Utah Classics

Utah Food is a conundrum, what even is it? Fry sauce, funeral potatoes. Naww. Food evolves and tastes evolve and within that evolution, a consensus begins to form and standards emerge. None of these restaurants are standing still or living in the past (well maybe, Maddox, but the past is what that place is about) but all have proven their excellence for so long that they have become institutions that are the backbone of dining in Utah.

Maddox Ranch House

Each week Maddox serves more than 15,000 (!) customers. That’s right, 15 thousand. Some come to sit in the classic log cabin’s dining room or lunch counter, others pull up to the drive-in, still served by carhops, and others pick up a family meal on the way home. 

1900 Ss Hwy 89, Perry, 435-723-8545

Feldman’s Deli

Feldman’s Deli was one of the top picks for panelist Stuart Melling and for good reason. It’s a classic Jewish deli that’s given SLC a taste of NYC for nearly a decade with its half-pound sandwiches (including the best pastrami west of Katz’s Delicatessen). 

2005 Es 2700 South, SLC, 801-906-0369

Mazza Cafe

Mazza was the first place many native Utahns tried middle eastern food and we loved it. Chef-owner Ali Sabbah continues to set the standard for Middle Eastern food in Utah, serving complex, layered dishes with warm hospitality. 

1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259

VENETO Ristorante Italiano

Veneto’s Marco and Amy Stevanoni are proud of their curated wine list, impeccable dishes and providing an overall exceptional dining experience. The cuisine draws inspiration from Marco’s native region of Northern Italy called, naturally, Veneto. 

370 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-359-0708

Red Iguana

Red Iguana fulfills the promise of its slogan. It is, in fact, Killer Mexican food that is absolutely worth the wait. For nearly 40 years they’ve been serving up delicious and perfected family dishes like chile verde and world-famous mole. 

736 W. North Temple, SLC, 801-322-1489

Takashi

There’s a line outside the door of Takashi every night for a reason. Chef Takashi Gibo’s modern take on sushi is among the best for the freshness of the fish, attention to detail and bright flavors. There are many worthy sushi spots but there is only one Takashi.

18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595

Best New Restaurants to Watch

Very often a new restaurant comes on the scene with a splash and catches our attention but, hey, it’s a hard biz at any time, much less at this time. But these four newcomers raised our eyebrows and we’re excited to see what happens next.

Ivy + Varley

The atmosphere of Ivy + Varley exudes coolness. “It has a very New York or LA vibe,” says Dining Awards panelist Jennifer Burns, and if that puts you off—it shouldn’t. It brings a big city vibe without prentenstion. “The service and hospitality are personal and genuine,” says Nightlife Editor Avrey Evans, who recommends the kimchi michelada taken on the stunning outdoor patio. With an attention to detail in their bar menu and heavenly bites, we expect this newcomer to continue to thrive.

55 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-895-2846

Franklin Ave. Cocktails & Kitchen

From the minds behind Whiskey Street, White Horse Tavern and Bourbon House comes Franklin Ave. Cocktails & Kitchen. The emphasis here is on the “kitchen.” Chef Matt Crandall gets to stretch his wings at Franklin Ave. ignoring the “bar” in bar food and simply serving great food.

231 S. Edison St., SLC, 385-831-7560

Urban Hill

Appearing as if out of nowhere comes Urban Hill, a flag planted in SLC by the team at Park City’s Hearth & Hill. We welcome the incursion. Hearth & Hill is a proven PC force. “They hire talent in the kitchen, pay what people need to survive and put their money where it matters,” says panelist Darby Doyle. Indeed, our scouts’ early reconnaissance of Urban Hill indicates greatness to come.

510 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-295-4200

Wood • Ash • Rye

St. George is overrun with chain restaurants that weaseled in alongside its explosive growth. But amid the sea of mediocrity, we’ve discovered an island of civility. Wood • Ash • Rye. Located in Avenire Hotel, this of-the-moment restaurant features the requisite brunch for the brunch bunch but its dinner menu really shines. Executive Chef Shon Foster’s menu of sharable plates follows the seasons and gives nods to St. George’s history like his charming take on funeral potatoes the “Potato Saint.” 

25 W. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-522-5020

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Find all our 2023 Dining Awards Winners Here.

Each year we pass out a collection of special awards for individuals and organizations who, well, have done something special, superlative even. (And, also, just because we can.) Find all our 2023 Dining Awards winners here.

The Mary Brown Malouf #RandomPink Award: Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm

he remote location of this working farm and restaurant in Boulder, Utah could be seen as both a contributor and detriment to Hell’s Backbone’s longevity and success. It is perhaps the best example of an actual destination restaurant in Utah. The love child of Jen Castle and Blake Spalding has gained national and well-deserved recognition. But labors of love are still labors. Last year, Jen and Blake, beleaguered by the pandemic, rising costs (and likely sheer exhaustion) raised a white flag and asked the world to contribute to a Go Fund Me campaign to ensure the restaurant’s financial security beyond the next season. Supporters and fans from around Utah and the Globe came through. Proving that, yes, we can have nice things in Utah. Maybe this will be the year Jen and Blake get that bloody James Beard Award, meanwhile, Mary sends her love, xoxomm. 

The Blue Plate Award for Community Mindedness: Tea Zaanti

Tea Zaanti moved to its new location, modeled after the NOLA-famous Bacchanal, just in time for the pandemic to shutter everything. Owners Becky and Scott worked on overdrive to find ways to still provide “tea and sympathy” for our community. In fact, “Communi-TEA” is the shop’s motto. The shop is located in a Sugar House bungalow set back from the street (with a stellar patio). They host regular community events—from maker’s markets, tea and wine education classes to drag shows and art walks. Their “Tea. Wine. Action.” initiative highlights essential community groups. If you stop in at Tea Zaanti, chances are you’ll walk away feeling connected and nourished. And that’s everyone’s cup of tea. 

The What’s Next? Award: Romina Rassmussen of Les Madeleines

For 20 years, baking genius Romina Rassmussen fed us pastries that combined all the nit-picky precision and butter worship that make French pastry one of the culinary wonders of the world. Although she’d probably rather not ever hear the words “kouign amann” again, they bear repeating, at least, one more time. Romina was essentially a pastry archeologist when she re-introduced this obscure Breton pastry to the world. At the time, one had to travel to the northwest corner of France to find one. The work-intensive pastry was often overlooked, well, because making it is work-intensive. Undaunted, Romina started making this rich buttery pastry from Brittany, France, with layers of dough, and caramelized sugar on the outside. Her bakery, Les Madeleines, was the first west of the Mississippi to offer the Breton pastry that was named pastry of the year by Food & Wine magazine, in part thanks to Romina. Meanwhile, her bakery churned out a full menu of delicious, French-inspired treats for all those years. We suspect Romina has something else baking in the oven and look forward to seeing what it is. Until then, so long and thanks for all the treats!

The Golden Spoon Award for Hospitality (Lifetime Achievement): Valter Nassi of Valter’s Osteria/Cucina Toscana

When you walked through the doors into Valter’s Osteria, time froze. Whatever year it was outside, within the restaurant there was no time. You were on “Valter Time” under the spell of the impish Italian. Amid the evening service, Valter glided from table to table, doing what he did best: charming everyone who entered his realm. Valter died last September at age 76, and the clocks that kept Valter Time stopped with him. 

Valter was born in the small village of Monte San Savino, Italy in 1946. Young Valter blew around the world, like Mary Poppins, working in restaurants in Europe, Africa and New York. In 1996, his feet touched down in Salt Lake City, where he fell in love with our town which he lovingly called “My Salt Lake City.” 

Valter truly became Valter after he launched Cucina Toscana with his partner Ken Milo in the Firestone building at 300 West and 300 South. This Valter was more than a restauranteur, he was an impresario. He impressed at Cucina Toscana until 2012 when he announced his short-lived retirement. He soon opened his namesake Osteria. Countless awards and accolades were given to Valter, including a long run of Best Italian and Best Restaurant (period) Dining Awards from Salt Lake magazine, whose then-editor, the late Mary Brown Malouf, wrote of Valter, “he gives us the overriding impression that food is fun and that dining well is an experience to be enjoyed from the tip of your tongue to the depths of your soul.” Thank you, Valter. 

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Hungry for more? Discover winners from previous Dining Awards:

2022 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards: Chef’s Choice

2021 Blue Plate Awards

Blue Plate Awards Winners 2020

Salt Lake Magazine’s 2019 Dining Awards

2018 Dining Awards: Salt Lake Magazine Names Best Restaurants in Utah

Salt Lake magazine established its Dining Awards in 1998. That year, the awards ceremony was held en plien air in Memory Grove with an accompanying picnic. The winners’ list included restaurants longtime Utahs will remember but are long gone (Capitol Cafe, Chez Betty and Metropolitan) but also many others that have survived and thrived in the ensuing 25 years (Log Haven, Cucina and Glitretind). For more than two decades, we’ve handed out hundreds of our plates to a worthy and growing selection of ambitious restaurateurs, chefs and culinary wizards to support and legitimize the Utah Food landscape. But then came the “lost years,” a term our editors and panelists coined during our discussion for this year’s awards. The pandemic was especially hard on this part of our community, as we all know, and for these past two years, the magazine focused its accolades on restaurateurs who found creative ways to keep their doors open (“The 2021 Blue Plate Awards or How to Survive in the Restaurant Industry During a Pandemic”) and asking chefs to support other chefs (“The 2022 Chef’s Choice Awards”). It is difficult, after all, to evaluate the food on the table when just keeping the lights on took an effort worthy of applause.

We have, however, finally emerged (knock on wood). Restaurants are back in the swing of things and there is excitement in the air as we’ve all rediscovered the pleasures of a great meal served by a superlative restaurant. In some ways, the 2023 Dining Awards feel like a fresh start unburdened by the past and blessed by optimism for the future of dining in Utah. Here’s our guide to 12 of the best dining experiences we’ve had over the past year and 4 more restaurants to watch and classics to revisit.   

The 12 Best Restaurants in Utah (Right Now)

We considered consistency, overall experience (“is this something you can’t get at home?”), hospitality, service and innovation for each. But most of all we made it personal—would we send our friends and family to a place? The answer, for these 12 is “absolutely.” The term “Best” is subjective, after all, but we know it when we see it. Click on the images below to learn more about our 2023 winners.

Photography by Adam Finkle

Meet the Salt Lake Magazine 2023 Dining Awards Panel

Stuart Melling

Stuart is the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC; he’s also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for The Salt Lake Tribune. He has worked extensively with multiple local publications and helped consult for national TV shows. Stuart is an award-winning journalist who has covered the Utah dining scene for 15 years. He’s largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words he doesn’t understand.

Darby Doyle

Darby Doyle is a food, beverage, and outdoor writer who covers the culinary and natural wonders of the American West. She’s freelanced for a passel of print and digital publications, and her stories featuring Utah’s bar and restaurant scene have won multiple journalism awards. When not reminiscing about great meals shared with friends, you’ll find Darby camping, fly fishing or hunting with her family, or lounging in her overgrown garden with a good book and a Boulevardier.   

Jennifer Burns

Jennifer has always had a love of cooking and appreciating craftsmanship in culinary arts. She has hosted over 3,000 TV cooking segments featuring her recipes, as well as guest chefs. Jennifer has a published cookbook called Cooking Delight, which combines food, music and art. She has been a contributing food writer for The Salt Lake Tribune and other publications. Besides cooking and frequenting restaurants, she takes full advantage of the outdoor wonders that Utah offers.

Lydia Martinez

Lydia is a freelance food, travel and culture writer. She has written for Salt Lake magazine, Suitcase Foodist and Utah Stories. She is a reluctantly stationary nomad who mostly travels to eat great food. She is a sucker for anything made with lots of butter and has been known to stay in bed until someone brings her coffee.

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SIDE DISHES

Six Utah Classics

Utah Food is a conundrum, what even is it? Fry sauce, funeral potatoes. Naww. Food evolves and tastes evolve and within that evolution, a consensus begins to form and standards emerge. None of these restaurants are standing still or living in the past (well maybe, Maddox, but the past is what that place is about) but all have proven their excellence for so long that they have become institutions that are the backbone of dining in Utah. Our six Utah classics are:

• Maddox Ranch House
• Feldman’s Deli
• Mazza Cafe
• VENETO Ristorante Italiano
• Red Iguana
• Takashi

Read on for more on these six classic Utah Restaurants.

Best New Restaurants to Watch

Very often a new restaurant comes on the scene with a splash and catches our attention but, hey, it’s a hard biz at any time, much less at this time. But these four newcomers raised our eyebrows and we’re excited to see what happens next.

• Ivy + Varly
• Urban Hill
• Wood Ash Rye
• Franklin Ave. Cocktails & Kitchen

Meet the four new hot spots on our radar.

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Congratulations to all our 2023 Dining Awards winners! Hungry for more? Discover winners from previous Dining Awards:

2022 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards: Chef’s Choice

2021 Blue Plate Awards

Blue Plate Awards Winners 2020

Salt Lake Magazine’s 2019 Dining Awards

2018 Dining Awards: Salt Lake Magazine Names Best Restaurants in Utah

After working in some of the best restaurants in town (Copper Onion, HSL, Pago) Chef Andrew Fuller and front-of-house standout Angie Fuller opened their dream restaurant, Oquirrh, in downtown Salt Lake City in February of 2019. Like the Tinman and the Scarecrow heading “off to see the wizard,” there’s a head and a heart here. Angie is the heart and Drew is the engineer. Oquirrh is an artisanal community experience: an expression of love. “Oquirrh is what I hope the future of dining in Utah is like,” says Dining Award Panelist Darby Doyle. “It is intimate, exceptional and changes with the season. It is serious food that doesn’t take itself too seriously.” Everything on the menu is familiar with an eye toward comfort but imbued with Andrew’s flair for originality and served with grace, gusto and humor—the asparagus spears stand at attention on the plate, little soldiers with their feet stuck in a sheep’s milk fondue. Local art can be purchased right off the wall. This is the kind of restaurant Salt Lake needs—chef-dreamed, chef-run, definitively local. It deserves being called the Outstanding Restaurant of the Year. As panelist Lydia Martinez says, “They keep getting better and better but it still feels like you are sitting down at someone’s kitchen table.” —Jeremy Pugh

368 E. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-0426, oquirrhslc.com

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Read our other best restaurants of the year here.

What may have started as a necessity—a bar to welcome the long line of patrons waiting for a table at Takashi—has grown into something special. The stellar experience is heralded by the towering, illuminated shelves of manifold liquor bottles behind a welcoming bar. Salt Lake magazine has often praised the ingenious bartenders, innovative cocktails and the impressive selection of Japanese Whisky at Post Office Place, and our panelists agree that beverage director Crystal Daniels is doing something pretty amazing with the sensory, fun bar experience. But Chef Brandon Kawakami is doing something pretty amazing with the food menu as well. The fusion of Japanese and Peruvian is “fusion in the best way—with purpose,” says Lydia Martinez. The food feels intentional in its combinations of flavors and pushes the envelope, delightfully defying expectations and enhancing the drink experience. Post Office Place more than stands on its own and deserves to be a destination for drinks and eats in its own right, rather than a waiting room. —Christie Porter

16 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595, popslc.com

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Each year, we hand out a collection of special mentions. Find our 2023 Dining Awards superlatives here!

Yes. Copper Common is a bar and NOT a restaurant, which is clearly noted by Utah’s state-mandated sign on the door. The original inspiration for owner Ryan Lowder was Maison Premiere in Williamsburg, a high-end cocktail and oyster joint at the heart of hipster Brooklyn. Oysters are still on the menu here and the cocktails are still on the highest of ends, but it’s the food that makes Copper Common a reliable restaurant (despite what the liquor cops say.) Mainly thanks to its new(ish) Chef Sarah Corson. Lowder is a guy who can see talent. He plucked her off the line at Copper Onion and trained her up to be chef de cuisine at both Copper Onion and the bar, ahem, restaurant next door. Corson is the opposite of her loudmouth (in a good way) boss. She’s quiet and reserved. She lets the food on the plate do her talking, elevating items as basic as a cheeseburger or a frissee salad to mouth-watering levels. “Her new menu invigorated a lot of what I thought was already great about Copper Common,” complimented panelist Darby Doyle.

111  E. Broadway, SLC, 801-355-0543, coppercommon.com

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Conceived by the minds who brought us Alibi, but firmly standing on its own, The Pearl provides an unforgettable food and drink experience. First, let’s talk about the food. The menu is inspired by Vietnamese street food that pays homage to the formative days of Chef Tommy Nguyen, who is “a legend,” in the words of Darby Doyle. The food is a delicious and intimate affair, in a cozy setting, and nothing on the dinner menu will let you down. The pork belly and the egg rolls are unforgettable and Nguyen’s mother’s recipe (and the pho is definitely “a thing” worth trying), which inspired Stuart Melling to compare the experience at The Pearl to dining at “Tommy’s family table.” As for the drinks, expect exceptional and balanced craft cocktails (if you’ve been to Alibi, you know what we’re talking about), perfectly paired with the dishes by masterful and sage bartenders.

917 S. 200 West, SLC, @thepearlslc (Instagram)

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Learn more about Tommy’s vision for the Pearl and the minds behind their nuanced bar program.

Inside, Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen feels more like a diner than fine dining, but that’s the point. “It’s not fancy, but it is great eats served with love,” says Darby Doyle, a Kentuckyian who knows Southern food. The menu is the embodiment of nostalgia, Southern comfort and Black soul food at its best—a rare combination to find in Utah, to say the least. The focus is on authentic flavors, consistent quality and the details: Red Drink (their house-made version of Bissap), real sweet tea, crunchy-crust cornbread, fried catfish, blackened chicken wings and the best collard greens in the valley. Chef Julius Thompson nails the standards. He’s a master at the deep fryer, and, our panelists say, his touch with spice and sauces is pretty special.

877 E. 12300 South, Draper, 385-434-2433, saucebosssouthernkitchen.com

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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, who is the impresario behind what panelist Lydia Martinez called “The Briar Handly Experience.” Chef Handly is an enfant terrible who can’t stop playing with his food. But sitting still is only prized by preachers and school teachers. We, on the other hand like our chefs to have poor attention spans which result in surprise and, from Handly, delight, regardless if you’re in a party of 20 or two. (The latter was experienced by panelist Jennifer Burns, who watched in awe as the servers and kitchen produced one of “the most phenomenal experiences ever.”)—Jeremy Pugh 

Handle: 136 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-602-1155, handleparkcity.com // HSL:  418 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-539-9999, hslrestaurant.com

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Table X continues to push its high-concept experiment further. Started by a team of chefs who came from traditional fine dining restaurants on the East Coast, Nick Fahs and Mike Blocher, Nick focuses on the restaurant’s bakery (which sells directly to customers) and Mike sources food locally (much of it from the restaurant’s own garden). Last year, Blocher doubled down on his confidence in the food from his kitchen. Table X only serves an ever-changing tasting menu at each seating. Basically, he’s saying, “I’ll decide.” Relax. You’re in good hands. “This is the most ambitious kitchen in town,” says panelist Lydia Martinez, echoed by panelist Darby Doyle who says, “their prix fixe tasting menus are dependably stunning and always include vegetarian and vegan options.” But don’t think this is fussy food, Blocher limits himself to a small number of minimally manipulated ingredients. But. No. They don’t serve a burger.

1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712, tablexrestaurant.com

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