New culinary direction atop downtown
Van Ryder, the 21-and-over rooftop bar perched above Le Méridien at 131 S. 300 West in downtown Salt Lake City, is sharpening its identity with a new executive chef and a retooled menu aimed at groups and social dining. The bar, which opened in 2023, now features a menu described by its chef as congenial and shareable, complementing the venue’s modern Western aesthetic and city skyline views.
Chef Daniel Horn brings hospitality experience
Daniel Horn, named Van Ryder’s executive chef and regional culinary director for Azul Hospitality late in 2025, is leading the kitchen. Horn’s culinary background includes formal study in California and experience at high-end resorts and luxury hotels in the region. He said his earliest food lessons came from helping his blind Italian grandmother cook, and that his approach to dishes includes repeated refinement until they meet his standards.
“I’ll keep tweaking a dish over time until it’s exactly what I want,”
Horn’s appointment signals an effort to reposition the rooftop’s offerings from heavier entrée-focused plates to a menu that better serves groups visiting the bar. The change aims to make the space not just a hotel amenity but a destination for locals and visitors seeking a social evening with small plates and cocktails.
Design, views and a Western influence
The Van Ryder’s décor leans into a contemporary take on the American West: warm woods, leather seating, faux fur accents and touches of blue and gold. The patio is heated for cooler weather, extending its usability through the seasons. The rooftop’s name and inspiration come from Jack “The Rambling Kid” Van Ryder, a cowboy-artist noted for pastel depictions of Western skies — an influence the venue highlights in its design and in how it frames views of Salt Lake City’s sunsets.
- Location: 131 S. 300 West, above Le Méridien hotel
- Audience: 21 and older
- Offerings: New shareable, convivial bar menu under Chef Daniel Horn
Local context and what it means for downtown nightlife
Rooftop bars and hotel-driven nightlife have become an increasingly visible part of Salt Lake City’s downtown hospitality scene. Venues that can combine distinctive design, seasonal outdoor seating and food that encourages lingering tend to draw both hotel guests and local residents for evening socializing. Van Ryder’s pivot to a shareable menu follows that model and may help it compete with other rooftop and cocktail-focused destinations in the city.
Patrons who visit for the view will find the setting curated to evoke the Western landscape while offering modern comforts. The rooftop’s heated patio and sunset vantage point make it a candidate for year-round use when weather permits, giving downtown an elevated option for evenings that include small plates and cocktails rather than full formal dinners.
| Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Modern Western: wood, leather, faux fur, blue and gold accents |
| Chef | Daniel Horn — Azul Hospitality regional culinary director |
| Target | 21+ guests, social dining and cocktails |
One local quibble noted during a recent visit was the music selection, which some expected to lean more explicitly country or Western. Still, the overall reception emphasized the playful, flavorful approach Horn has taken with the menu and the strength of the space as a downtown vantage point for sunset and evening gatherings.
Van Ryder’s repositioning underscores a broader trend in Salt Lake City hospitality: hotel rooftops increasingly operate as standalone nightlife destinations. For residents and visitors looking for an elevated city view paired with a menu built for sharing, the rooftop at Le Méridien offers a distinctly styled option rooted in Western motifs and contemporary bar dining.
