Dining Awards

Every year, Hell’s Backbone has earned a nod from Salt Lake magazine. Our late editor Mary Brown Malouf long championed this experiment in sustainability, kindness and destination dining in Southern Utah. That’s a story you know. Here’s one few do. Mary lobbied tirelessly for the James Beard Foundation to create a new region for its annual national restaurant awards to bust out Utah (also Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming) restaurants from under the shadow of California. Beard Judges in the newly created Mountain Region, gave Hell’s Backbone the nod in 2022. The tale, however, takes a frustrating turn. The Foundation, facing criticism about the lack of diversity and inclusion among its honorees (boxes Hell’s Backbone easily ticks) scuttled its awards that year. Hell’s Backbone’s richly deserved honor became collateral damage. But Blake and Jen aren’t ones to mope on the sidelines. The considerable slight became a rallying cry for the little restaurant in Boulder. With the addition of Chef Tamara Stanger. Blake, Jen and Tamara are still at it, this year again earning a nod from Beard. And us.

20 Utah Highway 12, Boulder | hellsbackbonegrill.com

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La Cevicheria opened in 2023, on the continuingly beleaguered downtown block of 200 South, in the space formerly occupied by the small chain Cancun Cafe. Its owner and chef, Manuel Ortega,  made major renovations and now the building is impossible to miss, with giant blue octopus tentacles splayed on its exterior. The inside is a Mexican playa vacation meets an Insta-worthy Malibu Barbie home (with fish scales). Vibe aside, what comes out of the kitchen has our attention. “No one in the city is doing ceviche like this Chef,” says panelist Lydia Martinez. Ortega offers an innovative approach to the dish he brings from the coastal traditions of Mexico, including a vegetarian option (somehow). The menu offers a rotating and challenging menu from basic to advanced (think: from shrimp to octopus). You’ll also find traditional agua chile, another version of marinated seafood, along with a self-proclaimed “hangover cure” with shrimp, lime juice, and Maggi seasoning mixed with a chiltepin sauce.

123 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City | lacevicheriautah.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

In January, a pipe broke above Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas’ restaurant on 900 South, a setback that could have shuttered the place. Instead, they took a hiatus and completely retooled, adding enclosed patio space, more seating an expanded bar and storage for their fabulous all-Greek natural wine selection “I am so glad they were able to phoenix from the ashes,” says panelist Lydia Martinez. Reopening in July, Manoli’s didn’t lose a step. The food—traditional Greek dishes with presentation and influence from France, Spain and Italy—is a flavorful tour of Mediterranean cuisine. Manoli and Katrina lead a crew of excellent servers and cooks by example. Most nights you’ll find them on the line or working the front of the house. 

402 E. Harvey Milk Blvd., SLC | manolison9th.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

Cristina Olvera immigrated to Utah in 1999 from Hidalgo, Mexico. A single mother to five children, she always had multiple jobs. And on the side, she would make tamales out of her kitchen at home, explains daughter Salma.  “My mom was a hard worker making tamales on the weekends to support us. As we got a little older, we helped her with whatever we could. She would have us cut cheese or clean corn husks.” Cristina would still make tamales overnight and then, at 7 a.m., deliver them from Tooele to Park City and all around the Salt Lake Valley. As her reputation grew, clients started asking to cater and she began catering quinceañeras and weddings. After moving into a tiny commercial kitchen space, Salma’s older sister started promoting the business on social media platforms right at the start of COVID. And business took off. La Casa del Tamal was born. 

2843 S. 5600 West, West Valley City  |  lacasadeltamalutah.com

We featured the Olvera’s holiday tamale tradition in our 2023 Nov/Issue! Read it here.

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

Dining at this warm restaurant, specializing in food from owner Marco Stevanoni’s native region of Italy, can be summed up with one word: “civilized.” In the era of fast-casual service designed to turn tables and move “product” (ugg), dining at Veneto reminds us that new ways are not often the best ways. Owners Marco and Amy’s ever-changing seven-course tasting menu is the way to go here to understand what we mean. These seasonal menus are designed in concert with Veneto’s daringly curated wine program designed to attain the not-so-humble goal of offering a complete selection of the best wines from all 20 regions in Italy. Another thing we love: Marco and Amy host a regular schedule of special tasting events featuring guest chefs and vintners from around the world. It’s a testament to Veneto’s quality that these events sell out instantly. (Pro tip: Get on Veneto’s mailing list.)

370 E. Harvey Milk Blvd., SLC  |  venetoslc.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

St. George is overrun with chain restaurants that weaseled in alongside its explosive growth. But amid mediocrity, we’ve discovered an island of excellence. Wood • Ash • Rye, located in Advenire Hotel. In St. George, Executive Chef Shon Foster has his work cut out for him. We often talk about the “Utah Palate” characterized as a picky eater who would gladly eat nuggets shaped like dinosaurs for every meal. But as St. George has grown it has grown up as evidenced by Foster’s challenging menu and success in what we hope will be a more adult St. George restaurant scene. Example: The Silver Queen Goat Cheese appetizer that features cheese sourced from Park City Creamery. A big bold step in the right direction if we’ve ever seen one. 

25 W. St. George Blvd., St. George  |  theadvenirehotel.com/wood-ash-rye-restaurant

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

Chef Michael Richey is all growed up. Once the enfant terrible of Salt Lake chefs, Richey made his first splash at Pago, which we then considered one of the vanguards of a new dining scene when it opened in long-ago 2009. Richey has bounced around the always turbulent dining scene but never lost his edge. Now finally, he has a place to call home—Wildwood Restaurant in Salt Lake’s Avenues Neighborhood is his place. And he’s there, doing his thing. Wildwood is a sure thing on any given night and those of you who can remember Richey’s early days at Pago will see some of that heritage on the menu, including those beautiful little pillows of golden potatoes topped with a decadent clutch of sturgeon roe.

564 E. 3rd Ave., SLC  |  wildwoodslc.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

One of our 2023 restaurants to watch, Franklin Avenue is technically a bar, NOT a restaurant, as Utah law dictates. Franklin Avenue is, yes, a great bar, but we assert that it is also a great restaurant. The menu from the mind of Chef Matt Crandall ignores the “bar” in bar food and offers intelligent well-executed plates. Sure there’s a burger (a Wagyu burger, actually) but Dungeness crab? What? Panelist Stuart Melling gave a nod to their long hours, meaning they’re open whenever Stuart is feeling peckish, which is often and randomly. 

231 S. Edison St., SLC  |  franklinaveslc.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

These are two different restaurants in two very different spaces. Handle, located just off of Park City’s Historic Main Street, stands out in a town that caters to visitors where some operators, frankly, phone it in. HSL, on the edge of downtown SLC, is Handle’s cousin in the city. The common denominator is, of course, Chef Briar Handly. Of course, we said all of this last year, but, because it remains the same, it bears repeating. Quality and consistency pair with Handly’s creativity and poor attention span. This double-barrelled approach creates a menu that just won’t sit still. It bobs and weaves through the seasons and isn’t afraid to buck its own traditions. Keep up the good work, chef.

Handle: 36 Heber Ave., Park City  |  handleparkcity.com
HSL:  418 E. 200 South, SLC  |  hslrestaurant.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

Caffé Molise and BTG have been quietly great since long before they moved to their massive location at 400 South and West Temple. (“The Bay” to old Salt Lakers.) And frankly, their consistency sometimes means we just count on them to be there. But as anyone who watches the restaurant world these days knows, nothing can be taken for granted. So first, let us apologize to Fred Moesinger and Aimee Sterling, it’s not you, it’s us. We are gonna be better because you haven’t ever stopped paying attention, serving quality Italian food made better with a cocktail and wine program that is attentive and challenging. As Stuart Melling says, “They don’t treat anyone like a dummy.” Food and wine without the attitude. Amen.

404 S. West Temple, SLC  |  caffemolise.com

Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.