Sometimes you just need to grab a bite on the run. Or more realistically, to accompany an amble. Honestly? It’s probably the lunch we’re scarfing down in the car on the way to something else. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered for a double handful of globally inspired options.
The hand-held rules: Drive-thru or walk-up counters only; we don’t have time for table service here. No utensils required. Juggling sauce or dips can be extra, but not essential to the experience (sorry, birria tacos). Leftovers are verboten—this is a “trash the napkin and you’re done” situation. Locals only, baby.
1. Bodega-style breakfast sandos
Start the day off strong by swooping into Central 9th Market for a classic BEC bodega-style loaded breakfast sandwich. Great gobs of bacon, scrambled eggs and melty cheese, all folded into a huge wedge of their made-fresh fluffy focaccia in place of a standard kaiser roll. Heavenly.
161 W. 900 South, SLC
central9th.com
of crushable sandos on their house-made focaccia bread. Photo by Ben Kuhns.
2. Kolaches
This iconic fruit-filled pastry made with yeasted, slightly sweet dough is a Texas Hill Country staple thanks to Czechoslovakian immigrants who settled here in the 1800s. According to CzechTex food experts, savory versions of all kinds are technically called klobasniky (“little sausage”). Sweet or savory, Hruska’s Kolaches has got a kolache for any hankering. Why not get one of each?
Multiple locations
hruskaskolaches.com
Yanni’s Greek Express has been servicing SLC gyro geeks for over
four decades. Photo by Darby Doyle.
3. Gyros
Longstanding Sugar House gem Yanni’s Greek Express is a clear winner for gyro geeks. The generous portion of compressed lamb-beef mix has a mild spice balance, slivered with an optimal juicy-center-to-crisp-edged ratio. Loaded into a fresh grilled pita, it’s got a nice tomato-onion finish. In a city famed for red sauces, theirs is stellar, though I usually get my gyro with white sauce in the summer just to shake things up a bit.
2761 Highland Dr., SLC
801-466-6525
4. Bao (Baozi)
Xiao Bao Bao is cranking out classic Chinese street food made with love and served with a smile. The pork and cabbage steamed bao are flavor-packed bundles of pure delight, and the chicken curry bao defines comfort food. Or, you can go with brilliant cultural mashups like an empanada bao or a sweet chocolate bao stuffed with strawberry cream. The packaging is absolutely adorable, to boot.
Two locations in SLC: 216 E. 500 South and 416 E. 900 South, SLC
xiaobaobaoslc.com
5. Stromboli
You might consider stromboli as a kind of ancestral hot pocket, scorched palate potential at maximum level and all. Marcato Kitchen’s meatball stromboli (either all beef or vegetarian eggplant) are a solid iteration of the Italian-American Philly staple, with a crispy, pizza-like dough encasement. Oozing sauce and a big cheese pull of mozzarella-pecorino, they’re served at the same median temperature as lava.
545 W. 700 South, SLC
(inside Woodbine Food Hall)
marcatokitchen.com
Stromboli’s provenance dates back to
1944 Philadelphia. Photo by Darby Doyle.
6. Hot chicken fix
Pretty Bird Chicken’s crispy tender roll is perfect for satisfying a Nashville hot chicken craving when you have long, fancy sleeves that would be destroyed by the delicious monster that is the full, double-fisted Pretty Bird sando experience. Regardless of sartorial choices, I absolutely take the implied dare of “hot behind” spice level every time.
Multiple locations
prettybirdchicken.com
7. Fish tacos
According to the late great famed food critic Jonathan Gold, “A perfect taco is a gift to the universe.” Lone Star Taqueria has, arguably, the best fish tacos in the valley (if not the cosmos), made fresh with whatever fish they’re finding at its best day-to-day. This is also an outside-the-215 standard for massive burritos, as attested by the drive-thru line blocking a lane of Ft. Union Boulevard most evenings.
2265 E. Ft. Union Blvd.,
Cottonwood Heights
lstaq.com
8. A classic Utah pastrami burger
Crown Burger vs. Astro Burgers vs. Apollo Burger vs. Olympus Burger? Or, any one of the city’s stellar independent burger joints serving up this Beehive State culinary legend as championed by Utah’s vibrant Greek community and generations of their progeny. One thing they all have in common: A mandatory pastrami addition topping a char-grilled burger patty, served up with proprietary pride. There is no loser in this battle.
9. Chopped cheese
Deadpan Sandwich’s chopped cheese sandwich is a literal hot mess—of deliciousness. Merguez, onion, tomato, American cheese for maximum meltiness, bread and butter pickles, shredded lettuce, a smear of dijonnaise. They wrap that hoagie up tight for optimal flavor compaction and easy portability.
545 W. 700 South, SLC
(inside Woodbine Food Hall)
deadpansandwich.com
10. Arepas and empanadas
Venezuelans have street food figured out. For an exemplary handheld eats situation, count on Arempas to deliver the goods. Their arepas are stuffed to overflowing; fluffy corn cakes filled with spiced meat, cheese, vegetarian options and other fried or fresh additions. Generous corn-flour based fried empanadas come with all the filing options, too. Freshly made daily and open until 11 p.m. for night owls.
350 S. State St., SLC
arempas.com
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