9 splurge places in Salt Lake City, editor-picked. tasting menus and the full big-night-out treatment in Salt Lake City. All Salt Lake City food.
Takashi ★ 4.8
downtown · 18 W Market St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
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.
Tip: No reservations; arrive at opening or after 21:00. The omakase at the bar is the seat.
HSL ★ 4.7
downtown · 418 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
HSL on East 200 South is chef-owner Briar Handly's downtown Salt Lake City room with wood-fire-driven New American cooking and a strong craft cocktail bar.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat 17:00 onward; closed Sunday and Monday. Reserve via the operator's site.
Pago ★ 4.6
ninth-and-ninth · 878 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84105
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.
Tip: Reservations on the operator's site open weeks out; the small room turns fast on weeknights.
Veneto Ristorante Italiano ★ 4.5
central-city · 370 E 900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
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.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Reserve via OpenTable; the sommelier-led wine classes on Saturdays book ahead.
The Copper Onion ★ 4.4
downtown · 111 E Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
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.
Tip: Reserve via OpenTable. Sister room Copper Common next door for cocktails after dinner.
Manoli's ★ 4.3
ninth-and-ninth · 402 E Harvey Milk Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Manoli's on Harvey Milk Boulevard, chef-owner Manoli Katsanevas' Greek small-plates room since 2015, reinterprets Greek mezze with seasonal local ingredients.
Tip: Closed Mondays; reserve via the operator's site for weekend dinner.
Finca ★ 4.2
fifteenth-and-fifteenth · 1513 S 1500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84105
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.
Tip: The ivy-covered patio is the seat to ask for in summer. Reserve well ahead; the room is small.
Stoneground Italian Kitchen ★ 4.1
downtown · 249 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
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.
Tip: Second-floor entrance; the patio runs in summer. Lunch turns the room faster than dinner.
Cucina Wine Bar ★ 4.0
avenues · 1026 E 2nd Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
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.
Tip: Daytime deli 7:00-17:00; dinner from 17:00. Reserve via Tock for dinner.