Italian$$ninth-and-ninthMon-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri 11:00-21:30; Sat 10:00-21:30; Sun 10:00-21:00
Cafe Trio on 900 East at 7th South, Mikel Trapp's contemporary Italian neighborhood room, runs stone-fired pizzas and pastas on a patio.
Signature: Stone-fired pizza, Pasta
Order: A stone-fired pizza off the daily-rotating menu plus a pasta from the regional Italian list.
Tip: Open daily; the award-winning patio is the seat in summer. Sister Cafe Trio Cottonwood is in suburban Holladay.
New American gastropub$$$downtownMon-Fri 11:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 10:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00
The Copper Onion on East Broadway, Ryan Lowder's New American room since 2010, anchors downtown's gastropub tier with seasonal scratch cooking.
Signature: Burger, House-made pasta
Order: The Copper Onion burger plus house-made pasta off the rotating menu.
Tip: Reserve via OpenTable; sister room Copper Common next door for after-dinner cocktails.
Wine bar$$$fifteenth-and-fifteenthSun 14:00-20:00; Mon-Thu 17:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-24:00
Casot on 1500 East next to Finca, the Pago Group's wine and craft cocktail bar at 15th and 15th, runs natural wine flights and chef-driven small plates.
Signature: Natural wine flights, Small plates
Order: A natural wine flight off the rotating list plus a Spanish-leaning small plate.
Tip: Reserve via Tock; quieter than Finca, opens in evening. Walk between the two rooms encouraged.
Mexican$$north-templeSun-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00
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.
Burgers$downtownMon-Sat 10:00-21:00; closed Sun
Crown Burgers on East 200 South, the Katsanevas family's institution since 1978, popularized Salt Lake's pastrami burger at its Greek-American counter.
Signature: Crown pastrami burger, Gyros
Order: The Crown burger with pastrami plus a side of fry sauce and a gyro.
Tip: Original downtown location is the canonical seat among seven Utah branches; lunch counter turns fast.
Hot chicken$downtownMon-Tue 11:00-21:00; Wed-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-16:00
Pretty Bird Hot Chicken on Regent Street, chef Viet Pham's Nashville-style fast-casual since 2018, anchors Salt Lake's chef-driven hot chicken movement.
Signature: Hot chicken sandwich, Tenders
Order: Hot chicken sandwich at your heat level plus a side of slaw.
Tip: Order ahead via the operator's site for pickup; counter line stretches at lunch. Sister branches in Sugar House, Park City, Midvale.