The rooms worth a reservation in Salt Lake City, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Salt Lake City. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
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.
Takashi on Market Street, chef-owner Takashi Gibo's downtown sushi room since 2004, runs Salt Lake's defining omakase at the bar plus a full Japanese menu.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, Tempura
Order: Omakase at the sushi bar; the menu's signature rolls plus sashimi for the table.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 17:30 on a weekday or after 21:00 to skip the wait. Closed Sundays.
HSL on East 200 South, chef-owner Briar Handly's downtown wood-fire-driven New American room, runs seasonal New American cooking from a multi-time James Beard semifinalist chef.
Signature: Wood-fired vegetables, Family-style plates
Order: Whichever wood-fired vegetable preparation the kitchen leads with plus a family-style entree to share.
Tip: Open Tue-Thu 17:00-21:00 and Fri-Sat 17:00-22:00; 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.
Signature: Seasonal vegetable plates, Wine pairings
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.
Signature: House-made pasta, Burger
Order: The Copper Onion burger plus a house-made pasta dish from the rotating menu.
Tip: Reserve via OpenTable; weeknight dinners run quieter than weekends. Sister room Copper Common next door for cocktails.
Stoneground Italian Kitchen on East 400 South, chef Paulie O'Connor's downtown room since 2000, runs wood-fired pizza and house-made pasta with an Italian wine list.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, House-made pasta
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.
Manoli's on Harvey Milk Boulevard, chef-owner Manoli Katsanevas' Greek small-plates room since 2015, reinterprets Greek mezze with seasonal local ingredients.
Signature: Halloumi with marcona almonds, Spanakopita
Order: Halloumi with black olive honey, dolmathes, spanakopita and a Greek pour off the list.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Saturday and Sunday brunch 10:00 to 14:30; dinner Tue-Sun from 17:00.
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.
Signature: Tapas, Paella
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.
East Liberty Tap House on 900 South, Scott Evans' Pago Group neighborhood tavern since 2014, runs an updated bar menu with curated Utah craft beer.
Signature: Burger, Craft beer pours
Order: The house burger plus whichever Utah craft beer is leading the rotating tap list.
Tip: Patio in summer; Sunday and Saturday brunch starts at 11:00. Reserve via the operator's site.
Crown Burgers on East 200 South, the Katsanevas family's burger institution since 1978, popularized Salt Lake's pastrami burger at its Greek-American counter.
Signature: Crown burger pastrami burger, Gyros
Order: The Crown burger with pastrami plus fry sauce and a gyro on the side.
Tip: Lunch turns the counter fast; the original downtown location is the canonical seat among the seven Utah branches.
Pretty Bird Hot Chicken on Regent Street, chef Viet Pham's Nashville-style downtown fast-casual since 2018, anchors Utah's chef-driven hot chicken movement.
Signature: Hot chicken sandwich, Tenders
Order: Hot chicken sandwich at the heat level of your choice plus a side of slaw.
Tip: Order ahead via the operator's site for pickup; the counter line stretches at lunch. Park City, Sugar House and Midvale branches are siblings.
Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue south of downtown, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004, runs Utah's defining brisket 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. The counter sells out of brisket by early evening on weekends; arrive before 18:00 to be sure.
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 from 17:00.
Signature: Seasonal small plates, Wine flights
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. The deli sandwiches travel well to picnics at Memory Grove.
Vertical Diner on 900 South, Salt Lake's longest-running full-service vegan diner since 2007 (current address from 2019), runs plant-based comfort food all day.
Signature: Ranch burger, Biscuits and gravy
Order: The ranch burger or biscuits and gravy with a side of spicy fries.
Tip: All-day breakfast service; the retro-diner room is family-friendly. Beer and wine on the menu.
Mark of the Beastro on South State Street, the vegan bistro inside The Beehive music venue, runs plant-based diner classics in a live-music-venue room.
Signature: Vegan burger, Fried pickles
Order: The vegan burger plus fried pickles and a breakfast plate from the all-day menu.
Tip: Closed Mondays; the dining room runs alongside The Beehive's music nights. Brunch reliable on weekends.
Zest Kitchen and Bar on South 200 West, the plant-based and 100 percent gluten-free room since 2012, runs vegetarian small plates with a cocktail program.
Signature: Plant-based plates, Cocktails
Order: A plant-based main plus a hand-crafted cocktail off the seasonal list.
Tip: Live music and DJ nights run the room late on weekends; the cocktail program is one of the strongest among the city's plant-based rooms.
Emigration Cafe on 1300 South, Scott Evans' Pago Group all-day cafe in Yalecrest, runs breakfast, sandwiches and salads through the afternoon hours.
Signature: Breakfast plates, Sandwiches
Order: A breakfast plate in the morning or a seasonal sandwich at lunch with an espresso drink.
Tip: Morning rush peaks 08:00-10:00; weekend brunch is the busiest window. Closes mid-afternoon.
Caputo's Market and Deli on West 300 South, Tony Caputo's Italian deli and market since 1997, runs the largest craft chocolate selection in the country.
Signature: Old School sandwich, Cheese counter
Order: The Old School sandwich and a craft chocolate bar from the 300+ bar wall.
Tip: Counter sandwiches travel well; the cheese, cured meats and tinned fish stretch through holidays. Multiple metro branches.
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.
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, Cocktails
Order: A natural wine flight off the rotating list and a small plate from the Spanish-leaning kitchen.
Tip: Reserve via Tock; quieter than Finca, opens in evening. The two rooms share staff and walk between is encouraged.