Chef Tommy Nguyen. Photo by Adam Finkle.
Panelist and long-time Pearl diner Ali Vallarta sums up this C9 bedrock best: “Everything about this restaurant experience is colorful and joyful, from the tiled walls to the lively atmosphere. On any given night, it is ‘the’ place for a spirited and flavorful meal with just enough commotion to make you feel like you live in a much bigger city.” Giving us Salt Lakers that “city slicker” experience is only one of Chef Tommy Nguyen’s aces up his gastronomic sleeve; most of the restaurant’s dishes call back to his Vietnamese family’s recipes, like a recent seafood special featuring dashi spiked buerre monte, Chinese sausage, plump mussels, an onslaught of garlic and hoisin that panelist Stuart Melling recalled as “one of my favorite dishes of 2025.” thepearlslc.com
Side Dish
Chef Tommy labors over his authentic pho broth for six hours before serving it up every Sunday during soup season until it sells out (which it always does).
This year’s 2026 Dining Awards is a showcase of the best experiences across Utah’s foodscape, and 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.
