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Pavillion Buffet.

$–$$ | AMERICAN | Come to this bustling Curry Village restaurant for a hot, cafeteria-style meal. Bring your tray outside to the deck, and take in the views of the Valley’s granite walls. | Curry Village 95389 | 209/372–8303 | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed mid-Oct.–mid-Apr. No lunch.

Tuolumne Meadows Grill.

¢–$ | FAST FOOD | Serving continuously throughout the day until 5 or 6 PM, this fast-food grill cooks up breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Stop in for a quick meal before exploring the Meadows. | Tioga Rd. (Rte. 120), 1½ mi east of Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center 95389 | 209/372–8426 | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed Oct.–Memorial Day.

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.

$$–$$$ | AMERICAN | At the back of a small building that contains the lodge’s front desk and small gift shop, this restaurant serves hearty American fare at breakfast and dinner. Let the front desk know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, and the cooks will not let you down. | Tioga Rd. (Rte. 120) 95389 | 209/372–8413 | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed late Sept.–Memorial Day. No lunch.

The Village Grill.

¢–$ | FAST FOOD | For that burger-joint fix you may be missing from life at lower elevations, this family-friendly eatery in Yosemite Village serves grilled sandwiches from a counter until 6 PM daily. Take your tray out to the deck and enjoy your meal under the trees. | 100 yards east of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, Yosemite Village 95389 | 209/372–1207 | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed Oct.–May. No dinner after 6 pm.

Wawona Hotel Dining Room.

$$–$$$$ | AMERICAN | Watch deer graze on the meadow while you dine in the romantic, candlelit dining room of the whitewashed Wawona Hotel, which dates from the late 1800s. The American-style cuisine favors fresh California ingredients and flavors; trout is a menu staple. There’s also a Sunday brunch Easter through Thanksgiving, and a barbeque on the lawn Saturday evenings in summer. A jacket is required at dinner. | Wawona Hotel, Rte. 41, Wawona 95389 | 209/375–1425 | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed Jan. and Feb.

White Wolf Lodge.

$$$ | AMERICAN | This high-country historic lodge’s casual, rustic dining room is small enough that every meal requires four seating times. Breakfast and dinners (no lunch) are all-you-can-eat affairs, served family style with vegetarian options. | Tioga Rd. (Rte. 120), 25 mi west of Tuolumne Meadows and 15 mi east of Crane Flat 95389 | 209/372–8416 | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Closed late Sept.–June. No lunch.

PICNIC AREAS

Considering how large the park is and how many visitors come here—some 3.5 million people every year, most of them just for the day—it is somewhat surprising that Yosemite has so few formal picnic areas, though in many places you can find a smooth rock to sit on and enjoy breathtaking views along with your lunch. The convenience stores all sell picnic supplies, and prepackaged sandwiches and salads are widely available. Those options can come in especially handy during the middle of day, when you might not want to spend precious daylight hours in such a spectacular setting sitting in a restaurant for a formal meal. None of the below options has drinking water available; most have some type of toilet.

Cathedral Beach. You may have some solitude picnicking here, as this spot usually has fewer people than picnic areas at the eastern end of the valley. | On Southside Dr. underneath spire-like Cathedral Rocks.

Church Bowl. Tucked behind the Ahwahnee Hotel, this picnic area nearly abuts the granite walls below the Royal Arches. If you’re walking from the village with your supplies, this is the shortest trek to a picnic area. | Behind the Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Valley.

El Capitan. Come here for great views that look straight up the giant granite wall above. | At the western end of the valley on Northside Drive.

Sentinel Beach. Usually crowded in season, this area is right alongside a running creek and the Merced River. | On Southside Drive.

Swinging