Places to Eat in Salt Lake City: A Sampling
Tourism | Beyond Salt Lake City | Free Fare Zone
Ethnic/International Food
Aristo's Greek Restaurant
224 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City UT 84102
801-581-0888
While the restaurant highlights Greek specialties, other entrees include lamb chops, rib-eye steak, and tilapia. Enjoy the outdoor patio, or dine inside where the large windows and colorful mural add to the atmosphere of this popular restaurant. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor, Citysearch and MerchantCircle.
Atlantic Cafe & Market
325 South Main Street
Salt Lake City UT 84111-2702
801-524-9900
Located on Main Street, the Atlantic Cafe & Market includes tables with umbrellas for pleasant sidewalk dining. The menu selection of reasonably priced foods includes Italian, Mediterranean, Eastern and Central European cuisine, and sandwiches made with quality ingredients. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Cucina Toscana
307 West Pierpont Avenue
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-328-3463
With high exposed ceilings, contemporary designs, and tightly spaced white-linen tables, Cucina Toscana is a favorite of the locals. Nightly specials highlight the menu, which includes handmade pasta and gnocchi, house-made lasagna, grilled and roasted meats, and delectable desserts. Reservations are recommended. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Takashi
18 West Market Street
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-519-9595
On its ever-rotating chalkboard selection, upscale Japanese eatery Takashi offers the freshest picks of the day, including Thai mackerel and fatty tuna. Sushi is the specialty of the house, but the grilled halibut and salmon also are excellent. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
American/Traditional
Big City Soup
235 South 400 West
Salt Lake City UT 84101-1126
801-333-7687
The Big City Soup has a bright spacious atmosphere with white tile walls, wood floors, and glass-covered tables. Open for lunch on weekdays, the menu features soups, salads, and sandwiches with vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten free choices. A wide variety of soups includes Thai chicken noodle, clam chowder, vegetable minestrone, and tomato basil. Two house specialty beverages provide a diversion from typical restaurant choices. The house lemonade is made with fresh ginger, real lemons, and agave. A minted ice tea features tea, oranges, and fresh mint. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Boston Deli
9 Exchange Place
Salt Lake City UT 84111
801-355-2146
Boston Deli is faintly reminiscent of Cheers, minus the bar. The atmosphere is bustling, the service is friendly, and lively jazz tunes fill the air. Sandwiches are the specialty with choices ranging from light and traditional to somewhat exotic. Other popular lunch items include gourmet chili, salads, soups, pastas, and delicious desserts. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Market Street Grill
48 West Market Street
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-322-4668
Seafood is a specialty, including shrimp, crab, mussels, clams, and scallops. Flown in fresh each day are fish and other deep-sea delicacies. Other offerings include steaks and soups. The grill also offers an extensive wine list and superb desserts, especially those involving chocolate. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
The Park Cafe
604 East 1300 South
Salt Lake City UT 84105-1113
801-487-1670
The Park Cafe is an unassuming eatery just south of Liberty Park. Paintings of local artists provide wall decoration, and tables are set with linens and real flowers. Food offerings range from south-of-the-border classics to Italian to Asian. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor, Citysearch, and MerchantCircle.
Ruth’s Diner
2100 Emigration Canyon
Salt Lake City UT 84108
801-582-5807
Named after its original owner, this popular coffee shop is located in what once was a trolley car. Period lamps light the tables, and black-and-white photos of Ruth and her Chihuahuas decorate the walls. Favorites include buttermilk pancakes, burgers, and sandwiches. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Spencer's For Steaks & Chops
255 South West Temple
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-238-4748
Spencer’s is inviting and comfortable. Large semicircular booths line the perimeter of the sizeable dining area. Steaks are the food of choice, whether veal porterhouse, filet mignon, or double-cut pork chops. Spencer’s also serves salmon, king crab, roasted chicken, and fresh fish. Desserts are rich and classic. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor, Citysearch, and MerchantCircle.
Squatters Pub Brewery
147 West Broadway
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-363-2739
Squatters is a pub with a well-appointed patio area that hosts live musicians on Friday nights throughout the summer. Foods include pizza, burgers, and fish and chips, along with more ethnically diverse offerings. Squatters boasts an impressive award-winning history and serves 12 of its own microbrews on tap. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor, Citysearch, and MerchantCircle.
American/International
Bambara Restaurant
202 South Main Street
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-363-5454
The interior of the restaurant features bold colors and designs that carry the concept from the surrounding Hotel Monaco. Menu staples include the usual meat and potatoes along with continental favorites such as pasta. Favorites include the signature house blue cheese potato chips and ice creams made on the premises. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Big Apple Pizzeria
2939 East 3300 South
Salt Lake City UT 84109
801-485-4534
The pizzas are New York-style with thin crust. Popular specialties include white pizza and pesto pizza. Also available are several pasta choices including baked ziti and a pizza bender (similar to a sub sandwich with pizza crust around meat and cheese). Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Melting Pot Restaurant
340 South Main Street
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-521-6358
Clustered together inside the intimate dining room of this French/American restaurant are booths equipped with tabletop fondue pots. Enjoy the cheese fondue with an assortment of breads, vegetables, and fruits, or try the lobster, fish, or chicken. Top off the meal with fresh fruit, pound cake, brownies, cheesecake, or the flaming turtle served with nut-covered marshmallows. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Moochie’s Meatballs & More
232 East 800 South
Salt Lake City UT 84111
801-596-1350
The winner of Salt Lake City’s Weekly Best of Utah, Salt Lake Magazine Best of the Beehive, and National Restaurant Business Magazine’s Clean Plate Award, Moochie’s is a small mom-and-pop deli located inside Circle Pottery and Gifts. It features homemade Italian food and authentic Philly cheese steaks. Reviews available at Trip Advisor, Citysearch, and MerchantCircle.
American/Vegetarian/Organic
Metropolitan Restaurant
173 West Broadway
Salt Lake City UT 84101
801-364-3472
The Metropolitan, an upscale restaurant, features adventurous handcrafted New American cuisine, seafood, and vegetarian selections. The warm design and attentive service, along with the luscious food and wine, are the reason the Metropolitan is considered "Utah's Culinary Jewel." Greeting diners is a wall of awards, including AAA Four-Diamond recognition and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Sage's Cafe
473 East Broadway
Salt Lake City UT 84111-2606
801-322-3790
With simple organic, vegan, and vegetarian dishes made from fresh quality ingredients, Sages is a small comfortable restaurant with a handful of tables. A sun porch includes a ceiling mural painted to look like the sky. Try the warm spinach salad, pasta, or veggie Philly cheesesteak filled with roasted vegetables. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.
Salt Lake Roasting Co. and Cafe
320 East 400 South
Salt Lake City UT 84111
801-363-7572
Coffee is the main attraction at this bakery and coffee shop, with varieties from throughout the world. The main floor of this spacious cafe boasts of two coffee roasters, an old-fashioned scale, and burlap bags filled with coffee beans. A central staircase takes the visitor upstairs for more seating and walls decorated with maps. Food selections include veggie tacos, deli sandwiches, soup, and tempting desserts. Reviews are available at Trip Advisor and Citysearch.