Italian$$$downtownTue-Thu 17:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-22:00; closed Sun-Mon
Stoneground Italian Kitchen on East 400 South, chef Paulie O'Connor's downtown room since 2000, runs wood-fired pizza and house-made pasta with an Italian wine list.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, House-made pasta
Order: A wood-fired pizza plus a house-made pasta for the table.
Tip: Second-floor entrance; the patio runs in summer. Lunch turns the room faster than dinner.
Greek$$ninth-and-ninthTue-Sun 17:00-22:00; Sat-Sun brunch 10:00-14:30; closed Mon
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.
Spanish tapas$$$fifteenth-and-fifteenthDaily 17:00-21:00
Finca on 1500 East at 15th and 15th, Scott Evans' Spanish tapas room reopened in its new home, runs scratch tapas and a Spanish wine list on the ivy patio.
Signature: Tapas, Paella
Order: A spread of tapas plus the paella for the table; pair with sherry by the glass.
Tip: The ivy-covered patio is the seat to ask for in summer. Reserve well ahead; the room is small.
New American gastropub$$ninth-and-ninthMon-Tue 12:00-22:00; Wed-Fri 12:00-24:00; Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 11:00-22:00
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.
Burgers$downtownMon-Sat 10:00-21:00; closed Sun
Crown Burgers on East 200 South, the Katsanevas family's burger institution since 1978, popularized Salt Lake's pastrami burger at its Greek-American counter.
Signature: Crown burger pastrami burger, Gyros
Order: The Crown burger with pastrami plus fry sauce and a gyro on the side.
Tip: Lunch turns the counter fast; the original downtown location is the canonical seat among the seven Utah branches.
Hot chicken$downtownMon-Tue 11:00-21:00; Wed-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-16:00
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.