Where to Eat at Mount Rainier: Restaurants in and Around the Park

By Victoria Boissonade · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Mount Rainier

In short, two restaurants operate inside the park: the National Park Inn in Longmire, the only one open year-round, and the Paradise Inn Dining Room during the summer season. There's also a snack bar at Sunrise Day Lodge in July and August. For a proper meal outside those times, head to Ashford, a few miles from Nisqually Entrance.

Eating in the Park: Lodges, Restaurants, and Cafeterias

Longmire (Open Year-Round)

The National Park Inn Restaurant is the park's only dining option open 365 days a year. Located in the Longmire area and accessible through Nisqually Entrance via State Route 706, it serves classic American fare: eggs and pancakes in the morning, sandwiches and soups at lunch, and hot entrées in the evening. The setting feels like a 1920s log cabin, with generous portions and reasonable prices for a national park lodge. It's the fallback option in winter, when everything else is closed.

Hours vary by season, so check the Mount Rainier Guest Services website before you count on it.

Paradise (Mid-May to Early October)

The Paradise Inn Dining Room is the park's most iconic dining spot. Built in 1916, this large cedar room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the summer season. At 5,400 feet, with wildflower meadows below and the volcano framed in the window, the setting is hard to beat. Make dinner reservations in July and August. Tables fill quickly.

The Summit House, next to the Jackson Visitor Center, is a casual cafeteria. Soups, snacks, and hot drinks. It's handy for a quick refuel between two trails without taking time to sit down.

Sunrise (Mid-July to Early September)

The Sunrise Day Lodge has a seasonal snack bar at 6,400 feet. Hot dogs, chips, and drinks. Nothing fancy, but it's a welcome option when your legs are worn out after the climb. Don't expect a full menu here.

Ohanapecosh and Carbon River

Neither area has formal dining. Stock up outside the park before you enter. On the Ohanapecosh side, stop in Packwood; for Carbon River, Enumclaw is the most convenient town.

Groceries and Picnics in the Park

The Longmire General Store can cover snacks, drinks, and a few canned goods. For a real meal, shop in Ashford or Packwood before you pass through the entrance.

Mount Rainier has plenty of picnic areas at Longmire, Paradise, Ohanapecosh, and Sunrise. In peak season, it's often the quickest and most affordable option, when lines at the lodges start to stretch out. The basic rule is simple: always store food and trash in your vehicle when you're not eating, so you don't attract wildlife.

Where to Eat Nearby: Gateway Towns

Ashford (Nisqually Entrance, About 6 Miles from the Entrance)

Ashford is the natural gateway town for most visitors arriving from the southwest. Two places stand out.

Alexander's Country Inn & Restaurant is the area's go-to dining room. The house specialty is local trout, pan-fried with wild mushrooms from the Rainier forests. It's a cozy log-cabin setting, open for dinner. Reservations are recommended in summer.

Copper Creek Inn is a favorite with regulars for its homemade fruit pies, especially marionberry pie, made with the berry typical of the Pacific Northwest. It's ideal for a hearty breakfast before you hit the trail or dessert at the end of the day.

Several small cafes and snack shops line State Route 706 for a quick takeout meal.

Packwood (Stevens Canyon Entrance, Southeast Side)

Packwood is the gateway for visitors heading to the Ohanapecosh area. The town has family restaurants, a grocery store, and enough places to stock up the day before spending a day in the park. It's a modest mountain town with an unpretentious feel.

Enumclaw (Carbon River and Sunrise Entrances, North)

For visitors approaching the park from the north via Carbon River or Sunrise, Enumclaw is the most accessible town from Seattle. A supermarket, fast-food chains, and a few local restaurants make it a convenient place to stock up if you're coming from the city.

Our complete Mount Rainier guide covers access to each area, and our guide to getting to Mount Rainier details the routes from Seattle and Portland.

Our Picks by What You're Looking For

For a quick bite on a hike: the Sunrise Day Lodge snack bar or Summit House at Paradise. Fast and casual, right in the mountains.

For families, year-round: the National Park Inn in Longmire. An approachable menu, a cozy setting, and it's open even in the off-season, when Paradise is closed. Our guide to visiting Mount Rainier with kids covers the other options.

For volcano views: the Paradise Inn Dining Room at breakfast, when the morning light falls across Rainier and the meadows are still empty. Make your reservation the day before.

For a historic dining room: Paradise Inn is still the choice. This landmark building was built in 1916 and is one of the National Park Service's great historic lodges.

For keeping costs under control: pack a picnic in Ashford and eat at a park picnic area. It's affordable and often more pleasant than a crowded cafeteria in the middle of August.

A Specialty to Try at Mount Rainier

Rainier cherries. The mountain gave its name to this sweet cherry variety, yellow with red streaks, grown in the valleys of the Yakima Valley and around the Wenatchee River. In June and July, you'll find them at local grocery stores and farm stands around the park. They're crisp, sweet, and tender-fleshed. If you're visiting during the season, you'd be missing out if you left without trying one.

For savory food, the Pacific Northwest is known for wild mushrooms from the coastal forests, including chanterelles, morels, and hedgehog mushrooms, depending on the season, as well as Pacific sockeye salmon. Alexander's in Ashford uses them in its house dishes. For a broader look at regional cuisine, our Regions section offers an overview of Washington specialties.

Practical Tips: Hours, Reservations, and Budget

Seasonal hours: the National Park Inn is the only place open year-round. Paradise Inn and Summit House generally open from mid-May to early October, while Sunrise Day Lodge runs from mid-July to early September. The dates change from year to year, so check nps.gov before planning a meal in the park.

Reservations: for practical purposes, they're required for dinner at the Paradise Inn Dining Room in July and August. The National Park Inn accepts reservations, though they're less urgent outside peak season. The snack bars don't take reservations.

Budget: figure on $15 to $25 for lunch at a lodge, and $25 to $45 for a sit-down dinner, excluding drinks. Snack bars run about $8 to $12. Prices in Ashford and Packwood are generally comparable. For an overview of trip expenses, our Fees & Passes page provides reference points for entrance fees and passes.

Diets and allergies: vegetarian options are limited at the park lodges. If you follow a specific diet, stock up outside the park or stop at a supermarket in Enumclaw or Packwood.

In Short: Where to Eat Based on the Area You're Visiting

For hikes and activities around each area, our Things to Do guide is the place to start. Our Mount Rainier hotel guide covers rooms and reservations at the park lodges.

Frequently Asked Questions