Chef Tyson Petersen has been exceeding expectations for hotel restaurants for years, imbuing both hotel guests and visitors with a renewed sense of excitement when it comes to downtown dining, a sentiment echoed by panelist Lydia Martinez: “Mar | Muntanya moved on from a basic hotel restaurant to one of the dining gems in the city.” Rooted in Spanish-style tapas, the menu explores coastal flavors of Spain and bold bites found in the Basque Country. Chef Tyson brings in local partners wherever possible, working with local trout farms, sourcing produce from farmers’ markets and collaborating with local distillers. He also folds in personal touches that give diners a sense of place and tradition, like Grandma’s Bread Pudding, which Lydia praises as a “crushable dish that belies humble beginnings and an old-fashioned recipe yet retains its original soul.” mar-muntanya.com
Side Dish
During the summer, Mar | Muntanya hosts a weekly dinner series called Chef’s Table. Chef Tyson adapts the multi-course journey through the season to showcase the best produce, purveyors and flavors sourced from around the state.
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.
