Lydia Martinez

“I can barely conceive of a type of beauty in which there is now Melancholy” —Charles Baudelaire

Melancholy is the new wine and cocktail lounge in the Post District in downtown Salt Lake City. While most everything in the district is new construction, Melancholy is located in one of the original buildings on site. At 150 years old, the space was originally a storage annex for American Barrel and later a post office. Now, walking up to it, the exterior looks like a modern sleek bar. Open the doors, and a surprise awaits: Black walls, white marble, a big plate glass window and touches of brass all mix together with vintage finds. It’s as if a Gothic library had a love child with an eccentric botanist lab with a little dark academia apothecary thrown in for good measure. Every single piece of decor was hand-selected by the dynamic team of Shaleen Bishop and Fallan Keyser. 

“We found most of the stuff for Melancholy secondhand and at vintage stores,” Fallan explains. “We wanted to use things that needed to be refurbished a bit. We had things reupholstered.” There are old paintings, mirrors on the walls and even post office boxes at the front of the downstairs bar. 

“The upstairs bar back and the post holding up the edge of the bar downstairs is repurposed from an old headboard,” says Shaleen, giving another example. “We addded a lot with the stories from the old pieces that we brought in. It feels like it adds to the story and the history of the building.” Not bad for a space that started out as cinderblock, graffiti and peeling plaster.

As co-owners, Shaleen and Fallan bring a deep background to Melancholy. Fallan previously owned Good Grammar, and together, with Shaleen ran the Secret SLC immersive events. While Secret SLC didn’t survive through COVID, the great partnership did. Shaleen texted Fallan, saying, “I missed doing cool stuff together.” Fallan agreed. Three weeks later, they walked into Melancholy for the first time and knew just what they wanted to do. 

So, why Melancholy? “We started playing with names,” Shaleen says, “and we just kept coming back to that word. The way it’s often used is focuses on the sorrow part of melancholy. But if you really look at the definition, it’s not necessarily sorrowful. It has a lot to do  with nostalgia and memories, so we wanted to bring that to the bar.” The goal at Melancholy is to have an intimate, quiet bar and a gathering spot for the community. 

Intimate is accurate. There are only a few seats around the downstairs bar, while the upstairs has table tops with seating. It feels like the type of place to go, read a book over a glass of wine solo or for an intimate tet-a-tet over cocktails. Both owners are now in their 40s. “We a space where we would want to go and people our age would want to spend time,” says Shaleen. 

Not only is Melancholy woman-owned, but the entire leadership team is made up of women. Sommelier Natalie Hamilton, Bar Manager Morgan Michel and Social Media Manager Jillian Herman round out the team.

Natalie and Morgan have worked together hand in hand to create a curated, constantly rotating wine experience and unique wine-centric cocktails. The wine list constantly rotating. They will bring in a case or three of a specific wine; when it is gone, it is gone. 

“Natalie brings in wines from different areas because we didn’t want to proclaim that we were an Italian or French wine bar,” says Fallan.   

As the Bar Manager, Morgan pulls together the cocktail menu, incorporating some sort of wine feature as a crossover. While the cocktail menu also rotates seasonally, sherry, vermouth and sake make their way into the concoctions. Morgan even makes a syrup in-house with the herbs and spices that make the flavor of cola. In a nod to non-drinkers, a specialty 0% ABV beverage menu is as curated as the wine list. “I think a lot of times people that don’t drink alcohol don’t feel comfortable in bars,” Shaleen notes. “And we want everyone to feel comfortable and on equal footing here.”

Melancholy has no kitchen, so food is limited to bar snacks. But the bar snacks are really good. Torres potato chips, tinned fish and marinated olives all grace the menu. You can also bring food in from other restaurants.

To continue to build a community at Melancholy, they host a monthly book club called “Books Take Flight” and other events, like an oyster pop-up with wine and oyster pairings. On Sunday, they set out a bunch of classic games. On Monday, there is an industry night. The seating capacity will almost double with a new patio opening in the summer.  

When You Go…

Melancholy Wine & Cocktail Lounge
556 S. Gale Street, SLC
melancholyslc.com | @melancholyslc

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I am a proud cool auntie with mostly nephews. My niece and I are close and have always enjoyed doing sophisticated “lady” things together. Every year since she was five years old, we’ve gone to The Grand America high tea for her birthday. We get dressed up, she borrows my fancy (costume) jewelry, and we have tea, or in her case, hot chocolate, and we have Afternoon Tea in the lobby lounge. Just the two of us.

We are approaching six years of our ladies who take tea tradition, and I will continue it as long as she is interested. It’s a chance for us to talk about everything from table manners to food preferences, and more recently, she’s been discussing her schoolwork, aerialist classes, and her friends. 

I’ll never forget the first time we went. She was both excited and nervous. It was easily the fanciest place she’d been to. She was feeling shy, and as we sat down, the server came by to say hello, speaking to her as if she were a grown-up. We were seated on an overstuffed couch with the table low in front of us. In Grand America High Tea tradition, they pour hot water into a wine glass with a hand-sewn tea flower that blooms slowly over the course of your meal, providing a beautiful centerpiece. 

When you attend High Tea at The Grand, your table is pre-set based on your reservation. Laid out when you sit down is a strawberry parfait with chantilly cream and scones with clotted cream, preserves, and lemon curd. I showed her how to put her napkin in her lap, and she reached out to take her first anticipated bite of scone. Then disaster. The scone tumbled from her little hands and landed clotted cream side down on the carpet under the table. She turned to me with sad eyes, looking like the world had ended. I could see all the emotions: disappointment at missing out on the promised bite, embarrassment for making a mistake, shame that she had ‘ruined’ things before we even got started, and fear that I would be angry or that she would be in trouble. It all happened in five seconds. My heart broke. I was determined to show her that everything was OK before the tears could start. I knew that the beautifully trained staff at The Grand America would back me up. 

I told her, “It isn’t a big deal. I promise you. Let me show you,” and proceeded to beckon our server. She looked horrified. Why would I draw attention to us? I told our server what had happened, and, like an absolute professional, he whisked away the mess; someone else brought another scone immediately, without batting an eye (or, for that matter, a side eye). Both assured her that it wasn’t a problem. It was a showcase of stellar service, marked by kindness. The afternoon proceeded with tragedy averted. I know she remembers that moment. We’ve talked about it since. It was the type of service that sets a five-star hotel apart from all the rest. And one of the reasons I always go back.

Afternoon Tea at The Grand America consists of “Beverage (tea or hot chocolate), accompanied by strawberries & crème chantilly, finger sandwiches (vegetarian option available), English scone with cream, berry jam & lemon cream, and an assortment of afternoon tea pastries.” Which hardly does the experience justice. 

For tea, they offer white and green teas, oolong and black teas, a dandelion chai (caffeine-free) specially crafted for the Lobby Lounge, herbal infusions, and flavored hot chocolates (regular, mint, raspberry, and coconut-almond). The pots are endlessly refilled upon request. And if you want a little extra indulgence, you can sip on a glass of bubbly as well. 

The food is served on tiered plates and consists of tea sandwiches (think cucumber and smoked salmon), seasonal pastries, typically including a sweet tart, a French macaron, and other small bites. You can order a children-only portion, which has some kid-friendly options for particular eaters. My niece has graduated this year to the ‘adult’ menu due to her love of cucumber sandwiches. You can also order a cheese plate to accompany all the pastries. 

If it’s a special occasion, please let the team at The Grand America know. They will bring out a special birthday or celebration dessert, and the harpist will serenade you. Always a thoughtful touch. 

Insider Tips:

• You must book ahead. Everything is made from scratch, and they only make enough for the day’s booking. 
• They often have special or seasonal teas. One year, we went when they had a ballet / princess tea with the casts from Ballet West. They also offer Holiday Teas in December with Santa, and a Witches Tea in October. It is worth checking their calendar for special events. 

If you go: The Grand America

555 South Main Street, SLC
Visit The Grand America website to book your reservation.

Read more about The Grand America Gingerbread House or about Japanese Tea Snacks at the Tea Bar.

Lindsay and Drew Sparks had a dangerous idea. What if they stepped away from their demanding tech jobs, Zoom meetings, and day-in-day-out office life? After a lot of back-and-forth, they decided to go in a totally different direction and start a pretzel company in Salt Lake City.

“We wanted to start something ourselves from scratch,” says Lindsay. “We love the European/Bavarian-style soft pretzels.” So Lindsay and Drew started on a journey of research, testing, hard work, leaning on supportive friends, and back to testing again. After a lot of experimenting, they arrived at their perfect soft pretzel recipe: One with Bavarian roots. They use a lye bath instead of a baking soda bath to yield the characteristic dark, shiny crust and a unique biting taste. It gives the pretzels a very crispy exterior with a soft area crumb inside. Drew and Lindsay opened Dangerous Pretzel in December last year at the Post District, tucked on the southwest side of the development near Melancholy.

With a cherubic devil as the mascot and a bomb in the logo, Dangerous Pretzel’s tagline is ‘ruin dinner.’ And fair warning, it is entirely possible to ruin dinner with these substantial pretzels. “Pretzels are dangerous. You can’t just eat one,” says Lindsay. “It’s so validating when we hear customers say, ‘Oh, these are so dangerous.’ That’s exactly the concept we wanted.”

You will find some classics on the menu: a good salty pretzel and a sweet cinnamon sugar pretzel. But you will also find pretzels that are a meal unto themselves. The Spicy Bee Pretzel has hot peppers buried in white cheddar topped with hot honey. The BBK, aka “Brush Before Kissing” pretzel, is a blend of parmesan herbs and garlic butter for a true date night disaster that is truly delicious. The Bootlegger Pretzel is bourbon and maple bacon. And the Devil’s Delight is a nod to pizza with pepperjack cheese, pepperoni and sliced salami. Mini pretzel “bombs” are the dangerous version of donut holes. 

Pretzels are good. Pretzels with something to dunk are better. And the housemade dipping sauces add a little zing. The House Mustard is admittedly “mustard-ish,” while the Sweet Cream pairs perfectly with the Saint pretzel or the Bootlegger pretzel. Hot ranch (“hotter than assless chaps”) and the Dangerous Dip (a cheese sauce with some spice) round out the assortment. Lindsay’s favorite dip is the cheese dip. “We didn’t want it to be a nacho cheese; beer cheese can get a little grainy. So we do cheddar, sharp cheddar, pepperjack and fresh jalapenos that add heat without making it too spicy.”

Lindsay explains how they take five basic ingredients (flour, salt, yeast, butter,and water) through extensive testing to develop their flavors. “We created a rack that goes on top of the oven and holds the steam in. The pretzels go through twice, once with the steam cover on and once with the steam cover removed. It’s something we figured out ourselves.”

When it comes to the flavored pretzels, Lindsay, Drew and all the employees have a list of different flavors they would like to try. The most interesting ones get tested over time. The plan is to switch out to special or seasonal flavors on a regular basis. “We have a rack in our fridge that’s just for research and development,” Lindsay laughs. “This week, for example, we tested 11 blueberry basil flavored pretzels.” She acknowledges that some of the flavors are a little controversial and outside the typical pretzel realm. “We are okay with some of our flavors being a little polarizing.” But the goal is that everyone will find at least one great pretzel to love.

Another bonus: You can get a beer with your pretzel. 

“I always tell people that we are the opposite of a pub or brewery,” says Lindsay. “At a brewery, the beer comes first, and the pretzels second. The pretzels are always an afterthought. And for us, the pretzel is the star, and the beer always comes in second. We tried to keep the beers as local as possible.” 

They make a point of carrying beer from breweries outside Salt Lake City. “Helper Beer is newer, but we always stop there on our way down to Moab and go to that brewery,” Lindsay explains. “We feel like they are outstanding, but not a lot of people carry them up here.” 

Now that they are open, Drew and Lindsay have lots of plans, like  working on gluten-free and vegan options for pretzels. They’re testing out a homemade marinara along with other new flavors. Eventually, they would like to expand and do late nights along with a special late-night menu.

“It’s been really cool to see the response from our community,’ says Lindsay. “People are so generous and willing to support us and give really amazing feedback. We want to hear from our customers!”  ]

If You Go

Dangerous Pretzel

352 W. 600 South, SLC
dangerouspretzel.com | @dangerous.pretzel

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Salt Lake City’s Nick Zocco hit an amazing milestone last week, showing up in force to face off against culinary juggernaut Bobby Flay in his signature Food Network show ‘Beat Bobby Flay.’ It wasn’t just a win, it was Chef Zocco, the Executive Chef of Urban Hill taking down his former boss, as he mentioned in a personal Facebook post announcing the win, “I grew up watching Bobby, and to my surprise, found myself cooking at Bobby’s signature restaurant Mesa Grill for just over 6 years in Las Vegas. It took me higher and more experienced in so many great ways.” Going from sous chef at Mesa Grill, working his way through the Utah culinary scene, up to executive chef at Urban Hill, and even receiving a James Beard nod, this win is one more accolade on a public stage for this talented chef.

To get to the round against Bobby Flay, Chef Zocco first had to compete against the talented Stefanie Torres from Austin, Texas. He came in with a win, making his signature pork albondigas in just 20 minutes of cook time. From there, he had the chance to stand up with the Iron Chef himself, Mr Flay, with a dish he picked: Chile Rellenos. 

Nick chose a lump crab filling while Bobby went with chorizo. It was an even match-up considering both have a Southwest cooking style. Ultimately, Chef Zocco came out on top, adding a black bean and New Mexico red chile sauce for the win. 

He isn’t the first Utah-based chef to do us proud. Chef Viet Pham of Pretty Bird has won against Bobby Flay a resounding two times. 

As a James Beard finalist in 2024, helming one of Salt Lake Magazine’s top restaurants in SLC, and now with a win against Bobby Flay, we can’t wait to see what Chef Zocco cooks up next. 

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Ahh Summer. When the days get long, the fruit gets juicy, the desserts get whimsical and melty scoops and buttery pastries win the day. Summer sweets hit differently, from stone fruit pastries to frozen hot chocolate (yes, that is a thing). Perfect for sharing on patios, munching on picnics and passing around during impromptu parties, here are our top picks for summer desserts in Utah, handpicked by Salt Lake magazine food writer Lydia Martinez (who never says no to a panna cotta).

Monkey Wrench—Tea & Cookies Ice Cream 

I have a tradition of taking my niece for high tea on her birthday every year thanks to my own memories of summery tea parties on the lawn. My mom and her friends would be on one side of the yard and I would be on the other with my friends. The Tea & Cookies Ice Cream at Monkey Wrench is the frozen epitome of a thousand summer teas. Made with Earl Grey tea with surprising chunks of shortbread-esque cookies embedded throughout, it is icy, creamy and refreshing for a hot summer day. I also love that it’s vegan and am mystified at the witchery that must go into making such a creamy ice cream without actual cream. The shop is not a shop, but more of a walk-up window. You can get a scoop to go, or go all in and get a pint to take home. Bonus points if you get a pint of the lavender ice cream and mix and match your own frozen London fog latte sundae at home. 53 E. Gallivan Ave, SLC @monkeywrench_slc

Doki Doki—Dessert Cafe Strawberry Bunny Panna Cotta 

Something about Doki Doki makes you feel like you’ve stepped into an anime dessert daydream. Case in point: the Vanilla Bunny Panna Cotta. This delicate, jiggly little rabbit looks like it hopped straight out of a storybook and onto your plate. Panna cotta is sweetened cream studded with vanilla bean and set with gelatin—a milky jello, to put it into Utah terms. It’s lightly sweet, smooth as velvet and just barely quivers when you poke it with your spoon. It’s completely charming, an edible sculpture too cute to eat (but too delicious not to). Add the strawberry sauce for a punch of color and summer sweetness. Snag a Peachee Blush Ombre Soda while you’re there to wet your whistle with peach, strawberry and rose summery goodness. 249 E. 400 South, SLC dokidessert.com

Chubby Baker—Strawberries & Cream Donut 

Fresh strawberries are synonymous with summer. The berries are at their peak freshness and flavor; you can almost taste the sun. My summertime before-bed snack as a kid was often fresh-sliced strawberries, milk and a sprinkle of sugar. Chubby Baker has captured the snack, combined the flavors with a Japanese fruit sando (white bread, whipped cream, sliced fruit) and created a donut that elevates simple ingredients into something truly special in the Strawberries & Cream Donut.

Swapping out basic whipped cream for chantilly, the Bavarian-style donut is filled with a homemade strawberry sauce ensconced in cream and studded with fresh strawberries sliced in half to look like rosebuds. The entire donut is dusted with powdered sugar (rather than glazed) for a little hint of snow in the summer. Eating this fluffy, messy, fruity mouthful, you’re sure to get powdered sugar on your nose! Oh, and if sweet heat is your thing, get the Hot Guava Donut. Trust me. Multiple locations. chubby-baker.com

Forty-Three Bakery—Stone Fruit Pastries 

Andrew at Forty Three Bakery takes his laminated dough seriously. His croissants and danishes are some of the best in town. Made with butter, folded, and layered with precision, the dough forms the crispy base for many seasonal pastries, and nothing is more seasonal and local than stone fruit. The farmers’ markets are bursting with apricots, peaches, plums, cherries and nectarines this time of year. Andrew is a wizard at taking whatever is most enticing and making it better with flaky pastry, crisp tart dough, and adding a curd, cream, jam, or ganache to take it to another level. While the menu switches out all the time based on what is available, consistency and creativity are present in the dough. You will be surprised and delighted. I promise. 733 W. Genesee Avenue, SLC, fortythreebakery.com  

Hatch Family Chocolates —Frozen Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate in summer sounds like a contradiction—until you try the frozen version at Hatch Family Chocolates. It’s like drinking a memory: rich, velvety chocolate blended in a frozen drink machine until it’s smooth, slushy and utterly refreshing. It is what your memory of a frosty tastes like, but better. There’s a beautiful balance here—sweet but not cloying, creamy but still light, deeply chocolatey without feeling like you need a nap afterward. Top with a generous swirl of whipped cream (mandatory). It’s a frozen hug in a cup. If you’re smart, you’ll order a truffle or two on the side to seal the deal. 376 E. 8th Avenue, SLC hatchfamilychocolates.com

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