The Best Sushi in Park City: How Bill White's Culinary Empire Brought Fresh Fish to the Mountains

The sushi bar at Sushi Blue gets packed on winter evenings, and for good reason. You can sit at the counter and watch head chef Garret and his team transform South Pacific big eye tuna and Hawaiian hamachi into precisely cut nigiri, their hands moving with the kind of muscle memory that only comes from years behind the knife. One local regular put it simply: "My wife is a sushi snob and Sushi Blue is where we go for sushi in Park City as locals." That's the kind of endorsement that cuts through the noise in a ski town where every restaurant fights for attention.

This isn't your typical mountain town sushi compromise. Since 2012, Sushi Blue has been serving some of the best sushi in Park City Utah from its Kimball Junction location, part of restaurateur Bill White's expanding culinary empire that includes Grappa, Chimayo, and five other Park City establishments. And the thing about Bill White? The guy doesn't do anything halfway.

The Unlikely Journey of Park City's Premier Sushi Destination

Bill White rolled into Park City in the early '90s with everything he owned piled into his deceased grandmother's Buick Park Avenue. He'd just graduated from Cornell's hotel school, trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and even taught culinary arts in the Swiss Alps. But Park City in 1992 wasn't the sophisticated food scene it is today—Main Street was sleepier, the restaurant options limited, and the idea of getting truly excellent sushi at 7,000 feet elevation seemed laughable.

White opened Grappa in 1993, converting a 100-year-old building that had housed everything from a brothel to a bed and breakfast. The restaurant succeeded beyond expectations. Chimayo followed in 1996, then Windy Ridge, Ghidotti's, Billy Blanco's. Each one different, each one meticulously designed. White, who grew up on an 80-acre cherry farm in northern Michigan, brought an obsessive attention to detail that extended from sourcing to chopsticks—never disposable wooden ones at his restaurants.

When the lease for Hapa Grill in Kimball Junction's Redstone Center became available in 2012, White saw an opportunity. He reworked the menu, updated the kitchen, and transformed it into Sushi Blue. The concept was different from his upscale Main Street establishments—more casual, more eclectic, but maintaining the same commitment to quality that defined every Bill White restaurant. As one food critic noted, Sushi Blue serves "standout sushi, creative rolls, and upscale pan-Asian dishes" in a space that's "first and foremost, eye candy."

Where Fresh Fish Meets Mountain Altitude: The Sushi Blue Experience

Here's the challenge with serving premium sushi in Park City: you're nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, hundreds of miles from any ocean. Getting sushi-grade fish to the mountains while maintaining pristine freshness requires logistics most restaurants won't bother with. Sushi Blue bothers.

The Big Eye Tuna nigiri—maguro sourced from the South Pacific—is terrific, as one reviewer described it. Another customer raved that the fish "tastes like it was caught this morning," praising Sushi Blue for having "better service, fresher fish, and lower prices than every other sushi place in Park City." That's not marketing speak. That's the result of daily fish deliveries and a kitchen team that knows how to handle quality seafood.

But what really sets Sushi Blue apart is the creativity. Head chef Garret and his team have built a loyal following among locals who return for signature rolls with names that make you smile before you even taste them. The Tuna Turner roll. Salmon L. Jackson. Jenny From The Block. These aren't gimmicks—they're genuinely inventive combinations that balance traditional Japanese technique with playful flavor profiles.

Take the Surf & Turf roll, which has achieved near-legendary status among regulars. It's tempura asparagus (gluten-free, somehow), red crab, and avocado, topped with thin slices of seared Koji Wagyu beef, garlic unagi sauce, crispy fried shallots, and togarashi. One food writer called it "outrageously delicious" and "an other-worldly melange" that "knocked it out of the park." The melt-in-your-mouth wagyu combined with the textural contrast of crispy tempura creates something that transcends typical sushi roll expectations.

The Snowdance roll layers spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber, and mango wrapped in soy paper, then tops it with spicy tako (octopus). Mike Thai Son combines spicy tuna, basil, red bell pepper, and peanuts, crowned with hamachi, lime, and Thai coconut curry. These aren't rolls you'll find at chain sushi restaurants—they're the product of a kitchen given freedom to experiment while maintaining technical precision.

Beyond Sushi: The Unexpected Breadth of Kimball Junction's Hidden Gem

One of the smartest things about Sushi Blue? They understood that not everyone in a ski town group wants raw fish. The pan-Asian menu includes Korean street tacos, Tonkotsu ramen with rich pork broth and chashu pork belly, Thai beef salad with grilled Korean beef and Thai citrus vinaigrette, and even a Blue Burger for the holdouts. As one local explained, "The underappreciated aspect of Bill White restaurants are the breadth of menu and team. Some in your group may not like sushi but everyone can find something they like with burgers, salads and noodles in addition to sushi."

The Citrus Prawns starter has become a must-order for many regulars—plump prawns flash-fried with a light coating, served with silky citrus aioli, julienned green onion, and thin-sliced lemon. The Funky Finn roll gets tempura-fried (while somehow remaining gluten-free) and topped with wasabi aioli. Even the simple things, like properly seasoned edamame, get attention. One reviewer noted approvingly: "We love sea salt on edamame, and they weren't stingy with it."

The bar program deserves its own mention. Sake flights let you sample multiple varieties without committing to a full bottle—perfect for expanding your palate. The cocktail menu includes Grilled Pineapple Mojitos, Mango Mai Tais, and Coconut Margaritas that pair surprisingly well with the food. Even the non-alcoholic options get creative, like the Blue Lemonade with raspberry syrup and blueberry boba.

The Bill White Standard: Where Art Meets Hospitality in Park City

Walk into Sushi Blue and you immediately understand why every Bill White restaurant is described as "eye candy." Custom ceramic plates replace disposable dishware. Reusable chopsticks instead of throwaway wooden ones. Unique lighting fixtures and carefully curated wall art. The sushi bar gets busy in the evenings, with flat-screen TVs providing entertainment without overwhelming the space. The main dining area offers regular tables and booths, while a lounge area in the back creates distinct zones within the restaurant.

But the real secret to White's success isn't just the design—it's the culture. In an industry notorious for high turnover, Sushi Blue maintains a core staff that customers know by name. One local regular gives "shout out to Mykala since we love to sit in the sushi bar" and calls bartender Josh "one cool dude." That kind of loyalty doesn't happen by accident. As the reviewer noted, "you can see the difference culture makes with employers who treat their employees well retaining the best talent."

This commitment extends beyond the restaurants. White operates Bill White Farms and Bill White Ranch, growing vegetables, raising heritage breed livestock, and donating enough food to provide 4,000 meals per month to the Christian Center of Park City. His "earthganic" philosophy—chemical-free, sustainable farming with a focus on giving back—reflects the same attention to quality and community that defines his restaurants.

Park City's Sushi Scene: Finding Premium Japanese Cuisine in Ski Country

The best sushi in Park City has to overcome unique challenges. You're competing with Main Street's upscale dining scene while serving a population that includes wealthy locals, international tourists, and everyone in between. You need quality that satisfies discerning palates but approachability that welcomes first-time sushi eaters. You need to source ocean-fresh fish to a landlocked mountain town while keeping prices reasonable enough for regular visits.

Sushi Blue has found that balance. The $14 two-course Blue Plate lunch special makes premium sushi accessible for a midday meal. Dinner prices position them competitively—not the cheapest in Park City, but offering genuine value for the quality. As one reviewer summarized: "Prices are on the higher side but still good value."

The location in Kimball Junction provides benefits beyond Main Street's tourist crowds. Free parking in the Redstone Plaza. Easy access from the Park City Transit system—you can hop on the Kimball Junction Circulator and get dropped right at the door. Less hassle, more focus on the actual dining experience.

Planning Your Visit to Sushi Blue

Address: 1571 Redstone Center Dr. #140, Park City, UT 84098
Hours: Daily, 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Phone: (435) 575-4272

What to Order:
First-timers should start with the Citrus Prawns, then move to one of chef Garret's creative rolls—the Surf & Turf if you want to go big, the Tuna Turner for something more classic. Locals swear by the Snowdance and Salmon L. Jackson rolls. Don't skip the sake flights if you're exploring Japanese beverages. If someone in your group isn't into raw fish, the Korean street tacos or Blue Burger won't disappoint.

Best Times to Visit:
Lunch is less crowded and the $14 Blue Plate special offers great value. The sushi bar fills up in the evenings, especially during ski season, so reservations help. Summer brings the option of outdoor patio seating.

Parking: Large lot at Redstone Plaza with ample parking. Also accessible via free Park City Transit from the Kimball Junction hub.

Sushi Blue proves that you don't need to be on a coast to get exceptional sushi. You just need daily fish deliveries, a head chef who knows what he's doing, and the kind of obsessive attention to detail that Bill White built his reputation on. In a ski town full of dining options competing for your attention, Sushi Blue has earned its place as where Park City locals go when they're craving the best sushi in town. That's not hype. That's just what happens when you combine fresh fish, creative talent, and a commitment to doing things right.