During my October trip to Jackson, Wyoming I was able to visit many restaurants I had my eye on in July, but we didn't have time to get to.
On our first full day of the trip (a Saturday), we woke up and headed to Picnic for breakfast. This was the very first place I ate in Jackson over the summer and I fell in love with it instantly. They make the best chocolate-frosted banana bread. I dream about that loaf.
On this particular morning, I decided to try something new and ordered the savory sunrise bowl. My bestie went with the Jackson Hippie breakfast sandwich, a vertical tower of deliciousness.
After breakfast we headed to Paintbrush Tattoo. My travel buddy was getting a Jackson-themed tattoo that she had been dreaming about for quite some time. Paintbrush is owned by Bethanie Hart, an amazing artist. Her studio is warm and welcoming, and she cares deeply about her clients' happiness and comfort level.
We were at the studio for over two hours and by the time we were ready to head out, we were also very ready to eat.
We headed back downtown with only one destination in mind: Hand Fire Pizza.
This restaurant is in a space that used to be a theater. They still have the marquee out front, which I loved.
The moment you step inside, it smells amazing. The dining room has huge ceilings, which give plenty of space for the two giant pizza ovens flanking the back wall.
We were seated at a table that had tons of natural light streaming in through the windows. We were greeted right away by a friendly (and very cute) server, Dakota. Is Dakota not the most Jackson name you can imagine?
He asked if we'd like anything to drink, and like children, we wanted soda. There is something about soda and pizza together that just feels really nostalgic.
I got a Root Beer and my bestie went with the Mexican Coke. It's rare to enjoy a Coke from a glass bottle!
To begin, we decided to share the burrata salad. If there is burrata cheese on a menu, I will order it.
Hand Fire's version of this dish exceeded our expectations. The plate is covered in a bed of peppery arugula. Those greens are dressed with a syrup-like Balsamic glaze, which is then topped with an enormous ball of burrata. The plate is garnished with a border of red and yellow cherry tomatoes.
My bestie took a few bites and declared, "This is a truly perfect appetizer." I have to agree. The arugula was so fresh and had that signature zesty bite to it. The cherry tomatoes popped in your mouth. The Balsamic glaze added a sweetness that balanced out the spice from the arugula, and then the burrata was the creaminess that tied it all together.
While we were enjoying our salad, I saw Dakota walk by and deliver a Caesar salad to a neighboring table. I got a twinge of jealousy because it looked like the dream ratio of lettuce / cheese / dressing, and it came in a very generous portion. Definitely ordering that next time!
For the main event, we decided to share two pizzas. My bestie is gluten-free and they offer any of their pizzas on a gluten-free crust.
The first choice we made was the Love Ya Elote pizza. It's BBQ sauce, mozzarella, roasted corn, red onion, queso fresco and cilantro.
We were intrigued because usually you see BBQ sauce drizzled over the top as a garnish, but Hand Fire uses it as the base of this pie. It was very yummy, but didn't have the kick that Mexican street corn typically does.
My lunch date said, "It almost needs the Trader Joe's Elote seasoning. Street corn usually has tons of mayo and cotija cheese and this was just missing that decadent feeling."
Next up we tried the Truffle Shuffle. How cute is that name? It's ricotta spread, mozzarella, spinach, kalamata olives, fresh garlic, tomatoes and truffle oil.
When you lifted a piece of this pizza toward your mouth you could smell the truffle oil before even taking a bite.
This is a white pizza (no red sauce). I was a bit worried the kalamata olives would be overpowering, but they weren't.
While we were enjoying both pies, I asked my bestie what she thought of Hand Fire's gluten-free crust. She replied, "I love that it's thin crust and that it has its own seasoning and flavor. Sometimes GF crust tastes like cardboard!"
We did our absolute best to make a dent in both pies, but wound up taking home half of each. If I lived in Jackson, I think I would be at Hand Fire at least once a week. Their food is delicious, the service is great, and the dining room is lovely.
