Imagine it: relaxing in the waning rays of the afternoon sun, sipping a craft cocktail and enjoying a front-row seat to a runway’s lineup of takeoffs and landings. At Warbirds Cafe in Driggs, ID, that’s the dining experience.
Located in the Teton Aviation Center (TAC), Warbirds Cafe is named for the distinctive collection of vintage warplanes housed in the adjoining hangar. The experience of dining at this beloved Teton Valley establishment is deeply enmeshed with passion for aviation, and invites diners to delve into an up-close exploration of the planes.
However, if you think the opportunity to marvel at vintage aircraft is the only highlight of the Warbirds Cafe, think again.
Local Goods, International Flair
“The inspiration for Warbirds Cafe comes from Sean Cavenaugh and David Hugo who run the kitchen. They had a collective vision of creating regional cuisine using locally sourced quality ingredients,” explains owner John Koenig. The chef team built a farm-to-table menu, utilizing local products including fresh Clawson greens, meat from the Crowfoot J Ranch, 460 Artisan Bread, Morning Dew Mushrooms and cheeses from Winter Winds Farm.
Koenig stepped into this role two years ago after a decade of managing food and beverage services at Amangani in Jackson Hole. He immediately recognized the culinary brilliance of Cavenaugh and Hugo. His efforts focused on creating an atmosphere of excellent customer service, and he left the pair to design and serve unforgettable food in a wildly unique setting.
The menu at Warbirds Cafe offers a worldly lineup of flavors while showcasing local ingredients. On a blissfully warm summer evening, while watching an impressive array of private planes land and take off, Koenig recommends starting your meal with the whipped feta with house-made pita, olive tapenade and roasted garlic. As a main dish, he says, you can’t go wrong with the seared duck breast with confit of duck leg, parsnip mashed ootatoes and huckleberry gastrique. Or, if pasta is beckoning, tuck into the crab ravioli with scallops, shrimp and tobiko caviar in saffron cream sauce.
Enjoy a Glass of Something Delicious
Nearly as impressive as the food menu at Warbirds Cafe, is the full bar. Boasting a hand-selected lineup of international wine from small, high-end producers, locally-brewed beers and meticulously-mixed craft cocktails, there’s a beverage for every taste.
At any given time, there are over half a dozen custom cocktails on the Warbirds Cafe drink list — each sharing the name of a noteworthy vintage aircraft. Koenig recommends the subtly-spicy Albatross (gin, St. Germaine, lime, and ginger beer), or the smooth and refreshing G5 (gin, cucumber, juniper berries, and lime).
Koenig loves the interconnected nature of the valley’s aviation hub and the locally-sourced fare on the plates. “We’re located off the beaten path at the Teton Aviation Center,” he explains. “Since there aren’t any commercial flights, guests are allowed to come and go as they please.” It’s a special place for that reason, as well as the amazing collection of historic planes, he says. “Warbirds Cafe itself gets its name from the collection of vintage military airplanes that are on display in the hangar connected to the restaurant. All of the planes in the collection are operational and flown frequently.”
Warbirds Cafe is located at 675 Airport Road, Driggs, ID, and is open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner from 5-8:30 p.m. Drop in for some light fare and take advantage of happy hour from 4-6 p.m.
