Cucina Wine Bar is a wine bar restaurant in Avenues, Salt Lake City.
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 dishes: Seasonal small plates, Wine flights
Must 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.
Address: 1026 E 2nd Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
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.
