It’s been three years since I moved from my hometown in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Chicago and I return every few months for four things: 1. to see family, 2. to see friends, 3. to get my hair done (yes, seriously), and 4. eat food. Salt Lake City has a surprisingly good food scene and there are some restaurants that out-do places in Chicago. Here’s my list of where to eat in Salt Lake City, including the best restaurants in SLC and the places you’ll find me when I’m in town.
Where to Eat in Salt Lake City
Red Iguana
Mexican, Downtown
Red Iguana starts off this list because it is — without a doubt — the first place you should eat when you’re in Salt Lake City. It was famous in Utah well before it gained national attention on Food Network’s Diners, Dive-ins & Drives or made any national best of lists. Thankfully there are now two locations (both on the west side of downtown) and both are always packed. They’re known for their moles but everything on their menu (dubbed “Killer Mexican food”) is more than memorable.
Every single time I’ve visited SLC since I moved I’ve eaten at Red Iguana. There’s just nowhere else that does mole like theirs. (Trust me, I’ve searched!) And not only is it some of the best Mexican food you’ll ever have, it’s one of the most affordable restaurants in the city. Simply put, it’s one of the best restaurants in Salt Lake City, if not Utah.
Notes: Serves weekday lunch and dinner, weekend brunch and dinner. Reservations for large parties only, so be prepared to wait. Red Iguana 2 has a large patio (albeit next to a sometimes noisy train line).
Table X
New American, Millcreek
If ever you begin to question the quality of the Salt Lake City food scene, head to Table X. The Millcreek restaurant serves an ever-evolving menu of seasonal and local ingredients combined in creative yet not-intimidating dishes. The food is on par with any notable restaurant in the country, except at shockingly affordable prices. Case in point: the 5-course tasting menu is only $55/person.
But even beyond the food, the space is what I like best about Table X. It’s open but not echoey. It’s fancy but still relaxing. It’s bright but still intimate. The three chefs/owners promise to serve “honest food without the fussiness of fine dining” and, well, I couldn’t put it better myself.
Notes: Table X serves dinner only, Wednesday – Saturday. Reservations accepted. See the full article on Table X here.
HSL
New American, Downtown
HSL is the second location of Chef Briar Handley’s Park City restaurant, Handle. HSL — short for “Handle Salt Lake” — serves New American dishes utilizing local and organic ingredients. Their most famous dish is the General Tso’s Style Cauliflower (pictured at top) that transforms the usually boring vegetable into the Chinese food staple. It’ll forever change your idea of cauliflower!
The menu changes with the seasons, which is all the more reason to put HSL on your regular where to eat in Salt Lake City list.
Notes: HSL serves dinner seven nights a week. Lunch is offered Thursday and Friday, with brunch on weekends. Reservations accepted.
Mazza Café
Middle Eastern, Sugarhouse
Middle Eastern food probably isn’t your first thought when you think of where to eat in Salt Lake City, but Mazza is one of the best restaurants in the city. The 15th & 15th neighborhood spot serves insanely flavorful dishes unlike anywhere else in Utah. Classics like falafel and shawarma are found on both the lunch and dinner menus, but the dinner dishes really steal the show. My favorite is the Lamb & Spinach, with plenty of onions, garlic, and spices.
Mazza has an adorable patio and excellent wine list featuring Lebanese and Israeli wine, plus domestic bottles. The service is always awesome and they never rush you through your meal. Needless to say, a meal at Mazza will be memorable and enjoyable all at once.
Notes: Mazza serves lunch and dinner, Monday – Saturday. Reservations accepted.
Lucky 13
Burger bar, South Salt Lake
As much as I’d like to leave Lucky 13 off this list so the crowds will die down, I’d be lying if I did. Lucky 13 is the other spot I can’t miss when I’m in Salt Lake City and no trip is complete until I’ve had a burger there. Their burgers are some of the best I’ve ever had, anywhere, and the garlic fries only add to the love. The casual, friendly atmosphere and large patio make it one of the best spots in the city and the crowds come in droves. But I really can’t blame them.
Notes: Lucky 13 serves lunch and dinner, plus Sunday brunch. Reservations not accepted. Must be 21 to enter.
Per Noi Trattoria
Italian, Sugarhouse
Somehow Per Noi Trattoria opened years ago without me ever noticing but luckily one of my food friends remedied that last time I was in town. Per Noi Trattoria, on Highland Drive, serves classic and creative Italian. The food is excellent, the service is beyond friendly, and the patio is noteworthy by itself. Plus their extensive wine list is surprisingly affordable, even on Utah standards.
Notes: Per Noi Trattoria serves lunch and dinner, Monday – Saturday. Reservations accepted.
Kobe
Japanese, Olympus Cove
It’s no secret that I have a huge soft spot for ramen. I’ve slurped down bowls of the Japanese noodles in 8 countries around the world, so I know my good and bad bowls. But there’s no debating that the best ramen in Salt Lake City is at Kobe. And, even better, Kobe serves other Japanese dishes equally as good. The Wasatch location is almost always crowded, but a second location in the southern suburbs is opening soon.
So when you’re wondering where to eat Japanese food in Salt Lake City, from sushi to yakisoba to chicken katsu or ramen, Kobe is where to go.
Notes: Kobe serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and dinner on Sunday. Reservations accepted. See the full article on Kobe in Salt Lake City here.
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Related :: Where to eat breakfast in Salt Lake City, the best dishes in SLC, and restaurants to try in 2017.
