Joining the ranks of Salt Lake’s Restaurant Row (coined by yours truly at Salt Lake magazine), Neighbors is a sleek bar on Harvey Milk Blvd.’s east side. Owned and operated by the power duo of Chase Worthen and Danielle Petek (The Pearl, Alibi RIP), the newcomer is continuing the neighborhood’s ethos of community, inclusivity and quality eats.
The bar shares the block—the Dairy Block, to be exact—with a multitude of small businesses that aim to revitalize the Liberty Wells neighborhood. Equality Utah, Simple Therapy, Manoli’s, Xiao Bao Bao, Native Flower Company, Mozz Artisan Pizza and the highly anticipated Wasatch Food Co-op have anchored the area as a vibrant mixed-use hub. But the block was missing one thing: a neighborhood bar. “This area was really hungry for a local spot for people come grab a beer post work or be with friends and not have to drive anywhere,” says Chase Worthen, who is a C9 resident himself. “This space also connects the west side of Harvey Milk and all those businesses to the Ninth and Ninth District.” And so, to serve Salt Lake’s need for a solid neighborhood bar in every hamlet, Chase and Danielle teamed up with Chef Mat Sullivan and a gaggle of industry dignitaries to create a welcoming local taproom—with a few tricks up its sleeve.
favorite among Neighbors’ regulars.
Get it with extra pork floss and fried
peanut and anchovy dressing.
Photo by Adam Finkle
The bar’s aesthetic takes cues from mid-century designs and natural textures, incorporating Danielle’s Taiwanese heritage with speckled flooring and glass-block separators. A large curved bartop sets the tone for the room, and pops of deep evergreen make appearances throughout the space. “We wanted it to be really warm in here, but not overdone,” Danielle chimes in. As spring approaches, this writer is most excited about Neighbors’ sizable outdoor patio as an outpost for people watching and spritz sipping.
When it comes to the fare, the lineup at Neighbors includes all your bottled favorites, and a lineup of 20 rotating beers on tap. The “Mr. Rogers boilermaker” hits the mark for happy hour, and yes, Mr. Rogers, we will be your neighbor. The cocktail list reworks classics with local ingredients and personal riffs from an array of industry alumni, all of which can be found behind the stick throughout the week. “We had a few bartenders come out of retirement to work here, and you’ll probably recognize all our staff from your other favorite bars in Salt Lake City,” Chase laughs.
The food coming out of the kitchen at Neighbors makes a welcome departure from ho-hum bar snacks, once again taking inspiration from Taiwanese flavors and dishes. The small bites include scallion pancakes, fried peanuts and anchovies, and crinkle-cut fries for good measure. If you’ve come hungry, the pork and shrimp wantons, cheese steak and cold peanut noodles will meet your needs. Chef Matt keeps things spicy with weekly specials to tantalize your taste buds and introduce you to Taiwanese flavor combos.
Still in their first year of business, Danielle and Chase hope to build upon the bar’s warmth and welcoming vibe and build a reputation as a gathering place for all. “I just want to make sure that whatever type of person walks in here, they’ll find something for them,” says Danielle. And the prices aren’t half bad either, as Chase jests: “It’s the nicest place to drink cheap beer.”
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