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The 2002 Winter Olympics cast Salt Lake City in a new, contemporary, more diverse light. Visitors discovered a panoply of cultural influences, brewpubs, ethnic flavors, and progressive chefs. Salt Lake City may not have the depth of restaurants seen in other big cities, but there are a couple of outstanding choices for nearly every budget and cuisine. Restaurants like Lamb’s Grill Café, Hire’s Big H, and Ruth’s Diner trace their roots back five-plus decades, and their colorful proprietors are more than willing to share the history they’ve witnessed from their kitchens. Returning LDS missionaries have brought back their favorite flavors from Asia, Europe, and Latin America, with impressive results. Seafood, Japanese, Tibetan, Indian, Spanish, and Italian are all suitably showcased in Salt Lake eateries, and when all else fails, there are great burgers and Rocky Mountain cuisine, a fusion inspired by frontier big game, seafood fresh from the great Pacific ports, and organic produce grown in Utah’s fertile valleys. You'll also find creative wine lists and knowledgeable service. Bakers and pastry chefs defy the 4,400-foot altitude with rustic sourdoughs and luscious berry-filled treats. Multiple weekly summer farmers' markets are thriving, and chefs are building more and more of a food community.
Skip the overpriced breakfast at your downtown hotel and make a beeline for this enchanting Parisian-inspired boulangerie with tiled walls, marble café tables, and sidewalk seating out front. Start the day with beet-avocado toast, stuffed French toast oozing with lemon cream cheese and blueberry compote, or a fruit tart or almond croissant. The espresso and cold brew are first-rate, too.
At this cozy neighborhood spot with a leafy covered patio and an intimate dining room with a fireplace, tuck into plates of Spanish pintxos and tapas—ham and cheese croquettes, grilled bread with roasted mushrooms, Moroccan-style lamb skewers—along with shareable larger platters of tagine and paella. The wine list of well-curated Spanish and Portuguese bottles is one of the best in the city.
For a sweet treat, stop by this friendly ice-cream parlor and candy shop. Jerry Hatch uses his mother's secret recipe for creamy caramel, and each piece of chocolate is hand-dipped and sold by weight.
Downtown's largest restaurant patio—with its tranquil reflecting pool, canopy of ornamental trees, and eye-catching murals—is an idyllic setting for boozy weekend brunch with friends, dinner and drinks before a show at nearby Abravanel Hall, or a late-night snack between dance clubs. The reasonably priced contemporary American food is consistently good, too, from the braised Wagyu beef Benedict with truffle Mornay sauce at brunch to ahi tuna tartare and cashew-kimchi bowls for dinner. There's a comfy indoor dining area, too, but it's the outdoor space that makes Ivy & Varley special.
Named for a historic restaurant district in Ho Chi Minh City, this unassuming eatery south of downtown re-creates the cuisine of southern Vietnam. The menu ranges from traditional basics, like beef-brisket pho and stir-fried crispy egg noodles, to more creative fare, such as walnut shrimp in a creamy white sauce, salt-baked calamari, and a massive hot pot that's perfect for groups of two to four. Portions are huge and service is impeccable.
Venture a few miles south from downtown to Holladay to enjoy savory Mediterranean dishes—with an emphasis on hearty Moroccan and Middle Eastern grills—in a crisp, contemporary dining space. Tangy spices enliven Old-World favorites, such as shawarma and moussaka, and not-so-common dishes like muhamarra (think hummus but with walnuts) may tempt you away from your comfort zone. Bright walls, big windows, and family-friendly banquettes bring a sun-drenched vibe to the meal.
There may be no better place in the valley to order a monstrous burger (with intriguing toppings like hickory-smoked pastrami or peanut butter and bacon, plus house-baked buns) and wash it down with a local beer or a shot of whiskey. At this rollicking tavern near Smith's Ballpark baseball stadium, bacon lovers drool over the house-made slices on many signature burgers, but it's hard to resist Fungus Amongus, a burger with mushrooms sautéed in red wine and garlic, topped with Swiss cheese. Dozens of beers and whiskeys are served, including several from Park City's High West distillery.
Venture into this sleek, angular neighborhood bistro to savor some of the tastiest contemporary Greek food in Utah, best enjoyed with a selection from the nicely curated wine list (which lists some excellent Hellenic offerings). The menu is broken down into tapas-style vegetable, meat, and seafood plates, such as piquillo peppers with smoked feta and olive oil, charred octopus with bean salad and sherry vinaigrette, and pork-beef meatballs with a soul-warming cinnamon-tomato sauce. Save room for the interesting desserts.
You'll be enveloped in electrifying aromas the minute you step into this dark, intimate space that ranks among the best Indian restaurants in the state. You'll find all the standards, including soft garlic naan, chicken-coconut korma, piquant lamb vindaloo, fragrant tandoori dishes, and lots of vegetarian options. There's a selection of domestic and imported beers as well as traditional teas and tea-based drinks. There are additional locations in West Jordan and Provo.
Located in something of a food desert amid the chain hotels southwest of Salt Lake City International Airport, this terrific adults-only gastropub—since it is inside Uinta Brewhouse Pub—serves elevated comfort fare. A nice option before or after a flight or on your way to or from Great Salt Lake State Park, Nomad doles out well-executed takes on comfort classics, from fish-and-chips to falafel salads. There's a second location, Nomad East, near Wasatch Hollow ( 1675 E. 300 S).
From early morning to well into the evening, a selection of fine teas and espresso drinks, big breakfasts, and healthful entrées draw regulars to this café and its serene patio courtyard, and also to adjacent New Age bookstore and gift shop, the Golden Braid. The menu leans toward vegetarian and seafood selections, such as multigrain waffles and eggs Benedict Florentine in the morning and sesame-blackened ahi with sticky rice and peanut stir-fry with udon noodles later in the day. There's a nice wine selection, too.
An unprepossessing storefront eatery near the leafy Avenues district, Oquirrh (rhymes with "poker") is named for the snowcapped mountain range west of Downtown and focuses on seasonal fare with locally sourced ingredients. Boldly flavored dishes like house-made radiatori pasta with basil-cashew pesto and Niman ranch pork chops with feta and beet puree are presented artfully on handmade stoneware in an intimate, art-filled dining room.
Sample small boldly flavored plates of yakisoba noodles, hamachi crudo, eggplant yakitori, and miso-glazed salmon at this airy, high-ceilinged Japanese restaurant in Sugar House. Ozora also offers a nice range of sushi rolls and sashimi. Save room for a slice of strawberry-and-yuzu cheesecake.
Drop by this long-running café with a wall of windows facing the leafy trees of Liberty Park for a leisurely breakfast or lunch before strolling amid the greenery or visiting Tracy Aviary & Botanical Garden. Specialties include vegan hash with grilled potatoes and avocado, the bacon-and-egg-filled pancake sandwich, and a variety of burgers. Portions are formidable, too.
As its name hints, this usually packed Downtown fast-casual eatery with counter service and a small seating area specializes in poultry, and the menu couldn't be simpler. Pick your spice level (from medium to the excruciatingly fiery "hot behind"), choose either a quarter bird or a boneless-chicken sandwich, and add some sides if you'd like (crinkle-cut fries, cider slaw, pickles). Pabst Blue Ribbon in a can is the only beer served, but there's canned wine, too. Additional locations are in Sugar House, Midvale, and Park City.
Head to this popular restaurant on the border between the Avenues and Central City—its brick walls and gorgeous artwork create a warm, inviting vibe—for authentic Thai fare. Starters like minced-fish cakes with red curry paste and Thai beef salad are perfect for sharing, and the main dishes—such as barbecue sweet-soy pork, pineapple fried rice, and duck in red curry sauce—arrive in generous portions.
Two ambitious restaurateurs set out to re-create authentic, ultrathin-crust pizza from Naples using an oven, flour, cheese, and other ingredients shipped from the Old Country. The popular result of this undertaking is Settebello Pizzeria, which draws raves for its blistered-crust pies with simple, top-quality toppings, like crusted tomatoes, artichokes, and pancetta, and a few nontraditional options, like jalapeño marmalade and slow-cooked brisket.
The expertly prepared, contemporary Vietnamese food is but one reason for this buzzy, contemporary bistro's success—there's also a good wine list and a range of creative cocktails. The kitchen specializes in modern and traditional fare, along with some nods to countries that border Vietnam—try the piquant lemongrass beef noodle soup before graduating to steamed whole branzino fish with a ginger-scallion sauce and tender sliced Peking-style pork chops with sweet-and-sour sauce.
With its sleek, contemporary vibe, warm lighting and wood accents, open kitchen, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the fantastic ski terrain, this upscale restaurant in the ritzy Snowpine Lodge is Alta's hippest dining destination. The kitchen takes a farm-to-table approach to its hearty but creative mountain fare, with standout dishes like hamachi crudo and a succulent peppercorn-crusted rib-eye steak with mashed potatoes and Merlot-braised mushrooms. Service is top-notch.
This cozy neighborhood bakeshop between Trolley Square and 9th and 9th turns out absolutely ethereal cookies (the salted caramel bars are legendary), tarts, and cakes, as well as sandwiches on soft and crusty savory breads. The soppressata and provolone and prosciutto-fig-gorgonzola sandwiches are among the favorites, and there's a full roster of espresso drinks and fine teas. There's a second location south and east, near Wasatch Hollow.
A perfect option for a delicious feast of modern German-American fare before or after a visit to Antelope Island State Park, this dapper downtown Layton restaurant is also midway between Salt Lake City and Ogden. The made-from-scratch food is spot-on—try the Alsatian-style flammküchen, currywurst with fries, Parmesan-crusted pork schnitzel, or one of the tasty thin-crust pizzas. The restaurant's Döner Wagon food truck appears at various locations throughout the Wasatch Front.
The charms of this festive bar and grill near downtown theaters and Pioneer Park include quirky decor (both a chandelier and a disco ball), a superfriendly staff, a focus on organic spirits and wines, and healthy farm-to-fork–inspired plant-based cuisine. Drop in for a thyme-infused grapefruit-vodka cocktail (with CBD on request) and cashew-quinoa–stuffed poblano pepper before a show or a smoothie, jackfruit pizza, or miso ramen bowl to break up an afternoon of exploring.
