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Best Salt Lake City Restaurants

Best Restaurants in Salt Lake City

Reviewed by Becky

We all have our top restaurants around Salt Lake so, I thought I would divulge with you the short list of some of my favorites.  One caveat (or maybe two), I must say these are just the places we tend to frequent, and secondly, my favorites are always changing!  This list would not be complete without your top restaurants in Salt Lake as well! So, please leave a comment with your favorite Salt Lake City restaurant for a chance to win tickets to Caputo’s Chocolate Fest or a box full of chocolates! More details at the bottom of the post.

Breakfast:
Tulie Bakery
Les Madeleines Bakery
Ruth’s Diner (Emigration Canyon)
Silver Fork Lodge (Big Cottonwood Canyon)
Eggs in the City
The Rose Establishment
Bruges Waffles

Brunch:
Cafe Niche
Pago
Faustina
Communal (Provo)

Lunch:
Caputo’s
Pinon Market
Em’s
Robin’s Nest
The Wild Grape (butternut squash soup and salad)
Aristo’s (gyro or lemon rice soup)
Gourmandise
Ekamai

Special Occasion:
Fresco
Forage
The Farm (Park City)
Copper Onion
Zy
Pallet

Date Night:
Finca
Plum Alley
Vinto

Long Distance Dinners:
Communal (Provo)
Black Sheep (Provo)
Tarahumara (Midway)
Reef’s Mediterranean (Park City)

Cheap Date/Fast Food:
Oh Mai
Chanon Thai
Ali Baba
Desert Edge (goat cheese quesadillas and beer!)
Lone Star Taqueria
Taco Carts by Sears ( or like some call it, Sear’s Food Court)

Coffee:
Nobrow Coffee
The Rose Establishment

Giveaway info

Now for the giveaway. I’d love for this list of ‘best restaurants to extend far beyong my personal preferences so if you leave a comment with your favorite restaurant you’ll be entered to win 1 of the following 7 prizes: 3 boxes of Amedei Pralines (Amedei is the top chocolate in the world), 4 tickets to Caputo’s Chocolate Fest.  The Chocolate Fest is on October 25th and will present the world’s leading chocolate, Amedei, in it’s many creative forms by talented local chefs from Vinto, Deer Valley, Chocolot, The Heirloom Group and more!

Winner Announcement!!

Using random.org I selected the winners of the following 7 prizes…
Alex Springer – box of Amedei Pralines
Josie Decker – box of Amedei Pralines
Sheree – box of Amedei Pralines
Matt S – ticket to the chocolate fest
Rene – ticket to the chocolate fest
N Polson – ticket to the chocolate fest
Beth – ticket to the chocolate fest

Congratulations everyone!!  Please email slcfoodie at gmail with your information to receive your prizes.

Thank you all SO much for making my favorite slc restaurant list complete!! There are still tickets left for the chocolate fest, go to the Caputo’s Website Events Calendar and click on Chocolate Festival for more info!

Comments (87)

  2. This is tough for me, but I can give you at least on in each category:

    Breakfast:
    The Park Cafe (Greasy Spoon)

    Brunch:
    Zy

    Lunch:
    Copper Onion
    Korea House
    The Park Cafe

    Special Occasion:
    Forage
    Pago

    Date Night:
    Forage (very special date night)
    Kyoto
    Takashi

    Long Distance Dinners:
    Painted Pony (St. George)

    Cheap Date/Fast Food:
    Myung Ga
    Korea House
    Mi La Cai Noodle House

    Coffee:
    Alchemy
    My House
    Coffee Garden (Too Crowded)

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  3. Great list! I’d second a lot of these, especially Chanon Thai, Gourmandise, Vinto, Ruth’s and the taco carts. And I’d add Lucky 13 for burgers, The Park Cafe, Sugarhouse BBQ, Red Iguana, Curry Fried Chicken and Bombay House as some more favorites!

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  5. Seeing lists like this remind me that there are so many delicious places in Salt Lake! Some of my favorites left off the list:

    Breakfast:
    Penny Ann’s

    Brunch:
    Squatters
    Bourbon House

    Lunch:
    Oasis Cafe
    Olive Bistro

    Special Occasion:
    Cafe Madrid
    Fresca
    Frida
    Em’s

    Date Night:
    The Paris
    Tin Angel
    Indochine

    Cheap Date:
    Penny Ann’s

    Coffee:
    Whispers
    Red Moose

    Now I need to find an excuse (or not at all) to go out to eat!

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  6. Breakfast:
    Blue Plate Diner
    Lazy Day Cafe
    Millcreek Cafe and Eggworks

    Brunch:
    Green Pig

    Lunch:
    The Porcupine
    Red Rock Brewery
    Happy Sumo
    Vinto

    Special Occasion:
    Forage
    Pago

    Date Night:
    Trio
    Fresco
    Log Haven
    Sapa Sushi
    Lugano

    Long Distance Dinners:
    Anasazi Steakhouse (St. George)

    Cheap Date/Fast Food:
    Little World
    Este Pizza
    O’Falafel

    Coffee:
    Nostalgia
    Sugarhouse Coffee
    Coffee Garden (Too Crowded)

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  7. You hit on the good ones in SLC, but a couple other of my faves include Eva’s (Great date night place or girl’s place and so many choices you can go again and again) and Himalayan Kitchen!

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  8. That’s a good list. I would add newcomer Taqueria 27. And my perennial favorite neighborhood restaurant, Fresco.

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  9. Forage is the best restaurant in SLC so they should be on the list. Porcupine might have the best Nachos in the world and makes me feel warm and fuzzy when I get high fives and a beer after a day of shredding pow. I dig the vibe at Tin Angel. Sushi Blue is coming on strong in Park City (fresh Uni flown in daily my people!). Cotton Bottom Inn and Hire’s Big H are the two Utah joints heralded by Road Food, which means they should be on the greasy cheap list in my opinion.

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  11. Breakfast: Kneaders, Corner Bakery, Bayleaf

    Brunch: Copper Onion

    Lunch: Hong Kong Tea House, Squatters, Red Maple, Granatos

    Special Occasion: Bambara, Sapa, Takashi

    Date Night: Takashi, Naked Fish, Caffe Molise, Pipa

    Long Distance Dinners: Maddox (Perry)

    Cheap Date/Fast Food: Gossip, Thai Aroy’d

    Coffee: Beans and Brews, Salt Lake Roasting

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  14. Great list! Many I still need to try. I’d say:

    Breakfast:
    Park Cafe
    Banbury Cross

    Lunch:
    Pat’s
    Left Fork Grill
    Vito’s
    Cafe Shambala

    Special Occasion:
    Fresco
    Layla

    Date Night:
    Mazza
    Chanon Thai
    Per Noi
    Eva

    Long Distance:
    El Chubasco (Park City)

    Cheap Eats:
    Lone Star Taqueria
    Oh, Mai
    Chicken Express
    Old Bridge Cafe
    Navajo Hogan
    Rincon Salvadoreno
    Penny Anne’s
    Ali Baba

    Dessert:
    Left Fork Grill pie
    Hatch’s

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  16. We own a local dating company, AmberMay Dating Services and are always sending couples to different places to eat around Salt Lake. one of our favorite spots is Sapa Grill. Their patio is to die for and is unlike anything else this city has to offer. Their pearl sake is affordable and delish as well!

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  18. Breakfast: Vertical Diner
    Brunch: Roots Cafè (Including the best non-sausage sausage I have ever tasted)
    Lunch: Oh Mai and Pho Green Papaya
    Special Occasion: Meditrina
    Date Night: Nuch’s and Eva
    Cheap Date/Fast Food: Pizzeria Limone
    Coffee: Java Jo’s and Caffe d’Bolla

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  20. I’m going to go with Cafe Niche for lunch instead of brunch. I also LOVE the new Bocata at City Creek. For coffee, you can’t beat Salt Lake Roasting Co’s Banana Espresso Frappe or Blue Star Coffee.

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  22. I’m also in love with the Rose Establishment for coffee. Some other favorites are the Atlantic Cafe & Cucina Deli. The Atantic Cafe has killer personal sized pizzas & meat platters & the Cucina Deli has delectable dishes & coffee!

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  23. Breakfast:
    Blue Plate Diner
    Original Pancake House (not local, but still good)
    Brugés Waffles and Frittes
    Saturday’s Waffles

    Brunch:
    Ruth’s Diner
    Market Street Grill

    Lunch:
    Ekamai (Downtown)
    Lewis Bros. Food Truck
    Waki Paki Food Truck
    Carlucci’s Bakery

    Special Occasion/Date Night: (when you have kids, date night is a special occasion)
    XY
    Eva

    Desert/Pastries:
    Carlucchi’s
    The Rose Estb.
    Gourmandise

    Greasy Spoon/Fast Food/Pizza:
    B&D Burger
    Este Pizzeria
    Pizzeria Limone
    Costa Vida (I know, I know, but I like it)

    Pubs/Bars:
    Poplar Street
    Squatter’s
    Fiddler’s Elbow
    Bar X

    Coffee:
    The Rose Estb.
    Higher Ground Coffee
    No Brow

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  24. A couple of restaurants I would add that haven’t already been mentioned:

    Breakfast:
    Saturday’s Waffles

    Brunch:
    Market Street Grill

    Lunch:
    Carlucci’s
    Lewis Bros. Food Truck
    Waki Paki Food Truck

    Bars/Pubs:
    Poplar Street
    Fiddler’s Elbow

    Burgers/Fast Food/Pizza:
    B&D Burger
    Este Pizzeria
    Boardwalk Pizza (Sugarhouse)
    The Pie (Original, U of U location; all the others don’t have that je ne sais quoi)

    Dessert/Pastries:
    Carlucchi’s
    The Rose Estb.

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  27. You got a lot of good ones… Here are a few of my faves:

    Coffee: Jack Mormon
    Breakfast: Bayleaf – totally greasy, but dang… its good. and you can have it at midnight.
    Les Madeleines
    Lunch: Vertical
    Les Madeleines
    Special Occasion: Forage, ZY,
    Dinner: Cafe Molise, Frida Bistro
    Date Night: Cafe Molise, ZY, Mazza,
    Cheap Date: Red Iguana, Bruges

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  29. I’ll definitely second Lone Star and Caputo’s from the original list, as well as the suggestions for Lucky 13, Layla, and Trio. A few favorites that aren’t here:

    Breakfast: Market Street (Downtown only)
    Long Distance: High West Distillery (Park City)
    Cheap/Fast: Epic Brewing Company
    Wherever Sushi Fits on the List: Sushi Time (Sandy)

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  30. For some reason it gets overlooked a lot, but one of my favorite restaurants in Utah is The Foundry Grill at Sundance. The food is always fresh and hearty, and the rustic ambiance is so cozy.

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  39. I love seeing places that people recommend. I’m in a bit of a rut on restaurants, but most of my personal faves aren’t on your list:

    Oasis Cafe
    Trio
    Mazza
    Red Iguana
    Olympian (breakfast)
    Sawadee
    And when I really want to splurge with the kids, it is always Hires!

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  41. Can’t go wrong restaurants (default choices):
    Himalayan Kitchen
    Mazza
    Chanon Thai
    Copper Onion
    Takashi
    Plum Alley
    Red Iguana

    Special event:
    Cucina Toscana
    Forage

    Cheap meal:
    Shanghai Cafe

    Coffee – Salt Lake Roasting Co

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  43. Great list….here’s a couple more.

    Lunch:
    El Rey De Oros (Dive Mexican)
    Taqueria 27
    Frida Bistro
    Oh Mai
    El Chubasco (PC)
    Lone Star Taqueria
    Settebellos
    Moochies

    Special Occasions:
    Palett
    Friday Bistro
    Bambara
    Log Haven
    Lugano
    Cucina Toscana

    Long Distance:
    Black Sheep
    El Giro Gallo
    Communal
    Guru
    Tarahumara

    Burger:
    Sammy’s

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  46. There are so many places I love but here are a few

    Breakfast:
    Eggs in the City
    The Park
    Vertical Diner
    Ruth’s
    Blue Plate

    Brunch;
    Faustina
    Copper Onion

    Lunch:
    Robin’s Nest
    Bruges
    Caputos
    Plum Alley
    Este Pizza
    Waki Paki Food Truck
    Chow Truck
    Union Street

    Dinner:
    Cannellas
    Wild Grape
    Oasis Cafe

    Special Occassion:
    Copper Onion

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  49. Mazza, Pago, Cafe Trio, Thai Garden, Chanon Thai, Takashi, Himalayan Kitchen, Myunga, Pho Green Papaya, Ganesh, Chow Truck, Vinto, High West Distillery, Ho Ho Gourmet (for the dim sum!), Red Iguana

    Now I’m hungry!

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  51. Fantastic list! Many of these are my favorites also. Love the Burger Bar in Roy. They were featured on the Drive Ins and Dives a few years back. Love the Big Ben or Buffalo burger with onion rings! They also have Elk burgers and delicious shakes! Absolutely worth the drive!

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  52. I’ll have to go with Takashi & Copper Onion as my favorites. The Wild Grape has totally gone downhill in my opinion (and we’ve eaten there a good 6-8 times), we won’t go back.

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  56. Pizzeria Limone has out of this world good pizza. And it’s so fast. They make the pizza in front of you and cook it in a brick oven. You MUST try the Viola Pizza. It has blackberries, which sounds weird to some, but everyone I know who has tried it, LOVES it! I also like Mazza (Middle Eastern Food)and Sapa (good sushi).

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  57. Oh I forgot to add one to my list above…Red Iguana! Hands down my favorite authentic Mexican restaurant. The Enchilada Suizas (Mole Poblano) are my personal favorite. But ask for a Mole Sampler if you go so you can taste all of the different Moles.

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  58. Great list, and so is everyone else’s lists.
    Salt Lake City: The usuals, Red Iguana, Takashi, Lone Star Taqueria, and Ruth’s Diner. We just scored a babysitter in Salt Lake, so we’ll be trying so many on your list. I know we’ll like all of them because you never lead us astray!
    Utah County (long distance): Communal, P712, Black Sheep, Old Towne Grill (soup & burgers), Station 22, Pantrucas, Five Star Barbecue, Slab, Cubby’s Chicago Beef (so good), Center Street Deli, Ginger’s Garden Cafe, Yuki Shaved Ice

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  59. Sages cafe and vertical diner are mazing for vegan! Ruths is great for lunch, especially in the summer! If you are willing to drive a ways, Taggart’s grill in taggart utah has wonderful food and atmosphere!

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  60. I love looking at your list! I love the Copper Onion!

    My favorite place I didn’t see on your list is The Park Cafe near Liberty Park. They have the best breakfasts!

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  61. I love looking at your list! I love the Copper Onion, they have the best beef stroganoff!

    My favorite place for breakfast is The Park Cafe near Liberty park. They have the best breakfasts!

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  63. Loving your list! There are a few I need to try still.

    Brunch: Fiddler’s Elbow
    Lunch: Buds and Cafe Solstice
    Date Night: Eva’s and Zest
    Special Occasion: Omar’s Rawtopia
    Long Distance: Station 22 (Provo. By word of mouth recommendation, haven’t tried it yet)
    Long Distance Breakfast: The Oaks (Ogden Canyon)
    Coffee: Botanica

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  64. I am in the westside hood and its almost an eating establishment desert over here..But I have to give some loves on Red Iguana 1 and 2..And if you don’t mind hauling your food to home or the local park, cause they are short on the kind of ambiance I like to eat at(totally lacking would be more acurrate). Then if you don’t mind smelling tires while you order, The dive located next to Victors Tires, which is named Victors Tires, not a seperate restaraunt name, has the best super cheap(is that a category?) authentic Mexican eats in town. To die for tamales are the must try(watch out carb watchers, addictive)..I of course dine other than westside but we def need some more food love over this direction.Think about it better eating establishment euntrepenuers! Really!

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    • I have some tasty west side stops for you: African Market (Ethiopian), Pho Green Papaya (Vietnamese), Chungas or El Rey de Oro (Mexican). Hope that helps! You have some really great ethnic foods right in your neighborhood :)

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    • Josie, I’ve actually only been to Martine for lunch but its never disappointed! Katie and Noah also mentioned they’ve enjoyed dates there.

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  66. This list is making me hungry. You already had most of my favorites on the list — Communal, Ekamai, Pallet, Copper Onion…

    We also love Lugano, Vinto, and Moochies!

    I didn’t see Mountain West Burrito Co mentioned for quick eats or Mekong Cafe for Thai or Village Baker for sandwiches.

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  67. I used random.org to select the winners of the following 7 prizes…
    Alex Springer – box of Amedei Pralines
    Josie Decker – box of Amedei Pralines
    Sheree – box of Amedei Pralines
    Matt S – ticket to the chocolate fest
    Rene – ticket to the chocolate fest
    N Polson – ticket to the chocolate fest
    Beth – ticket to the chocolate fest

    Congratulations everyone!! Please email slcfoodie at gmail with your information to receive your prize.

    Thank you all SO much for making my favorite slc restaurant list complete!! There are still tickets left for the chocolate fest, go to http://www.caputosdeli.com/classes/caputos-downtown/ and click on Chocolate Festival for more info!

    Reply ↓

  68. I lived in salt lake for awhile and was a major foodie there! I still go back just to eat at my favorite places. I definitely agree with Gourmandise; I miss it SO much!! Also to add to the “date night” category l would say Thai Siam on State St. It’s tiny and easy to miss but SO great for dine-in or take-out.! They have my all time favorite yellow curry dish!!!!! They also have some great crab puffs with peanut sauce, not to mention the servers are always delightful!! Definitely give it a try!

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  69. I would add Avenue’s Bistro for brunch and dinner. It is all local food and most vegetables come from their own community garden. And there is a speak easy in the basement.

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