When Chef Milo Carrier stares at a blank page, willing a seasonal menu into being, it is as if he is a CPU processing a vast, timeless understanding of past, present and future. A sea of ingredients, traditions swimming in his mind. From this chaos, he creates order.
Carrier, however, is not artificial intelligence; he is human intelligence, possessing the talent, education and craft to excel in the art of creating something that is both tangible and transitory. In person, Milo is taciturn, reserved (he has yet to smile in a magazine photo). His primary form of expression is the combinations he arranges on a plate. He’s communicating physically. He doesn’t tell you what he’s thinking. He shows you.
His wife, Brooke Doner, translates: “Milo’s vision for Arlo is non-linear and not stuck in time,” she says. “We’re always looking for new influences and open to all cuisines. Arlo is whatever it is today and whatever it will be tomorrow, at the same time.” arlorestaurant.com
Side Dish
Most restaurants offer a basket of bread with some cold pats of butter and call it a day. Not Arlo. The bread is baked daily, in house, served with a decadent dollop of French butter. You may well ask. “How good can bread and butter be?” “This good,” is our reply.
This year’s 2026 Dining Awards is a showcase of the best experiences across Utah’s foodscape, and a reminder that each recommendation is a promise. A human-to-human promise. An assurance that a restaurant we say is amazing, is amazing. As you consider your next celebratory meal or casual weeknight outing, here’s your menu of Salt Lake’s 2026 gustatory darlings. The food is thoughtful, the hospitality is warm and the chefs care deeply about the dishes on your table.We promise.
