Takashi is a japanese sushi fine-dining restaurant in Downtown, 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.
Must 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.
Address: 18 W Market St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
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.
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.
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.
