The historic Post Office building off 2100 South in Sugar House has been a drug store, an ice cream shop, a seafood restaurant, and now, the 1930s landmark is the home of Utah’s very first “bar hall”. Sugar House Station is the latest endeavor from Pago Group’s Scott Evans, who has partnered with local distilling vanguards James Fowler and Alan Scott of Sugar House Distillery and Waterpocket Distillery, respectively, to bring the building into a new era of business.
“One of our main goals was to offer those visiting Salt Lake City a one-stop shop for what our city has to offer in terms of food and beverage,” Evans says. The 10,000 sq. foot bar hall certainly hits that mark, housing 11 unique stalls where customers can enjoy everything from fried chicken to gyros, to smashburgers and bolognese. Diehard Aristos and Cannella’s fans were undoubtedly thrilled when Sugar House Station announced both establishments would come out of retirement for the project. Joining those legacy restaurateurs are Birdhouse, Pizza Bar, Proper Burger & Brewing, Publik Coffee and Santo Taco. Unlike other food halls, Sugar House Station offers tableside service and walk-up ordering for a balanced dining experience. “It’s a totally different concept, there’s nothing like it in Utah, the way we are operating it,” Evans remarks.
Sugar House Station’s well-rounded food program has been praised by the community, but it’s their bar collaborations that have this writer even more excited. In addition to the two main bars in the center of Sugar House Station, three entity-specific bars line the north side of the space: a new outlet for the excellent Casot wine bar, as well as spaces for Waterpocket and Sugar House Distillery. Serving as their first brick-and-mortar bars (outside of distillery tasting rooms), Waterpocket and Sugar House finally have a dedicated space to showcase their product. These grain-to-glass distillers represent exactly the sort of high-quality, intentional epicureans that Evans wants to put on the forefront of our community’s tastebuds. “We want to showcase what these spirits are capable of,” he says. Bartenders from Waterpocket and Sugar House have collaborated on ten classic cocktails featuring their products, as well as five unique drinks. Throughout the hall, customers can order from one master bar menu, but each dedicated bar stall has its own unique offerings. To accompany the spirit-forward menu items, beer from Proper Brewing contributes a rotating lineup of house-brewed beer.
Of course, would this even be a Pago concept without an emphasis on wine? Evans has curated an exceptional by-the-glass lineup, focusing particularly on bubbles. “My goal with the Casot stall is to have the largest sparkling wine program by the glass in the state,” he says. Investing in special Coravin wine preservation systems, Casot can sell high-end pours at an affordable price. “I want to give Salt Lakers the chance to taste these reputable, famous sparkling wines without having to spend $500 on a bottle.” From all of us “value vino” enthusiasts, we thank you, Scott!
With so many great minds in one space, Evans is excited about the collaborations to come. Expect special releases like barrel-aged Negronis and Manhattans, and an ever-evolving bar menu that touches on products from on-site purveyors. Sugar House Station also hosts live music and special events throughout the week. Check their site and socials for the most up-to-date calendar.
When You Go
Sugar House Station
2155 S. Highland Dr., SLC
sugarhousestation.com | @sugarhousestation.slc
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