We are in an era of nostalgia for the cowboy, specifically the western cowboy. OK, we’re talking John Dutton and Kevin Costner here. The sagebrush and the rooting tooting rodeo are enough, hence the Carhartt and Pendleton jackets and sweaters on the red carpet. The Back 40 in Heber, espouses that don’t fence me in ethos. You will find a lot of meat on the menu, beef in particular, but there is an art to fixin’s and these guys are serving them up right, with little concession to the vegan in your family. There is a place for this culinary aesthetic. And that place is Heber City. According to our panelist Darby Doyle, who is a self-described “little bit country, little bit rock ’n’ roll,” this place is “real good.”
Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Dining Awards winnershere! And while you’re here, why notsubscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.
It’s the Eternal Question. “Where Should We Eat?” It’s a query that we ask ourselves as hunger sets in. It’s a question that couples and families text message around wildly as the dinner hour approaches. It’s a question that your out-of-town guests prod you with before arrival (but too late to make a reservation). The answer is often dull, “the usual spot” or “dunno, pizza?” Let’s remedy that. Eating out is about more than sustenance. It’s about company, friends and someone else doing the dishes. Each year, Salt Lake magazine gazes upon the dining landscape and presents its choices for our Dining Awards issue. These are experiences that will enliven your answers to the Eternal Question. They will challenge your palate with thoughtful and local solutions to the riddle. So without further fuss, we present our 15 Best Restaurants of 2024, including our Outstanding Restaurant of the Year, a collection of locales that are such standards that we name them Utah Classics, four restaurants to watch and five superlative standouts in the industry.
So. Where should we eat? The answers are within.
Click on the images below to learn more about our 2024 winners
Meet the Salt Lake magazine Dining Awards Panel
Jennifer Burns
Jennifer is a freelance food and beverage writer and content creator. She primarily works with food brands and restaurants and has hosted over 3000 TV cooking and entertainment segments.
Darby Doyle
Darby Doyle is a food, beverage, and outdoor writer who covers the culinary and natural wonders of the American West.
Lydia Martinez
Lydia is a freelance food, travel and culture writer. She writes for Salt Lake magazine, Suitcase Foodist and Utah Stories.
Stuart Melling
Stuart is an award-winning journalist who has covered the Utah dining scene for 15 years. He’s also the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC and a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for The Salt Lake Tribune.
Side Dishes
Ones to Watch
Often a new restaurant comes on the scene with a splash that catches our attention but, hey, it’s a hard biz at any time, much less at this time. But these five newcomers raised our eyebrows and we’re excited to see what happens next.
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.)
The #RandomPink Award: Margo Provost and the Team at Log Haven
The Golden SpoonFor Hospitality: Drew and Angie Fuller of Oquirrh
The Blue Plate Award for Community Service: Lavanya Mahate of Saffron Valley
The Good Bread Award: Nick Fahs of Table X
The Spirit Award: Francis Fecteau of Libation, LLC
Utah Classics
Remind yourself of restaurants that are so good, they never went away.
Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Salt Lake magazine Dining Awards winnershere! And while you’re here, why notsubscribe 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.
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 subscribeand get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.
We’ve all been there.Peering forlornly into the fridge or listlessly scrolling through delivery apps. But. Suddenly. Inspiration. “Ah ha! Come on! Let’s go out. Let’s go somewhere new!”
Then, depression sets in…but where?
Jeremy Pugh, Executive Editor. Photo credit Natalie Simpson
It is after all one of life’s eternal questions. It comes up constantly, with friends, family, out-of-town guests—never mind birthdays. And all too often, we admit defeat. “Fine, we’ll get a pizza, again.” This is nothing against pizza, of course, but this town is filled with unforgettable dining experiences that are unique, local and delicious, and we can help you find them. Once again, Salt Lake magazine presents its list of the best restaurants in Utah. Let us guide you to answers to the question.
Inside this year’s Dining Awards Edition, you’ll find the 15 Best Utah Restaurants, some will be familiar and some will be discoveries. We chose these restaurants because they represent something more than just a place to be fed. Dining is about company, friends and someone else doing the dishes. Our winners demonstrate high bars in service, atmosphere and something ineffable that is always hard to put a finger on. “Best,” after all, is a subjective term. We also take the occasion to recognize industry standouts who go above and beyond “best” in areas of hospitality, community service and education. Utah’s food and beverage industry is a community of people who share a common passion for making food that extends beyond their tables.
So if you haven’t guessed, this issue is dedicated to the premise that we should make eating an occasion to feel special—not just something for special occasions.
Park Cityhas an ongoing workforce shortage, which is directly tied to a lack of housing. It’s the only city in Utah with more jobs than residents. Some 11,000 jobs need to be filled each winter, and there are only 8,500 residents within city limits according to figures from Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. Just 15% of Park City’s workforce—about 1,650 people—actually lives in town. Fortunately, multiple groups are making efforts to address the dearth of rental units available to area workers.
Perhaps the most creative endeavor is the delightfully acronymed Workplace Employer Rental Incentive Program (WE RIP). WE RIP is a partnership between Mountainlands Community Housing Trust, the Park City Chamber/Bureau and the winter sports brand Rossignol, which will provide a ski or snowboard package valued at over $1,000 to homeowners who rent units seasonally or on a long-term basis to local workers.
Resorts are hoping that amenities like the common areas at the new Slopeside Village will help recruit new seasonal employees. Photo credit Freebird Photography
WE RIP began a pilot program last season in which would-be landlords were given season passes to Deer Valley for renting units to the resort’s workers. It was based on a successful program started in Aspen, Colorado, but both Deer Valley and Park City declined to participate this season. It’s unfortunate, as ski passes are a very effective carrot in ski-obsessed communities, and it’s as of yet unknown if people find gear equally enticing.
Perks alone won’t fix a monumental housing shortage, so local developers are joining the fray. “The housing shortage is a demographic issue that’s been ignored for too long with significant impact on the greater community,” says Tony Tyler, Partner at Columbus Pacific Development. “Helping address the situation is more than an obligation for us, it’s the right thing to do.”
Columbus Pacific has developed a lot of properties in Park City, notably the current home of the Kimball Art Center as well as the high-end Apex Residences and Pendry Residences. Just prior to this winter, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a far different property, the Slopeside Village. The development has housing for 1,197 full-time Summit County residents with deed restricted prioritization for local workers at the base of the Canyons Village. “It’s a unique structure,” says Tyler. “Essentially there are nine tiers of priority based on where you work and how much you earn. It levels the playing field for people who work locally, and businesses here have seen a dramatic rise in their ability to recruit workers.”
Neither the promise of free skis, nor a single, if significant, development is going to solve all the area’s housing woes, but it’s an encouraging start. Hopefully some added momentum will push the local resorts to pony up a few passes to sweeten the pot. Every little bit helps.
What Happened to All the Rentals?
These rental-based affordable housing initiatives are crucially important to bolstering the local workforce. Much attention is paid to the cost of ownership in the area, but a dramatic decrease in long-term rental inventory has long hampered hiring. Seventy percent of rental supply in Park City is short term, used primarily by vacationers. The proportion of second homes owned locally continues to increase, threatening to exacerbate the existing shortfall.
Call it spring break for adults. These luxury spas are where highly strung people go to get unstrung. You don't need to stray far from home for a luxurious experience.
When cold, flu and midwinter January misery hit, I want a big bowl of soup. The hottest, spiciest, brothiest soup I can find. And while Chicken Noodle Soup has its place in the world, I want something to wake up my taste buds and light my sinuses on fire. Here are our top picks for the best alternatives to chicken noodle soup in Salt Lake City that will get you through the winter.
Award-winning for a reason; this is my favorite Ramen shop in Salt Lake City. Their broth is done right—simmered for hours until it is perfectly milky looking and rich. While they don’t deliver, you CAN place an order and send a non-sickie to pick it up.
For maximum heat, go for the Spicy Karai Ramen with tonkotsu broth served with spicy ground pork, a soft-boiled egg, sweet shiitake mushroom, bean sprouts, and spring onion. I always add their Kimchi to the bowl for an extra fermented kick.
Another favorite is the Curry Ramen. Japanese curry is delicious and has an umami that sets it apart. The tonkotsu broth is flavored with Japanese beef curry and topped with a pork cutlet, onsen soft-boiled egg, and bok choy served with wheat noodles. The spice level is milder but lingers. It’ll get the job done!
In the heart of Sugar House, Somi has been one of my go-to’s for years. Their pho is delicious, and the broth is top-notch. Somi offers delivery and pick-up.
I get their Grass-Fed Wagyu Beef Pho. When you are sick, the best thing about pho is that you can doctor it up with jalapenos and sriracha to volcano levels of heat, and the basil adds another level of congestion-clearing fragrance. It goes down easy if you have a sore throat to boot.
Some other options if you want something a bit more hearty is their Lemongrass Beef Noodle Soup with brisket, beef shank, and rice noodles in a tangy, spicy broth with fresh herbs. I also love the Crab Meat Noodle Soup with crab and pork meatballs, shrimp, tofu, and rice noodles in a savory tomato broth. It isn’t really spicy, but it is filling and unique.
I realize that we can’t all be spicy food people. Maybe you want something warm and comforting without the heat—Feldman’s Deli to the rescue with the best beyond-the-basic chicken soup.
The Matzo Ball Chicken Soup is as comforting as they come. The broth is salty and thick; the matzo ball dumplings are just the right size. At $6 a cup, it is worth ordering a bigger portion— some, for now, some for later since it reheats so well (unlike Ramen and Pho).
Thai anything is a solid choice when you are sick. With all the veggies, a good dose of heat, fresh lime juice, and herbs, it comes across as healthy while still showing up as comfort food. They offer both carryout and delivery.
I’m a sucker for Tom Yum Soup. Hot. Sour. Lots of veggies. You can get it with tofu, chicken, or shrimp. I also love the Tom Kha Soup, which is hot and sour, but it also comes with a coconut milk broth for a silky rich flavor. Both will treat you well.
This local butcher shop was a weekly visit for me during the pandemic. Since they are all about tip-to-tail butchery, they also have containers of frozen house-made Bone Broth on hand. You’ll usually find beef or chicken bone broth, pho, and ramen broth. It is worth picking up now to have on hand for when you DO get sick down the road. It is highly sippable.
Rawtopia has both raw foods and a few cooked vegan options for when you want something warming. Their dairy-free Creme of Mushroom Soup is made with well-spiced, pureed cashew, shiitake and miso, topped with wild rice, broccoli and cilantro. And, of course, love—an ingredient in every one of their dishes. It says so on the menu. The result is a delicious and comforting soup.
In our interview, Grace Potter tells how a decision to move back to her childhood home in Vermont shook up her world and prompted her to embark on three road…
On Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, Plan-B staged the world premiere of Balthazar, a new play by Debora Threedy that puts a modern twist on Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.
The lights go up and Portia enters the law library of her staid cousin Bellario. The scene is set for a battle of the wills. She implores her cousin to teach her the law, so she can defend Antonio, her paramour, Bassanio’s “friend,” in debtor’s court. The debt, she believed was hers. Bassanio, an impoverished suitor, borrowed the money from Antonio so he could court and marry the noblewoman, Portia.
Bellario (played by Jason Bowcutt, with equal parts gravitas and humor), refuses. Women are barred from practicing law. And he is after all a successful man, a doctor of the law and a practitioner of 16th Century Venetian mores. He also is gay. But Portia (played by the effervescent Lilly Hue Soo Dixon) will not be deterred. Still, he refuses to aid in the charade and emphatically instructs Portia to forget about such deception lest she end up in a convent for wayward women.
Portia returns to his office dressed as Balthazar, a young man. Bellario doesn’t recognize Portia as Balthazar, and proceeds in the game of deception by teaching him the rigors of the law. The two engage in a lively discussion regarding the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law. Through the exchange between the two, Balthazar reinterprets and reimagines the law into a successful defense of Antonio as a debtor-criminal defendant.
Threedy developed the play in Plan-B’s Lab and Script-in-hand Series and the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s Words Cubed, a week-long, intense development process. Derek Livingston, director of New Plays at Utah Shakespeare Festival says, “As a Utah writer, Debora has been fortunate to have Plan-B as a home at which she has developed the play.”
“Plan-B’s focus on women, queer stories, and Utah writers is an important commitment to elevating underrepresented voices,” Livingston says. “That Balthazar manages to have those foci, was developed by two different theaters with very different missions, located at opposite ends of the state, points to how universal Threedy’s work is,” he said.
The combination of Plan-B Theatre, playwright Threedy, and William Shakespeare is a powerful concoction. Threedy doesn’t shy away from creating plays with progressive themes, and Plan-B Theatre, likewise, produces and stages powerful and exploratory productions. In Balthazar, the audience is given a Shakespearean romp with a contemporary twist.
Throughout the play the set is constant, a glimpse into a successful lawyer’s environs. The set design (created by Scenic Designer, Janice Chan) evokes the rigidity of 16th-century tradition. The furniture is heavy, the art is “Titian” as Portia points out, and the image of conservatism reigns. Likewise, the costumes (designed by Aaron Asano Swenson) effectively convey convention.
Once Antonio is released from the debtor’s claims, and Bassanio fulfills the obligations of Portia’s father’s will, Portia and Bassanio marry. The three set up a household, with Portia seamlessly transitioning from Portia to Balthazar to the joy and amusement of Bassanio and Antonio.
“‘Different’ is different from ‘unnatural,’” claims Portia. “I am Her, I am Him.”
As the play ended, the sold-out theater erupted with resounding applause. The 70-minute play captured our imaginations at seeing justice, in every sense, was served.
What: Balthazar by Debora Threedy
Where: Plan-B Theater’s studio stage in the Rose Wagner Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City
I love citrus season.Bright, sweet citrus is my savior during the peak of the winter season when I need a hit of color as much as the hit of vitamin C. This easy dessert celebrates the citrus season’s pinnacle, using Meyer Lemons to whip up a show-stopper dessert. Need a shortcut? Use store-bought lemon curd, and you’ll have less than 10 minutes of active prep time for a party in a pinch.
Meyer Lemons are a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin, they are magically floral with a sweet and sassy rind and juice that isn’t mouth-puckeringly tart. I like using them to make a Meyer Lemon Curd. Which I, in turn, make into an Italian Semifreddo with thyme. Bliss.
Semifreddo literally means semi-frozen. As the name implies, it is frozen—but only part way and served still soft. I add some fresh thyme and a thyme simple syrup along with the Meyer Lemon Curd to the semifreddo—because the woodsy herb balances out the sweetness. Again, if you don’t have the time to make fresh Meyer Lemon Curd, please feel free to buy a jar store-bought. Your secret is safe with me.
Meyer Lemon Curd
Ingredients
Zest from 1 Meyer Lemon
3 Meyer Lemons
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), grated
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
Method
Zest one Meyer Lemon. Pause here and inhale the fragrant floral scent.
Juice three Meyer Lemons, placing the juice and zest into a heat-proof bowl or the upper portion of a double boiler. Add sugar and butter to this mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and an additional yolk. For optimal smoothness in your curd, strain the beaten eggs through a fine strainer before proceeding.
Add a few inches of water to a saucepan or the lower half of your double boiler and gently simmer over medium heat. Place your bowl with the lemon mixture atop the simmering water, ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the upper bowl and does not reach a full boil.
The butter in your lemon mixture will begin to melt in a few minutes. Stir until the butter is fully melted and the sugar is dissolved.
Gradually and with a steady hand, pour the whisked eggs into your heated lemon mixture, continuously whisking as you do so. Maintain your whisking until the entire concoction thickens and gels, taking approximately 5-10 minutes. However, this may vary depending on your altitude. Note that the mixture will continue to firm as it cools.
Transfer the hot curd into a clean, warmed jar to prevent breakage (simply pour hot water into the jar and empty it just before adding the hot curd). Allow the curd to cool down to avoid trapping steam (which would subsequently condense and water down your curd) before sealing the jar.
Once cool, seal the jar and store it in the refrigerator. Using a clean spoon for serving, your curd will remain good for up to two weeks.
Thyme Simple Syrup
Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh thyme
1.5 cups water
1 cup sugar
Method
Add the bunch of thyme and 1.5 cups of water to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes. You are essentially making thyme tea.
Incorporate 1 cup of sugar into the pot, stirring to combine and increase the heat to high. Once the mixture of thyme, sugar and water reaches a boil and the sugar dissolves, promptly turn off the heat.
Allow the thyme to steep in the simple syrup for 10 minutes to infuse its flavor. Then, strain the syrup to remove the thyme and any detached leaves, then let it cool to room temperature.
Meyer Lemon & Thyme Semifreddo
Ingredients
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup thyme simple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup Meyer Lemon curd (or regular jarred lemon curd)
Optional: Candied Meyer lemon slices
Note: This recipe will only require a portion of the simple syrup. The surplus can be utilized in cocktails or as a sweetener for your coffee or tea. Stored in the fridge, it will remain fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Method
Put a glass bowl into your freezer for 30 minutes to chill. This will help the cream whip much faster. A convenient tip: put the bowl in the freezer when making your Thyme Simple Syrup to optimize your prep time.
Add the heavy whipping cream along with the simple syrup to the bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until the cream sets up and stiff peaks form in the whipped cream.
Add the thyme leaves and lemon curd and gently fold in until well-mixed.
Optional: Decorate the bottom of a loaf pan with slices of candied lemon—this will eventually be the top of your semifreddo.
Pour the whipped cream mixture into the loaf pan, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and put in the freezer for about 3-4 hours—long enough for the semifreddo to set up and start to freeze, but not long enough for a hard freeze.
To remove from the pan, immerse the base of the pan only in hot water for 10 seconds, then turn it upside down over a plate and give it a little shake. Serve in slices with fresh berries, a little lemon zest, or a dollop of lemon curd.
