala, you’ll find a number of the more simple cupcake flavors that they make every day plus specials for every day of the week, and everything comes with the disclaimer that ‘somedays we just make what we want.’ If you’d like something a little bit more substantial, they also have hot, fresh paninis and delicious coffees to wash everything down.
