Restaurants in Sun Valley

The sauce aficionados at Roscoe's Joint smoke their meats over fruitwood fires to imbue each morsel with Oakland–style barbecue flavor. The casual dive's kitchen rustles up welcoming, homestyle fare, from slabs of ribs to pulled pork doused in a choice of three sauces—mild, medium, or Oh My Goodness. Hearty hunks of cornbread, scoops of coleslaw, and other homemade sides accompany meals at tables or out the drive-through window. To sate the barbecue cravings of late-night diners and nocturnal mole-men, Roscoe's Joint stays open until the wee hour of midnight.

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.

Perk Up Coffee Shop’s colorful sign draws passersby into the cozy café, where specialty coffee concoctions pair with freshly baked pastries and sandwiches. Baristas froth steamed milk before it cascades into cups of espresso and Torani syrups for white mochas or flavored lattes. Staff leaps into the holiday spirit, celebrating everything from Valentine’s Day to Christmas with seasonal specialties scrawled across a wall-mounted blackboard. Fresh blueberry and apple-cinnamon scones rise in the oven, as glass display cases safeguard bagels, muffins, and freshly baked cookies from cookie monsters disguised as health inspectors.

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.