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Get the look that will make you the coolest kid in school. Here are our picks for some of the best wellness and beauty in Utah.
Best Place to Splurge on Product
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Got Beauty has served generations of beauty fanatics. Their Sugar House location is wall-to-wall packed with best-selling beauty, sought-after skincare and professional-grade hair products. So whether you’re in the mood to spend some dough or just pick up your go-to product, Got Beauty simply can’t be beat.
904 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-474-2090
Photo courtesy Nova Nails
Best Place to Get a Manicure with Bling to Match
Nova Nails makes a great addition to jewelry/goods/all things shiny shop Mineral and Matter. Located in the heart of the Maven district, they are a one-stop-shop for a shimmering gel manicure and a unique ring to match. Nova also donates 3% of every manicure to local charities like Utah Women’s Coalition—so you can feel good about indulging in a little luxury.
177 E. 900 South SLC, 801-916-7987
The Kura Door Spa & Stillwell Spa Snowpine Lodge
Kura Door is Utah’s foremost Japanese-style spa offering holistic healing and rejuvenation services. Consider their private Ofuro baths and signature Kura massage the next time you’re in need of a little self-care. Travel further south and up Little Cottonwood Canyon to a modern spa in a historic building. After renovating a 19th-century lodge, Snowpine Lodge opened its doors in 2019. Their StillwellSpa’s indoor grottos are a worthy pitstop after a long ski day.
Kura Door: 1136 E. 3rd Ave., SLC, 801-364-2400, Stillwell Spa: 10420 Little Cottonwood Rd., Alta, 801-742-2000
Best Sculptor Since Michaelangelo
Dr. Constantine aims to restore youthful confidence with an artistic sense of balance. From the consultation to the day of the procedure, the staff at Constantine Cosmetics work with each client to ensure natural and attainable results.
5929 S. Fashion Blvd., Murray, 801-261-3637
Best Place to Recover
Isha Esthetics and Wellness works with clients and their surgeons to design personalized recovery programs complete with private home care, travel planning and medical concierge. They even offer a Grand America recovery package, so you can have a 5-star post-op experience.
4700 S. 900 East, Murray, 385-275-5765
Best Blow Out
For special occasions, photoshoots or just fighting a bad hair day, Drybar is a pit stop to perfection. Their team of blow-out professionals matches your hair with the right products and offers a variety of styles to choose from. The first Utah location opened last January, owned and operated by a lovely mother-daughter duo.
1133 E. Wilmington Ave. SLC, 385-429-5334
Photo courtesy SkinSpirit
Best Head-to-Toe Treatment
Skinspirit is a cosmetic spa offering every service from facials, to lasers, to injectables. Work with experts and create a custom-tailed treatment plan that meets your aesthetic goals.
The last year has been unforgettable. Let’s reflect on some of the spectacular and appalling moments we shared together (just in case you did forget them).
Extreme Wind
Rose Park after the storm; Photo by Colt Morgan
Not many things turned our gawking heads away from pandemic coverage in 2020, but, that September, hurricane-force winds certainly did the trick! Speaking of tricks, when the 100+ mph winds uprooted as many as 1,000 trees in Salt Lake City, some local skateboarders knew a golden opportunity when they saw one, using the ripped-up sidewalk in the Rose Park neighborhood to get some air. On the flip side, the state estimated the extreme wind resulted in $9 million in damages.
The Day The Music Died
We all knew 2020 was going to be an absolutely ludicrous year when right as we were heading into lockdown, a 5.7 earthquake knocked the horn right out of the hands of angel Moroni (the golden statue cake topper on the LDS Salt Lake Temple). The epicenter of the earthquake was about 10 miles west of Salt Lake City in Magna, which saw the most destruction. We all got plenty of practice diving under tables and into doorways during the 2,600 or so aftershocks that followed, sticking the state with the $629-million bill for damages.
The Monolith
The monolith; Courtesy Utah DPS
Nothing says “we are not alone” quite like a mysterious metallic monolith appearing deep within the alien landscapes of Southern Utah’s red rock country. On Nov. 18, 2020, the Utah DPS Aero Bureau and DWR were counting bighorn sheep when they spied the shiny object from the air. People were quick to call the structure “Kubrickian” in its appearance, and many sought it out, but no one stepped up to take credit for it. The mystery of the monolith only deepened when it disappeared sometime on the evening of Nov. 27. Earthly authorities warned visitors (extraterrestrial or otherwise) to Leave No Trace next time they venture onto public lands. Still, it was kind of cool.
I’m Glad I’m Not In Dixie
Dixie State University is getting dragged (into the 21st century, that is). Shockingly, having “dixie” on the resumé hurts alumni job prospects. Some defend the name on a historical basis, but the word usually refers to the 11 southern states that seceded, kicking off the American Civil War. So, what connection did “dixie” ever have to Utah other than nostalgia for the slave-owning South and failed enterprises? Now, there’s a committee in charge of proposing a (hopefully) less racist name.
Sold To The Only Bidder
Who could forget the time the Utah Coronavirus Task Force, led by now-governor Spencer Cox, overspent millions of taxpayer dollars by circumventing the normal public bidding process for state contracts? The state spent more than $108 million using “emergency procurement.” Some of those purchases drew the side-eye from lawmakers (including $4 million on a failed phone app), inspiring audits and an investigation. It also inspired a 2021 bill that puts time limits on the length of future no-bid contracts.
Yearbook superlatives are a scholastic tradition that allows us to recognize the people who were “the best …” or “the most …” something. There were a lot of standouts this past year, but here are our winners.
Most Athletic: Ryan Smith
Everyone knows the most powerful muscle you can flex is money and lots of it. That’s why owning a professional sports team is the business of billionaires. That makes for a small pool of talent who could buy the Utah Jazz from the Miller Familly. Ryan Smith, the founder of Utah-based data science company Qualtrics, bought the Jazz for $1.6 billion. To think, Smith could have bought the Minnesota Timberwolves for $1.5 billion instead.
Least Woke: Natalie Cline
The moniker “least woke” could be seen as a dubious distinction or a badge of honor. Natalie Cline, we expect, considers it the latter. As a member of the Utah State Board of Education, Cline has called “child indoctrination” on racially inclusive curriculum, the Utah Pride Center and the word “woke.” While some students belong to marginalized groups, Cline says those topics should stay at home meanwhile flouting calls for her resignation.
Most Likely to Succeed: Angela Dunn
After guiding Utah’s pandemic response through a, umm, fraught political atmosphere—garnering national attention by presenting the science without commenting on some discrepant policy—State Epidemiologist Angela Dunn probably could have taken any job anywhere. Instead, she’s staying in Utah, accepting the position of Director of the Salt Lake County Health Department. At least she can expect fewer protests at her house.
Worst Break Up: Mitt Romney and the Republican Party
The spark is gone, they’ve grown apart and they don’t see eye-to-eye anymore. Mitt Romney’s relationship with the Republican Party is a breakup we all saw coming. Romney was on the course of criticizing the president, only to discover his party was going to a place he couldn’t follow: Trumpland. The Utah GOP voted to censure Romney. It failed, so there might be hope for these two crazy kids yet.
Class Clowns: Utah County’s Clean Comedy Scene
“The Utah County comedy scene is so hot right now,” said no one. But it’s true. Provo has long been a bastion of “clean comedy,” a term often spoken with a derisive eye roll. And yet, Dry Bar Comedy pumps out hours of “safe for work” stand-up. The sketch comedy of Studio Cand Freelancers reach online audiences well outside of Cougar territory. Turns out, you don’t need to play blue to make people laugh.
Most Drama: Jen Shah
Being a Real Housewife of Salt Lake City requires a certain penchant for drama. Jen Shah is hardly the first wealthy Utahn accused in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme, but she might be the first to get arrested on basic cable. Even by Housewife standards, Shah lives lavishly. She is known for decking out in designer brands, decadent parties and her ever-growing roster of assistants. But, we never expected the dramatic twist of learning how she pays for that lifestyle (allegedly).
Photos: Ryan smith, Natalie Cline & Mitt Romney, Courtesy photos; Jen Shah, Courtesy Bravo; Angela Dunn, Photo by Adam Finkle
The homebound world has forced us to find out which family members had quality cooking skills. Cooking gadgetry (air fryers? Instant Pot?) started trending. Now that the weather is improving, the backyard kitchen beckons, and it’s time to bring out the big guns: Big Green Egg and the Utah-based Traeger grills.
Both have a similar goal: optimize and simplify the ancient method of cooking meat (and veggies) slow and low. Here’s a breakdown of why these two outdoor cooking stars inspire fanatical followings (and how much it would cost to join the faithful).
BIG GREEN EGG
Enthusiasts call themselves Eggheads, and this ceramic cooker has a cultlike following for a reason. Recognized by its signature egg shape and dark green color, the BGE can grill, bake and smoke foods—and even make pizzas—regulated by its two air draft doors. The idea of cooking in ceramic is reminiscent of Moroccan tagines, known to produce tender, flavorful meals. The BGE is heated by specially formulated charcoal, and the larger eggs (there are seven sizes) can reach temps of 1,200 degrees. The temperature is achieved in good time, and the draft doors allow surprisingly specific heat control. Food cooks pretty quickly, unless you want the ribs to cook for a few hours, and then low temps are used.
COST: The Mini (smallest cooking surface, at 10 inches) is $400. The largest (29 inches) retails for $2000. Upside: These have been handed down in families because they are fairly indestructible.
COOKBOOK: Celebrating the Ultimate Cooking Experience, by Big Green Egg Inc.; Andrews McMeel Publishing; updated 2014. This book has recipes that run the gamut from appetizers to desserts and a vegetarian section, $38.
TRAEGER WOOD PELLET GRILL
This wood pellet grill is all about the flavor of cooking over an open flame with the versatility, convenience and safety of a convection oven. Hardwood pellets feed the flames and a fan circulates the heat, which adds that distinct wood-fired flavor to food—customizable with a variety of wood types, depending on what you’re grilling, smoking, roasting or barbecuing. While pork ribs are the most popular choice for people new to the “Traegerhood,” the oven-like controls allow for the consistent heat necessary for baking everything from cookies to the ever-trendy sourdough bread. Because you can just “set it and forget it,” there’s no need to hover over an open flame for hours checking and adjusting temps, and the built-in drip system means dreaded grease fires are a thing of the past.
COST: Traeger’s three series of WiFi-enabled home grills range from $800 for the Traeger Pro 575 to $2000 for the Traeger Timberline 1300. Portable wood pellet grills available for $300 to $470. (Add-on accessories include hardwood pellets, grill covers, grilling tools, sauces and rubs.)
COOKBOOK: Traeger Everyday Cookbook, by Traeger Grills; Traeger Pellet Grills, LLC; 2011. This book contains dozens of meal, appetizer and dessert recipes and guides to Traeger-brand wood pellets, sauces and spices. Traeger’s website also provides access to more than 1,600 recipes, including the devotee-favorite “3-2-1 Rib” recipe, and an active community of Traeger fanatics eager to offer grilling advice, $20.
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Last summer, well…It just wasn’t summer, right? Sure we went on hikes, longer than usual walks, dusted off the bike to pedal around empty streets and generally got away from our locked-down lives as best we could, but, meh. We’re talking about summer—all caps SUMMER—with festivals, parades, patios and unbridled, unfettered, just-plain goofing off. And while not everything will be back in full form, there are rumors and rumblings of a proper Salt Lake Summer about to come out of hibernation and roar. As we, hopefully, tentatively, carefully, nervously look forward with our bleary eyes toward SLC’s summer glories, we find ourselves with a little bit of that old spring swing in our step. We’ve got a lot to make up for. This year it’s DOUBLE SUMMER. Get out there and make it count.
Day Trip #1: Urban Outdoors
1. Start your day with coffee and a lovely selection of French pastries at Eva’s Bakery. (155 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-3942)
2. Lace up your light-hikers and head up to the Utah State Capitol building to explore the grounds, enjoy views of the valley and explore the history inside the capitol rotunda. From this perch, you can experience just how close Salt Lake is to the great outdoors with a drop into Memory Grove (a collection of memorials and monuments honoring Utah’s Veterans) and a hike up the paved trail into City Creek Canyon. The canyon’s relative wildness has been preserved to protect the precious water flowing down its namesake waterway.
Photo by Matt Morgan, Courtesy Utah Office of Tourism
3. After you’ve closed your fitness rings, grab a bite at Laziz Kitchen (912 S. Jefferson St., SLC, 801-441-1228) a modern Lebanese cafe serving small plates (muhammara, falafel, salmon ceviche) and full meals, including brunch. (Watch out for the sporadic Sunday Drag Brunch, an outrageously fun party.)
Laziz Kitchen; Photo by Austen Diamond, Courtesy Utah Office of Tourism
4. Set out to explore the Granary District, a newly emerging area built around the warehouses and grain silos where our forebears used to sock away summer harvests for the winter. Start with dessert at the retro-fabulous shop RubySnap FRESH Cookies (770 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-834-6111) with its Rosie the Riveter vibe and cookies named after fictitious 1940s pin-up girls—like Trudy (classic chocolate chip) and Judy (velvety orange dough, topped with buttery cream).
5. Nibble your cookies while browsing the stacks of old and new vinyl at Randy’s Records Shop (157 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-4413) and then drop into Thyme and Place (362 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-381-9216), a tiny shop specializing in tiny plants for tiny homes and apartments.
Thyme & Place; Photo by Adam Finkle
6. For dinner, find your way to SLC Eatery (1017 S. Main St., SLC), where a nondescript facade hides delights like fresh coriander noodles with lamb in a fermented black bean sauce, prawn-stuffed agnolotti and rare smoked beef and a rolling dim sum-like cart loaded with appetizers.
Bikeshare & Artshare
Curate your own exhibit of public art on SLC GREENbikes.
A tour of downtown Salt Lake City’s public art lets you get to know the city and its maze of lesser-known alcoves and alleyways, concealing an eclectic collection of breathtaking murals and installations. It requires some mild zigzagging through Salt Lake’s wide city blocks, but the treasure hunt is well worth it. The tour also gives you the chance to stretch the pandemic atrophy from your legs and brain (and snap some great pics for the ’gram)!
1. Grab a GREENbike from the SLUG Mag Station (200 S. 200 East.) and head west along 200 South.
2. Right off the bat, there’s the Ave Maria (156 E. 200 South, El Mac & Retna), a mural depicting a vibrant, larger-than-life Virgin Mary on the side of the old Guthrie Bicycle building.
3. Stay the course and you’ll find the cosmic mural Constellation Owl (200 S. State St., Yvette Vexta), a celestial owl leaving a comet trail of rainbow-colored geometry across the matte-black brick wall of Impact Hub Salt Lake.
Constellation Owl; Photo by Christie Porter
4. After the owl, turn onto Regent St. to get a splash of high-contrast color from the Eccles Theatre Mural (146 Regent St.), painted with the unique canvas in mind: slated loading-bay doors. The signature style is that of mural artist Traci O’Very Covey, whose work is also on display in South Salt Lake.
Eccles Theatre Mural; Photo by Christie Porter
5. Head back to 200 South and cross the street to the north side of the Gallivan Center (approx. 50 E. 200 South.). There, you should see one of the most eye-catching art installations currently in Salt Lake City: a heart made of super-reflective intricate designs engraved on dichroic plexiglass, koro loko.
6. You can cut through Gallivan Center to the next stop on our tour, which is a little bit harder to spot. There’s an unassuming alleyway just off Main Street you’ll need to duck down (approx. 222 S. Main St.). It will take you to a quiet courtyard and the BookWall mural (Paul Heath), marking the old location of Weller’s Books, where you can take a photo with a giant-size version of your favorite book.
7. Pedal down Broadway toward Squatter’s, passing a number of small but no less interesting art installations along the way, and you’ll see the last stop on our tour: the mural Squatter’s Nod to Beer (147 W. Broadway, Mike Murdock, Trent Call, Chuck Landvatter).
8. Here, you can drop off your bike at the Squatters Station and head in for a well-earned beer. If you’re hungry for more, opt for the GREENbike day pass ($7/day) and go on as many 30-minute rides as you can cram into 24 hours. Get yours at greenbikeutah.org.
The Ultimate Cabin Fever Cure
While you can base any of our day trips, adventures and good-for- the-soul activities from the home+office+school you’ve been hunkering down in for a year, get out for a weekend and check in to Hotel Monaco. Located in the center of downtown SLC in the renovated Continental Bank Building (the hotel restaurant, Bambara, has a private room built into the old bank’s steel cash repository), the pet-friendly boutique hotel is a well-situated and civilized base to help you overcome what by now must be a severe case of cabin fever. Also, starting this summer the hotel offers a selection of guided hiking trips through the local outfitter Utah Mountain Adventures. If you want someone else to do the planning, these customized outings range from day hikes to multi-day backpacking excursions.
Courtesy Hotel Monaco
Day Trip #2: Fun in the Foothills
1.Take your breakfast on the lush patio at Ruth’s Diner (4160 E. Emigration Canyon Rd., SLC, 801-582-5807) in Emigration Canyon with the sounds of the babbling Emigration Creek in the background. Ruth’s is a Utah classic, with a hearty diner-style menu and its famous “mile- high” biscuits and homemade jam.
2. Walk those biscuits off atRed Butte Garden (300 Wakara Way, SLC, 801-585-0556) a large, beautiful botanical garden that focuses on native plant education in a peaceful spot in Salt Lake’s eastern foothills.
Red Butte Garden
3. For lunch, venture into Millcreek Canyon and enjoy another essential Utah patio at Log Haven (6451 E. Mill Creek Canyon Rd., SLC, 801-272-8255). Chef Dave Jones and the lifer team serve a game-centric menu paired with a thoughtful selection of wines and creative cocktails in this canyon retreat.
4. Spend the rest of the day exploring the Natural History Museum of Utah (301 Wakara Way, SLC, 801-581-6927). Start at the top and wander through the prehistory of the Great Salt Lake Valley to the big payoff, one of the west’s most extensive collections of dinosaur fossils.
Courtesy Natural History Museum of Utah
5. If bones aren’t your bag, consider the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (410 Campus Center Dr., SLC, 801-581-7332), featuring a rotating collection of western artworks. The museum recently hosted “Black Refractions,” an exhibit on loan from the Studio Museum in Harlem, featuring 100 works by nearly 80 artists of African descent, from the 1920s to the present.
“Kevin the Kiteman” by Jordan Casteel; Photo by Adam Reich
6. For dinner, visit the love child of chef Drew and front-of-house angel Angie Fuller, Oquirrh (say: Oaker, 368 E. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-0426). Named after that mountain range out west, the Fullers’ homey restaurant serves new takes on classic comforts—think roasted carrots of many colors, placed vertically in a spicy carrot puree, tiny potatoes cooked in milk or the must-try chicken confit pot pie.
Oquirrh; Photo by Adam Finkle
Day Trip #3 – Explore the Great Salt Lake & Bar Crawl
1. On the industrial outskirts of the city, you’ll find TheGarage on Beck (1199 N. Beck St., SLC, 801-521-3904), a roadhouse-style bar (ages 21 and over) with a Mad Max meets Austin, Texas vibe. Try the huevos rancheros.
2. Keep heading north to Antelope Island State Park. The island is the largest of the “keys” of the Great Salt Lake and is home to a resident herd of roaming bison. Views from the western side of the island reveal the otherworldly landscape of Utah’s salty sea.
The Great Salt Lake; Photo by Adam Thomas
3. Back in civilization, start the afternoon with a pint and a sampling of local sausages in the modern beer-hall environment of Beer Bar (161 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-259-0905).
4. From there, embark on a bar crawl in of the main downtown watering holes. Drop byAlibi (369 S. Main St., SLC, 385-259-0616) for excellent cocktails and walls of art by local artists Dan Cassaro and Dan Christofferson.
Alibi, Photo by Adam Finkle
5. Or get your Donkey Kong on at Quarters (5 E. 400 South, SLC) an arcade bar with a full slate of retro and modern video games, pinball machines and video-game-themed cocktails.
Courtesy Quarters
6. These and more are all within stumbling distance of your hotel and dinner at Eva Restaurant (317 S. Main St., SLC, 801-359-8447), a lovely little bistro featuring small pates and a daring wine list.
Photo by Austen Diamond
7. Close out the night with absinthe at The Rest, a subterranean speakeasy hidden under the street-level bar Bodega (331 S. Main St., SLC, 801-532-4042).
Each Year, Salt Lake Magazine hosts the Blue Plate Awards, honoring the growers, food evangelists, grocers, servers, bakers, chefs, bartenders, restaurateurs—basically anyone who has a hand in the essential act of feeding us and does so with grace, style, creativity and care. This past year, well, was “just awful,” as our dearly departed Executive Editor Mary Brown Malouf said often. It was especially hard on the hospitality sector. In many ways, as Mary and I discussed before her passing, this year’s awards are given for merely surviving. The 2021 Blue Plate Awards are the first-ever without our Mary bringing them across the finish line.
Mary Brown Malouf, Salt Lake’s executive editor from 2007 to 2020, xoxomm
As Mary conceived, a Blue Plate is given to an establishment or an individual who has done more than put good food on the table. They’ve created culture, made acts of kindness and education and are paragons of service that goes beyond.
Mary spoke the language of the kitchen, the lingo of servers, the banter of the bar—the Esperanto of anyone who has ever waited on a table, slung a drink, cleaned a grease trap or prepped on the line. But she also knew the language of dining, being served and what a diner should expect. She was critical on both sides of that divide. Cajoling, teasing the best from the back of the house and lecturing Utah diners on not just where to eat but how to eat and to dare their palates and pocketbooks on local food.
She loved the classic Borscht Belt joke: “‘How’s the food?’ ‘Terrible but the portions are amazing!” She used it often as the punch line to what she saw wrong with the chain-heavy culinary experience in Utah. A doting aunt who urged us to sit up straight and at least try the foie gras. Mary preached constantly that food is about more than a price point—it is fun, friends, and conversation. It was about living and, also, a living for the people who deserve recognition and love. “Eat this. DON’T EAT THAT, throw off the chains that bind you,” she’d say with her typical smirk.
These are Mary’s awards, the last that she’ll preside over. They were unearthed from a morass of scrawled notes, emails and random laptop files labeled “BLU PLAT.” And we dedicate them to her, our town’s biggest food fan, critic and champion, xoxomm. —Jeremy Pugh, Editor
The 2021 Blue Plate Awards are sponsored by Spark Solutions.
This year, Fisher found ways to utilize their beer, taproom space and canning capabilities for good. They created special lines of limited edition beers in custom cans to help raise funds for local businesses struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic. For example, their custom line of Monkey Wrench Gang Cans—utilizing the famous artwork of R. Crumb—on behalf of Ken Sanders Rare Books, raised more than $25K, helping keep Ken in business. The event saw (socially distanced) lines out the door at the Fisher Tap Room. Read more here.
Angie and Drew Fuller of Oquirh Restaurant – Photo by Adam Finkle
When COVID-19 hit Salt Lake City, Oquirrh co-owners Andrew and Angelena Fullers’ dream was seriously damaged. But the Fullers keep trying to follow the rules. The restaurant staff is down to Angie and Drew, a dishwasher and a cook. There are no days off and haven’t been for months. Any slight downtime is spent planning things like takeaway Thanksgiving dinners or filling orders for food they never planned to serve, like a recently requested charcuterie platter. Read more here.
Seemingly out of thin air, the muscle behind Hive SLC—Missy Greiss, of Publik Coffee Roasters; Dean Pierose, owner of Cucina Wine Bar; Scott Evans, founder of Pago Restaurant Group along with a dash of tech wizardry from James Roberts, a founding partner of Redirect Digital—created an elaborate delivery and online ordering system. Solving this massive logistical puzzle helps out local restaurants, providing a consistent revenue source and keeping their employees working. As a bonus, Hive SLC gives us a local-first way to order directly from some of SLC’s finest establishments and reduce the heavy fees that other online ordering services demand. Read more here.
Joey Ferran and Dean Pierose of Cucina Deli and Wine Bar. Photo by Adam Finkle
Owner Dean Pierose responded to the COVID-19 crisis with his signature manic energy, quickly expanding his outdoor dining experience, pivoting to curbside delivery while Chef Joey Ferran created takeout boxes of his elevated ingredients that could be assembled at home. Pierose’s outdoor spaces became a place where the neighborhood could gather safely. He offered free coffee in the mornings and encouraged his regulars to linger and commiserate together, preserving a semblance of society during a socially distanced time. Read more here.
Last summer, it seemed that Rico would be another victim of rapid gentrification in Salt Lake. After 18 years as a staple in the Granary District, new ownership threatened to evict owner Jorge Fierro from his plant, inspiring public outcry. Luckily, Rico was able to find a new home in Poplar Grove and now plans to add even more employees. It’s a last-minute happy ending for a community leader who literally wears his mission on his sleeve, courtesy a tattoo in bright red block letters: “pay it forward.” Read more here.
As grocery delivery becomes the new norm, The Store offers a personal touch that only an independent grocer can provide. Last March, high-risk and elderly customers began calling in their grocery lists over the phone, and The Store’s general managers personally delivered food to their homes. In a year when grocery store employees were rightly called essential workers, places like The Store proved why these businesses are so necessary for our communities. Read more here.
A distillery in Utah County? Is that even legal? Actually, yes. Just that no one had ever tried before. Owners Matt and Stephanie Eau Claire waded into the morass of city and county regulations, public meetings, zoning laws and skeptical Utah County officialdom to prove that yes, distilling is a legal venture, even in Utah County. Welcomed by the City of Pleasant Grove, Clearwater Distilling became the first-ever legal distilling operation in Happy Valley. Read more here.
Brooks Kirchheimer of Hearth and Hill and Urban Hilll – Photo by Adam Finkle
As the pandemic ravages independent restaurants, Hearth and Hill has reaffirmed its commitment to small businesses in Park City. Using its large dining room as an informal gathering space for the city, Hearth and Hill has donated to and hosted fundraisers for community organizations. They provided flu shots for their own staff and other neighboring businesses. And their generosity extends to their own employees, who received extra groceries and free Thanksgiving turkeys. Read more here.
This year Spice Kitchen Incubator, already an essential resource for refugees, became, well, even more essential. When coming to this country, refugees often have nothing but a few clothes and their cooking skills; Spice helps these displaced people find their financial feet again by sharing their culture and food. With COVID restrictions limiting dine-in service and the incubator’s event catering program, Spice-to-Go became the focus, allowing the kitchen to keep sharing international food experiences serving Utah’s vulnerable refugee community. Read more here.
The Demitasse Spoon Awards for COVID Creativity
Anyone who ever looked for a corkscrew in Mary’s overflowing drawer of silver utensils has commented, “Why do you have two dozen demitasse spoons?” Her reply? “One can never have too many demitasse spoons, my dear.” In that spirit, we offer this year’s Demitasse Spoon Awards for COVID Creativity. Hopefully, these nods will one day go the way of the Coronavirus. But this year we call out what, we know, is an incomplete list of hospitable creativity and problem-solving in response to chaos.
The Downtown Alliance — Helped to create an open streets program to support bars and restaurants on lower Main Street.
Harbor Seafood & Steak — Built lovely heated greenhouses to accommodate small groups for year-round outdoor dining.
Butcher’s Chop House & Bar — Taking outdoor dining to the next level, Butchers installed three private “Alpenglobes,” gorgeous little bubbles with a view.
The Charleston — Created beautifully lit, heated tents and warming spaces on its outdoor patio.
Harmons Cooking School Took its popular cooking classes online, giving homebound cooks a chance to sharpen their skills.
Amour Cafe — To stay afloat they focused efforts on selling Amour Spreads a line of locally sourced jams and jellies.
Raise a Glass To…
This year’s awards are laced with plenty of sorrow. The toll the pandemic has taken on our restaurant community has caused casualties. Here, we honor the lost and underscore how important it is for us all to recognize the importance of supporting the places that continue to survive.
Howdy Ice Cream
Alamexo
Cannella’s
Pallet
Mazza (locations at 9th and 9th and in Sandy)
Creek Tea
George
Bar George
Porcupine Pub & Grille (location on 1300 East)
Red Butte Cafe
Koko Kitchen
The Olive Bistro
Zucca Trattoria
Tinwell
Shogun
Note: We have surely missed more than a few closures at our press time and invite you to reach out and share any that we didn’t list here.
Silver Lining
The Rio Grande Cafe, forced from their location in the Rio Grande Depot following the 2020 earthquake was able to move in and occupy one of the city’s historic restaurant spaces on 1300 East.
It is with profound sorrow that the staff of Salt Lake magazine announces the death of Mary Brown Malouf on Dec. 7, 2020, in northern California. Mary has been our beloved executive editor since August 2007, our north star, undisputed culinary queen, and one of the brightest and funniest people we will ever know. She is survived by her children Anna Malouf and Britt Brown and Kit Warchol and Sam Warchol, and her brother David Waddington and sister Helen Duran.
Photo by: Stuart Graves
More details will follow as they become available.
The holidays are for eating, drinking and being merry- but mostly for drinking. So we put together our top local spots to get holiday spirits. Here’s our boozy gift guide for all the cocktail lovers in your life. (Or maybe just for yourself):
NEFT VODKA: NEFT is made from spring water filtered for 50 years, though the granite and limestone, deep beneath the Rhaetian Alps in Austria, four ancient grains of rye, and nothing else. The result is a rich, ultra-premium vodka just as memorable as its container—our portable, unbreakable barrel that keeps NEFT cold for up to six hours.
Seabird Single Spirit Mixers: Five flavors to choose from. Just add alcohol. Purchase on our site (for delivery or pickup at Seabird locations) or at The Store (Gateway and Holladay). Really easy, really good! 801-456-1223, seabirdutah.com
BITTERS LAB: Bitters Lab Gift Set: Available in 3 options; neatly packaged in a stylish box and are great for gift-giving. Includes recipe cards for each flavor and info card. Bitters lab is located at 850 S. 400 W. Suite 117, SLC UT 84101, bitterslab.com
SUGAR HOUSE DISTILLERY: Sugar House Distillery is an award winning grain to glass distillery located in Salt Lake City, Utah. We distill our Vodka, Rum, Malt, Rye and Bourbon Whiskey using local grains. All of our spirits are distilled and bottled by Sugar House Distillery. 801-726-0403, sugarhousedistillery.com
Sure, sure, holidays are synonymously linked with gift-giving. But if we’ve taken in anything from 2020 (or the Grinch), perhaps there is something more to all of this. Take the deeper dive into less material matter and more thoughtfulness. Here’s a switch: Give yourself some good karma. These gift ideas will give back way more than any scarf or air-fryer ever will.
For the adventurer: Support the National Park Service and buy an annual park pass. Not only does this give a reason to visit parks and make memories, but the fee keeps the parks running. Don’t have time to hit the road? Donate to the NPS in honor of your adventurous loved one, or any of these local environmental groups:
For the animal lover: Want to help animals in need and bring a smile to your loved ones’ faces? Adopt or foster a furry friend from Best Friends Animal Society or Nuzzles. Not ready to take that step in your relationship? No sweat. Both orgs accept loving donations.
For the foodie: 12 percent of Utahns don’t know where their next meal will come from. Instead of a dinner date, why not go on a grocery store date? Take your loved one out to the grocery store and fight hunger by purchasing and donating non-perishable food items to the Utah Food Bank.
For the artist: Support the arts and art educational programs by donating, volunteering or becoming a member at any of the local art museums such as:
NEFT VODKA: NEFT is made from spring water filtered for 50 years, though the granite and limestone, deep beneath the Rhaetian Alps in Austria, four ancient grains of rye, and nothing else. The result is a rich, ultra-premium vodka just as memorable as its container—our portable, unbreakable barrel that keeps NEFT cold for up to six hours.
BITTERS LAB: Bitters Lab Gift Set: Available in 3 options; neatly packaged in a stylish box and are great for gift-giving. Includes recipe cards for each flavor and info card. Bitters lab is located at 850 S. 400 W. Suite 117, SLC UT 84101, 
SUGAR HOUSE DISTILLERY: Sugar House Distillery is an award winning grain to glass distillery located in Salt Lake City, Utah. We distill our Vodka, Rum, Malt, Rye and Bourbon Whiskey using local grains. All of our spirits are distilled and bottled by Sugar House Distillery. 801-726-0403, 
