Matilda — Restaurant in Park City

We spend a couple of weeks each summer up in Park City, Utah, and I saw that a new restaurant called Matilda had recently opened. I decided to give it a go, and Matilda ended up delivering one of the best dining experiences I've had in years. This place has impeccable service and delicious food that's clearly crafted with high-quality ingredients.

From the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by a bubbly, welcoming hostess. The dining room was bustling yet cozy, and beautifully decorated. The main kitchen is literally open and right in the middle of the dining room! I LOVED this, because I could watch the chefs cooking and crafting everyone's meals.

The restaurant was bustling, yet the staff was plentiful (perhaps it's fair to even say it was overstaffed) and a lot of employees just stood by the kitchen waiting for something to do.

Our server, Keiffer, set the tone with a warm, professional introduction. He was a terrific waiter from start to finish, providing service that was extremely attentive without ever feeling rushed or intrusive.

Despite the crowd, our hard-to-get 5:45 reservation was perfectly timed and the pacing of our meal was outstanding. Keiffer's instinct to check whether we wanted to relax over our appetizer before ordering entrées was a classy touch that elevated the whole experience. Plates were cleared only when appropriate, our water glasses stayed full, and service was prompt and efficient. Honestly, it rivaled or surpassed the service I've received at fine-dining landmarks like The French Laundry.

The menu at Matilda is small, focused, and gourmet. We started with the stracciatella and flatbread appetizer ($20 in total). The flatbread (essentially pizza dough fired in the oven) arrived a bit overdone (would've preferred it to be more golden browned than blackened). It still tasted good, especially when paired with the outstandingly creamy, high-quality cheese. The wine-by-the-glass options like my French red ($16) complemented the meal beautifully, and my husband's Old Fashioned cocktail ($16) was also well-crafted. I will say that the wine pours were very small and I would've appreciated a bit more in my glass. But you know...Utah (sigh).

For our main course, the pizzas were enormous. We should've shared one, except my husband wanted Calabresi (ricotta, hot honey, and salami) and I wanted a Margherita (basil, mozzarella, tomato sauce). Note that there aren't a lot of vegetarian options here, and the kitchen didn't do substitutions (maybe because the place is still so new, I don't know).

Each of us came home with more than half our pizzas as leftovers. The ingredients stood out: rich, creamy cheeses, bright and tangy tomato sauce bursting with fresh tomato flavor, and generous whole basil leaves. My husband loved his pizza but wished they offered chili olive oil for dipping the crust. We were too full to try dessert.

While the restaurant is tucked into an unassuming strip mall, the interior is classy and inviting. It's mountain casual, but definitely the kind of place where you might want to swap your T-shirt for a nicer top if you're dining in.

With operating hours from just 5-9 p.m., snagging a reservation can be tough, but it's well worth the effort. Pricey, yes, but every bite and every moment of service justified the cost. I can't rave enough about our meal at Matilda! Park City is lucky to...

To the Owner of Matilda,

As per your request, I am more than happy to reciprocate the experience with this carefully crafted one-star review—after all, it perfectly matches the one-star service we received. Not that a single star will make a dent in the empire of a man who now owns three restaurants, but an honest review from a paying customer is far more valuable than a handful of curated five-star endorsements.

Let me preface this by acknowledging that opening days come with their fair share of chaos (even for a restaurant owner of many...)—longer wait times, the occasional misstep. These are understandable. However, what is less forgivable is watching multiple parties who arrived AFTER us being seated BEFORE us. A particularly fascinating case was a delightful woman we had chatted with in the waiting area—someone who had just walked in. Imagine our surprise when she was swiftly escorted to her table while we remained in limbo, only to later discover that she had already received her meal before we had even been acknowledged by a server. A true marvel of restaurant logistics.

When the food finally arrived, I took a moment to reflect on my initial disappointment with the “soggy” pizza, only to realize—ah, it was intended to be that way. As for dessert, the presentation was charming, but much like the service, the substance simply wasn’t there.

Of course, I have no doubt that the restaurant's ratings will flourish once your inner circle of well-wishers floods in with glowing reviews. However, my only request is a simple one: treat your customers with fairness. Good food can be found anywhere—but respect for your patrons is what truly builds a restaurant worth...

My dad and I were blessed to be the first customers at newly opened Matilda. Owned and operated by the Five5eeds team, Matilda has fresh, fun, casual fare with (of course) an Aussie twist!

The drinks were delightful. Dad is a self-proclaimed old fashioned connoisseur. This one was touted as “superb.” As a fan of refreshing drinks that don’t taste like alcohol, I loved the Pimm’s cup. And if you’re a glassware enthusiast or a water apologist, there’s something here for you too. The water glasses had me in awe (if you get it, you get it).

We started our meal with the caesar salad--divine. Listen, I’m usually one to ignore a caesar salad on a menu in favor of something more… interesting? But this one reminded me of why it’s such a beloved classic. The lettuce was crispy, the anchovies salty, the dressing lemony. Yum. We also got the bowl o' fries. You know how McDonald’s fries are like the gold standard of fries? Yeah, these are just like those. Perfect.

We continued our journey with the calabrese pizza because… hot honey!! I'm a pizza sauce snob, and this lightly sweet tomato sauce swiftly passed my inspection.

Finally, we finished this wonderful meal with an aptly wonderful pavlova, with bright rhubarb cutting through the sweetness of the cream and meringue. Mr. old-fashioned-connoisseur said he'd make the trip even for JUST the pavlova (and maybe one or two old fashioneds).

If you're coming to PC, Matilda is a must.

…

Also, a shoutout to the owners and staff!! Mark was incredibly welcoming and personable. Emma, our server, was attentive and glowed with...