Salt Lake City, Utah — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Salt Lake City, Utah
Restaurants
Expensive
TheAerieRestaurant
A short drive from SLC, the resort of Snowbird is home to one of the state's most acclaimed restaurants, the aptly named Aerie, perched on the 10th floor of The Cliff Lodge. Fine food and spectacular mountain views (seen through massive windows) draw the punters in both summer and winter, and it is easy to see why this restaurant has been the recipient of so many awards, including Utah's 'Most Romantic'. Well worth splashing out for a special occasion.
The Cliff Lodge, Level 10
Tel: (801) 933 2160.
Website: www.snowbird.com
Fleming'sPrimeSteakhouseandWineBar
A must for steak lovers, this nationally acclaimed restaurant downtown features USDA prime beef, aged to perfection and hand-cut daily. Choose your cut and your sauce, and the chef will cook it to your exact requirements. Perfect. And as if that wasn't good enough, the wine list here features 100 wines by the glass. Dinner only.
20 South 400 West
Tel: (801) 355 3704.
Website: www.flemingssteakhouse.com
Ghidotti's
Step into old world elegance of a Mediterranean villa. Tucked into Park City's new Redstone shopping district, Ghidotti's is Bill White's latest success story in fine dining. Décor comprises original Italian tapestries and wrought iron, chandeliers from Istanbul, and travertine marble tile from Mexico. The menu changes seasonally, and seafood is flown in fresh daily. Giant sea scallops melt in the mouth, while grilled salmon is flaky and flavorsome. Share the perfect gelato dessert, a sampler of five flavors served on freshly made waffle cones.
6030 North Market, Suite 100, Redstone Village, Park City
Tel: (435) 658 0669.
Website: www.ghidottis.com
La Caille
A winding brick road leads to this romantic French chateau built in 1995 to kindle the imagination and seduce diners with its 18th-century-esque charm. Experience French fine dining in magical ambiance enhanced with stone staircases, European statuary, plants and topiary, lamplight and cosy firesides. The rack of New Zealand lamb with Grand Marnier glaze and mint jelly is unforgettable. No meal is complete without the Irish coffee prepared tableside with flames and sparks. Only 30 minutes from downtown Salt Lake, but take a good map.
9565 Wasatch Boulevard, Little Cottonwood Canyon
Tel: (801) 942 1751.
Website: www.lacaille.com
Moderate
TheBayou
Over 200 beers are available at The Bayou, referred to by locals as 'Beervanna'. Need we say more? The menu is classic pub fare with Cajun flair, and there is live jazz music several nights a week.
645 South State Street
Tel: (801) 961 8400.
Website: www.xmission.com/~bayou/home.php
Benihana
Cool Japanese restaurant offering the usual teppanyaki, sushi, sashimi and tempura favorites. Open for lunch and dinner.
165 South West Temple Building 1
Tel: (801) 322 2421.
CucinaToscana
This is one of the city's best Italian restaurants (if indeed not the best one) located in downtown SLC, where award-winning chef Valter Nassi serves authentic Tuscan cuisine to regulars and tourists alike. The food is simple but always fresh and tasty, the prices more than reasonable for the quality you get, and the service excellent.
307 West Pierpont Avenue
Tel: (801) 328 3463.
Website: www.cucina-toscana.com
MarketStreetGrill
Established 25 years, the Market Street Grill is, many say, the best seafood restaurant in town. The fish is flown in especially from around the globe every day, and patrons here work their way through over 600 pounds of fresh seafood daily... The restaurant features special festivals for foods in season throughout the year, another delicious reason to visit. Daily specials, and pasta, steaks and ribs are also available. Good wine list.
48 West Market Street
Tel: (801) 322 4668.
Website: www.gastronomyinc.com/msg/index.html
Martine
Spanish-style tapas restaurant, one block from Temple Square and popular with the pre-theater dinner crowd. Seasonal menu changes every two weeks. Servings generous and affordable. Sample a tantalizing array of tapas or indulge in a chocolate decadence dessert in this mellow and intimate dining spot.
22 East 100 South
Tel: (801) 363 9328.
Website: www.dininginutah.com/martine.htm
TheMayan
For a dining experience with a difference, head for The Mayan in Jordan Commons. This Mexican restaurant is set in a 3,700 sq m (40,000 sq ft) jungle décor complete with talking animals, waterfalls and cliff divers, making it a real winner with kids of all ages. And the food is rather good too. Children's menus are available. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
9400 South State Street, Sandy
Tel: (801) 304 4677.
Website: www.themayan.com
TheTreeRoom
Award-winning restaurant serving seasonal mountain cuisine in romantic setting: candlelight, white linen tablecloth, log walls and great forest views. Robert Redford's private Native American art collection graces the walls. Cosy yet elegant.
Sundance Resort, Sundance
Tel: (801) 223 4200.
Website: www.sundanceresort.com/dine/tree_room.html
Cheap
P F Chang's China Bistro
This branch of the Chinese chain restaurant is ever popular with young people who like the modern interior and the eclectic menu on offer here. Choose from Cantonese or Szechwan or Hunan, and don't forget to check out the good value specials.
174 W Broadway
Tel: (801) 539 0500.
Red Rock Brewing Company
This is a popular, no frills brewpub, with a good selection of micro-brewed beers and a menu featuring a selection of sandwiches, salads, soups, seafood, meats and pizzas at reasonable prices.
254 South 200 West
Tel: (801) 521 7446.
Website: www.redrockbrewing.com
Ruth's Diner
Established in 1930, and with several awards under its belt, Ruth's Diner (10 minutes from downtown) is a cheap and cheerful kind of place with great mountain views, offering above average fare in great surroundings. There is a big outdoor patio for sunny days, and live music in summer. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
2100 Emigration Canyon
Tel: (801) 582 5807.
Website: www.ruthsdiner.com
Sawadee Thai Restaurant
This two-year-old restaurant in a charming restored old house is authentic Thai, from the imported original art and carved décor to the owners, Wilati and his wife, Chef Pom. Savour the distinct flavors of fresh herbs, with the tang of coconut and lemongrass. Dishes are delicious, but forget the Thai coffee! Sawadee was voted Best New Ethnic Restaurant for 2007 by Salt Lake City Weekly.
754 East South Temple Street
Tel: (801) 328 8424.
Website: www.sawadee1.com
Nightlife
Despite the generally conservative atmosphere of Salt Lake City, there are plenty of night spots for music and entertainment, from country and western line dancing to jazz, blues and rock ’n’ roll. These are not focused on any particular district and are generally spread throughout the city. Utah does have unique liquor laws, however, but these have been relaxed somewhat - and the process of getting into a private club has been simplified.
Taverns and lounges only sell beer. Mixed drinks are sold at private clubs (the equivalent of bars) throughout the day. Alcohol may be ordered with a meal in most restaurants after midday, although customers have to ask for a liquor menu. The minimum drinking age is 21 years.
CitySearch Utah (website: www.utah.citysearch.com) provides an online guide to events, while City Weekly (website: www.slweekly.com) and The Event are free weekly papers with extensive reviews and listings.
Bars: Sports bars are popular in Salt Lake City. Some popular venues for watching a big match on a big screen are the Port O’Call, 78 West 400 South, and SkyBox Sports Grille & Arena, The Gateway, 4 South Rio Grande Street. Many bars now feature micro-brewed beers. These include the Red Rock Brewing Company, South 200 West Street, and Lazy Moon Pub, 32 Exchange Place. Another great place for beer aficionados is The Bayou, 645 South State Street, which has more than 150 varieties of the golden nectar (see Restaurants). The Red Door, 57 West 200 South, serves designer martinis in a cosmopolitan setting, while The Wine Bar at Baci, 140 West Pierpont Avenue, is arguably the best wine bar in town.
Clubs: Club Axis, 108 South 500 West, has two dancefloors and features a technobeam light show. Zipperz, 155 West 200 South, has four levels with top DJs, sound and lighting. Club Sound, 579 West 200 South, is a private club that showcases the best in both local and national talent, while Club Vortex, 404 South West Temple, is the best dance club in town.
Live Music: The Dead Goat Saloon, 119 South West Temple (website: www.deadgoat.com), is a perennial favorite with live music most nights. The Green Street Social Club, Trolley Square, has food, live entertainment and dancing. Port O’Call has live bands (website: www.portocall.com), as does The Bayou (see Bars for both), which has jazz music on most nights.
