Chances are you have heard of Moab via Arches National Park. While Arches National Park is enough of a reason to get to Moab, the small Eastern Utah town has many other wonderful activities and food that also warrant a trip.
One of the best places for breakfast, and a reason for getting up early or getting to Moab early, is Love Muffin Cafe. This place is a longstanding favorite among locals and tourists, and there is often a line out the door- it is only open 6:30am-1pm. If you want to try their amazing muffins and other breakfast items, it really is imperative to get there as close to opening as possible.
I think over the years of visiting Moab, I have been lucky enough to have tried almost every muffin flavor. While they are all good, some favorites have been the lemon poppyseed, almond raspberry, and the classic blueberry. Love Muffin does a great job of always having at least one gluten free and vegan muffin, and often a gluten free vegan muffin. This lastest trip in March allowed me to try their Cha Cha Matcha, which was a vegan matcha with white chocolate chips. These muffins are also the perfect mountain bike ride snack, and I always buy an extra to pack in my pocket for my ride later that day!
Love Muffin uses Idaho based Doma Coffee, which is good coffee, and they always do a great job making cute latte art! Their breakfast burritos and paninis are also a good way to get a more substantial breakfast in.
One of my favorite places to mountain bike is Navajo Rocks Loop Trail in Moab. The trail is a great mix of technical rocks, sand, gravel, single track, and has the most amazing views. The terrain in Moab is some of the most unique terrain I have ever seen, and every time I ride or run in Moab, it feels like I am in a different world.
Another great and nearby trail system is Gemini Bridges, which is a jeep trail with tons of loops and trail offshoots, and you can easily spend a few days riding this area.
For a long day on the bike, or if you want to camp and break it into a few days, the White Rim loop is incredible. Recently, a lot of the top professional mountain bike riders in the country have been going after the White Rim FKT (fastest known time), and it is pretty incredible how fast they can complete this 100 mile loop! The views are also stunning here, and it definitely makes for a very rewarding day of riding (just be sure to bring lots of snacks, aka Love Muffin muffins, and lots of hydration).
The North 40 trails and Brand trails are also fun to explore, and there are lots of little trail loops to check out, all with varying degrees of difficulty. This is a great place for everyone from beginners to experts, and it is just a super fun trail system.
One of my all time favorite restaurants, and my absolute favorite sushi restaurant, is right in downtown Moab. Sabaku Sushi is absolutely amazing, and while southwestern Utah doesn't seem like the most obvious place to get sushi, trust me, it is incredible. After being vegan for 8 years and having numerous health issues, I dove straight back to being omnivorous on a trip to Moab. My very first non vegetarian sushi experience was at Sabaku, and I was blown away. Sushi is now one of my favorite foods, and I have tried sushi all over the world, and I still believe Sabaku has the best sushi. Some favorite rolls are the Colorado (spicy albacore with mango and serranos!), the Sunshine (spicy tuna, mango, and a ginger sauce), and a vegetarian one called Hidden Valley (fried apples, mango, avocado, and topped with macadamia nuts). These rolls are so insanely good, you really just have to try them for yourself. I wish everyone in the world could taste these flavorful bites of joy.
For coffee, I really love Moab Coffee Roasters. There really is something to having freshly roasted coffee, and the highlight of this place for me is that they have coffee ice cubes. My favorite way to drink iced lattes and coldbrew is to have coffee ice cubes, so that my drink only gets better and not watered down. You have to ask for the coffee ice cubes, though, so be sure to indicate that you want them when you order an iced drink. Other perks of this coffee shop include gelato, chocolate (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory), and souvenirs/postcards.
For a quick lunch, Quesadilla Mobila is a great option. This is a food truck on Main street, and they have tons of quesadilla options, and the ones we have tried have been solid.
Another great lunch or dinner option if you are in the mood for BBQ is a newer restaurant called Spitfire Smoke House. We have only tried the brisket from here, but it was really good, and it was a great quick lunch option (we ate this prior to mountain biking, and I have to say it would have been better to wait until after we had ridden...).
For a nice dinner out, or like I did to celebrate the end of horrible trail marathon in Moab, Desert Bistro is a wonderful option. The restaurant itself is very nice, and they feature locally grown food, as well as southwestern cuisine. I had the beef tenderloin and thought it was super good. They also have fresh made pastas, a fresh catch of the day, and some great vegetarian entree and appetizer options, too!
Another great place for coffee, breakfast, or lunch is Moab Garage Co. They use La Barba coffee out of Salt Lake, and since they carry ice cream, you can get a nitroccino and affogatos, too! They also have their own version of frappuccino, which is always a good idea on a hot day in the desert. For breakfast, they have breakfast burritos, toasts, a rice/quinoa bowl, and leige belgian waffles. For lunch, they have sandwiches and tacos. This establishment is open until 3pm, so one of breakfast/lunch spots you can get at a later hour.
Finally, for ice cream, the Spoke on Center is a great place to check out. They have a cute walk up window to order ice cream from (they also have a full restaurant where you can get burgers and sandwiches), and the flavors change pretty regularly. The pecan prailine is my favorite.
