Tasting menus, Michelin stars and the chefs redefining Salt Lake City.
Tasting menus, Michelin stars, and the kitchens redefining what fine dining means in Salt Lake City.
Takashi on Market Street, chef-owner Takashi Gibo's downtown sushi room since 2004, anchors Salt Lake's defining omakase at the bar with creative nigiri.
Order: Omakase at the sushi bar; rotating specials list on the chalkboard.
Tip: No reservations; arrive at opening or after 21:00. The omakase at the bar is the seat.
HSL on East 200 South, chef-owner Briar Handly's downtown room, runs wood-fire-driven New American cooking and a strong cocktail program.
Order: Whichever wood-fired vegetable preparation the kitchen leads with plus a shared family-style entree.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat 17:00 onward; closed Sunday and Monday. Reserve via the operator's site.
Pago on 900 East, Scott Evans' 45-seat farm-to-table flagship in 9th and 9th since 2009, codified Salt Lake's seasonal local-ingredient tier.
Order: Whatever the kitchen is featuring from local farms plus a glass off the by-the-glass wine program.
Tip: Reservations on the operator's site open weeks out; the small room turns fast on weeknights.
The Copper Onion on East Broadway, chef-owner Ryan Lowder's New American room since 2010, anchors downtown's gastropub tier with seasonal scratch cooking.
Order: The Copper Onion burger plus a house-made pasta dish from the rotating menu.
Tip: Reserve via OpenTable. Sister room Copper Common next door for cocktails after dinner.
Stoneground Italian Kitchen on East 400 South, chef Paulie O'Connor's second-floor downtown room since 2000, runs wood-fired pizza and pasta with an Italian wine list.
Order: A wood-fired pizza plus a house-made pasta for the table.
Tip: Second-floor entrance; the patio runs in summer. Lunch turns the room faster than dinner.
Veneto on East 900 South, owner-sommelier Marco Stevanoni's Veneto-region Italian room, runs an 800-label wine cellar and a Wine Spectator Best of Award.
Order: A regional Veneto pasta with a pour from the sommelier's by-the-glass selection.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Reserve via OpenTable; the sommelier-led wine classes on Saturdays book ahead.
Manoli's on Harvey Milk Boulevard, chef-owner Manoli Katsanevas' Greek small-plates room since 2015, reinterprets Greek mezze with seasonal local ingredients.
Order: Halloumi with black olive honey, dolmathes, spanakopita and a Greek pour off the list.
Tip: Closed Mondays; reserve via the operator's site for weekend dinner.
Finca on 1500 East at 15th and 15th, Scott Evans' Spanish tapas room reopened in its new home, runs scratch tapas and a Spanish wine list on the ivy patio.
Order: A spread of tapas plus the paella for the table; pair with sherry by the glass.
Tip: The ivy-covered patio is the seat to ask for in summer. Reserve well ahead; the room is small.
Cucina Wine Bar on 2nd Avenue in the Avenues, Dean Pierose's upscale deli turned New American wine bar, runs gourmet deli by day and small plates after 17:00.
Order: A wine flight off the curated list plus rotating small plates from the seasonal evening menu.
Tip: Daytime deli 7:00-17:00; dinner from 17:00. Reserve via Tock for dinner.
Editor picks in Salt Lake City include Takashi, HSL, Pago, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.