There was a ginormous dinner party last Saturday in Park City, Utah, and I had a seat at the table for the first time ever. I can’t believe that the Savor the Summit has been going on annually for eight years and I’m just now joining the party. But like any good guest can attest, better late than never.

Local Park City restaurants host some 2500 guests and until you sit at that mile-long Grande Table it’s hard to imagine how something like this can operate. For one thing, Main Street is steep. It’s the spot for the annual Running of the Balls. My lipstick took a trip two tables down the minute I laid it on its side. For another, it’s not cheap. At an average $200 per head (including wine and gratuity) Savor the Summit is not an event for working-class locals. And yet it regularly sells out.

Some 24 Main Street restaurants join together to create linking sections from the top of Main’s asphalt spine to the movable “spirit” garden and large concert stage (open to the public) near the Kimball Art Center at the bottom of the street. You don’t buy a ticket. The hubbub on Main is free. But you do need reservations to dine front and center.

Each restaurant creates their own unique menu so by knowing the type of food you like you can choose which restaurant to book with. Each section then winds up with its own personality. Shabu’s section seemed more like a neighborhood party than an elegant dinner while the rich savory smells of High West Distillery made it all the way up to where we sat mid-station by the Post Office.

I was part of the Park City Culinary Institute’s table. While it’s an actual culinary school with classes at the Deer Valley Club, the food was all Chef Adam Kreisel (former executive chef of Sundance Resort).

We had retirees from Florida to our right and commuters from Bountiful across from us. Both couples had sat at other restaurants’ tables in the past. We compared thoughts on the carefully prepared dishes- like the delicate Pacific marlin tartare and the braised Angus short rib over quinoa – and savored every delicious bite. It was hard, however, not to wonder what was being served at the other tables. Everywhere you looked- up and down- the crowd was in pure celebratory mode.

By the third glass of wine we too were all old friends. The Savor the Summit began with just six restaurants the first year and now it’s a true collaborative effort. There are a few restaurants that opt out but there are plenty of others to step in and fill any gaps.

If communal dining isn’t your thing you can always opt for a table on the decks of nearby restaurants next year and get a contact high from the sidelines. You’ll have a regular menu instead of a once-in-forever creation but you’ll still have a blast.

It’s not easy finding an affordable restaurant in Park City. The real problem is with the value to quality ratio. You don’t often get what you pay for. You get an average meal and average service and spend up the wazoo for it. You leave jaded. By the time you blow your paycheck on dinner it’s easy to feel like your meal wasn’t worth the expense.

The summer two-for-one coupons you can find in the Park Record save the day!

All of a sudden your dinner is so much better because you just saved $25. But there are some restaurants that don’t need to offer coupons because they are already reasonable and delicious. Like Vinto Park City–

You know you’ve got a dining ‘find’ in Park City when a kid’s meal is cheaper than most side dishes at the other places. Yet the modern decor, wood and steel tables, over-sized, semi-circular booths, attentive waitstaff and open kitchen of this Italian eatery shout “chic” rather than “Chuck E. Cheese.”

Settle in with a glass of wine (nearly everything is $1 an ounce) then order the tender meatball appetizer with tomato sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and grilled toast. For non-meat eaters, there’s the sun-dried tomato and goat cheese flatbread or the grilled artichoke hearts with wild arugula in a shallot vinaigrette.

The entree menu might look limited at first glance with just five pasta dishes and two “pane toscano” (Italian flatbread sandwiches) but the kitchen is happy to whip up whatever combination of ingredients you can imagine. Make sure you get at least one thin-crust, wood-fired pizza for the table. Ones like the Tuttabella (housemade sausage, fresh tomato, caramelized onion, garlic, roasted peppers, mozzarella) come stacked with fresh ingredients. The desserts like the delicate crispy Apple Crostata tart echo the artful blending of flavors to cap off your evening.

With coupons leveling the playing field this summer here are my top 10 choices for a night in Park City:

1. Chimayo – Park City Restaurateur Bill White adds eclectic southwestern flair to Main Street with this dark, sophisticated food den. Make sure you start with the signature margarita and finish with the Mexican chocolate fondue.
2. Prime Steakhouse– You’ll find no finer piece of meat in all the land than here at this upscale piano bar and steakhouse. A night out will cost you a paycheck but the standing 2-4-1 offer all summer long takes some of the sting out.
3. Silver Star Cafe – Just off the Park City Golf Course and Spiro Trail lies a little artists’ community. The café echoes the artsy vibe with walls decorated by local photographers and painters, and a menu featuring locally sourced Western fare. Save a few bucks and lunch on the outside patio. Or just come for a drink and the live music Thursday-Saturday in the summer.
4. Handle – Talisker on Main’s former chef jumped ship to helm this cozy spot inside the Gateway Suites (aka Sundance ticket office). Known for small plates with unusual twists, it’s surviving in a place where most restaurants go to die- ie. Renee’s, Jean Louis, Al Dente.
5. Goldener Hirsch– Tucked into the Silver Lake Village at Deer Valley Resort, the Hirsch is all Austrian fairytale from the Bavarian vines on the stucco to the wiener schnitzel and fondue. The small restaurant continually wins Wine Spectator awards and accolades from international travel publications. It’s the perfect date night spot.
6.  Bandits – Jeans and a T-shirt do just fine in this family friendly barbecue joint. The generous portions of meats and sides barely leave you enough room for dessert. But definitely leave room.
7.  Fletchers – Plaid accents and reclaimed barn wood complement the comfort food on this trendy menu. With a restaurant, bar and lounge, Fletcher’s is getting to be that place where the cool kids dine or at leastsit down for the blueberry white chocolate bread pudding. Only open Thurs.-Mon.
8.  Loco Lizard – You’ll find a modified version of Mexican food here so come without expectations. You’ll drool over the bottomless chips and salsa, as well as the mondo burritos and five-alarm mole. The patio’s open for weekend brunch, lunch and dinner in the summer.
9. Cafe Terigo – The tastes of northern Italy and the south of France find their way to Park City in this intimate café with one of the best patios on Main. Pan seared scallops on sweet corn risotto with roasted red pepper and arugula purees? Yum! Nothing’s cheap but everything is delish. Try a late lunch instead to keep you from chocking on dessert when the bill arrives.
10. Vinto– The modern decor, wood and steel tables, over-sized, semi-circular booths, attentive waitstaff and open kitchen of this Italian eatery shout family chic. The environment is boisterous and friendly and the food and prices satisfy all ages.