North Temple west of the freeway runs through Red Iguana's flagship at 736 West North Temple plus Red Iguana 2, the Rose Park residential neighborhoods and the industrial Wasatch slope toward Uinta Brewing.
Red Iguana on West North Temple, the Cardenas family's Mexican room since 1985 and Utah's most awarded restaurant, runs the state's defining moles.
Signature: Mole negro, Mole verde
Order: A combination platter with mole negro and mole verde plus a pomegranate margarita.
Tip: Wait can run over an hour; cross to Red Iguana 2 at 866 W South Temple or order takeout via the operator's site.
Red Iguana 2 on West South Temple, the larger sibling of the Cardenas family flagship, runs the same award-winning moles in a bigger room with a full bar.
Signature: Mole, Combination platter
Order: Whichever mole the original flagship is celebrating that week plus a margarita at the bar.
Tip: Use Red Iguana 2 to skip the original's hour-plus wait at peak; same kitchen, same family, full bar.
Red Iguana on West North Temple, the Cardenas family's Mexican room since 1985 and Utah's most awarded restaurant, runs the state's defining moles.
Signature: Mole, Combination platter
Order: A combination platter with mole negro and verde plus a pomegranate margarita.
Tip: Hour-plus wait at peak; cross to Red Iguana 2 across South Temple or order takeout via the operator's site.
Red Iguana 2 on West South Temple, the larger sibling of the Cardenas family flagship, runs the same award-winning moles in a bigger room with a full bar.
Signature: Mole, Combination platter
Order: Whichever mole the original flagship is featuring plus a margarita at the bar.
Tip: Use Red Iguana 2 to skip the original's wait at peak; same family, same kitchen.
Apollo Burger on Redwood Road, the Utah burger chain since 1984, serves charbroiled pastrami burgers and Greek-American sides.
Signature: Pastrami burger, Souvlaki
Order: The Pastrami Burger with Apollo sauce plus a side of fries and a milkshake.
Tip: Cheaper alternative to Crown Burgers for the local pastrami-burger ritual; multiple metro branches.
Apollo Burger on Redwood Road, the Utah burger chain since 1984, serves charbroiled pastrami burgers and Greek-American sides at counters.
Try: Pastrami burger at the counter
9th West Farmers Market at International Peace Gardens, the west-side Sunday community producer market, runs mid-June through October with Latino vendors.
Apollo Burger on Redwood Road, the local Utah burger chain since the 1980s, runs charbroiled pastrami burgers and Greek-American sides for under $11.
Try: Pastrami burger and souvlaki combo
Red Iguana on West North Temple runs lunch combinations for $13 to $19 at the bar, with the same mole sauces as the dinner menu at a faster mid-day turn.
Try: Combination platter at lunch
Garage on Beck Street north of downtown, the converted-garage dive bar with a sprawling patio, runs live music nights and Utah craft beer late into nights.