The Copper Onion is a new american gastropub restaurant in Downtown, Salt Lake City.
The Copper Onion on East Broadway, Ryan Lowder's New American room since 2010, anchors downtown's gastropub tier with seasonal scratch cooking.
Signature dishes: Burger, House-made pasta
Must 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.
Address: 111 E Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004, runs Utah's defining brisket and burnt-end Fridays.
Signature: Brisket, Burnt ends
Order: A brisket plate with burnt ends if it's a Friday plus a side of pit beans.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Counter sells out of brisket by early evening; arrive before 18:00 to be sure.
East Liberty Tap House on 900 South, Scott Evans' Pago Group neighborhood tavern since 2014, runs an updated bar menu with Utah craft beer on tap.
Signature: Burger, Craft beer pours
Order: The house burger and whichever Utah craft beer leads the rotating tap list.
Tip: Patio in summer; Sunday and Saturday brunch starts at 11:00. Reserve via the operator's site.
