After COVID-era precarity, Utah's famed Hell's Backbone Grill secures its home
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Photo courtesy of Hell's Backbone Grill
The renowned Hell's Backbone Grill has bought out the Boulder Mountain Lodge, securing its remote home in the desert for the long term.
Why it matters: Barely two years ago, the beloved eatery was trying to crowdfund its way to solvency, shortly after becoming Utah's first James Beard semifinalist for the nation's best restaurant.
Catch up quick: Owners Blake Spalding and Jen Castle cited losses during COVID and rising costs as they tried to raise more than $300,000 in late 2022 for "short-term survival."
The intrigue: After Hell's Backbone Grill got back on its feet in 2023, the owner of the adjacent lodge — the restaurant's landlord — alerted Spalding and Castle that he planned to sell the property.
Driving the news: In a newsletter Monday, Spalding and Castle announced they and three other Boulder residents bought the lodge with the help of some of the "Hell's Angels" investors who came to the grill's rescue in 2022.
What they're saying: "We came close to giving up at least 300 times, because it all seemed too hard, but once again, we were astonished by the power and magic of community," they wrote. "Out of nowhere, people began coming forward and offering support to help us move forward, knowing it would be difficult for us to get traditional financing."
The big picture: Hell's Backbone Grill is frequently rated Utah's best restaurant on food critics' lists.
- It's been described as the "lifeblood" of Boulder, a hamlet of fewer than 300 people south of Capitol Reef National Park.
- Castle and Spalding are well-known standardbearers of progressive politics in conservative Garfield County, and the grill has been seen as a sanctuary for environmentalists and LGBTQ+ diners.
The latest: The restaurant is launching a food truck in Boulder called Little Bone, which will serve breakfasts daily and patio dinners on nights when the main restaurant is closed.
What's next: After its annual seasonal closure for winter, Hell's Backbone Grill launches its 2025 season March 14, with reservations available now on its website.