Elevating the Sawtooth Valley culinary experience
Tucked away in Stanley’s Town Square, at the foot of the majestic Sawtooth Mountains, the Stanley Supper Club has become one of Idaho’s most sought-after dining experiences. As Northwest natives who have enjoyed the unparalleled food scenes of the area, Heather Logan and Ben Barlow crafted an unrivaled restaurant rarely found in most food-centric metropolitan areas in the north country of Stanley, Idaho, a place the couple has embraced wholeheartedly.
A modest but contemporary setting where every detail—from hand-picked rustic modern décor of lighting, stoneware bowls, plates, and serving dishes to wooden planked tables—the Stanley Supper Club does not miss a beat on presentation, atmosphere, and most importantly, its delectable cuisine.
“People have a lot of expectations, and our menu is set up to be efficient,” said Barlow. “We are a small restaurant with a $35 check average.”
With menus serving winter and summer seasons, Logan and Barlow have curated meals to fit the Stanley lifestyle of river, lake, and mountain living—but elevated, delicious, and unique. Whether you bring a hefty appetite or simply want to sample, there’s a dish or offering to appease with ease and delight.
Freshly baked sourdough bread, savory handmade pasta, carefully prepared meats, house-made pickles, or unforgettable buttermilk and superbly seasoned crispy, crunchy, flavorful fried chicken landed the Stanley Supper Club on The New York Times’ “26 Best Dishes We Ate Across the U.S. in 2024” list and contributed to the Stanley Supper Club’s second James Beard Award nomination in the Best Chef (Mountain) division for Barlow.
Standouts on the winter menu include the Spicy Pork Doughnut with Barlow’s hearty thinly shaved pork braised in sweet chili sauce, stuffed in a savory potato doughnut, and topped with pickles, which are made on-site and spectacular. An excellent salad for the season, the Chicory Salad with radicchio and escarole tossed with orange, hazelnut, parmesan, and pickled fennel in a red wine vinaigrette can also be a year-round sensation.
A centerpiece dish, the Beef Stroganoff, is nothing you have ever tried with slow-cooked beef, roasted mushrooms, and onion served in a cream sauce over hand-made egg noodles—a five-star savory dish. However, if you’re craving the Stanley Supper Club’s summer fried chicken, Barlow has a winter solution with a Chicken and Biscuits entrée where you can dive into a homemade, flaky biscuit topped with fried chicken tenders, dripping with white gravy, braised vegetables, and pickled jalepeños.
“We like to craft cuisine on simple dishes and food we love and elevate them with technique,” said Barlow. “We do things such as making our own creams, pastas, and pickles. I enjoy reading cookbooks and food writers, but I grew up eating a lot of Chinese food, which definitely inspired my cooking.”
A separate dessert menu satisfies all sweet cravings to balance dinner, especially the Ice Cream Sundae, which Logan described as a grapefruit buttermilk creamsicle with homemade fluff, making for a sensational ending. The Stanley Supper Club also offers an impressive wine list that is uniquely international and hand-picked to pair with the entire menu.
“We’ve always wanted to have a restaurant,” said Barlow. “We love living in Stanley, so we are living our dream, but part of what makes a restaurant special is the place. You should have a sense of place, which should add to the occasion of dining out.”
