Restaurants in Sun Valley

When he cofounded his first sandwich shop in 1965, 17-year-old Fred DeLuca planned to use his profits to pay his way through medical school. But the combination of quality ingredients and friendly service at the shop—then called Pete's Subway—proved so popular that nine years later, he and his partner found themselves in charge of 16 locations across Connecticut, and Fred left behind his doctoring plans for a career in business.

Today, Subway restaurants number over 34,000 around the world—almost as many shops as there are sightings of Elvis buying cold cuts. At each location, staffers pile sliced ham, marinara-slathered meatballs, and other fillings into halved loaves of bread before customizing handhelds with tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and other healthy toppings plucked from chilled containers behind the counter. Salads free crisp veggies from bread's overprotective embrace, and crunchy baked chips or apple slices accompany entrees to tables. Subway's website also facilitates health-conscious eating by listing each item's nutrition information and fastest mile time online.

Using local produce, dairy, bread, and meat, 775 Gastropub's chefs craft gourmet bistro burgers, tapas, and entrees cataloged on seasonally changing menus. More than 170 craft beers cascade from bottles and taps, alongside specialty signature cocktails mixed with in-house liquors. Amid ample drink and comestibles, revelers can lose themselves in deep games of pool and darts, the game geographers recommend over bocce when throwing at a map to indicate past vacations. Red paint covers the walls, and green plants prevent patrons from thinking that perhaps they’re dining on Mars.

Mthai—located next to Scolari’s—is like a culinary ambassador for Thailand. Staples such as ginger-flavored stir-fries and five curries mix and mingle with American influence to the point that entirely new plates are born. The Mthai burger, for instance, layers spicy beef with veggies and red curry sauce, and the Mthai spaghetti mixes noodles with chicken and basil leaves. There's even an Americanized fried rice that tops a medley of ham, sausage, and raisins with a sunny-side-up egg.

Still, anyone seeking authentic fare won't be disappointed. The owner sources her classic recipes from Thailand to create fresh pad see eew and steamed jumbo prawns. And to meet individual tastes and satisfy those who believe they've transformed into a lion, most dishes let diners choose their protein: chicken, pork, beef, tofu, seafood, or a combination.

Wet Hen Café’s story revolves around poultry, from the origin of its name to its owners’ 25 clucking pets to its menu items. Buoyed by backgrounds in the restaurant business, Jackie and Don Handlin work with their son and sous chef Brandon to craft a menu of light sandwiches, soups, and breakfast meals. Named after the idiom "madder than a wet hen," Wet Hen Café churns out quiche dotted with spinach, feta, and cranberry, sandwiches layered with black forest ham, jack cheese, and brown mustard, and, of course, hearty chicken soup. The café supports local merchants by hanging and selling original artwork and selling craft honey and Blind Dog coffee.

What one can put between two pieces of bread is limited only by the imagination. Luckily, the culinary masterminds behind Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen have used their wits to create more than 70 appetizing sandwich options, ranging from roast-beef sandwiches to breakfast bagels. The menu also includes Nathan's Famous hot dogs, desserts, leafy salads, and salads with meat in them. A small version of the Statue of Liberty welcomes diners to the American eatery, clutching a carefully wrapped Gandolfo’s sandwich in place of a torch, a menu instead of the Declaration of Independence, and a Nevada driver’s license instead of a New York one.