As you take your tour group along the Monumental Route (I-90) to see Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower, you can stop in Gillette and Wright, Wyoming, and discover a secret foodie destination on your way to Yellowstone National Park. The food we’ll serve you in Campbell County is the best way we can show how much we want you here, so whether your group is looking for handcrafted beers, wood-fired pizzas, locally raised meats or exotic flavors, prepare for a feast in Gillette and Wright.
Ingredients come first at Pizza Carrello, and you’ll taste what a difference they make. The famed tomato sauce has no added sugar or salt, because the San Marzano tomatoes used to make it are robust and sweet. Everything on the Pizza Carello menu comes from the gigantic wood-fired oven, from the crisped salads to the pita wraps and, of course, the pizza. Local favorites include homemade wood-fired meatballs, Dazzle Berry pizza and made-from-scratch cheesecake that’s renowned worldwide (or at least should be).
At Big Lost Meadery, you can drink like the gods. Different than wine or beer, mead is an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water. Known as the preferred elixir of Greek gods, mead was popular in Norse and Viking tradition, and Big Lost is the Wyoming version of this tale. The Meadery building is nothing short of magnificent, and the atmosphere is as memorable as your first taste of mead will be. Sip on different mead flavors (fused with assorted fruits, flowers, hops and grains) from oversized steer horns in front of a warm fire; you’ll feel immortal.
Uncork and unwind at Prime Rib Restaurant and Wine Cellar with a state-of-the-art, glass-enclosed 10,000-bottle wine cellar. Whether you want a high-end label or something more approachable, you’ll find it in this collection that has earned Wine Spectator magazine’s Best of Award of Excellence annually since 2006. Be sure to ask your server whether you should match your drink with mouth-watering USDA choice steak, juicy burgers or seafood. Most Prime Rib staffers have been with the restaurant 10 to 20 years, so consider them pairing experts.
If you’re lucky enough to find The Coop, stop in and bring your appetite. The outside may look like an old-fashioned drive through, but inside you’ll find Costa Rican-inspired rotisserie chicken dishes prepared freshly in-house with flavor, spice and love. The portions are huge, but the prices are small. While this is an outstanding option for health-
conscious, macro-counting visitors, the hot honey wings with homemade ranch dressing are worth the splurge.
Have a taste of Gillette history and wash it down with an award-winning beer at Gillette Brewing Company & Gone Postal Pizzeria, home of Locomotive Brown Beer, which took second place in the 2015 U.S. Open Beer Championships. Located in the town’s historical post office, Gillette’s first microbrewery is a place that feels familiar, even for first-time visitors. All the pizza dough is made with Gillette Brewing Company Beer. In addition to the one-of-a-kind pizza, families love the restaurant’s kid-friendly section with darts, pool and shuffleboard.
While this article features some heavy hitters in the Gillette foodie world, it’s by no means exhaustive. Sample wild appetizers like python, ostrich and kangaroo at Pokey’s Barbecue and Smokehouse. Tour the Durham Ranch in Wright to see how the bison that is served at Wright’s Open Range Steakhouse, Pokey’s and the Prime Rib are raised. Dine on authentic Vietnamese pho at Pho & Bakery 59, or try a surprising yet delectable combo at Armando’s Taco & Pasta Shop. For more dining options, go to visitgillettewright.com/plan-your-stay/dining.
Good food is only made better by good company, so we can’t wait to share a meal with you.
Terry Sjolin is the DMO sales manager of the Campbell County CVB in Gillette, Wyoming. To learn more, go to visitgillettewright.com.
Photos by Campbell County CVB
