City Weekly November 18, 2021

NOVEMBER 18, 2021 — VOL. 38 N0. 25

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BEST PLACES TO SEE A MOVIE

utah's independent newspaper

370

THINGS UTAH LOVES

BEST ART GALLERY

BEST FISH TACOS

BEST UTAHN

BEST HANG OUTS FOR A NIGHT ON THE TOWN

BEST ART MURALS

BEST LUNCH BREAK

POLITICAL MOVEMENT

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT THE READER AND STAFF FAVORITES— FOOD, DRINK, NIGHTLIFE & FUN!

BEST WINE LIST

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

27

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

15 MEDIA & POLITICS

37 53 59 67 89 GOODS & SERVICE

COMMERCE

OUTDOORS & RECREATION

RESTAURANTS

127

NIGHTLIFE & MUSIC

EXTRA MILERS

WEEKLY CONTENT

130 141 133 135 139 MUSIC

COMMUNITY

A&E EVENTS

BEER NERD

PRIVATE EYE

Salt Lake City Weekly is published every Thursday by Copperfield Publishing Inc. We are an independent publication dedicated to alternative news and news sources, that also serves as a comprehensive entertainment guide. 30,000 copies of Salt Lake City Weekly are available free of charge at more than 1,800 locations along the Wasatch Front. Limit one copy per reader. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased for $1 (Best of Utah and other special issues, $5) payable to Salt Lake City Weekly in advance. No person, without expressed permission of Copperfield Publishing Inc., may take more than one copy of any Salt Lake City Weekly issue. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the written permission of the publisher. Third-class postage paid at Midvale, UT. Delivery might take up to one full week. All rights reserved.

All Contents © 2021

City Weekly is Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Copperfield Publishing Inc. | John Saltas, City Weekly founder

Phone 801-716-1777 | Email comments@cityweekly.net 175 W. 200 South, Ste. 100,Salt Lake City, UT 84101 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

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113

FOOD & DRINK

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Introduction

SPREADING THE LOVE

I

t flirts with cliché, but it’s also true: You don’t always fully appreciate something until it’s gone. For much of the past 18+ months, we’ve had to deal with a world in which a lot of things we took for granted weren’t always available to us: favorite restaurants, well-loved live performance venues, the places we just went to get away from it all. Some folks and businesses came out on the other side of the worst part of the pandemic still kicking; not all of them did.

City Weekly’s annual Best of Utah issue has always been, for more than 30 years, a celebration of community, and we’ve felt the need for that community more than ever lately.

These recognitions are a chance for all of us—those lucky enough to work for this publication, and those who read and support it—to pay our respects to the people and places that make our city and our state unique. We’ve always been a local voice, listening to other local voices, as they support still more local voices.

These pages are full of authentically Utah things, some 374 and counting, that the readers who voted and the staff who wrote about them authentically love.

The 2021 City Weekly Best of Utah issue features a lot of the great things you’ve come to expect, plus a little bit more, including special recognition for some entities that went the extra mile during the pandemic in putting public health first.

That’s because love for the community is represented by how we help take care of one another.

Love for this community is why City Weekly exists, and why this issue exists.

Thanks for reading, and for helping us spread the love.

—Scott Renshaw

Scott Renshaw is City Weekly’s longest-tenured editorial staffer, serving as film critic and arts and entertainment editor since the early aughts. He’s also written the book Happy Place: Living the Disney Parks Life.

BEST OF UTAH AUTHORS Carolyn Campbell has written for Copperfield Media since the 1980s, where she’s published numerous cover stories for City Weekly, several of which earned top awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. She is the author of three nationally published books and 800 magazine articles.

Freelance food writer Aimee L. Cook has won acclaim for her features appearing in numerous Utah publications, including Devour Utah.

Follow her mouthwatering Instagram posts at @gathernoshandsavor

Babs De Lay is a full-time broker/owner of Urban Utah Homes and Estates who serves on Salt Lake City’s Historic Landmarks Commission and Utah Girl Scout Council. Look for De Lay at Burning Man each year where they work as a staff Guardian at the Temple.

Lance Gudmundsen joined City Weekly as proofreader after a long career at The Salt Lake Tribune.

When he’s not catching typos or dealing with bad grammar, he can be found writing a tall tale or two.

Erin Moore accidentally became a music writer in college after spending too much time at local shows. She’s been music editor at City Weekly since 2019.

Orange County, California-native Cat Palmer moved to northern Utah in 2001, where she put down roots and made a name for herself as an activist and award-winning artist and photographer.

Aspen Perry is a Salt Lake City-based aspiring author and self-proclaimed “philosophical genius.”

Salt Lake native Jenny Poplar is a writer and dancer based in New Orleans. Her cover stories and opinion columns have been published

by City Weekly.

John Rasmuson spends his days trying to put the right words in the right order.

He wrote a column for City Weekly for 12 years that won awards every now and then when he got the words just right.

Mike Riedel is the scribe behind the Utah Beer Blog. He’s reported on Utah’s craft beer scene for the past 15 years and writes a beer column for City Weekly.

Eleni Saltas grew up in Salt Lake City’s vibrant Greek community where she learned Panhellenic dancing, cooking and creating Mediterranean recipes.

She’s published the All You Can Greek cookbook and is working on another.

Michael Saltas has worn about every hat there is at City Weekly. Not only is he associate publisher but he helps to stage the Utah Beer Festival and is a longtime Best of Utah stalwart.

Alex Springer has been writing about local food and entertainment for the past eight years. His work has appeared in Devour Utah and City Weekly, where he is currently the publication’s resident food dude.

SLC native Megan Wagstaff has over 16 years’ experience in Utah’s food and beverage industry and loves to write about it. Megan not only wrote about many of this year’s winners but proofread the pages.

Lifelong Utah and longtime political reporter Benjamin Wood has worn the mantle of City Weekly’s news editor since the summer of 2021.

STAFF Publisher PETE SALTAS Executive Editor JOHN SALTAS

Jerre Wroble is a contributing editor for City Weekly. She has also edited Devour Utah and Vamoose Utah magazines, which are currently on a pandemic hiatus.

Cover illustration by Derek Carlisle Listings Desk KARA RHODES Contributor: ROB BREZSNY

Sales Executives: DOUG KRUITHOF KATHY MUELLER

Art Director DEREK CARLISLE Graphic Artists SOFIA CIFUENTES, CHELSEA NEIDER

Circulation Manager ERIC GRANATO Associate Business Manager PAULA SALTAS

Technical Director BRYAN MANNOS Developer BRYAN BALE

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A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind City Weekly’s Hits & Misses and Citizen Revolt columns. You can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.

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2020

2 019

20 1 8

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Best Instagram Feed

20 1 7

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Best Thrift / Consignment

20 1 5

Keeping SLC weird since 2014

Thanks to the iconoCLAD family for voting for iconoCLAD to be Best Thrift/Consignment and Best Boutique for seven years!

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Allison Croghan

It’s not often that you get a chance to watch somebody grow into their passion on-air, but Fox 13’s Croghan didn’t come to Utah as a meteorologist. Instead, she spent seven years in training after joining the Fox 13 team, and in her role as midday meteorologist, she conveys all the energy that went into that education with a confident presence that puts to rest the old “weather-guesser” cliches. fox13.com 2. Kevin Eubank, KSL5 3. Alana Brophy, ABC4

READERS’ PICKS Best Elected Official

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall

It can be hard to understand the logic of state leaders who insist the best way to fight the coronavirus is to prevent any and all decision-makers from fighting the coronavirus. So, it’s refreshing to see Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s level-headed approach of following the recommendations of health professionals, ordering masks in schools, tracking the results with infection data and largely leaving lawmakers to hoot, holler and foam at the mouth from their Davis and Utah County homes. Punishment from the all-knowing Legislature is all but guaranteed, but Mendenhall doesn’t seem to care. More of this, please. @slcmayor, slc.gov/mayor/staff/mayor-erin-mendenhall, 2. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox 3. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney

Best Utahn

Best TV Reporter

Angela Dunn, MD Ben In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a Winslow priestess whose unfailing prophesies were unfailingly ignored. Nowadays, a Cassandra is typically a physician or scientist. Some of them track hurricanes churning toward North America. They make dire predictions and issue evacuation orders only to be ignored by those who vow to “ride it out” (but expect others to risk life and limb to rescue them). In the COVID-19 pandemic, Angela Dunn took up the Cassandra portfolio. Her prophetic voice has been as clear as a trumpet in a cathedral while unvaccinated and unmasked Utahns bray and Republican politicians pander.

Bone-weary doctors and nurses sing her praises. From the crowded hospitals comes the tearful chorus: “If only we had listened.”

Twitter @DrAngelaCDunn 2. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz 3. Gail Miller, Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation

Fox 13’s Ben Winslow is the top dog, that is unless you’re a lawmaker on the Hill hassling him on Twitter. Earning his cred as a radio, then newspaper reporter, Winslow is the one to follow on social media to learn about the legislative intrigue and backroom deals. He also keeps an eye on the DABC and lets viewers in on all the latest booze news. We love seeing what dapper mask he will don for the evening news. He’s an informative class act and a snappy dresser to boot! @BenWinslow, fox13now.com 2. Alex Cabrero, KSL 5 3. Chris Jones, KUTV 2News

Best Nonprofit Organization

Best Friends Animal Society

In 1984, a group of animal lovers constructed a small shelter in Kanab, Utah, to house disabled and abandoned pets. What began as a labor of love eventually blossomed into the seat of a powerful movement to transform every shelter in America into a no-kill shelter. The good people of Best Friends Animal Society are truly earth angels who offer untold comfort and sanctuary to countless fur babies every single day. 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, 435-644-2001, bestfriends.org 2. Community Animal Welfare Society (CAWS) 3. Planned Parenthood Association of Utah

JOHN TAYLOR

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall reads to school children

Best Social Cause

Best Local Podcast

How do Black Lives not matter? The fledgling activist group burst onto the Utah scene in 2014 after the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The 2020 killing of George Floyd gave BLM renewed drive to pursue police reform. But the local chapter’s founder, Lex Scott, left Utah amid increasing death threats, and now, 30-year-old Rae Duckworth has taken the BLM reins with a broader focus on marginalized communities.

385-482-1172, blacklivesmatterutah.com 2. Clean air/climate change 3. Ending homelessness

The KSL-branded Cold podcast was an instant sensation in 2018 when host Dave Cawley took a deep dive into the Susan Powell case. They returned strong in 2021 with another fascinating tale: The August 1985 disappearance of Joyce Yost after she reported being raped by Douglas Lovell, who ultimately confessed and was convicted of her murder. The podcast has even generated new leads in the search for her remains, helping on the road from a cold case to closure. thecoldpodcast.com 2. Geek Show 3. I Am Salt Lake

Black Lives Cold Matter

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Best Weathercaster

MEDIA & POLITICS

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MEDIA & POLITICS

READERS’ PICKS Best TV Anchor

Mary Nickles

Who doesn’t love Mary Nickles, the weekday co-anchor of KUTV’s 2News This Morning and 2News at Noon? Nickles embodies the grace and stamina many female anchors lack. Her public journey with breast cancer made her a local hero and solidified her news chops. But always, Nickles is the girl next door, your mom, your sister and your trusted source for the news. @KUTVMary, kutv.com 2. Mark Koebel, KUTV2 3. Kerri Cronk, FOX 13

Best Sports Reporter

Best Radio Station

Next year, David James will celebrate his 30th anniversary covering sports in Utah, and his longevity is no fluke.

Whether as host of his long-running Talkin’ Sports program on KUTV2, or as co-host of 97.5/1280 The Zone’s morning drive show, James brings an easy-going, accessible vibe to his knowledgeable takes on local and national sports, avoiding the bluster that characterizes so many sportsmedia personalities. It’s a pleasure listening to someone convey that he loves sports, rather than that he loves letting you know how much more he knows about sports than you do. @DavidDJJames, kutv.com 2. Wesley Ruff, ABC4 3. Dave Fox, KUTV2

There will always be the big media players, but KRCL 90.9 FM proves that the community loves the little guy. This listenersupported community radio station has that edge that keeps you coming back for the music and the politics. With shows like RadioACTive, Democracy Now, Loud and Clear Youth Radio and Smile Jamaica, where else can you breathe this kind of freedom? This is a local expression of you and for you. 535 W. 300 North, Ste. A, SLC, 801-363-1818, studio 801-359-9191, krcl.org 2. X96 3. KUER 90.1FM

David James

Heather Gay

Bravo’s Real Housewives of Salt Lake City definitely turned some Utah stereotypes upside-down, and like all reality shows, brought with it a cast that some viewers love and some love to hate. Heather Gay became a unique presence by offering openness about being a single mother to girls, and about her own divorce and eventual separation from the LDS church. That personality has resonated to the point where she’s working on a memoir about her experiences, due for release in summer 2022. bravotv.com 2. Whitney Rose 3. Jen Shah

KRCL 90.9FM

Best TV Station

KSL 5

There’s something about the known and comfortable. On the air since 1949, you can’t argue with history and its family-oriented programming. The NBC-affiliate is owned

by Bonneville International, the for-profit arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That affiliation has given KSL-TV the resources to reach around the Intermountain West, covering news and events like no other station can. 55 N. 300 West, SLC, 801-575-5555, ksl.com 2. Fox 13 3. KUTV 2

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Best Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Member

NIKI CHAN

KUTV 2News anchor Mary Nickles

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MEDIA & POLITICS

READERS’ PICKS Best Political Scandal/ Controversy

Utah Sen. Mike Lee’s true nadir came two months before the Jan. 6 insurrection, when he appeared at a rally in Arizona. Speaking before a crowd, Lee likened Donald Trump—whose vulgarities are too numerous and obvious to describe— to the Book of Mormon’s Captain Moroni, a figure revered by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That the comparison is absurd and inappropriate doesn’t matter.

Lee’s aim was to use a shared religious experience for secular gains, reminding Trump’s audience that this was not a battle of political ideals but a battle of moral posturing. In so doing, Lee showed that nothing he claims to believe in is worth a damn. lee.senate.gov 2. AG Sean Reyes travels outside Utah to question other state elections and kiss Trump butt 3. Utah Legislature bans mask mandates

DEREK CARLISLE

Sen. Mike Lee Compares Trump to Captain Moroni

Worst Utahn

Sen. Mike Lee

Out of the thousands who have and will yet serve in the U.S. government, only an exceptional few are truly remembered—for good or ill. And while he may yet secure a legacy of his own, Utah’s Republican Sen. Mike Lee is perhaps most useful as an embodiment of conservative politics during the twenty-teens. In 2010, the fury and rage of the nascent Tea Party carried the unknown, pocket Constitution-waving lawyer into the Senate. Since then, Lee has surfed that wave of sanctimonious anger and fragility through two terms, gleefully exacerbating the win-at-all-costs gamesmanship in Washington and turning a blind eye as the flames he helped fan crashed down on the U.S. Capitol last January. lee.senate.gov 2. U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart 3. U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens

Best Radio Show

Radio From Hell, X96

Whether they’re together in the studio or collaborating remotely from home studios, the X96 morning radio team of Kerry Jackson, Bill Allred and Gina Barberi continue to be a haven of sanity, 25 years after the trio first united. For four hours, beloved segments like “Boner of the Day,” “Geek News on the Radio” and “Beat Gina” offer fun and frivolity, all anchored by the chemistry and camaraderie of the hosts. x96.com/radio-from-hell 2. RadioACTive, KRCL 90.9 FM 3. Frankie and Jess, 97.1 ZHT

Best Newspaper Reporter

Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah doesn’t have many recognizable journalists anymore. The days of Rolly & Wells and Robert Kirby are gone, but The Salt Lake Tribune has evolved. Robert Gehrke is the best part of that evolution. You might call him a columnist now, but Gehrke has 20 years of government and politics reporting under his belt, with time reporting in Washington, D.C. He holds our politicians accountable by his well-researched columns, and he’s always relevant. @RobertGehrke, sltrib.com 2. Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune 3. Katie McKellar, Deseret News

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Experience Sound

1130 Main St. • 801-467-0212

MEDIA & POLITICS Best NIMBYs

ADU opponents in the Avenues

Whether or not you like the look of Ivory Homes’ planned Capitol Park project, objecting to its incorporating built-in mother-in-law apartments is among the shorter-sighted reactions to Salt Lake City’s housing crisis. People like to complain about apocryphal Californian hordes scooping up homes in the city, but less attention is paid to the local homeowners who are forced to hand over their keys and cash out in the face of skyrocketing property values. Mother-in-law apartments and other accessory dwelling units (ADUs) offer a potential alternative, empowering longtime residents to capitalize on the housing demand without relocating.

Ivory Homes should be applauded, not jeered, for pushing the city to loosen its zoning rules—yes, even in the Avenues.

Many readers recall Gorgeous Jared’s previous BOU wins as hair stylist extraordinaire. His 22 years in the biz have garnered him loyal clients that flock to him for his color and styling chops but also to steal a glance at his sleeves of tattoos and sexy biceps. Unbeknownst to many, though, those big guns were dealing with challenging musculoskeletal maladies that tend to show up among hair professionals due to repetitive movements. The struggles spurred Gomez to return to college to pursue a master’s degree in social work. Now in his third semester, he finds himself metamorphosing into someone new.

Fear not, his return to academia has made him no less alternative. He still shows up for drag performances throughout town, donning stilettos and inspired attire certain to make a statement. Keep an eye on Gomez— we’re guessing he’ll continue to make life in the Beehive ever more caliente! IG: @gorgeousjared

CW STAFF PICKS Best Alternative Soul

Gorgeous Jared Gomez

Best Bridge Builder

Billy Palmer

Best Made-Up Controversy

Critical Race Theory

Best Boundary Pushers

Decarcerate Utah

Do prisons deter crime or rehabilitate offenders?

Does a police presence keep society safe? Those are the tough questions local abolitionist group Decarcerate Utah wants local citizens to start thinking about, as its members work toward more holistic means of addressing crime in our state— means that center on compassion, community and groundbreaking thinking. decarcerateutah.org

Best Podcast for History Buffs

Demolished Salt Lake

Making its debut in 2021, Demolished Salt Lake episodes provide a fascinating glimpse into life in Utah’s yesteryears. From historic homes to hospitals, penitentiaries and brew companies, this podcast has something for everyone. While you can bounce around, we recommend listening from start to finish, as many episodes reference people or places from a prior show. anchor.fm/demolishedsaltlakepodcast

From hair to eternity: Gorgeous Jared’s new direction

Best Kicking Against the Pricks

Best Media Upstart

Best Bellwether Towns

When Utah’s Mitt Romney joined Democrats in the Senate voting to convict Donald Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors, he became the first senator in U.S. history to support the impeachment of a president from his own party. No surprise that Romney took heat from fellow conservatives on the Hill, but after a Trump-inspired mob attacked the Capitol, many softened their criticism. Now in the Biden era, Romney was the only Utahn to support the bipartisan infrastructure bill and looks to be the only member of the state’s delegation willing to get anything done. romney.senate.gov

As legacy media organizations shriveled under declining revenue, they doubled-down—tripleddown? quadrupled-down?—on the three pillars of local news: politics, sports and weather. That leaves a lot of stories untold, particularly in the capital city where beaucoup Utahns still live when all the partisans, athletes and meteorologists head home. Most of the state’s new media sites merely replicate the red-vs.-blue coverage being done better elsewhere, which makes Building Salt Lake’s targeted focus on construction and development (kind of a big issue these days) a welcome alternative to the usual cacophony of hot political takes. buildingsaltlake.com

Best Joie de Vivre

Best Excuse to Stop Driving

No doubt Oakley’s town fathers took notice when a drinking-water shortage caused neighboring Henefer to suspend new home construction in 2019.

Now Oakley, finding itself in similar straits, has followed suit with a moratorium on connections to the town’s water system. The two towns in Summit County are bellwethers for all the state’s fastestgrowing counties. Utah’s love affair with unlimited growth depends upon unlimited resources. Not only is water a limited commodity, Utahns squander it, consuming a gluttonous 170 gallons per person per day. Moreover, the population is projected to increase from the present 3.3 million to 5.5 million thirsty, lawn-loving souls by 2050. The handwriting is on the wall in Henefer and Oakley: Water will have the last word on future development.

U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney

Masuda Medcalf

By day, she’s an administrative law judge with the Utah Department of Commerce, and by evening, she’s a well-known and much-beloved fitness instructor at various rec centers. Whether she’s splish-splashing through the moves of aqua Zumba at Cottonwood Heights Rec Center or getting her groove on as a kickboxing Bollywood dance and yoga instructor at Central City Rec Center, she brings smiles to the faces of those fighting for fitness and has them singing, hooping and chirping along with the beat. Her enthusiasm is truly contagious. Did we mention she’s also an assistant to the stars at Star Trek conventions? Beam us up, Masuda. bollyx.com/instructor/masuda-medcalf

Building Salt Lake

GREENbike’s Electric Fleet

Biking is great exercise and good for the environment, but the prospect of showing up to your destination drenched in sweat can be a tough sell. That cost/benefit equation gets a welcome adjustment with the increasing availability of electric bicycles through GREENbike, Salt Lake City’s nonprofit bike-share service. While you still need to pedal, the assist from an electric motor takes the bite out of SLC’s sloping streets and makes a trip through downtown so breezy, you might just leave the car at home. greenbikeutah.org

Henefer and Oakley

Best Front Yard Hope

Little Free Library

The city’s residential neighborhoods are fast being retrofitted with what look to be pedestal-mounted dollhouses. However, the miniature houses are actually weatherproof book exchanges. Installed close to the sidewalk, they are designed to tempt passers-by to take a book or leave one. The “little free libraries” are the stock in trade of a 12-year-old nonprofit, Little Free Libraries, based in Wisconsin.

On its rolls are more than 100,000 “book houses.”

It’s a hopeful development. Just when it seems that all is lost, just when it seems America is becoming ungovernable and mean, hope springs from the words, “Free books!” littlefreelibrary.org

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The modern-day Republican Party has made an artform out of fabricating faux controversies out of thin air. First, they tried to protect us from the transgender bathroom predators and student athletes who don’t exist. Then, they took a solemn stand against virtually every tool for ending this damned pandemic. And now, they’re giving educators a new reason to hate their jobs by insisting that children never learn anything that might motivate them to strive for a more perfect union. It would be funny if it wasn’t so terrifying.

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You’ve likely heard of Billy Palmer if you live in Salt Lake City. He’s known for his more than 20 years of empowering the community, building bridges and amplifying west-side voices. A radio host for RadioACTive, a staple in the community, he recently came in second place for a Salt Lake City Council seat. You can see him depicted in a mural by artist Blondine Jean-Packard at the Patagonia Outlet at 2292 S. Highland Drive in SLC. Twitter and IG @ billypalmerSLC, billypalmerSLC.com

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MEDIA & POLITICS

Melanin Squad

The professional and workplace experience of women of color comes with its own unique challenges and often a sense of wondering where you belong. Sarah Vaughn recognized a need to bring together those dealing with such challenges, and in 2019 created Melanin Squad as a hub for networking events and safe spaces for conversation so everyone can feel seen, heard and understood. From prepandemic live events to more recent virtual offerings—plus a directory of local businesses owned by women of color—it fills a gap in the local professional landscape. melaninsquad.com

Best at Illustrating Utah’s True Colors

Pat Bagley

The Salt Lake Tribune’s editorial cartoonist and author Pat Bagley has been ruffling feathers since 1979. Syndicated in U.S. newspapers and abroad, Bagley won the Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning in 2009 and was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2014. A local and national treasure (even when visiting Paris, he gets recognized!), Bagley’s critics love to hate him and give him free space in their heads. His fans adore his brilliance and cannot wait to see what he comes up with next. No matter what, he has kept everyone talking for four decades.

Twitter: @PatBagley, IG: @BagleyCartoons

Best Trip Down Memory Lane

Rachel Quist on Instagram

From posts on visits from Hawaiian royalty in 1875 to the racist ways of the Salt Lake Hot Springs Sanitarium at 52 W. 300 South in 1893, Rachel Quist tackles both Utah’s light-hearted and heartbreaking moments. In addition to sharing vintage cards and catalog clippings— fancy a $57.50 fur from the 1919 Sears Roebuck catalog?—history at-a-glance has never been more fun. IG: @Rachel_SLC_History

Best CommonSense Champion

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss

They say a woman’s place is in the House. Too bad there aren’t more of her. Moss has been in the House of Representatives since 2001, a Democratic Don Quixote as she pushes common-sense legislation against a largely myopic white, male majority. Who wouldn’t want schools to teach that children cannot legally consent to sexual contact? Oh, those male legislators. She’s worked to stanch opioid addiction, call out distracted driving and encourage immunization. It’s all too sensible.

801-647-8764, csmoss@le.utah.gov

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PICKS Best Schoolmarm

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The Utah Board of Education has seen its fair share of cuckoo birds. But few have been as woefully misguided as Bluffdale’s Natalie Cline, whose incessant diatribes against anything outside her black-and-white fantasy of “traditional” values culminated in an unprecedented formal reprimand from her board colleagues. There’s a perennial debate at the Utah Legislature over whether the school board should be elected or governor-appointed. Maybe, thanks to Cline, removing voters from the equation isn’t the worst idea. schools.utah.gov UT.GOV

Best BIPOC Women Networking

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MEDIA & POLITICS Best Xeriscape Incentive

CW STAFF PICKS

The ‘Flip Your Strip’ Program

As Utah suffers through a historic drought, many of us are looking for ways to address the new realities in a state where a lush green lawn might not be the best landscaping choice. For those who have been waiting to start the xeriscaping process, the state offers rebates of up to $1.25 per square foot for converting parking strips with a living lawn to approved combinations of mulch/gravel and drought-tolerant plants. Specific water districts and other geographic restrictions apply; visit the website to determine your eligibility and get the ball rolling. utahwatersavers.com

Best Shameless March

SLUTWALK (The Walk of No Shame)

Best at Fighting for Fairness on the Hill

The ACLU of Utah and Equality Utah

Even though it was her freshman year, Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, made herself known as someone who would come after the LGBTQ community. After the ACLU and Equality Utah brought pressure to bear, a Republican colleague finally shut down Birkeland’s bill that discriminated against transgender kids. In fact, lawmakers, sensing how unfair it was, decided not even to vote on the bill. It’s a good reminder for citizens to vote and get involved on a local level. And of course to support nonprofits like the ACLU of Utah and Equality Utah. acluutah.org, equalityutah.org

SLUTWALK is celebrating its 10th year. Originating in Toronto, Canada, and now spread worldwide, we’re lucky to have a Salt Lake City SLUTWALK chapter.

Focusing on fostering a consent culture while ending a rape culture, the 2021 march to the State Capitol took place in late September. Visit their Facebook page to learn how you can support their ongoing efforts. facebook.com/slutwalkSLC

Best Cynical ‘Locals’

The Salt Lake Tribune

Best Way to Learn About Beehive Boss Ladies

This Is Her Place Podcast

This well-researched podcast covering Utah’s badass boss ladies is an absolute must-listen. Each episode uncovers fascinating tidbits about the lives of women past and present who work in the same or intersecting industries as you or other women you know do. Whether you skip around to learn about the women in sectors you find the most intriguing or binge from start to finish, the 12 clever episodes will not disappoint. thisisherplace.org

Utah Legislative Redistricting Committee

The dark cloud of redistricting has again descended on The Beehive State, and lawmakers are adamant they did nothing untoward in scattering the Wasatch Front to the four winds.

Never mind the chorus of opposition. Never mind the blatant falsehoods about blending urban and rural areas together. And never mind the voting majority who asked for an independent redistricting commission. Expect more of the same for the next decade: entrenched incumbents; disenfranchisement; and laws that fail to represent the will of the state.

Best Exercise of Truthiness

Utah Legislature

In the exercise of truthiness, a feeling trumps all. Facts are superfluous. If something feels true—or if you want something to be true—that’s good enough. No need for empirical evidence.

Truthiness is next to godliness in the chambers of the Utah Legislature. It’s on display as the elected hold forth on guns, marijuana, sex ed, elections, climate science, public health—no subject is beyond reach in the quest for probity. Earlier this year, legislators dredged up critical race theory and transgender athletics from obscurity.

It was truthiness in action: solutions in search of problems. Alas, the post-truth result of such malarky is legislation shaped by emotion and personal belief, not reason and fact.

Best Microenterprise Spin-Off

Best Real Housewives Cameo

After eight years collaborating with the International Rescue Committee to develop a stockyard microenterprise, Utah’s East African refugee community has launched a nonprofit corporation called Utah Refugee Goats. The business plan is straightforward: Operate a ranch a few miles from downtown Salt Lake City to meet the demand for affordable, halal goat meat. That 87-acre tract of land will accommodate 100 Boer goats. Nearby, the ranch’s fast-growing northwest neighborhood includes an airport, an inland port and a new state prison. Of the four enterprises, only one epitomizes the American Dream. 1200 N. 6550 West, SLC, refugeegoats.org

One of the best things about having a Real Housewives show set in Salt Lake is trying to guess the local set piece. The best instance of this visual scavenger hunt came in Season 1, Episode 5, when Mary Cosby and Jen Shah engaged in a tableside feud at Valter’s Osteria in front of proprietor Valter Nassi himself—who looked relatively nonplussed at the whole affair, like the consummate professional he is. 173 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-521-4563, valtersosteria.com

Utah Refugee Goats Valter Nassi

Best Apocalyptic Flock Support

Wildlife Rehabilitation City Newspapers Ceasing Their Daily Center of Northern Utah Print Editions Just when you thought 2020’s reign of terror had Best Overdue Reality Check

Some problems simply can’t be fixed, and anyone who has worked in media—or who has a basic understanding of supply and demand—has long known that the act of printing a comprehensive newspaper every day is a relic of a bygone age.

That bell was finally rung in Utah, definitively, at the start of the year when the Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune ceased daily publication.

Unfortunately, both newsrooms spent so long scraping the bottom of their budgets and delaying the inevitable that they were left with no clear plan for how to evolve. Here’s hoping something positive fills the void on the local journalism podium.

ended, along came 2021 with its extreme winds, flooding and simultaneously record droughts.

This year’s brand of climate extremes, along with the usual threats of rodent poison and human impacts, resulted in WRCNU treating 33 percent more sick, orphaned or injured wildlife than in 2018 and 2019 combined. Thanks to dedicated volunteers and staff, they were able to rehabilitate many of our feathered friends.

For tips on what you can do for the birds in your hood, visit their website. 1490 Park Blvd., Ogden, 801-814-7888, wrcnu.org

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After Spencer Cox defeated Jon Huntsman Jr. in the 2020 Republican primary for governor—to the embarrassment of Salt Lake Tribune publisher Paul Huntsman (brother of Jon)—heads rolled. Editor Jennifer Napier-Pearce left and other senior editorial staff were displaced in favor of an out-of-state editor. No talent in town? Soon came a new outof-state chief revenue officer. OK, we understand the “no talent in the building” rationale. But the CRO quickly hit the streets with an off-the-shelf “best of city” survey using out-of-state software replete with lame stock marketing photos (didn’t they save any dining column photos?) culminating in a “locals” fete event produced by an out-of-state events planner, headlined by out-of-state musicians. But it’s all about locals. Yeah, whatever. So on point for a “local” newspaper that even prints out-of-state. What’s next, Paul Huntsman, a mid-week edition aimed at arts and entertainment, perhaps? sltrib.com

Best Threat to Democracy

COURTESY PHOTO

Utah’s SLUTWALK march calls for consent, not rape

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

READERS’

It was weird for a Christmas season to go by without live performances of Ballet West’s Nutcracker, but the company showed its commitment to the community by arranging to broadcast a previous year’s recorded production to fill that hole. That was just one of the ways Ballet West remained present and vital throughout the pandemic, including the documentary series In the Balance about its efforts at continuing performances and offering its summer intensive program. As effortless as the dancers make their art look, we’re grateful for the hard work they put into providing it for us. Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, No. 200, SLC, 801-869-6900, balletwest.org 2. Ririe-Woodbury Dance Co. 3. Repertory Dance Theatre

PICKS Best Dance Company

Ballet West

Best Movie Theater

Best Visual Artist

Best DJ

Best Drag Entertainer

Best Concert

Best Muralist

For more than a year, the beloved local tradition of enjoying a beer and a movie at Brewvies was denied to us. But the regulars streamed back once the venues in Salt Lake City and Ogden reopened in June, allowing folks to enjoy blockbuster offerings like F9 and No Time to Die not just on a big screen, but accompanied by all your favorite pub fare. And they came back to a re-painted, spruced-up place that was even more inviting. 677 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-322-3891; 2293 Grant Ave., Ogden, 801-392-2012; brewvies.com 2. Broadway Centre Cinemas 3. The Tower

We offer the disclaimer that Cat Palmer contributed editorial content for this issue, but considering the number of times she’s won reader awards in our Best of Utah or Arts issues, we probably could’ve seen it coming. For years, she’s found the sweet spot as both a commercial artist and a creative provocateur with an eye for politically charged compositions. Having a byline doesn’t change the esteem in which she is held by the local arts community. catpalmer.com 2. Hannah Lofgreen 3. Andrew Alba

DJ Teo knows how to throw it down in party spaces all around SLC. If you’ve visited The Palace or Echo, you’ve probably caught his wild mixes. He’s also made appearances with music collectives like The Amé House and wicked Halloween parties like The Purge at The Complex. One thing is for certain, no matter where you go, if Teo’s at the deck, it’ll be a good time. Twitter @ MateOWNS, officialdjteo.com 2. DJ Juggy 3. DJ Bangarang

The host of one of SLC’s finest drag traditions, Viva La DIVA, brings home the gold again in this category, and is rightly deserving!

The celebrity impersonation performances CoZmo hosts at Salt Lake’s Metro Music Hall bring to life his alter-ego, Dolly Parton, as well as Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews and Bette Midler and Disney characters to boot. They’re a constant source of drag entertainment, in a show where CoZmo has built a grassroots following while appearing regularly at many other local shows. Viva La CoZmo! IG: @mrjasoncozmo, vivaladivashow.com 2. Gia Bianca Stephens 3. Sister Molly Mormon

Red Butte Garden’s Outdoor Concert Series came roaring back this year, kicking off the 2021 season with a July 30 debut show from Jason Isbell that sold out quickly. A sold-out show because of the charismatic country rocker’s popularity, yes, but also because he teamed up with the equally beloved goth mother of Americana, Lucinda Williams. redbuttegarden. org/concerts 2. Post Malone 3. Garth Brooks

If you drive anywhere through the streets of Salt Lake City, you’ve almost certainly seen the vibrant work created by Josh Scheuerman on Utah walls. His work has honored individuals on a local (Stein Eriksen) and national (Harvey Milk) scale, and he’s provided everything from colorful branding for local businesses to a call-to-arms to restore Bears Ears National Monument. For those who wonder if the only walls where great art can be found are in galleries, just check out the buildings graced

by Scheuerman’s hand. joshscheuerman.com 2. Shae Petersen 3. Joseph Toney

Brewvies Cinema Pub

Cat Palmer

DJ Teo

Jason CoZmo

Jason Isbell

Josh Scheuerman

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COURTESY PHOTO

Ballet West’s Swan Lake

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

READERS’

Grouplove

PICKS

Best Music Festival

This year’s festival was jampacked with Ogden Twilight favorites—from Purity Ring and Portugal. The Man, to Grouplove and The Flaming Lips. The festival featured popular artists from years past alongside newbies like Noah Cyrus and Ant Clemons, plus the everpresent local openers, who included Brother., Josaleigh Pollett and Angel Magic, to name a few. 343 E. 25th St., Ogden, ogdentwilight.com 2. Country Fan Fest 3. Das Energi Festival

Best All-Ages Venue

Kilby Court

Salt Lake City’s perpetual “little venue that could” has seen untold numbers of incredible pre-fame acts pass through its tiny, tiny stage. Many are the Utah music fans who can tell you their story of seeing “X” band play Kilby right before they broke multiplatinum, and how the act that now fills stadiums once packed into a garage in SLC’s Granary district so tight that you could practically strum the guitars yourself. With new development and financial attention descending on the neighborhood, Kilby has only risen to the opportunity, staging new events like the Kilby Court Block Party while maintaining a particularly intimate setting that regularly punches above its weight. 748 W. Kilby Court, SLC, kilbycourt.com 2. Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre 3. The Complex

Best Museum

Natural History Museum of Utah

The architectural jewel that is the Natural History Museum of Utah holds 10 permanent exhibits showcasing the state’s gems, minerals, dinosaurs, flora, fauna, Native cultures and more. These installations are worth revisiting time and again, but the special exhibits, such as the “Time of the Pharaohs” are not to be missed, either. The installation is in place through Jan. 2, 2022, and is the next-best thing to being at an excavation site on the Nile. Spotlighting rulers as well as the average citizen, this exhibit is full of unique artifacts and insights into ancient Egyptian life. Even the most sullen of tweens won’t be able to, “meh,” their way through this exhibit.

301 Wakara Way, SLC, 801-581-6927, nhmu.utah.edu 2. Utah Museum of Contemporary Art 3. Utah Museum of Fine Art

JOSH SCHEUERMAN

Ogden Twilight

Best Theater Company

Salt Lake Acting Co.

You were missed, SLAC! The Salt Lake Acting Co. was back in the saddle performing to live audience this past summer with a new and improved musical parody, #SLACabaret. In the tradition of Saturday’s Voyeur, which ended its run in 2019, the updated production gleefully skewers Utah culture in a variety-show format.

The cast took the audience on a musical tour of the newly renovated airport that incorporated all things Utah, from the 2002 Winter Olympics to a hilarious rendition of the world-class complainer, “Caren” aka Karen. The performance concluded with a musical number featuring the new SLC “housewives.” After the past two years, never has a celebration of Utah’s quirks been more appreciated. 168 W. 500 North, SLC, 801-363-7522, saltlakeactingcompany.org 2. Pioneer Theatre Co. 3. Hale Centre Theatre, Sandy

Best Local Band/Group

Pixie and the Partygrass Boys

This local band earns their namesake over and over again—because they really do bring the party wherever they go. While 2020 put a wrench in their usually busy show schedule, they still managed to make frequent appearances at establishments all over the place. The group also found the time to finally put out a new album, which fans of the band have surely heard already at one of their recent shows. pixieandthepartygrassboys.com 2. Royal Bliss 3. Get It Write

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Khruangbin

READERS’

PICKS

Best Live Music Venue

This summertime treasure is a no-brainer pick. Not only does Red Butte Garden bring in some of the biggest and best artists to our valley for their summer concert series, but the views that can be had of said valley from the green lawn can’t be beat. This past summer, the festival returned with an absolutely stacked lineup, and it felt like a celebration that some things—like their big green lawn filled with people—were back to normal.2155 Red Butte Canyon, SLC, 801-585-0556, redbuttegarden.org/concerts 2. USANA Amphitheatre 3. The Depot

Best Vinyl Shop

Randy’s Records

A winner for the quadrillionth time probably, and it’s for good reason. In operation since 1978, Randy’s Records has reliably the largest selection of any record store in SLC, and their modest digs on 900 South are a great place to find amazing treasures.

Ask any of the knowledgeable staff for help finding the rare record you seek, and/or maybe ask for some recommendations. 157 E. 900 South, SLC, 801- 532-4413, randysrecords.com 2. Raunch Records 3. Graywhale Entertainment

Best Public Art

Spiral Jetty

When the late artist Robert Smithson spied the Great Salt Lake’s blood red waters and stark, barren northeastern shore, he knew he had found the perfect spot to construct his massive earthwork sculpture. Smithson’s Spiral Jetty—which rises from the shore of the Great Salt Lake like a giant fossilized tentacle—has captivated onlookers since 1970. Thanks to the Great Salt Lake’s ever-changing shoreline, no two viewings of the Spiral Jetty are alike. Rozel Point, Great Salt Lake via Corinne, diaart.org 2. Black Lives Matter murals 3. Tied: Gilgal Sculpture Garden, Squatters’ mural

Best Gallery

Urban Arts Gallery

Every gallery has its own unique personality, but Urban Arts Gallery feels like the kind of place that appeals to everyone, even those who don’t think of themselves as “art gallery people.” Throughout the year, they showcase local creators in ways that are sometimes fun and playful (like the annual

JOSH SCHEUERMAN

Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre

nerd-themed “Heroes and Villains” group show), sometimes socially conscious (like June’s showcase of work on queer themes) and always fascinating to experience. 116 S. Rio Grande, SLC, 801-230-0820, urbanartsgallery.org 2. A Gallery 3. Phillips Gallery

Best Friend of the Arts

Utah Arts Alliance

Even if you aren’t familiar with the name “Utah Arts Alliance,” you’ve likely benefitted from all of the programming and support for artists provided

by Derek Dyer and his great team. From providing studio space and resources at the Utah Arts Hub to inviting the community to the annual Urban Arts Festival, and even inviting emerging artists to get a chance at gallery showing with the “Connect” pop-up events, UAA keeps Salt Lake City vital and crackling with new, exciting creative work.

801-651-3937, utaharts.org 2. Eccles Foundation 3. Gail Miller

Best Community Event

Utah Arts Festival

Utah’s annual celebration of all things creative has a little something for everyone. Seasoned art collectors and festival goers who simply wish to stroll through the crowd munching on a ginormous gyro can partake in food, music, dance and visual art galore. With so many options for entertainment and enrichment, it’s no wonder that nearly 70,000 people attend the Utah Arts Festival each year.

Festival location: Library Square, 200 East 400 South, SLC, 801-322-2428, uaf.org 2. Pride Festival 3. Greek Festival

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Best Slam Poet

Ashley Finley

She’s a lauded birth keeper, a published writer, a keynote speaker, a certified yoga instructor and an educator. Finley’s favorite work involves creating a sacred space where collaborators can explore what it means to use their unique talents and abilities to begin the work of decolonization and liberation. She has a published piece in an upcoming anthology by Torrey House Press. This mama is a brilliant badass—through and through. IG: @findafinley, findingfinley.com

Salt Lake Arts Academy is a diverse free public charter school in downtown SLC dedicated to “Building Creative Minds.” Kids come to SLArts from 29 different ZIP codes to have daily arts experiences in dance, drama, music and visual arts, engage in rigorous academics and learn to navigate our city. Serving grades 5-8, admission is by lottery and open to all students. 844 S. 200 East, SLC, 801-531-1173, slarts.org

Best Music From a Van

Banyan Collective Van Sessions

Local podcasters The Banyan Collective have their talkative fingers in every type of podcast pie—they record podcasts on news, events, visiting artists, local creatives, athletics and, of course, live music, all from inside their vintage 1960 Aristocrat “TanVan.” Parked inside The Monarch Building in Ogden’s Nine Rails Creative District, they host a number of local artists for their Van Sessions series, where artists play and talk and the podcast is recorded live, often with a live audience seated right outside the van. 455 25th St., Ogden, thebanyancollective.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Youthful Creativity

Salt Lake Arts Academy

The kids are alright: Salt Lake Arts Academy

Best Backyard Music Staple

Carolyn’s Summer Garden Music Series

This underground invitation-only garden is magical. And if you have been one of the lucky ones to be in the know, well, then you know. Everyone from Tiny Home to Michelle Moonshine to Pixie & the Partygrass Boys has played in this gorgeous garden. Folks bring a dish to share and pull up a chair to quietly listen to the talent unfold. This music series is not to be missed. Visit their Facebook page for updates.

1443 E. Kensington Ave., SLC, 801-694-7417, https://bit.ly/2ZB2oX2

Best Hybrid Shows

Best Utah Arts Community

Helper, Utah

Our favorite Utah destination is an old mining town less than two hours from Salt Lake. Thirty years ago, David Johnson, Tom Williams, David Dornan and Marilou Kundmueller started the art scene in Helper. It blossomed over the past decade thanks to a focused effort to achieve sustainability—a combination of art, history and natural assets. Local artist Kate Kilpatrick-Miller and Mayor Lenise Peterman have helped nurture this growth. A sampling of artists/galleries to grace Main Street include: Helper Art Space; Tim J. Morse Studio; Kathleen Royster Ceramics; 3 on the Tree; Beg, Borrow & Steele, Steven Lee Adams Fine Art; Boxcar Gallery; K2 Gallery; AMJWorks; Scott Yelonek Gallery and Canvas Alchemy Artist Collective. IG: @helperfirstfridays, castlecountryevents.com

ANONYMOUS

The downtown tradition that opened up the Gallivan Center stage for free entertainment and swing dancing on warm summer nights faced challenges during the pandemic, which they were able to overcome with live-stream shows.

Excellence Concert Series amassed millions of views while regularly streaming and posting shows on YouTube, a practice which they’ve held onto even as they returned to live programming this summer. Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, SLC, 801-718-3862, excellenceconcerts.org

Best Voice of an Angel Best Music Man

Michelle Moonshine

It only takes hearing Michelle Moonshine’s voice one time to be won over. She’s a local must-see.

You may have heard her on The Voice or have seen her opening for Mason Jennings, Lake Street Dive, Wayne “The Train” Hancock, Lukas Nelson, Judy Collins or other badasses. She’s about to release her newest album with bandmates John Davis and Bronk Onion, and her fans could not be more excited.

Look for her performances with husband, Andrew Wiscombe, with their band Turtle Dovin’.

IG: @michellemoonshine, michellemoonshine.com

Randy Barton

As executive director of the Egyptian Theatre Co. in Park City, Randy Barton is by now the most seasoned talent booker of them all in the Utah music scene. His pedigree goes back decades, so you can count on him to deliver the very best to Utah audiences. His Egyptian Theatre lineup this season covers the gamut of hip, modern, alternative, country, blues, bluegrass including 10,000 Maniacs, Del McCoury, and Tinsley Ellis but also oldies like Family Stone, Peter Yarrow, Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits and at the end 2021, the three punch of the Coasters, the Drifters and the Platters. Toss in some classic plays and musicals, and it’s another home run for Randy Barton. Egyptian Theatre Co., 328 Main St., Park City, 855745-SHOW, egyptiantheatercompany.org

Best Whale Watching

“Out of the Blue” by Stephen Kesler

Not since the relocation of Coffee Garden has Salt Lake’s 9th and 9th neighborhood been so divided, but whether you’re a whale watcher or whale whiner, Stephen Kesler’s whale statue is coming to a roundabout near you. As of press time, the exact unveiling date is TBD, but it is confirmed that local artist and longtime 9th & 9th resident Mike Murdock will paint the inaugural mural—an abstract interpretation of the neighborhood’s sunrises and sunsets. 900 South and 1100 East, SLC

Best Busting Out of a COVID Cocoon

SLC Busker Fest

Being cooped up for over a year left the majority of us feeling more socially awkward than ever. When and how to re-enter society feels somehow daunting.

Then came the all-ages, fun and quirky outdoor SLC Busker Fest. Thanks to the acrobatics, sword jugglers, magicians, live music and mimes, hitting the streets again wasn’t so scary after all. buskerfestslc.com

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Excellence Concert Series

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Best New Theater

SLFS Studio Backlot Motor Cinema When COVID-19 shut down virtually all businesses, and particularly arts and entertainment venues, fans of the big-screen film experience were able to find a social-distancing friendly outlet with the expansion of the Salt Lake Film Society to a third location at the Redman Movies & Stories backlot.

Over two years, Redman and SLFS have created a unique filmgoing experience that somehow marries the best elements of a drive-in and art-house theater experience—and on the west side, no less— screening a range of classic and cult favorites. 1075 S. 700 West, SLC, 801-321-0310, slfs.org

CW STAFF

Utah’s Hogle Zoo knows that even the most kid-friendly activities are often more enjoyable without kids. Case in point, the adults-only Zoo Brews fundraisers. Clear your evening and spend it strolling among monkeys, giraffes and polar bears sans strollers while sipping on beer, wine or seltzer. You can even ride the train or take a spin on the carousel without having to fight off a 5-year-old for dibs on the lion, not to mention proceeds go toward animal rescue.

2600 Sunnyside Ave., SLC, 801-584-1700, hoglezoo.org

PICKS Best Wetting Your Whistle With Wildlife

Zoo Brews

Best Innovators

Another disciple of the hybrid model, Social Antidote, started bringing music back to fans early in the pandemic, pioneering a model of professional, high-quality productions for livestreaming that highlighted local artists. Then, they shifted back to live, albeit in a socially distanced outdoor setting during events like downtown’s Open Streets on Main Street, with neon-lit build-outs like “The Cube.” socialantidote.live

A night of beer necessities at Hogle Zoo

Best Street Art

South Salt Lake Mural Festival

Want to appreciate art from the comfort of your car?

South Salt Lake’s Creative Industries Zone is home to the largest collection of street art in Utah. 2021 artists included: Bill Louis, Brooklyn Ottens & Matt Monsoon, Emily Ding, George Baker, Hayley Barry, Himed and HOKZYN, Joseph Toney, Miles Toland, Roots Art Kollective and Traci O’Very Covey. 2250 S. West Temple (area), SLC, themuralfest.com

Best DIY Space

One build-back-better success story is that of The Beehive, which, after floating through the pandemic on Patreon funds earned by putting on virtual shows on that platform, came back better than ever with a renovated space and a strong mix of touring and local acts alike. Real-life SLC punks find their homes here and play their loud-ass music. 666 S. State, SLC, 385-645-3116, beehivecollectiveslc.com

The Monarch

Why does Ogden get to have all the fun? Not only does their nightlife boast historic 25th Street but now their arts scene can lay claim to the Monarch arts center, housed in an industrial parking garage from the 1920s. After updating its vintage architecture in 2019, developers opened this cultural hub of artist studios and exhibit spaces, shops, various event and performance venues and a date-night dining spot, thereby becoming the heart of the Nine Rails neighborhood, a dedicated area in Ogden for arts and culture to thrive. Ogden obviously knows how to celebrate its history, rather than tear it down to make way for mediocre urban dwellings. 455 25th St., Ogden, 801-893-6605, themonarchogden.com

Best Lunch-Break IG Scroll

Best Intro to Utah Comedians

Having a rotten day and need to hit the reset button? The phenomenal sketch art by this artist is the perfect lunch-break Instagram scroll to get your mind back in good-vibes mode. The mixed media of sketch and watercolor bring new life to our local landscape.

We’re particularly fond of the sunset sky in a post from Little Cottonwood Canyon that can restore your calm whenever necessary. IG: @ surbhi_urbansketcher

Wiseguys comedy clubs have long been a premier destination to see some of the best-known touring comedians in the world, but it’s also where a lot of local comedians can get their start at open mic nights.

Between the rookies and the veterans is a place where rising Utah comedy stars can take center stage. The semi-regular Lake City Showcases generally feature a roster of five funny locals, including a Spotlight headliner getting a chance to be at the top of the bill.

Check out all the laughs that are coming from our own backyard. Multiple locations, wiseguyscomedy.com

Urban Sketching With Surbhi

Wiseguys’ Lake City Showcase

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The Beehive

Best Ogden Cultural Pollinator

VISIT SLAT LAKE_AUSTENDIAMONDPHOTOGRAPHY

Social Antidote

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GOODS & SERVICES Best Pet CBD

Beehive Buds CBD

READERS’

Autumn and Inga—the magic behind the hive at Beehive Buds—partnered up with the mission to help the wellness of the community. Both were introduced to plant-based medicine early in age, and their knowledge and expertise in the field is exceptional. Pet CBD is best for furry friends with anxiety, arthritis or hurting from pain, and Beehive Buds delivers just the high-quality product for your pet. 9329 S. 1300 East, Sandy, 801-900-4483, beehivebudscbd.com 2. Hemplucid Pets 3. Healthy Hemp Pet Co.

PICKS

Best Tattoo Shop

Aloha Tattoos

Best Smoke/Vape Shop

Blackhouse Vapor Co.

The back-to-back winner in this category, Best of Utah voters know that Blackhouse Vapor is the place to go for high-quality e-juice, devices and high-quality hemp and CBD products.

They created their own line of e-liquid, CBD and CBG, all made in-house in their own state-of-the-art lab, where they produce and package all in one location. 2148 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-467-6526, blackhousevapor.com 2. Smoke Break Huka Outlet 3. Robertsons

Best Comic Book Store

Neither rain nor snow nor COVID nor remodeling construction this year can keep Utah’s longest continuously operating comicbookstore down. Dr. Volt’s began a new era in 2021, as long-time owner Dave Landa handed over the reins to The Nerd Store operators Charles and Roger Prows. In an era when the nerds have conquered the pop-culture landscape, it’s still good to know there are places like Dr. Volts that have been here all along.

2043 E. 3300 South, Millcreek, 801-485-6114, drvolts.com 2. Heebeegeebeez Comix & Games 3. The Nerd Store

Best Piercer

Dustin Robbins

Best CBD Product

Hemplucid

Provo’s Hemplucid is on a steady climb to becoming one of the biggest CBD companies in America. Just this year, they achieved a coveted USDA status that only a select few hemp and CBD companies achieve. Also in 2021, they invited NBA great Lamar Odom to participate in a month-long journey to find healing in plant-based medicine and made a documentary to boot. What other Utah company can do that? You can find them in just about any retailer that sells CBD, or order online at Hemplucid.com. 4844 N. 300 West, Provo, 385-203-8556, hemplucid.com 2. Farmer & Chemist 3. Koodegras

Luke Jensen of Aloha Salt Lake Tattoos

Best Boutique

Best Piercing Studio

Best Tattoo Artist

First-time and veteran Burners know this shop well for its trendy and groovy clothes and accessories and others know it’s a great consignment store for “previously rocked stuff” (secondhand clothing). You won’t make it five feet into the place without grabbing something that makes you smile because of its uniqueness. They have strict rules for clothing consignments or donations (no plastic bags, everything must be washed, de-haired and folded neatly in a structured container, one box per session). Sell or buy your Lululemons, Doc Martens, Free Peoples and Jeffrey Campbells there anytime but forget high-end designer items or business casual clothes. Not their jam. They are a fun, funky and affordable place to shop. 414 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-833-2272, iconocladslc@gmail.com 2. Hip & Humble 3. Name Droppers

This group has studios in Michigan, New York, Oregon, Colorado, Utah and Illinois and are poking their way into more cities as their reputation grows for safe piercings without compromise. Many know them for their amazeballs choice of piercing jewelry designed locally and from around the world made from natural substances like stone, wood and gems by designers like Pupil Hall, Shiva, Neometal, Future Primitives and Suzanne Kalan. They have Google reviews from medical professionals raving about the attention the piercers pay to assure a sterile work environment. Some of the piercers were trained by the late worldrenowned Fakir Musafar, and Iris has helped set standards and protocols for aftercare of your piercings. 2431 Highland Drive, SLC, 801-486-0112, irispiercing.com 2. KOI Piercing Studio 3. Abyss Piercing

This artist calls Aloha Salt Lake Tattoos his home base, and despite his fame, you can often walk in and get in his chair without an appointment. Whether you’re looking to create a sleeve or cover up that homie tat you and your friends put on each other in high school, Payne is the creative genius you should meet.

It’s worth the time to make an appointment for a consultation with Payne so he can see your vision and translate that into the ink that’s right for you. Maybe it’s a pretty butterfly that only takes an hour to complete—or maybe it’s a major back piece that will take several sessions. Payne has the experience to plan the art that will be with you for life. Aloha Salt Lake Tattoos, 6657 S. State, Murray, 801-609-8288, alohasaltlaketattoos.com 2. Luke Jensen, Aloha Tattoos 3. Josh Pitchford, Golden Cage Tattoo

iconoCLAD

Iris Piercing

Jesse Payne

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There’s a huge difference in getting your ears pierced with a hand-held piercing gun at the mall vs. the delicate piercings through your nose septum or nostril, the daith (the cartilage on the inside of the ear) and the helix (the cartilage on the upper ear). Dustin Robbins has pierced about every part of the exterior of human anatomy and is considered by many to be the kindest and gentlest piercer around. His studio is über-sterile, and he’s a go-to for piercing aftercare whether he did the job or not. He’s a big tree of a guy with a voice as comforting as a death doula, and his calmness will help anyone work through the nerves that arise in facing the needle. Enso Piercing & Adornment, 336 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-953-0201, ensopiercing.com 2. Courtney Marriott, Abyss 3. Kory Sagendorf, Modified Piercing

This shop and its artists have been poking ink into skin suits for years now, and the accolades just keep coming for the beauty of what they bring to life. Jon Poulson, Luke Jensen, Jesse Payne and Nico lay down delicate dot work and patterns but also bring in cultural styles like Polynesian and Native markings. Due to high demand, they’ve added cosmetic tats (think eyebrows) to their wide range of piercings and ink work. Located in Salt Lake and Park City, they offer super clean chairs and equipment and high-quality ink for every customer.

Plus, they bring in celebrity artists periodically and can also be found on Sundays at the Park Silly Market.

6657 S. State, Murray, 801-609-8288; 738 Main St., Park City, 435-731-8317; alohasaltlaketattoos.com 2. Yellow Rose Tattoo 3. 27 Tattoo Studio

COURTESY PHOTO

Dr. Volts Comic Connection

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GOODS AND SERVICES Pibs Exchange has been buying and selling the hottest clothes, accessories, and costumes since the grunge era. The flannel shirts that Pibs sold to their first costumers in 1994 are now coveted vintage items. In addition to selling new and used clothes, Pibs sells hair dye, fishnets and plenty of other eyecatching accessories to help you achieve your current or retro look. 1147 E. Ashton Ave., SLC, 801-484-7996, pibsexchange.com 2. iconoCLAD 3. The Other Side Thrift Boutique

READERS’

PICKS Best Thrift/

Consignment Store

Pibs Exchange

CITY WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

All you need is love—and Pibs Exchange

Best CBD Retailer

Best Garden Supply

Some people take CBD and say, “But I didn’t get high!” That’s kind of the whole idea!

CBD is all about offering similar health benefits to THC without the high. While some CBD have trace amounts of THC, Koodegras offers THC-free CBD, so you won’t get a psychoactive reaction. Since 2015, Koodegras has offered a massive line of products including CBD topicals, water-soluble tinctures, softgels and pet products. Multiple locations, Koodegras.com 2. Beehive Buds CBD Wellness Center 3. Farmer & Chemist

You shouldn’t take an institution for granted, just because it’s been around longer than you’ve been alive. Millcreek Gardens’ beautiful grounds provide a haven even if you’re just browsing, but if you’re serious about making the inside or outside of your home more beautiful, that’s when you really benefit from their year-round knowledge and commitment to helping folks find plants that make the most sense for your specific needs, and Utah’s general climate.

3500 S. 900 East, 801-487-4131, Millcreek, millcreekgardens.com 2. Glover Nursery 3. Cactus & Tropicals

Koodegras

Landis Lifestyle Salon

While it’s true that a salon is only as good as its stylists, one cannot discount the importance of product, which is why Landis is a cut above the rest. One of few Aveda salons in the city, it offers signature services such as botanical therapy hair treatment and Pramasana scalp facial, plus custom facials, manicures and pedicures complete with exclusive Aveda hand and foot treatments. 1298 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-485-5506; 569 N. 300 West Ste. A, SLC, 801-364-3354, landissalon.com 2. Lunatic Fringe 3. Salon O

Best Barbershop

Salt Lake Barber Co.

Need a beard trim? Want to learn how to treat your facial hair so that it’s softer? Maybe you’re looking for a haircut that doesn’t set you back a week’s wages? Step into a chill barbershop that’s modern but has an old-timey vibe, that’s clean and COVID-19 aware. If you’re vaccinated, you’re welcome to not wear a mask, otherwise keep one on. You can usually get in without an appointment, but if you’re looking for one of their top barbers like Jesse, Kyle or Ambrisha, you probably ought to go online and book yourself some “me” time in one of their comfy chairs. Treat yourself to a straight razor hot-lather shave, beard trim or haircut and enjoy lively repartee with your skilled barber. They also aren’t afraid to give your kid their first haircut, and the staff will clean up your entire family, no matter their sex or age. 10 E. 800 South (corner of 800 South and Main), SLC, 385-261-2196, saltlakebarberco.com 2. Jed’s Barber Shop 3. City Barbers

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Best Salon

Millcreek Gardens

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READERS’

GOODS AND SERVICES

PICKS

Best Bookstore

The King’s English Bookshop

Best Pet Supply Store

The Dog’s Meow

It’s been quite a tumultuous year for all of us, and The King’s English was no different. Still, a transition in ownership from founder Betsy Burton provided at least some reassurance that the beloved bookstore would survive anything. As was clear last year when patrons came through with early holiday orders that kept the place afloat during its pandemic closure, we all want to be part of making sure The King’s English isn’t going anywhere. 1511 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9100, kingsenglish.com 2. Weller Book Works 3. Ken Sanders Rare Books

Best Medical Cannabis Dispensary

Cannabis? In Utah? The Utah Medical Cannabis Program has now been activated for over a year and a half. There were some kinks at the onset and some still remaining to be worked out by the state, but Utahns now have an avenue to help alleviate their qualifying conditions with cannabis. One of the 14 cannabis pharmacies in Utah, Wholesome Co., delivers quality information and products to their customers. Patients may visit their sleek brick-andmortar location, or set up a delivery time for medical cannabis. 580 W. 100 North, Bountiful, 801-695-4480, wholesome.co 2. Dragonfly Wellness 3. Beehive Farmacy

We get treats?

Bow wow to The Dog’s Meow!

COURTESY PHOTO

Wholesome Co.

With stores in Millcreek and Draper, Alexis Butler and her daughter have been providing the best dog and cat foods to animal lovers for 25 years.

Here, the pickiest owners can find natural dog and cat foods. Whether your furry friend is on a gluten- or grain-free diet or is older and needs a hemp chewy for creaky joints, this is your go-to pet store. It’s safe to say you’ll probably not find the products this store sells at any chain store, nor will you get the sage dietary advice the Butlers carefully dole out to dedicated customers. The Draper location has a DIY self-serve dog wash, and both have in-store pickup service. It’s nice to know pets can get holistic care and healthy products here, plus their humans can find smart outfits and swell toys for their cat and dog friends. 2047 E. 3300 South, Millcreek, 801-486-0700; 866 E. 12300 South, Draper, 801 501-0818; dogsmeow.com 2. Paw Paws 3. Healthy Pets Mountain West

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GOODS & SERVICES Best Sustainable Store

Animalia

CW STAFF

PICKS

At Animalia, they not only sell bulk soap, detergents, toothpaste, facial and body washes and so much more, but also sustainably made and harvested botanical balms, salves and other body and face products that look and smell amazing, plus handy tools for making chores and leisure alike waste-free. Adorable, ethically (and often locally) made home goods and accessories dot the shop, too.

If you decide you want to try out the bulk life, they’ve even got free containers donated from customers for you to take for your first time. 280 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-521-4425, animaliaslc.com

Best Advent Calendar

Les Madeleines

Best Corner Store That’s Actually a Pizzeria

Central 9th Market

This new market offers big-city diversity, selling fresh produce (including the most gorgeous locally grown mushrooms), fancy chips, hot sauces, cheese, meats, seltzers, sodas and bags of agua fresca. But the star of the show is its killer breakfast and lunchtime sandwiches, squished between their housemade focaccia, which, like their hit-the-spot pizzas, are baked to perfection in a blazing brick oven. 161 W. 900 South, SLC, 385-332-3240, central9th.com

Edible advent calendars: Les Madeleines

Best Dining Trend

Delivery and Takeout via Social Media

Best New Mixer for the Masses

Drupe Fruit

Best Brewery Merchandise

Best Urban Renewal

Best In-Store Gelato Bar

If you’re even somewhat active in Utah’s drinking and nightlife scene, you’ll have seen someone sporting a distinctive Fisher Beer logo on their hat or shirt. The iconic, bold red parallelogram is derived from the original Fisher Brewery, which opened in 1884.

It’s telling at how well loved the brand name is when the majority of guests at Fisher are wearing their clothing on any given day. 320 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337, fisherbeer.com

The mythical phoenix was reborn in the ashes of a funeral pyre. Similarly, the aptly named Green Phoenix Farm has risen from the ashes of a blighted, 1.4acre lot, six blocks west of downtown Salt Lake City. There, within earshot of the freeway, a showcase garden has taken root since the site was acquired by Wasatch Community Gardens in 2016. It has flowered, literally and figuratively.

Two greenhouses and well-tended growing beds produce organic vegetables, which are donated to low-income families; seeds, which are sold to the Snake River Seed Cooperative; and jobs for women contending with homelessness.

Would that every urban-renewal project harvested so much success in so short a time. 622 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-2658, wasatchgardens.org

Ten Harmons grocery stores in the Salt Lake area offer gelato bars as part of their in-store cafes. Eighteen Harmon’s gelato flavors regularly rotate, explains bakery manager Tynan Montano.

Blackberry cheesecake is the most popular flavor. Gelato has less fat and fewer calories than ice cream, and Harmons sorbettos— blood orange, grapefruit and limoncello—are water-based and nondairy. Many ingredients—and even the cups and spoons—are imported from Italy. Multiple locations, harmonsgrocery.com

Fisher Beer

Best Joy of Shopping

Got Beauty

It’s a thing of great beauty, this shop. Don’t mistake it as a boring retail outlet where you buy expensive hair products. It feels fun entering this store—celebratory, in fact, as you gaze upon mugs, magnets, adornments and, yes, quality beauty and hair products stacked impressively to the ceiling. You’ll find audacious trinkets and collectibles that make you laugh out loud. In the back, you can reserve spa services such as pedis, manis and waxing, or book a makeup sesh before your Christmas party. It’s an energizing hub created to pamper and empower. So, indulge, ladies, indulge. 904 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-474-2090, gotbeauty.com

Green Phoenix Farm

Best Pancake Syrup

Hammer Spring Distillers

Founded in 2016 by JP and Vita Bernier, this distillery celebrates Rocky Mountain life with small-batch spirits such as their single-barrel, wheated (with a “spicy zip of rye”) 94-proof bourbon. They also offer two gins: one crystal-clear with notes of mountain sage and juniper and another a soft gold color that’s finished in oak rye barrels. And then there’s their outstanding potato vodka—truly “farm to glass.”

But for a real treat, indulge in JP’s World Famous Whiskey Pancake Syrup, aged in whiskey barrels and inspired by JP’s time as a Burning Man breakfast chef. If you haven’t tried their offerings, call ahead and take a tasting tour at their plant.

3697 W. 1987 South, Building 5, SLC, 801-599-4704, hammerspring.com

Harmons Grocery

Best Upscale Delivery

Hive Eats

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a lot of folks to think creatively about how to get their food, from grocery deliveries to more outdoor dining locations. Hive Eats launched as a way to get the fantastic preparations of some of the Salt Lake Valley’s best restaurants—including Pago, Finca, Cannella’s, Mazza, Publik and more—directly to customers at their homes, with meals specifically designed for reheating upon delivery. While the service took a summer break, it’s returning in the fall with new restaurant partners and a broader menu, so that those who aren’t quite ready to sit down in restaurants yet can still enjoy the pleasures of their food. hiveeatsslc.com

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Bartenders know all about the beauty of the fruit shrub. Derived from a 15th-century English fruit preservation method, shrubs are a syrupy combination of fruit-infused vinegar and sugar or honey that’s perfect for making cocktails but also refreshing when added to soda water. Local small-batch shrubbers Drupe Fruit make inventive new flavors every week that they sell at the Downtown Farmers Market. It’s also stocked at Animalia, Central 9th Market, Zest Kitchen & Bar and Boozetique. drupefru.it

Renowned for her kouign amanns, Les Madeleines owner Romina Rasmussen pulls another tasty treat from up her floured sleeve every holiday season— the advent calendar. Filled with pâtes de fruits, chocolates and other sweets, each door reveals a hidden surprise as you countdown to Christmas. Keep an eye out for pre-orders on social media, they sell out fast! 216 E. 500 South, SLC, 801-673-8340, lesmadeleines.com

MEGAN WAGSTAFF

While this was a survival tactic back in 2020, the idea of delivery- or takeout-only restaurants has seemed to click with both vendors and customers alike. With more stories about how food delivery services like DoorDash and Grubhub screw over local restaurants, it’s nice to see those restaurants eliminating the middleman and operating their own delivery or takeout services via social media.

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GOODS AND SERVICES

Lincoln Street Farms

Nico and Nat Dicou transformed their backyard into an urban farm where they grow flowers and plants and make candles and soap—all on 0.2 acres in downtown Salt Lake City. This company is 100% women-owned, women who love upcycling and anything antique. In fact, their farmhouse was built in 1896, and they restored the antique greenhouse on their farm in 2020. This is where to get starters for your own garden. Keep an eye out for when they have pop-up shows or host music so you can check it out. lincolnstreetfarm.com

Best Bookstore that Could

Marissa’s Books

In an era of depressing news about the state of independent bookstores, along comes Marissa’s Books with a welcome, happy story. Named for a wide-eyed granddaughter of owner Cindy Dumas who was taken in by her first bookstore experience, Marissa’s has grown from a humble store in Midvale into its own good-size building in Millcreek where it is known for fun décor, great prices and an offering of sections that stretch the gamut of religion to mysticism to adult fiction, then back again, and of course…. children’s. 3302 S. 900 East, Millcreek, 801-262-2873, marissasbooks.com

Best Sharp Piece of Art

New West Knife Works

New West Knife Works founder Corey Milligan believes that cooks need the best tools for the job. He previously worked as a line cook in local restaurants and his interest in cutlery came from a desire to create a knife conveying his passion for cooking. His handcrafted knives are a beautiful combination of quality and craftsmanship—just holding one in your hand makes you a better cook. The powder-metal steel is not only durable but also easy to sharpen. In addition, the company will tune up your knife at any time for no charge. Multiple locations, newwestknifeworks.com

Honey Teahive queen bee Mika Lee

CW STAFF

PICKS

Best Tea Party to Go

Honey Teahive Mika Lee appeared on our radar as a writer for Devour Utah, City Weekly’s erstwhile foodie magazine. Who knew that even as she interviewed chefs and cooks throughout Utah for the magazine, she yearned to create her own enterprise— which was to offer Salt Lake denizens a traveling tea party! Lee brought her dream to fruition during the rise of COVID-19, and in spite of all the obstacles the pandemic created for entrepreneurs, she has become one sought-after culinary queen. From brewing unbelievably delicious tea (she learned all about it from relatives in Taiwan) to creating divine pastries and sweets (ever tried mooncake?), Lee can either bring the tea party to you, or you can pick up a “tea party in a box” from her operation based out of the Square Kitchen. Plus, she will cater your special events. In whatever way you come to her, be prepared for a taste treat unlike any other. 801-998-2057, honeyteahive.com

CAIT LEE

Best at Blooming Where They’re Planted

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GOODS AND SERVICES Best Home and Lifestyle Treasures

CW STAFF

O. C. Tanner Jewelers

PICKS

You may be under the impression that O.C. Tanner Jewelers just sell (stunning) jewelry. But their Home and Lifestyle collection will overwhelm you with a vast array of luxury, from handmade ceramics by Montes Doggett that will adorn any surface to exquisite fountain pens by David Oscarson—sure to improve the worst of penmanship. Find that statement piece of home décor or the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for person in your life right here at O.C. Tanner. Multiple locations, octannerjewelers.com

Best Breakfast in Bed

Valley House Inn of Utah

Best Tattoo Oil

Olio Skin & Beard Co.

If you give a damn about what goes on your skin, these are the products for you. Their Tattoo Oil, which we found at the Downtown Farmers Market, will get you hooked. We also love their Beard and Face Oil (even if you are a woman... let’s be honest, ladies sometimes have a beard!), and their natural deodorant is just what our stinky pits need. 2065 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-441-0966, olioskin.com

Best Mexican Meals at the Market More and more savvy shoppers are finding the produce sections of Rancho Markets offer all kinds of savings. They are finding that butchered meats are better than that stuff in Styrofoam and plastic. They’re also finding that great meals are found at the Rancho Market. While the best you can do in most grocery stores is paper cup coffee and a Danish (c’mon—do better, big boys!), when you eat at a Rancho Market kitchen, you’re taken into deep Mexico via dishes like molcajete and chilaquiles among the favorites on their full menu boards. Seriously good food. Multiple locations, ranchomarkets.com

Rachel Dalby, Valley House Inn of Utah proprietress

OGDEN VALLEY NEWS

Rancho Market

Want to sweep your sweetheart off their feet for a romantic vacay?

Forget Paris. Huntsville, je t’aime.

A historic, 150-year-old Victorian mansion awaits you with a romance package at Valley House Inn of Utah.

This boutique hotel owned by Rachel Dalby pampers with long-stemmed roses, custom cakes and sweets, local truffle chocolates and artisan bath products. Fancy breakfast in bed? Enjoy a gourmet three-course brunch with locally sourced, organic ingredients delivered to your room.

Speaking of rooms, each features a fireplace and a whirlpool or clawfoot tub. Book the Nelson suite and you’ll score a private sauna as well. 7318 E. 200 South, Huntsville, 801-745-8259 valleyhouseinn.com

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WHEN YOU WAKE UP FROM THOSE POW DREAMS, AND YOU GOTTA GET THAT SHRED FIX! SKI TRUCKS CAN HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN. WITH DISCOUNTED PRICING EVERYDAY, AND UNPARALLELED CUSTOMER SERVICE.

HO HO HOME is all you need this holiday season!

for all your real estate needs, Call Paula Saltas ALPINE / NORDIC / SNOWBOARDING / APPAREL & ACCESSORIES DROP IN AT 1260 WEST NORTH TEMPLE, SLC UT SKITRUCKS.COM / 801-595-0919 / SERVICE@SKITRUCKS.COM

801-573-6811 paula@chapmanrichards.com

GOODS AND SERVICES Best Reasonably Priced Anger Management

CW STAFF

PICKS

Smash It

Thanks to the trauma of 2020, virtually all of us have a little extra pent-up rage these days. Smash It Rage Rooms offer patrons the opportunity to pay a modest fee to smash dainty tea cups, throw glass bottles against the wall or even smash your ex’s cherished action figures and mixtapes to smithereens in a festive, controlled environment where you don’t have to clean up the mess you make.

Smash It Salt Lake City, 1154 S. 300 West, Ste. D, SLC, 801-690-3758; Smash It Ogden, 2254 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801-690-0578, smash-itragerooms.com

Best Dining District

Salt Lake Chinatown

Durians at the Chinatown Supermarket

Best Home Car Detailing

Sunny

This mobile car detailing service really lives up to its name, leaving your vehicle and your mood with Sunny vibes. No need to purge items, the detailer carefully places all your Chapsticks and sunglasses neatly in small bags. Upgrade your service and have your leather seats deep cleaned and conditioned or shampoo your floors. Got pets? They clean up that unwanted hair, too. 1375 S. 500 East, No. 143, American Fork, 801-901-0390, drivesunny.com

Best Mobile Bartending Service

An eco-friendly, traveling bartending service? Yes! The Hammered Copper is into beautiful, creative, delicious drinks. Plus, they teach classes and serve at weddings and corporate events. (And they have your non-drinking friends covered, too.) We want this company to be on everyone’s radar. IG: @hammered.copper, 801-448-7891, thehammeredcopper.com

JEN HILL

The Hammered Copper

Anchored by Utah’s largest Asian grocery, the aptly named Chinatown Supermarket, Salt Lake City’s Chinatown is a sixacre development bursting with activity—especially for dinners and brunchy weekends.

The supermarket is filled with amazing items you’ll never find at your local grocer including meat cuts that time forgot. But it’s the dining opportunities that shine, with over a dozen different Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean options calling that will take you through sweets, desserts and pastries to extraordinary and exotic maincourse fare you just don’t find easily in Utah. 3390 S. State, SLC, saltlakechinatown.com

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GOODS AND SERVICES

CW STAFF

Helen Wade, owner of The Stockist

PICKS Best Shop Vibes

DEREK CARLISLE

The Stockist Not only are the carefully curated brands on The Stockist’s racks todie-for, but the shop itself has the friendliest and least pretentious staff we’ve ever encountered.

Whether you’re on the prowl for candles, coffee, jewelry or new duds, this shop will put you at ease the second you walk through the door. Just don’t buy any straight leg jeans when they’re back in stock—at least not until we get a pair first!

875 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-3458, thestockistshop.com

Best New Place to Hunt Vintage

Vintage Market

Fans of the Urban Flea Market rejoice, because there’s a new way to browse ungodly amounts of vintage racks in one place. First appearing in 2019, Vintage Market SLC gets together some of SLC’s finest vintage vendors all in one place for a one-day pop-up—usually at the ClubHouse on South Temple, though last year, they innovatively went virtual with a week-by-week vendor who would sell by taking over the Vintage Market SLC Instagram for a day. Follow them online to keep up with future dates. IG: @vintagemarketslc

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COMMERCE Best Family-Owned Business

READERS’

Glover Nursery

PICKS

This nursery is known as “Utah’s first family nursery, where a love for plants runs deep.” What few know is that there actually was a “Glover” who ran the nursery with his son, Parley. He came from a long line of nurserymen, one of whom trained under Queen Victoria’s gardener. The business is now run by a modern family of college graduates and professional horticulturalists with more than 200 years of expertise. They stock seasonal items such as vegetable starts, flowers, bulbs and Christmas trees as well as water features, gardening supplies, soils, mulch, bark and rock—all on a 10-acre campus. Customers rely on longtime employees for annual planting and seasonal advice. Online comments note how responsive the nursery was in bringing in more drought-resistant and native plants to sell to customers. 9275 S. 1300 West, West Jordan, 801-562-5496, glovernursery.com 2. All Hours Plumbing 3. Young Automotive Group

Best Local Manufacturer

Lifetime Products

Best Minority-Owned Business

This “Latin and eclectic patisserie” may not have been around Salt Lake for very long, but they‘ve risen to the top of Utah desserts and pastries. Owner Adalberto Diaz has been slapping bread dough and lightly piping icing on tiny cakes for 30 years and has won the Holiday Baking Championship on the Food Network. He also was the semifinalist of Best Baker in America. Chef Al is a renowned employer who loves his team of pastry chefs and stands up as a crusader for human rights in Utah. If you know the difference between a macaron and a macaroon and seek out the freshest flavors, or just want to learn how to make them, this place is “yum” in all ways. Check out classes for wannabe pastry chefs from Chef Al and his talented (and sweet) staff. Locations in SLC, Provo and West Valley, fillingsandemulsions.com 2. Icy Mountain 3. Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill

Best Local Bank

First Utah Bank

Best Made-in-Utah Product

Hemplucid

A top 10 mention in Forbes’ “20 Best CBD Oils to Try This Year,” Hemplucid is a CBD juggernaut found in Provo. Provo!

Chase Hudson founded the company with the vision of creating quality and superior products. Hudson started from humble beginnings, and in a short amount of time, his Utah-based Hemplucid has risen off the charts. They have incredible programs to learn about hemp and cannabis, as well as great resources for employees suffering from mental-health issues. 4844 N. 300 West, Provo, 385-203-8556, hemplucid.com 2. Beehive Cheese 3. Utah Truffles

Best Bank for Small Businesses

Mountain America

With over $9.5 billion in assets, this locally grown credit union has won the race against big national banks for many of its customers. Residents of Salt Lake, Duchesne, Wasatch and Uintah counties appreciate service with a local touch, especially where they entrust their savings and checking accounts. “MACU,” as people call it, began in 1934 in the hell of the Great Depression. Back then, it was hard to convince any banker to lend money to small businesses that had no history of profits, yet MACU brought honest banking practices and immediately filled a need to help dreams come true.

Their 95 branches in six different states prove personalized local credit unions are a great alternative to banks.

Multiple locations, macu.com 2. America First Credit Union 3. Utah First Credit Union

Best Tech Company

Qualtrics

How many surveys do you get each week? From the moment you leave your doctor’s appointment to the concert you attended last night, surveys are as common as tomato on a BLT. Qualtrics doesn’t call what they do “surveys”; they prefer to be known as “experience managers.” Founded in Provo in 2002, this NASDAQ-traded firm has proven that their research

Lifetime watercraft: Whatever floats your boat

platforms are crucial for businesses to measure employee experiences and brand awareness through key metrics. Their customers include BMW, Microsoft, Under Armour, Chobani, JetBlue and Yamaha to name a few. The more a company knows how to measure customer interactions, the better they can build a smoother experience for the customer and a better brand that will lead to customer loyalty. 333 W. River Park Drive, Provo, 801-374-6682, qualtrics.com 2. BambooHR 3. Domo

Best Trade School

Salt Lake Community College

As Utah’s largest and most diverse higher-education institution, Salt Lake Community College plays an essential role in the academic machinery of the state. Whether they be young adults progressing along the learning ladder or nontraditional students enhancing their workforce credentials, tens of thousands of Utahns and their families rely on SLCC and its everincreasing number of degree and certification programs.

Multiple locations, slcc.edu 2. Davis Technical College 3. Paul Mitchell The School Salt Lake City

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Founded in 1978, this local bank never sold out when the economy was good or bad. They grew from a tiny onestop bank to be one of the largest community-focused banks in the state, with seven branches in Salt Lake and Utah Counties. They love to say they can do anything a big corporate bank can do, but they can do it faster, better and probably for less money. That means your checking account won’t have outrageous fees, and your home loan won’t have excessive closing costs. One customer pointed out that the staff doesn’t turn over constantly like other banks they’ve used, which means FUB has to be a pretty great place to work. Multiple branches, 801-308-BANK, firstutahbank.com 2. Cyprus Credit Union 3. University of Utah Credit Union

Not everyone knows this company is based here in Utah, but most of us use and love their products. What started as an idea in a garage in Riverdale, Utah, the Lifetime Products founder simply wanted to build a better basketball hoop for his family. He created the company in 1985 along with his Quick Adjust basketball hoop/standard.

They soon leveraged that success to branch out into affordable plastic-molded picnic tables and chairs, sheds, kayaks, playsets and more.

The company has more than 1,500 employees worldwide, but they still feel like a small local company that gives back to the community.

Their recent bear-resistant coolers are a hit with campers. The company continues to listen to what customers are looking for in affordable and durable outdoor products.

801-776-1532, lifetime.com 2. Kuhl 3. Black Diamond

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Fillings & Emulsions

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COMMERCE Best Business School

READERS’

University of Utah David Eccles School of Business

PICKS

Forbes magazine named the U’s School of Business one of the best in the country a few years ago, and the accolades continue to roll in. One reason for the great ranking is because the school is committed to making significant investments in full-time MBA education by hiring prestigious faculty from around the world to serve as mentors, by offering more scholarships and by including a broader range of classes. This was a close vote between three outstanding Utah business schools. It’s clear that Utah students’ strong interest in business programs is what attracts diverse and talented instructors. Having a diploma from any of our MBA programs is a bold highlight on any job applicant’s resume, and statistics prove that high graduation rates lead to excellent opportunities for alumni. 1655 Campus Center Drive, SLC, 801-581-7676, eccles.utah.edu 2. Westminster College Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business 3. BYU Marriott School of Business

Best Company That Gives Back

Stubbs Dental

Best Local Company to Work For

City Weekly ace investigators interviewed employees at Young Automotive Group (YAG) to learn why they liked working for the company. The adjectives just rolled off their tongues…Fun! Amazing people work here! Great benefits! Like a family! One person said ‘It cares deeply for all employees. Not a single person here have I seen not be included in meetings, games, events, community and of course, competition.” Apparently, there are great opportunities for employees to learn from one another, and the company provides the tools and training to be successful. YAG has 27 locations in Utah and Idaho and sells new and used Chevys, Volkswagens, Hondas, Toyotas, Jeeps, Audis, Buicks, Fords, Kias, Chryslers and powersports. With that many locations and so many types of vehicles, any gearhead can pick and choose their passion to follow a career path in a company that cares not just about the bottom line but about those who make YAG run smoothly.

Multiple locations in Utah and Idaho, youngautomotive.com 2. Utah Jazz 3. O.C. Tanner

Rolling out the red carpet at Stubbs Dental

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Young Automotive Group

Many of us dread going to the dentist. There are scary noises, instruments you can’t see being stuck into your mouth and sometimes there’s pain. It’s such a common fear that patients will avoid getting regular checkups and then eventually end up with dental problems. The dentists at Stubbs start with a great mission: They donate the proceeds of all new-patient exams to a deserving member or organization within the community. One couple, Eric and Jody, were recipients of Stubbs love. Eric was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. He lost his job and had steep medical bills. Both of them contracted COVID-19 and pneumonia. Soon after, Eric suffered a stroke and died. The father of 12 left a wife who couldn’t work due to her medical problems, but Stubbs stepped in with $4,215 to help cover funeral expenses and future medical bills. The staff keeps the fundraiser active on their website, as well as details on their dental services. That’s some feelgood info to calm your nerves. Locations in Bountiful, Layton, Murray and Lehi; stubbsdental.com 2. Cotopaxi 3. Qualtrics

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COMMERCE CW STAFF

PICKS The Gateway Mall Never did we think we’d award a mall, much less one we called the Beige Way! But that was before City Weekly’s marketing director, Jackie Briggs, left us and went to work for the mall’s new owners, Vestar, which promised to spend millions restoring Gateway to its former glory. Lucky for them, Briggs showed up with her City Weekly soul intact and sense of community spirit rarin’ to go. Overcoming challenges such as being located across the street from a homeless shelter, losses of anchor tenants, shoppers staying home due to COVID-19 and more, Briggs and her team have attracted a new following for the mall as an entertainment destination. It’s also a welcoming venue for nonprofits to stage community events, a place to enjoy live bands on summer nights or even a setting for goat yoga! It’s easy to be cynical about a mall but Gateway is reinventing itself, and we think a certain Ms. Briggs is keeping it real. 400 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-456-0000, atthegateway.com

From festivals to goat yoga, The Gateway is a place to gather for fun.

community where Utah families are empowered to live life, not just endure it.

Thanks for those who voted for us in BEST OF UTAH!

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Best Community Spirit

Creating a

Life Changing Chiropractic Care in Salt Lake City.

Best Local Company to Go Public

Traeger Pellet Grills

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On July 29, 2021, Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger Grills, rang the opening bell at the NYSE. Traeger’s IPO opened above the planned price at $22 a share, with the ticker name “Cook”. Andrus and his crew have built a community around the brand, the “Traegerhood” where the most novice of cooks can create something delicious on the versatile pellet grill. 1215 E. Wilmington Ave., SLC, 800-872-3437, traeger.com

CHIROPRACTORS

Precise

Gentle

Effective

Elevationcenterutah.com

The CDC RECOVER Study is looking for unvaccinated participants to earn $200 in compensation. www.TheRECOVERStudy.com *A parent study to PROTECT (RECOVER) has opened enrollment to “unvaccinated public workers” earning $200 in compensation. www.TheRECOVERStudy.com

515 E 4500 S #G230, SLC, UT 84107 (385) 743-8833 @elevationchiropracticcenter

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Why Choose Chiropractic?

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OUTDOORS & RECREATION Best Scenic Drive

Alpine Loop

READERS’

There is nothing quite like driving the Alpine Loop at the height of fall, when gold, orange and red leaves create an airy tunnel. The arresting beauty of American Fork Canyon, Mount Timpanogos and the Unita National Forest are truly some of the most striking vistas that the state of Utah has to offer. SR-92, American Fork Canyon 2. Mirror Lake Highway 3. Guardsman Pass

PICKS Best Ski Shop

Sports Den

Best Bike Shop

Bingham Cyclery

For nearly six decades, Bingham Cyclery has been the go-to spot for bicycles and bike maintenance up and down the Wasatch Front. Its friendly staff and welcoming showrooms are there for the new customer shopping their first frame as well as the gearheads shopping the latest and greatest in bike tech. Multiple locations, binghamcyclery.com 2. Contender Bicycles 3. Saturday Cycles

Sports Den offers full service tuning and a maintenance shop.

Best Local Gear Brand

Black Diamond

Black Diamond has made such a name for itself in the outdoor recreation world that you’d be forgiven if you forgot it’s based in Holladay. Since making the Wasatch Front its home more than 30 years ago, Black Diamond has grown into a powerhouse, supplying the equipment that connects climbers, skiers and other adventurers with mountains around the world. blackdiamondequipment.com 2. Cotopaxi 3. Kuhl

Bonneville Golf Course

Best Bowling Alley

Bonwood Bowl

It’s hard to top a classic, and no bowling alley captures the perfect blend of traditional and modern quite like South Salt Lake’s OG pinsters Bonwood Bowl. Whether you’re a pro fighting for that 300-point game, an open-play normie who enjoys eating pizza and tossing balls or a wanderer looking for a chill place to drink a pint and catch the game, Bonwood is there to welcome you with open arms an a pair of freshly sanitized shoes. 2500 S. Main, South Salt Lake, 901-487-7758, bonwoodbowl.com 2. Pins and Ales 3. Olympus Lanes

Best Snowboarding

Brighton Resort

Utah’s original ski resort is also the favorite of local snowboarders. Known for its low-key vibe and its extensive network of backcountry runs, Brighton’s perch at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon offers unrivaled access to the CacheWasatch National Forest and a pristine, thrilling showcase for the greatest snow on Earth. 8302 S. Brighton Loop Road, Brighton, 801-532-4731, brightonresort.com 2. Snowbird 3. Powder Mountain

Best Paddle Board Lake

Causey Reservoir

Causey Reservoir is one of Utah’s worst-kept secrets, as one trip to this alpine dam is all it takes to realize what you’ve been missing.

Located a short drive east from Huntsville, Causey is restricted to only human-powered floatation devices and small fishing boats, creating a natural, untamed atmosphere that is also easily accessible. Parking fills up fast, so be prepared to go early or walk a ways, and don’t be afraid to jump the cliffs—water-level depending—or join a makeshift flotilla. State Route 39, Weber County, fs.usda.gov 2. Tibble Fork Reservoir 3. JordanelleReservoir

Best State Park

Goblin Valley

Utah is home to a wealth of beautiful, fascinating landscapes, but even among that

elite group there are few that are as singularly unique as Goblin Valley, with its sprawling fields of hoodoos that burst out of the ground like boiling earth or some alien terrain. Make the trip if you haven’t and make it again if you have.

Goblin Valley Road, Green River, 435-275-4584, stateparks.utah.gov 2. Antelope Island 3. Dead Horse Point

Best Bike Path

Jordan River Parkway

Cutting a 40-mile path through the center of Salt Lake County, the Jordan River Parkway is a multi-jurisdictional marvel and transportation corridor rivaled only by the considerably less pleasant and inexcusably dangerous State Street. Developed over decades, the Parkway has reached an inflection point that offers the state’s best visualization of what a car-free

future could be, offering pedestrians, cyclists and kayakers a new path through the places they call home. Lehi to North Salt Lake, west of Interstate 15 2. Parleys Trail 3. Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Best Hike Path

Lake Blanche

Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to one of the more popular hikes around, Lake Blanche. The heavily trafficked trail has limited parking and the shoulder of the road piles up with parked cars, so get there early for your excursion.

But boy, is the 6.8-mile hike worth it. The mountaintop lake offers spectacular views with plentiful wildlife, including the occasional moose. Make sure to pack plenty of water and snacks before embarking. Big Cottonwood Canyon 2. Living Room 3. Dog Lake

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With its hilly terrain and challenging greens, Bonneville is one of the most popular golf courses in Utah. Just five minutes from downtown, it’s become the go-to spot for a full 18, quick 9 or tune up on the driving range. The Salt Lake County public course offers great views of the mountain range and wonderful sunsets—it’s the perfect course for Utah to flex its muscles for out-of-town guests or friends. 954 Connor St., SLC, 801-583-9513, slc-golf.com 2. Mountain Dell 3. Bountiful Ridge

Founded in 1972, Sports Den has been suiting up outdoor enthusiasts for generations of Utahns. Their ski shop services run the gamut from a basic buff and wax to base refinishing and stone repair. If you need new gear, it’s your one-stop shopping from head to toe. Along with their diverse selection of ski gear, Sports Den is stocked up with bikes and accessories for the warmer months. 1350 S. Foothill Drive, SLC, 801-582-5611, sportsden.com 2. Level Nine Sports 3. Ski ‘N See

SKI UTAH

Best Public Golf Course

Bonwood

• 42 Lanes • Awesome Sound System • Sports Monitors • Over 40 Varieties Of Beer • Bonwood Cafe • Competitive Edge Pro Shop

OUTDOORS & RECREATION

READERS’

Starting as a snowboard shop in 1984, Milosport is still slashing.

PICKS Best Skate Shop

Milosport

CHECK OUT OUR BRAND NEW LANES 801.487-7758 • BONWOODBOWL.COM • 2500 S. MAIN STREET

Managed Accounts Energy Specialist. Evergreen Consulting Group, LLC. Cedar Hills, UT. Secure & build relationships with new & existing contractors, distributors, manufacturers, & customers. BS in Energy Mgmt, Buss Admin, or rel. 2 yrs exp in electrical industry, lighting design, lighting distribution, or rel.

Other specific exp reqd.

Travel: 5% ID & 5% OR. Apply at: evergreen-efficiency.com/ about/join-evergreen-team/.

Snow or skate, if you’re heading out with a board in your hand, you can and should gear up at Milosport, Salt Lake and Utah’s original board shop. They have the answers to all of your questions, and if they don’t, they’ll find out for you, in order to get you set up to roll out. 3119 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-487-8600, milosport.com 2. Raunch Records & Skate 3. Directive Boardshop

JOHN TAYLOR

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Winner “Best Of Utah” Bowling 8 Years in a Row! COME AND SEE WHY!

Best Recreation Sports Store

Best Ski Resort

The big names in outdoor recreation do big business, but like the difference between a department store and a tailor, the team at Recreation Outlet offer a shopping experience that provides all the top brands and best prices with an intimate and locals-friendly level of care. A great adventure requires the right tools, Recreation Outlet has what you need.

3160 S. State, South Salt Lake, 801-484-4800, recreationoutlet.com 2. Wasatch Touring 3. Level Nine Sports

Happy (slightly early) 50th birthday to this beloved Utah ski destination, which launched in December 1971. It’s no exaggeration to suggest that it’s only grown better and more popular with each passing year, particularly for those who like runs that challenge them. Snowbird’s perpetual quest for innovations and improvements continues this year with the “Fast Tracks” upgrade for those who want shorter wait times, plus an improved on-site power station that heats the resort through recycled thermal waste. 9385 S. Snowbird Center Dr., 800-232-9542 Snowbird, snowbird.com 2. Brighton Resort 3. Alta Ski Area

Recreation Outlet Snowbird

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Best NPS Hidden Gem

CW STAFF

Capitol Reef National Park

PICKS

Utah boasts five national parks, and although Capitol Reef isn’t the least visited (that award goes to Canyonlands) it is relatively off the beaten path as the unofficial “backyard” of Torrey, UT. This means cheap stays year-round, uncrowded dining options and overall less of a touristy vibe than the likes of Cedar City, Moab or Springville. Just 3.5 hours from Salt Lake, it’s also the closest national park, making it perfect for a short weekend getaway. Torrey, 435-425-3791, nps.gov

Best Weekly Bicycle Social

The 999 Ride

Best Forest for Your Griswald Christmas

Fishlake National Forest

A slow, casual ride, 999 is a social event every Thursday at 9 p.m., weather be damned.

Trekking into the woods to cut your very own Christmas tree is the ultimate holiday DIY activity, and Fishlake National Forest in Sevier and Wayne counties is the ideal locale.

With the proper snow gear, chain saw, permit and a can-do attitude, you and yours will be the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nut house. fs.usda.gov/main/fishlake

Best Abandoned Spiritualist Commune

Home of Truth, San Juan County

In 1933, a grief-stricken New Jersey widow named Marie Ogden founded a spiritualist commune that housed 100 people in Southern Utah. Ogden hoped to communicate with her dead husband, Harry. Instead, she became Public Enemy No. 1 when she made a botched attempt to reanimate a deceased woman. The remains of her commune are still visible near Newspaper Rock and the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Visitors are welcome to snap photos from the side of the road. 195 State Highway-211, Monticello

Best Calf Workout

Mount Timpanogos Trail

At 11,752 feet, “Timp” is the second-highest peak in the Wasatch Range. The trail to the summit is 16 miles out-andback with 5,600 feet of elevation gain. It will absolutely wreck your legs, but the accomplishment and views of Utah County are well worth the trek. Bring more water than you think you’ll need, plus food and a camera to document your journey along the way. Mount Timpanogos Trailhead, UT-92, Provo

Best Sunset Stroll

Oquirrh Lake at Daybreak

In a time of drought, Oquirrh Lake, a 65-acre, man-made lake located at Daybreak, just below one of the top producing copper mines in the world, provides a truly idyllic setting for an evening stroll. Thanks to the water piped in courtesy of long-standing Kennecott water rights, homeowners here who live on streets like Paddleboard Way and Bayshore Drive enjoy lakefront vistas and nautical adventures, even if the entire urban simulacrum rests on mine ponds and sludge that have been moved to parts unknown. At sunset, the lake ebbs and shimmers throughout neighborhoods of fancy-schmancy homes, bridges, docks and boardwalks. With more than 3 miles of paved pathways that skirt the lake’s perimeter, you can watch kids throw in their fishing lines and listen to ducks quacking in the reeds while you marvel at this fake but marvelous bustling bit of suburbia that is all in all quite glorious. daybreakutah.com

Around 9 p.m. each Thursday, the intersection of 900 East and 900 South begins to fill with cyclists.

Hundreds infiltrate from all directions, creating a convivial scene that is more flash mob than Tour de France. More motley garb than lime-green spandex.

More fixies than e-bikes. More beer than Gatorade.

Two bikes are ablaze with LED string lights. One, with ape-hanger handlebars, tows a trailer with speakers the size of milk crates. The woofers thump.

The growing crowd mills around until 10 p.m., when, like a flock of starlings, it is up and off into the night.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Nary a police car in sight. facebook.com/999ride

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OUTDOORS & RECREATION

Best Bike Playground

Best Dog Connection

Sharing trails with mountain bikers can be frustrating for all parties involved, but not so much in Corner Canyon, where Draper and the Corner Canyon Trails Foundation have built a staggering concentration of all-ages, all-skill-level cycling facilities. Uphill- and downhill-only areas help to minimize trail conflicts and on any given weekend, riders from age 8 to 80 can be found catching air above the jump lines at the bike park or spraying dirt off the berms up the canyon. Various trailheads including Lower Corner Canyon, Coyote Hollow and Potato Hill, Draper, CornerCanyonTrails.com

This family owned and operated local dog-sledding business is much more than a pack of dogs that run, and win, races. Fernando and Dana Ramirez, along with their five children, have dedicated their lives to their 83 donated and/or rescue pups. These dogs of mixed breeds share a common purpose: to live their best life and give back to Fernando. Fernando works tirelessly to cultivate a connection to each dog, some of whom are blind or have temperament issues, building relationships of trust. Through time and discovery, he and his pack are a mushing team unlike any you’ve seen. Give yourself a gift and take a tour. Open year-round. 4733 W. Browns Canyon Road, Peoa, 435-783-3473, lunalobos.com

Corner Canyon

Best Enduring Pandemic Trend

Outdoor Roller Disco Parties

What at first seemed like a frenzied, cabin-fever inspired trend at the beginning of 2020 has turned into an enduring lifestyle hobby for many in 2021. With skating came roller disco revival, and outdoor skate night parties have endured, often hosted by the Salt Lake City Skate Babes and their host of slick DJs. Utilizing venues like Jordan Park, they’ve fused their boogie with activism, hosting fundraisers for local orgs and fun-themed nights like skate prom. IG: @slcskatebabes

Rancho Luna Lobos

Best Inspiration for Waterwise Plants

Red Butte’s Water Conservation Garden

Want to free yourself from the water-sucking green grass but unsure where to start? Red Butte’s Water Conservation Garden provides plenty of water-wise inspiration—complete with plant names, preferred sun exposure and watering frequency—for turning that humdrum lawn into a blooming feast for the eyes. 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, 801-585-0556, redbuttegarden.org

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Best Trailhead at Twilight

CW STAFF

Squaw Peak Overlook

PICKS

Plenty of ink has been spent cataloguing the trailheads along the Wasatch Front. Almost all are boot-worn and dog-whizzed. None has enough parking. Some are targeted by smash-and-grab thieves, and overflowing trash cans are the norm. On the “scenic” scale, not many rank as high as the Squaw Peak Overlook if only because of its panoramic view of Salt Lake Valley. Accessed by a right turn off Highway 189, three miles beyond the mouth of Provo Canyon, a paved trailhead offers hiking trails on Squaw Peak and Buffalo Mountain. For afternoon hikers who plan ahead, the velvet hour finds them back at the overlook in time to uncork a bottle of wine as the sun sets beyond Utah Lake. Provo responds with a grid of night lights. Squaw Peak Overlook, Squaw Peak Road, Provo

Best Paranormal Weirdness

Skinwalker Ranch

Best Dog Paradise

Tanner Park

Tanner Park is Salt Lake’s official unofficial best off-leash dog park. Located at the mouth of Parleys Canyon where Interstates 80 and 215 intersect, the 13 acres of off-leash area and two watering holes are ideal places for furry friends to roam and play. Dogs of all shapes and sizes can be found playing fetch, swimming and enjoying time with their humans. Ever wonder what heaven looks like? Visit Tanner Park. 2660 E. Heritage Way, SLC, 385-468-7275, slco.org/parks/tanner-park

Best Daylighting

Three Creeks Confluence Park

Skinwalker Ranch in Utah’s Uintah Basin

Skinwalker Ranch—located in Ballard, Utah, roughly a 2 ½ hour drive from Salt Lake— has reportedly been a hot spot for UFO and unexplained paranormal activity for nearly 50 years. More recently, Skinwalker Ranch has received international attention due to the History Channel show The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch that attempts to unravel the many mysteries associated with the area. The ranch is as fortified as Area 51, but if you’re curious about UFOs, a drive to remote Ballard may be worthwhile. Located in the Uintah Basin, near Roosevelt off Hwy. 191

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OUTDOORS & RECREATION

Salt Lake City is a community “founded by faith and nourished by irrigation,” wrote Wallace Stegner. The Mormon pioneers’ irrigation scheme relied on the seven canyon streams flowing out of the Wasatch Mountains. That those streams disappeared into pipes as the city grew is a monumental irony. Even the artful Seven Canyons Fountain in Liberty Park fell into waterless neglect. Then, in 2012, City Creek’s eponymous shopping mall daylighted flowing water in the belief it would be good for business. Nine years later, three more streams have been outed in a $3-million park adjacent to the Jordan River Parkway Trail on 1300 South. In the Three Creeks Confluence Park, streams from Red Butte, Emigration and Parleys canyons meet in a stretch of newly restored channel. Its reach is just 200, day-lit feet, but it’s a good start for a desert city. 950 W. 1300 South, SLC, sevencanyonstrust.org/three-creeks-confluence

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Utah’s Best-Kept Secret Serving Breakfast - Lunch & Dinner Daily.

Fresh Food • Made From Scratch

Legends is a home away from home where we create our food with love and welcome everyone as family.

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www.whylegends.com

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RESTAURANTS

READERS’

PICKS Best Bakery

Gourmandise

Gourmandise’s limited run of Boss Biscuits

Best Coffee Shop

Beans & Brews

There’s just something about the java at Beans & Brews.

They say their bean-roasting process (which takes place in Utah at 4,400 foot above sea level) gives them “a significant advantage” over the competition, lending their coffees a “smooth intensity.” And isn’t that how we all like to feel after ingesting our morning cup: smoothly intense? They even have a system that measures the flavor, body and acidity of their beans, so you can have your coffee just the way you like it. A Utah success story, “Beans” (as their regulars call them) is family-owned since 1993 by Jeff and Kevin Laramie, who operate or franchise some 58 locations in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. Plus, they are a wholesaler of coffee beans. We know these stats are beside the point when you sit down to enjoy your morning joe and avocado toast over a copy of City Weekly. You’re just after the smooth intensity. Multiple locations, beansandbrews.com 2. Coffee Garden 3. Publik Coffee Roaster

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Best Indian Restaurant

Bombay House

Keeping their steady standing at the top, Bombay House serves up consistently good and authentic dishes of curries, tandoori and Indian flat breads. Aromatic and colorful dishes, with a variety of proteins for both vegetarians and carnivores, served in a casual setting, make the dining experience a go-to for locals and visitors alike. Multiple Locations, bombayhouse.com 2. Saffron Valley 3. The Kathmandu

Best Wine List

Best Italian

Maintaining the spot at the top is no small feat, but BTG has managed yet again. Offering a whopping 75 wines by the glass, cocktails, beer and small plates, it is safe to say there is something for the most seasoned drinker. Red and white wine flights in 2-ounce pours are available for those wanting to try a variety. 404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-3592814, btgwinebar.com 2. Tuscany 3. Pago

With Thai restaurants popping up on nearly every corner these days, how is it that Chabaar Beyond Thai is a perennial winner? The answer is Anny Sooksri, the entrepreneur who’s now launched a veritable family of Freshly made pasta, cloth Thai restaurants, including Chabaar Beyond Thai, Tea tablecloths and exceptional service Rose Diner, Fav Bistro and Bakes N’ Bubbles. Located help to make Carmine’s a fine in what was once a coffee shop in a Midvale strip-mall dining experience in a comfortable parking lot, what Chabaar lacks in curb appeal, it but classy atmosphere. Serving makes up for with its creative take on Thai. Sooksri’s authentic Italian dishes like recipes reflect her own palate, and she’s taken creative Neapolitan pizzas and sauces license with some of her dishes, fusing them with brought from his hometown in other cuisines. Open seven days, Chabaar also serves Naples, Italy, Chef Carmine creates breakfast, including Thai breakfasts, along with vegan, quality dishes with a keen attention vegetarian and gluten-free fare—everything made to to detail. 2477 E. Fort Union Blvd, order. You’ll want to try this Thai cuisine! 87 W. 7200 Cottonwood Heights, 801-948-4468, South, Midvale, 801-566-5100, chabaarbeyondthai.com carmines.restaurant 2. Sawadee Thai Restaurant 2. Sicilia Mia 3. Fav Bistro 3. Osteria Amore

BTG

Carmine’s Italian Restaurant

Best Thai Restaurant

Chabaar Beyond Thai

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While one could wax poetic about Gourmandise’s pastries, particularly crowd-favorites like the baba au rum, passion fruit mousse cake and mille feuille, it was a humble shortbread biscuit that caught CW readers’ attention this year. Capitalizing on the popularity of Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning TV show Ted Lasso, Gourmandise ran a limitededition run of buttery Boss Biscuits, complete with pink box and green army guy figurine. Marketing genius?

Yes. But also the best shortbread we’ve ever tasted. Multiple locations, gourmandise.com 2. Fillings & Emulsions 3. Tulie Bakery

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RESTAURANTS

READERS’

PICKS

Best Downtown SLC Restaurant

Copper Onion I don’t like to give away my secret brunch spots, but when one serves up homemade cacio y pepe and $5 bloody marys with house pickle juice, it’s only a matter of time before the recognition starts to roll in.

Copper Onion is a downtown staple for consistently good food any time of day, whether you’re craving wagyu bone marrow, scallops with herbed spaetzle or the quintessential Copper Onion burger with duck fat aioli. And dear Lord, save room for the Valrhona chocolate pudding. 111 E. 300 South, No. 170, SLC, 801-3553282, thecopperonion.com 2. Oquirrh 3. Takashi

Cliff Dining Pub

Serving up sensational views and sushi, this south valley hot spot is an adult hang out with some of the best elevated “bar food” around (think sushi nachos). Craft cocktails, local brews and a decent wine list round out the eclectic menu. Minors are allowed, as they have both a restaurant and bar license, so a family-friendly dinner or brunch is not out of the question. 12234 Draper Gate Drive, Draper, 801-523-2053, cliffdiningpub.com 2. Mint Tapas and Sushi 3. Provisions

Best Utah County Restaurant

Best French Restaurant

La Caille

Maintaining the top spot, La Caille serves the best French cuisine in an elegant atmosphere. Situated on beautiful grounds—20 acres of amazing flowers, trees, perfectly manicured lawns and a three-acre vineyard—your dining experience can only be extraordinary. Open for dinner seven days a week and brunch on the weekends, chef Billy Sotelo is a master at the helm. Try the French onion soup and the garlic butter roasted prime rib. 9565 S. Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, 801-942 1751, lacaille.com 2. Franck’s 3. Eva’s Bakery

Best Atmosphere

Log Haven

The thought of eating dinner in a century-old log cabin might not conjure up images of plates like grilled octopus, pan seared ahi with lobster sauce or a glass of Pascal There are so many things to love about the food Jolivet Pouilly-Fumé, but at Log Haven, that’s exactly being served up at this Provo eatery. Touted what’s delivered. Decked in twinkling fairy lights among as a New American Restaurant, offerings 40 acres of pine trees and waterfalls, this Millcreek like locally sourced braised Clifford Farms gem also serves up elevated renditions of rustic fare pork belly and agnolotti pasta with ricotta like grilled elk NY strip with huckleberry gastrique and and Parmesan filling using roasted local porcini-crusted chicken with king trumpet mushrooms, mushrooms make me giddy. 102 N. University all served beside their crackling fire. 6451 Millcreek Ave., Provo, 801-373-8000, Canyon Road, SLC, 801-272-8255, log-haven.com communalrestaurant.com 2. Carmine’s Italian Restaurant 2. Strap Tank Brewery 3. La Caille 3. TRUreligion Pancake & Steakhouse

Communal

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Best Non-Downtown Restaurant

DEREK CARLISLE

Copper Onion’s Bloody Bull

Best Breakfast

Best Middle-Eastern Restaurant

Originally from upstate New York, the Willey family envisioned an East Coast family-diner atmosphere when they opened Penny Ann’s Cafe in Salt Lake.

Now with locations in Draper and Taylorsville, all offer signature light and airy sour-cream pancakes, hash browns cooked crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, housemade corned-beef hash, fried scones with honey butter and killer biscuits and gravy. At lunch, try their famed grilled Reuben, trademark burgers, wraps and fresh salads. Multiple locations, pennyannscafe.com 2. Park Café 3. Eggs in the City

Like many of the restaurants on this list, Mazza has been a gateway eatery for local diners. Many of us tried Middle Eastern classics like baba ganooj and muhammara for the first time at Mazza, and it’s stayed warm in our hearts ever since. Even after our inaugural visits, there is always something to come back for at this Salt Lake staple. 1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259, mazzacafe.com 2. Laziz Kitchen 3. Beirut Café

Penny Ann’s Café

READERS’

PICKS

Best Vietnamese

Oh Mai

The perfect harmony of Oh Mai’s banh mi sandwiches

Sandwich Kitchen

Best Bar Brunch

Piper Down

There is no shortage of boozy brunch locations around town, but the folks at Piper Down have really gone above and beyond with their community building—and it helps that their brunch menu is amazing. With an old-world Irish pub aesthetic and a menu that caters to both carnivores and herbivores alike, a visit to Piper Down is a great way to kick off a weekend morning. 1492 S. State, SLC, 801-468-1492, piperdownpub.com 2. Green Pig 3. Purgatory

Oh Mai! how we have grown! (That visit from Guy Fieri might have helped fuel the growth.) There are now eight locations of this fast casual eatery in the Salt Lake Valley, plus one in Orem, making it ever-easier to enjoy their spectacular soups, salads and banh mi sandwiches, in which meat, vegetables and Vietnamese seasonings find perfect harmony in a crisp baguette. Order what Guy ate! Multiple locations, ohmaisandwichkitchen.com 2. SOMI Vietnamese Bistro 3. Little Saigon

DEREK CARLISLE

Pie Fight’s raspberry eggnog pie

Best Chinese Restaurant

Best Mexican Restaurant

Do you find it odd that Utah’s best Chinese food restaurant is in Bountiful and is operated by a Greek family? Just get in your jalopy and make the trip to Bountiful.

You’ll see why Mandarin is a shoo-in. The Greek tradition is one of consummate hospitality, and that’s what you’ll find entering the doors of the Mandarin.

Since 1977, the owners have spared no expense in creating the best in Chinese dining (they’ve traveled to Hong Kong and San Francisco to hire the chefs) and to create a lavish setting appointed with eye-popping Chinese art and décor. They even maintain gorgeous Chinese gardens outside. The extensive menu offers all the basics Utahns love as well as more adventurous Chinese dishes and even some fusion entrees. Quality, consistency and service is what you’ll find here, as the owners are hands-on and make each visit to the Mandarin memorable for all the best reasons. 348 E. 900 North, Bountiful, 801-298-2406, mandarinutah.com 2. Red Maple Chinese Restaurant 3. Little World

The North Temple location of Red Iguana (there are now three to choose from) has long been a Salt Lake mainstay, through good times, bad times and worse times. These days, you’re almost guaranteed to see construction cranes for new apartment buildings while you wait in line on the sidewalk, meaning scores of incoming residents are about to get an up-close introduction to one of Salt Lake City’s Mount Rushmore restaurants. The entire neighborhood appears to be on the rise, and the consistency and excellence of this family-run cafe serving world-class moles and traditional dishes has a lot to do with that.

Multiple locations, rediguana.com 2. Blue Iguana 3. Mi Lindo Nayarit

Mandarin

Mazza Cafe

Best Restaurant Patio

Ruth’s Diner

Ruth’s large courtyard patio offers a variety of seating choices and plenty of shade with the canopy of leafy trees. There are also heaters if the temperature dips a bit. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the signature fluffy mile-high biscuits that are amazingly light. The flavorful, homemade raspberry jam really sets them off. “ People come here to find comfort,” says co-owner Tracy Nelson. “We rarely change the menu, and customers like to go where the food is consistent.” 4160 Emigration Canyon Road, SLC, 801-582-5807, ruthsdiner.com 2. Tuscany 3. The Ivy

READERS’

PICKS Best Desserts

Pie Fight

Red Iguana

Best Park City Restaurant

Riverhorse

The crew at Riverhorse on Main must be getting used to the view from the top. Serving up unique dishes like the Durham Ranch buffalo short rib and Morgan Valley lamb lollipops has earned them a Forbes rating for good reason.

An extensive wine list and a solid cocktail/beer/cider menu are also on deck to pair with your meal. 540 Main St., Park City, 435-649-3536, riverhorseparkcity.com 2. Handle 3. Hearth and Hill

If the last hand pie you had was of the Hostess variety, run—don’t walk—to Pie Fight’s walk-up window in the 9th and 9th neighborhood.

With an ever-changing menu of flavors, you’ll want to add this tiny patisserie into your regular dessert rotation so you can try them all, like the bourbon caramel apple, blueberry lemon or pumpkin cream cheese crumble pie.

And if you’re back in the office, they do corporate catering orders too. 937 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-2225373, thepiefight.com 2. Fillings & Emulsions 3. Doki Doki

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READERS’

READERS’

Best Restaurant Brunch

Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Sunday’s Best

Vertical Diner

PICKS

PICKS

Vegan comfort food: Vertical Diner’s mac ‘n’ cheese

Sunday’s Best monkey bread

Best Innovative Restaurant

Table X

A favorite date-night spot, Table X is an experience for the senses from start to finish. They source produce from local farms or grow it in their own onsite garden.

Their bee mural is a nice touch, and the chef’s tasting menu is where it is at. Reservations are recommended; double-check their hours. In case you’re wondering, their gluten-free and veg options are superb! 1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712, tablexrestaurant.com 2. Arlo 3. Oquirrh

When you consider the history of Utah’s plant-based cuisine, it’s hard to think of a restaurant that has been more influential than Vertical Diner. It helped dispel the myth that plant-based dining consisted of sparsely dressed arugula salads drizzled with lemon juice by creating a diner-style menu packed with bold flavors. If you don’t believe plant-based food can be awesome, let Vertical Diner prove you wrong. 234 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-484-8378, verticaldiner.com 2. Zest Kitchen and Bar 3. All Chay

JOHN TAYLOR

You know that Sunday’s Best has made a commitment to its specialty when it’s chosen as its website URL “brunchmehard.com.” And yes indeed, they will brunch you hard, with an all-day brunch menu seven days a week—not just Sundays—featuring stalwart dishes like Eggs Benedict, avocado toast and beignets alongside specialties including breakfast tacos and hamachi tostadas. Add a little bubbly to your bill if you’re feeling extra naughty. 10672 S. State, Sandy, 801-441-3331, brunchmehard.com 2. SLC Eatery 3. Pago

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RESTAURANTS

Best Japanese Restaurant

Best New Restaurant

Best Greek Restaurant

Best Ogden Restaurant

While Takashi is known for their exceptional sushi (and yes, that’s the Best, too), they don’t stop there when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Their marriage between keeping things traditional with an influx of contemporary is a perfect pair, such as dishes like the spicy mussel shooters, kuro buta pork belly or agedashi tofu. Takashi’s armada of available nigiri, sashimi and sushi ensure that more than one stop is necessary to get through the menu, not that that’s a bad thing. 18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595, takashisushi.com 2. Kyoto Japanese Restaurant 3. Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill

It didn’t take long for The Ivy to win the hearts of local diners. This approachable yet hip space seemed to demonstrate a keen understanding for what Utahns wanted from an upscale restaurant. From its menu of contemporary American comfort food favorites executed with meticulous detail by chef Neza Prieto to its roster of creative craft cocktails, The Ivy knew exactly how to open with a bang.

55 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-895-2846, theivyslc.com 2. Arlo 3. Carson Kitchen

A restaurant that has withstood various restaurant trends and fads in the neighborhood, The Other Place simply offers good food at reasonable prices, a quality desperately appreciated in the downtown area. While there’s an unwavering breakfast crowd, The Other Place also plates stoutly traditional Greek cuisine like moussaka (layered potatoes and veggies), pastichio (the Greek version of lasagna) and a number of takes on roasted lamb. 469 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-521-6567, theotherplacerestaurant.com 2. Manoli’s 3. The Local Greek

Utahns have high standards when it comes to sushi in the state. There’s no reason to eat subpar sushi when you live here, and Ogden’s Tona on Historic 25th Street is some of the best you’ll find, period. At Tona, quality and elegance define the restaurant experience. The Brad Roll, a combination of spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber fried with panko and drizzled with sriracha and Japanese mayo, is one of the tastiest rolls you’ll ever try. 215 25th St., Ogden, 801-622-8662, tonarestaurant.com 2. Rovali’s Ristorante Italiano 3. Prairie Schooner Steak House

Takashi

The Ivy

The Other Place

Tona Sushi

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RESTAURANTS

CW STAFF

Opening in the midst of a pandemic (and surviving) is a bit of a miracle. And the offerings themselves are miraculous. The freshest ingredients come together in each picture-perfect dish from chef Milo Carrier, who’s been working in the kitchen since he was a teenager—and it shows in every detail. His take on meaningful food launches patrons on a culinary expedition, first tasting with their eyes, as each plate is a visual masterpiece.

Then, to diners’ delight, their first bite.

The flavors, textures and soothing experience of food created with intention is a rare gift waiting to be enjoyed at Arlo Restaurant. 271 W. Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845, arlorestaurant.com

PICKS Best Marmalade Miracle

Arlo Restaurant

Best Street Cart Named Breakfast

Best Vegas Import

Best Thai Takeout

Downtown dwellers should rejoice at the existence of Beehive Breakfast. The perfect casual weekend bite-grab and the remedy to running-out-the-door mornings, this brekky cart across the street from Johnny’s on 2nd is a lifesaver. Offering a simple lineup of breakfast sandwiches (eggs, meat of your choice or hash browns for the veg heads and choice of cheese) for an easygoing price, Beehive Breakfast is the early morning street food you didn’t know you needed. 166 E. 200 South, SLC, 978-778-4386, beehivebreakfast.com

Las Vegas has given us a lot of new restaurants over the past few years, but Carson Kitchen seems to be the only one that brought a bit of Vegas along for the ride. It’s an ideal medley of comfort food classics, sophisticated culinary talent and eye-popping entrees. Next time you need a trip to the City of Sin but don’t have travel time to spare, pop in here and get your fix. 241 W. 200 South, SLC, 385-252-3200, carsonkitchen.com

Rising to the top tier of Utah’s Thai restaurants is quite the accomplishment, and ChaiYo is definitely among our favorites. We’re especially happy with their takeout-only model, since places that offer consistently delicious takeout have become increasingly important over the past year. ChaiYo’s fried rice is an absolute bomb of Thai flavors—we highly recommend checking it out. 3804 S. Highland Drive, Ste. B2, Millcreek, 801-890-0036, chaiyothaitogo.com

Carson Beehive Breakfast Kitchen

ChaiYo Thai Togo

Best Butcher Comfort Food

Best Restaurant Save

Owners John and Paige Courtney know a thing or two about good eats, both having been in the biz for years.

Finding a new niche in Park City was no small feat, but the couple found success behind their butcher counter and in front of their imported Italian wood-fire oven. If you crave craft delicious wood-fire sandwiches (such as the Butler Dip) and Detroit style pizzas, stop in for some quality meats and stay for a meal. 1177 Center Drive, Ste. J2, Park City, 435-604-0244, chopshopparkcity.com

It seemed every local fan of The Cotton Bottom Inn and its magnificent garlic burgers held their not-as-garlickyas-they’d-like breath when its official reopening took place last year.

Thankfully, the Bar X Group lovingly restored this Utah institution and brought garlic breath back into the limelight where it should be. Whether you’re a garlic burger veteran or rookie, this place continues to be a good time.

2820 E. 6200 South, Holladay, 801-849-8847, thecottonbottom.com

Chop Shop

Cotton Bottom Inn

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Arlo’s stuffed rainbow trout with heirloom braised beans and green tomato salsa verde

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RESTAURANTS

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Pies for Feasting Anon

Centro Woodfired Pizzeria

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How far would you go for pizza? The answer should be approximately 251 miles, assuming you’re coming from Salt Lake, because that’s how far it is to Centro Woodfired Pizzeria.

When you get there, expect light-as-air crust with the perfect amount of chew and plenty of “leopard spots” (the good charred bit imparted from cooking with real flame). Speaking of heat, order the dolce diavola with spicy calabrese and hot cherry peppers, fresh mozz, whipped ricotta and a sweet drizzle of honey. 50 W. Center St., Cedar City, 844-385-3285, centropizzeria.com

Crusts light as air: Centro Woodfired Pizzeria

Best 9th & 9th Bar Bites

East Liberty Tap House

Aside from East Liberty Tap House’s adorable 9th & 9th patio, the food is amazing and much of it is gluten-free.

Our true love? Their chorizo-loaded french fries. They also have plenty of options for your veg-head friends (like the corn cakes—a brunch must!). ELTH is a bar, so leave the little ones at home and bring your ID. 850 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-441-2845, eastlibertytaphouse.com

Best East-Side Morning Skillets

Eggs in the City

Eggs in the City moved out of their 1300 South and 1700 East location and into their new Millcreek digs, and it’s been a happy marriage in the community ever since. The newer location has a bigger kitchen, seating area and patio, alleviating waits while accommodating more people for their superb breakfast and lunch. For breakfast fare, go for one of their savory skillets, or if you have a sweet tooth, the pancakes are some of the best you’ll find around town. Also, their chile verde may be the best in town. 2795 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801581-0809, eggsinthecityslc.com

Tastiest Community Cause

Flourish Bakery

Don’t mistake Flourish Bakery’s nonprofit status for some run-ofthe-mill bake sale. The pies, cookies and biscuits coming from their ovens are legit! Hands down, they have the best jalapeno and cheddar biscuit in town, and their lemon chess cutie pie and solstice Uganda chocolate pie are a revelation. If this is what giving people a second chance to thrive tastes like, you can sign me up all day. 752 W. Center St., Midvale, 385-474-0371, flourishslc.org

Best Pastry Superheroes

Mad Dough

Once you’ve had a box of the pillowy, flavor-filled doughnies that have made Mad Dough local pastry superheroes, it’s tough to go back to conventional donuts. When you combine owner Mandy Madsen’s bubbly, sunshiny personality with a rotating menu of flavors that range from Boston cream to peanut butter pie and vanilla fig, it’s easy to get addicted to these sweet confections.

Check them out online or in person at the Central Ninth Market.

161 W. 900 South, SLC, maddoughslc.com

Best Ethiopian

Mahider Ethiopian Restaurant & Market

Ethiopian cuisine is characterized by thick stews, vegetables and spicy meat dishes placed in piles atop injera, a thin layer of elastic textured bread. Ethiopians eat their community-inspired meals by tearing off chunks of the bread and scooping up bites from the dish. Open since 2008, Mahider is Utah’s premiere Ethiopian restaurant offering rich, flavorful meals with fresh injera made daily. Just the place to expand your palate! 1465 S. State, SLC, 801-975-1111, mahiderethiopian.com

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Tradition ...Tradition...

RESTAURANTS Most bakeries close up shop before those post-dinner cravings kick in, which is why we’re grateful for Munchie’s.

Their famous brownies, cakes and cinnamon rolls are available from 7 to 11 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, which is usually when we start thinking about putting something sweet in our bellies. They also offer monthly specials that are always worth checking out. To those about to munch, we salute you. 3838 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, 385-252-8718, munchiesslc.com

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CW STAFF

2 0 18

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2020

2005 E. 2700 S. | FELDMANSDELI.COM | OPEN TUES - SAT

Grab a Munchies guava cake slice to go

Meet Fresh

Best Restaurant Survival

Oquirrh

There’s never an “easy” time to start a restaurant, but it was only a year after opening Oquirrh in 2019 that veteran chef Andrew Fuller (formerly of locations like Copper Onion and Pago) and his wife, Angelena, suddenly faced the existential threat of the pandemic.

Yet they managed to make it through, and if you haven’t had a chance to try their inventive menu of locally-sourced American fare—with everything from house-prepared sourdough bread to Niman Ranch pork chops—it’s a great time to prove that all the angst over the past year has been worth it. 368 E. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-0426, oquirrhslc.com

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ORDER ONLINE AT FELDMANSDELI.COM OR TO-GO ORDERS AT 801.906.0369

As much as we love desserts that smack us in the face with sugary goodness, we haven’t been able to stop thinking about the bao bing at Meet Fresh. Sweetness takes a back seat to texture with their shaved ice bowls topped with chewy taro balls or slippery grass jelly. Bao bing is immensely fun to eat and is perfect for Utah’s scorching summer heat. 3390 S. State, Ste. 32, South Salt Lake, 385-549-1134, meetfresh.us

Due to the pandemic, 2021 was the year of dining al fresco. The patio scene in Salt Lake City remains competitive these days. Still, there is no question that the Oasis Café’s serene flower-lined grotto is the best spot to catch your breath downtown and recharge while sipping a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a piping hot cappuccino. 151 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-322-0404, oasiscafeslc.com

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Munchie’s

Making the decision to relocate a restaurant isn’t one any owner takes lightly, but in the case of Rio Grande Cafe, it was nudged along to the tune of a 5.7 magnitude earthquake in March 2020. The Rio Grande Station, historic home to the Cafe, suffered structural damage that left it unfit for residence. Turning lemons into lemonade, or rather limes into margaritas, Porcupine Pub & Grille on 1300 E. transformed into the Rio Grande Cafe’s new home, and tacos have been flying out the door ever since. 258 S. 1300 East, SLC, 801364-3302, riograndecafeslc.com

Oasis Café

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Best Bakery for Night Owls

Best Slippery Sweets

Best Pandemic Recharge

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PICKS

Best Restaurant Relocation

Rio Grande Cafe

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RESTAURANTS

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Morning-After Breakfast Spot

Roots Café

MAJOR STREET PET SERVICES

Providing compassionate service befitting a trusted loyal member of your family.

Delicious espresso? Yes, please. Big veggie omelet with or without bacon? Um, heck yes.

Buckwheat gluten-free pancake bigger than our face? You know it. Roots is a favorite breakfast spot. Their portion sizes will give you enough for three meals and are well worth the weekend wait, during which you can pop next door to the most darling consignment shop. 3474 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-277-6499, rootscafeslc.com

Best Basement Bar

O’Shucks Bar & Grill/Ahh Sushi

Family owned and operated for over 11 years. We can assist you with cremation services, memorial products and pre-planned arrangements.

Centrally located in Salt Lake City.

Proud member of The Pet Loss Professionals Alliance.

Our welcoming location features an arrangement office, goodbye room, product selection room and state-ofthe -art cremation equipment.

801-487-2814

majorstreetpetservices.com 1727 Major Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115

You can get down at the Salt Lake location of O’Shucks because it’s downtown and downstairs in a brownstone at 22 E. 100 South. That coolness alone is worth a nod. But they also serve specialty sushi rolls, courtesy of a resident sushi chef, and mega-schooners of beer. The specials, like a Tuesday $3 burger special (add fries for $2!) and Wednesday $3 and $4 roll specials are unreal!

This laid-back oasis is ground zero for those who crave sushi and booze at bargain basement prices. Oh, and don’t forget their original dive bar: O’Shucks Bar and Grill—on Main Street in Park City for the past 26 years—and their all-ages eatery at Pinebrook off I-80 (that serves breakfast).

Multiple locations, oshucks-ahhsushi.com

Best Way to End a Camping Trip

Ray’s Tavern

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A girl walks into a bar… but make that bar a tavern and said girl has been camping in the desert for several nights. The punchline isn’t as funny as it is delicious—a juicy burger on a sesame seed bun, hand-cut fries and a slice of homemade pie all washed down with a cold beer. Is it the best burger in Utah? After a week of tinfoil dinners, hot dogs and jerky, Ray’s serves up manna from heaven. 25 S. Broadway, Green River, 435-564-3511, facebook.com/RaysTavern

DEREK CARLISLE

Roots Cafe’s veggie Peta breakfast sandwich

Best Murray Mexican

Restaurant Morelia

Murray residents regularly congregate at the familyowned Restaurant Morelia for lip-smacking Mexican fare. Two dishes showcase the legendary chile verde and relleno sauces: the Laura Special (a chile verde burrito topped with relleno sauce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro and avocado slices) and the David Burrito (a chile verde burrito stuffed with a chile relleno). (Yep, Laura and David are the owners.) But if combo plates are the only thing to stave off your raging hunger, go with the Larry Miller (2 cheese enchiladas, 2 beef tacos and a bean tostada). Did we mention their reasonable prices? In these inflationary times, affordable and delicious basically seal the deal. 6098 S. State, SLC, 801-265-8790, restaurantmorelia.com

Best Soul Food

Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen

Growing up living in homeless shelters, Chef Julius Thompson’s most memorable exposure to homemade food was at his grandmother’s table. Today, he showcases both of their culinary skills at Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen, where his recreation of her fried chicken is one of the most popular dishes. While she often served bread pudding and fried apple together, Thompson tops his traditional bread pudding with apple cream. His shrimp and grits, catfish and cornbread are all evidence that it’s now possible to deliciously visit the South at the south end of Salt Lake County. 877 E. 12300 South, Draper, 385-434-2433, saucebosssouthernkitchen.com

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RESTAURANTS

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Sushi for Under $3

Sushi Groove

With creativity ga-lore, Sushi Groove is one of Sugar House’s hidden gems. Enjoy fresh fish flown in throughout the week and check out their Tuesday night $2.50 specials, veggie rolls, impressive sake selection and live music. Don’t be surprised if you become a regular and bring out-of-town guests to bask in all their delicious raw-fish glory. 2910 Highland Drive, SLC, 801-467-7420, sushigroove.us

Best Holy Union

Tandoori Taqueria

Combining the savory flavor aesthetic of Indian cuisine with the convenience and cultural clout of tacos is a tricky beast to pull off—but Tandoori Taqueria has cracked the code. This upstart from Southern Utah recently staked a claim on the Wasatch Front, and things will never be the same. Tandoori chicken stuffed with cabbage slaw and wrapped in a buttermilk naan tortilla is something everyone needs to try. 3540 S. State, South Salt Lake, 801-590-9473, thetandooritaqueria.com

Best Lake Views

The Lakehouse on Deer Creek Reservoir

The panoramic lake views from both the deck and inside the restaurant might be enough to get you there, but when coupled with the impressive offerings created by chef Tamara Stanger, all your senses commit to the experience. Stanger finds inspiration for her dishes within the stories of the ingredients.

From there, she finds ways to complement the ingredients, building a delicious masterful dish.

5317 S. U.S. Highway 189, Heber City, 435-210-7474, thelakehousedeercreek.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Sushi Groove’s toasted granny

Best Menu Update

The Rose Establishment Teams Up With Pallet’ s Buzz Willey If ever there were a silver lining to Pallet closing its doors, it’s the expansion of The Rose Establishment and its menu collaboration with Pallet chef Buzz Willey. While nothing quite replaces the hole left in our hearts—or stomachs—that was once occupied

by Pallet, Chef Willey’s Cubano sandwich with teabraised Snake River Farms kurobuta pork, sliced ham, Gruyère cheese, pickles and garlic aioli is a good start. 235 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-208-5569, theroseestb.com

Best Portion Sizes

Venezuela Mia

For those proudly proclaiming to be in the Clean Plate Club, those who seldom leave a restaurant with leftovers packed in a box, you may have met your match. Each time we’ve visited Venezuela Mia, we’ve had to hang our heads in shame as we shuffle out the door toting our doggie bags. Whether it’s gigantic, cheese-stuffed cachapas or arepas overflowing with an abundance of carne asada, this is a place that delights in generous portions. 9460 S. Union Square, Ste. 104, Sandy, 801-831-6420, vzlamia.com

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Vessel Kitchen’s Good n’ Plenty with honey mustard pulled pork.

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Build-Your-Own Meal

Vessel Kitchen

The term “fast casual” evokes assembly line preparations that might be convenient, but don’t generally scream “healthy” or “interesting.” Locally launched in 2016, Vessel Kitchen made a commitment to from-scratch preparations with a wide range of flavors and menu items for every dietary preference, from vegan to keto. In addition to great salads and tacos, they offer market plates that allow a combination of one delicious meat, seafood or vegan entree, plus a pair of sides that range from mac ‘n’ cheese to Israeli slaw or Thai-spiced carrots. Your taste buds will never know how quickly it all came to you. Multiple locations, vesselkitchen.com

Best Seasonal Menu

Wildwood

There’s comfort in visiting a restaurant and keeping it safe by ordering favorite dishes you know you enjoy.

At Wildwood, executive chef and owner Michael Richey keeps customers on their toes with a menu that changes with the seasons. But don’t fret—some dishes remain year-round but with flavor twists—such as their chicken wings that shouldn’t be missed. The wings are always cooked crisp and served as an order of eight or so, but currently, you can enjoy the warm flavors of a spicy sambal sauce, drizzled in sesame dressing and served with a side of slaw. 564 E. Third Ave., SLC, 801-831-5409, wildwoodslc.com

COURTESY PHOTO

RESTAURANTS

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FOOD & DRINK Best Donuts

Banbury Cross

If you’re craving donuts or pastries, Banbury Cross has whatever you’re seeking. Choose from fresh flavorful donuts such as cinnamon crumb, maple frosted or chocolate glazed. Other selections include apple or cherry fritters, muffins and cinnamon rolls. The parking lot entrance is mainly used for the drive thru window. For quick service at peak times, park on the street around the corner and walk in. 705 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-537-1433 2. Fresh Donuts and Deli 3. The Big O Doughnuts

READERS’

Bricks Corner Margherita and Spartichoke pizzas

PICKS Best Pizza

Bricks Corner

Best Burrito

Beto’s Mexican Food Whether it’s a tried-and-true Texano (chicken, potatoes, sour cream and cheese) or a hulking ham, egg and cheese breakfast burrito, Beto’s has provided burrito therapy for us all when we’re feeling low. We don’t know if it’s the sheer size of a Beto’s burrito that nets this award or if it’s because they’re so reasonably priced. Either way, we know what we’re getting, and it’s always what the doctor ordered. Multiple locations, betosmexicanfood.com 2. Red Iguana 3. Lone Star Taqueria

Best French Fries

Bruges Waffles & Frites

Best Appetizers

There’s no doubt that Caffé Molise is one of the most charming dining locales in downtown Salt Lake, and its selection of traditional Italian appetizers complements that charm perfectly. The antipasti al giorno is always fun to check out for a bit of charcuterie surprise, and their polenta is hearty and soul-warming every time. 404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-364-8833, caffemolise.com 2. Bambara 3. Mazza Cafe

Best Ethnic/Specialty Market

Caputo’s Market & Deli

Caputo’s Market & Deli is Salt Lake City’s premier purveyor of distinctive Italian and Southern European foods. With its inventory of cured meats such as salami and prosciutto, selection of 200 cheeses and 500 chocolate bars (to say nothing of the available samples), Caputo’s is a feast for both the eyes and the palate. It’s a fantastic source of recipe ingredients, and it’s the logical stop for gourmet sandwiches that you can take home or consume onsite. Multiple locations, caputos.com 2. Chinatown Market 3. Rancho Market

Best Seafood

Current Fish & Oyster

Go ahead and let all those East and West Coasters think they’re the only ones privy to fresh seafood—that just means more oysters for you … and crab, black cod, shrimp, halibut, scallops, prawns … the catch goes on. Current Fish and Oyster has established itself as the biggest fish in our small pond, led by chef Alan Brines (yes, Brines).

It’s so serendipitous you can’t not go, but save some clam chowder for me.

279 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-326-3474, currentfishandoyster.com 2. Harbor Seafood & Steak Co. 3. Market Street Grill & Oyster Bar

Best Local Spirit

Five Wives Vodka

The Ogden distillery’s flagship spirit quickly endeared itself to Utah’s adult drinkers buy concocting a personalitydriven vodka that’s full of depth. For a spirit that essentially has no distinct tasting notes, Five Wives enhances the flavors of its cocktail pairings better than most of the vodkas out there, which is why its reputation in Utah is highly regarded as a consumer’s and mixologist’s favorite. 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995, ogdensown.com 2. High West Rendezvous Rye 3. Dented Brick Gin

Best Burgers

Lucky 13 Bar & Grill

No luck necessary here—the Ballpark neighborhood staple retains its title as Utah’s dominant patty-slinger, offering its mouthwatering and often daring spins on the classic sandwich that incorporate everything from smoking-hot peppers to peanut butter. That the incredible food is complemented by an impressive drink menu and one of the best patios in the city is just icing on the bun. 135 W. 1300 South, SLC, 801487-4418, lucky13slc.com 2. Proper Burger 3. Rich’s Burgers-n-Grub

Best Ogden Pizza

Lucky Slice

Co-owners Mike, Nick and Will cooked up an idea together to deliver Ogdenites top-notch pizza, a category the region lacked. The three amigos settled on Historic 25th Street for their initial location of Lucky Slice—it was a huge success, and there are now three northern Utah locations that serve a full menu of slices, pies and appetizers. Lucky Slice also has a food truck in their arsenal that makes the rounds in Salt Lake and beyond.

Multiple locations, theluckyslice.com 2. Slackwater Pub & Pizzeria 3. The Pie Pizzeria

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Caffé Molise

For many Salt Lakers, their first introduction to Detroit-style deepdish pizza has come by way of Bricks Corner, which opened late last year.

Its general construction is similar to deep-dish pies you’ve known, but its crisped-up edges and bonkers toppings—grilled Spam and pineapple jam, anyone?—put this pizza in a league of its own. Expect this tasty trend to start sweeping the state in no time.

1465 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-953-0636, brickscornerslc.com 2. The Pie Pizzeria 3. Este Pizza

DEREK CARLISLE

Best fries is a particularly competitive category for Utah, what with the Beehive State being the home of fry sauce after all. However, Bruges makes it look easy with their Belgian-style frites—a twice-fried symphony of taste and texture. It’s made perfect with any one of Bruges’ wonderful dipping sauces.

336 W. 300 South, SLC; 2314 Highland Drive, SLC, 801-363-4444, brugeswaffles.com 2. Lucky 13 Bar and Grill 3. Hires Big H

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Come in and see for yourself.

Our Pancakes are this

BIG 2795 S 2300 E SLC, UT 84109 (801) 581-0809

FOOD & DRINK

R&R Barbeque

PICKS

Moochie’s Philly cheesesteak sandwich

If you’re eating R&R’s spareribs in Lehi or their smoked turkey in Midvale, you’re getting the same quality, flavor and experience that was created on day one. It’s a credit to both the team’s love of barbecue as a medium and their love of competition. We’ll always have a special place in our hearts for pulled pork tacos and barbecue nachos. Multiple locations, randrbbq.com 2. Pat’s Barbecue 3. Sugarhouse Barbeque Co.

Best Sandwiches

Moochie’ s Meatballs & More

Best Local Beer

Shades’ Pina Colada Sour

Owners Alexandra Ortiz and Trent Fargher began brewing as Shades of Pale (shortened to Shades later on) with modest means and supplies. Fast forward to a decade later, and it’s become a Salt Lake staple with creative offerings such as the Pina Colada Sour, Plum Berliner Weisse, Apricot PB&J, their own light craft beer (Livli) and a taproom slurry maker. 154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, 435-200-3009, shadesbrewing.beer 2. TF Brewing Ferda 3. Bewilder Kolsch

Best Salads With three locations serving Salt Lake County, Moochie’s menu of hot and cold sandwiches, salads and desserts is the perfect answer to a growling stomach. While best known for its signature meatball and Philly cheesesteak subs, Moochie’s has something for everyone and offers one of Salt Lake City’s quintessential

Best Hard Cider

Mountain West prides itself in using local ingredients from the region to make its highly acclaimed hard apple ciders. We especially love the barrel-aged Stillwater Cider. With a dry profile and a slight vinegar undertone, it joins the rest of the lineup, none of which have sugar added. Schedule a tour or stop by their weekend Garten and enjoy your cider with a side of live music. 425 N. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4147, mountainwestcider.com 2. The Hive Winery 3. Etta Place Cider

Best Culinary School

Park City Culinary Institute

If you dine out anywhere in Utah, you’ve likely benefitted from the expertise passed along to local chefs by Park City Culinary Institute. But it’s not a place exclusively for professional chefs— home cooks, too, have made use of the wide range of course offerings, from basic knife skills to advanced knowledge about specialty food preparation, even mixology. And you can attend in-person or virtual live courses to fit your scheduling needs. 1484 S. State, SLC, 801-413-2800, parkcityculinaryinstitute.com 2. Salt Lake Community College 3. Utah Valley University

Best Soups

Porcupine Pub & Grille

Here’s what you need to know about soup at Porcupine: Chicken noodle (yes, that creamy chicken noodle) is available every Wednesday and every day during ski season, starting Nov. 1. Potato beer cheese is available during Oktoberfest, which runs the month of October. Tomato basil is offered every Monday. Cream of mushroom pops up on Fridays. Outside of that, there are three rotating soups daily. You might want to clip this and hang it on the fridge, you know, until you have it memorized by heart. 3698 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-942-5555, porcupinepub.com 2. Soup Kitchen 3. Café Zupa’s

Best Chicken Sandwich

Pretty Bird

Pretty Bird’s menu may be simple, but why complicate perfection? From its twin locations downtown and in Sugar House, customers can get their spicy chicken fix from chef Viet Pham’s perfectly crispy and wonderfully seasoned sandwiches and tenders. Round it out with some fries and a drink, and don’t be surprised when your taste buds bring you back for more. 146 Regent St., SLC; 675 E. 2100 South, SLC; prettybirdchicken.com 2. Cluck Truck 3. Grid City

It’s not that Spitz has an impressive salad menu— there’s just one salad. But geez, is it impressive!

The Doner combines all your favorite Mediterranean flavors in one bowl: cucumber, olives, feta, pepperoncini, tomato, green pepper, crispy garbanzo beans, onion and carrot over a bed of romaine and cabbage garnished with homemade tzatziki, fried lavash chips and pita strips and a side

RubySnap’s Vivianna (mango and dark chocolate) cookies

Best Brew Pub

Squatters

Many brew pubs have opened since Squatters debuted in 1984. Only Squatters has had the staying-power and selection to keep its legend alive in the hearts of Salt Lake’s beer faithful. The wideranging and ever-evolving menu of food and local ales and lagers of the downtown SLC brewery have made it a favorite with families, travelers and beer aficionados alike. Now with three other locations, Squatters has changed the capital city’s beer scene forever, and we are eternally grateful. Multiple locations, squatters.com/brewpubs 2. Red Rock Brewery 3. Wasatch Brewery

Best Distillery

Sugar House Distillery

Utah’s distillery scene is booming with more than a dozen distilleries statewide. Since its inception, Sugar House Distillery in South Salt Lake has endeared itself to Utah’s spirituous enthusiasts. From flavorful vodkas and gins to whiskeys that are aged in locally made craft beer oak barrels, customers line up outside the unassuming distilleries’ doors, eager for the newest groundbreaking releases from this true homegrown craft distillery. 2212 S. West Temple, No. 14, South Salt Lake, 801-726-0403, sugarhousedistillery.net 2. High West Distillery 3. Ogden’s Own Distillery

READERS’

PICKS Best Cookies

RubySnap Fresh Cookies With 20 cookie varieties baked fresh daily, RubySnap is a cookie paradise. Bestsellers like the Mia, a vanilla-bean sugar cookie with buttercream beet frosting, and the Trudy, a traditional chocolate chip cookie from a family recipe, join forces with creations like the Vivianna (dark chocolate chip with mango) and monthly cookie specials for a singular taste treat. Buy fresh cookies at the Third West flagship bakery, or check online for local grocers that sell preportioned frozen RubySnap dough for bake-at-home freshness. 770 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-834-6111, rubysnap.com 2. Crumbl Cookies 3. Chip Cookies

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Mountain West Cider

locations to kick your feet up and take a tasty break, plus some of the best fry sauce in the city with its Jumpin’ Jalapeno recipe. Multiple locations, moochiesmeatballs.com 2. Caputo’s Market and Deli 3. Feldman’s Deli

DEREK CARLISLE

Spitz

of creamy house balsamic. Ask for extra dressing to dip your fried pita into and thank us later. Multiple locations, spitzrestaurant.com 2. Café Zupas 3. Café Rio

SHEENA BATES

Best BBQ

READERS’

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t u c h s e r F

christmas trees ARRIVING THE WEEK OF NOV 22

Monday - Saturday 8am - 5pm 9275 S 1300 W • 801-5625496 • glovernursery.com

I wonder if wings think about me too...?

trolley

wing company

Now open in Taylorsville

Offering a family-friendly dining experience.

www.trolleywingco.com Taylorsville 5418 South 1900 West, Taylorsville 801-432-7685

MIDVALE 736 Blue Vista Lane Suite 200 Midvale, UT 84047 801-312-9532

SUGAR HOUSE 2148 S 900 E #5 SLC, UT, 84106 801-538-0745

Trolley Square 600 S 700 E, Salt Lake City 435-776-5690

FOOD & DRINK There are those among us who think that Buffalo wings are all created equal—which is how we know they’ve never been to Trolley Wing Co. From the pre-game prep and fry to the end-game sauces, Trolley Wing Co. prepares every wing with a whole lot of love and a whole lot of Scovilles. Multiple locations, trolleywingco.com 2. The Wing Coop 3. Tie: Wingers/ Legends Pub & Grill

READERS’

PICKS Best Wings

Trolley Wing Co.

DEREK CARLISLE

Trolley Wing Co. also serves scrumptious vegan wings

Best Brewery

Best Tacos

Owner/head brewer Kevin Templin has been building his reputation in Utah’s craft beer scene for the past 20-plus years with various breweries in Salt Lake County. When Templin decided to go out on his own and open the Templin Family Brewery, it was the quality of the beer and the adherence to family and friends that was most important.

It’s no wonder that in the three years T.F. Brewing has been around, beer lovers have responded by clamoring for the insanely traditional lagers and the most cutting-edge sour ales and juicy IPAs. 936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-270-5972, tfbrewing.com 2. Fisher Brewing Co. 3. Shades Brewing

Taqueria 27 introduced us to the wonders that duck confit could accomplish on a taco, and we’ve never really looked back. Now that its tacos and tequila concept has spread across the Wasatch Front, we’re seeing how a team that is passionate about their food and drink can really make a splash locally. Multiple locations, taqueria27.com 2. Roctaco 3. Lone Star Taqueria

T.F. Brewing

Takashi

If you know sushi, you know Takashi. Among the best restaurants Utah has to offer, Takashi has an unbridled enthusiasm to innovate their sushi menu—along with the regular rolls in the menu, the floor-to-ceiling chalkboard is always showing something new and creative the sushi chefs have worked up. Be sure to try the Pounamu, a roll with New Zealand salmon, avocado, cucumber and kiwi-mango sauce topped with fresh chilis. 18 W. Market St., SLC, 801519-9595, takashisushi.com 2. Tsunami Restaurant & Sushi Bar 3. Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill

Best Food Truck

The Cluck Truck

With Utah’s stock of fried chicken purveyors skyrocketing, it’s no surprise that we love our fried birds that much more when they’re mobile. The Cluck Truck earned this spot since their fried chicken is always crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, but also from their ability to incorporate flavors from all over the world into their signature wraps.

801-750-6508, clucktruckutah.com 2. Waffle Love 3. Bomb Dilla

Best Ramen

Yoko

Ramen bars are inherently cool, and Yoko Ramen has done a spectacular job of tailoring that coolness to Utah’s Downtown food scene. On top of yummy bowls of steaming broth and thick noodles, diners can branch out to their sandwiches—the Japanese Cubano is magnificent. It’s an excellent place to warm up before a night on the town. 473 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-876-5267, yokoslc.com 2. Tosh’s Ramen 3. Haru Ramen

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Best Sushi

Taqueria 27

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FOOD & DRINK

READERS’

Zest’s chickpea omelet

PICKS Best Vegan

Zest Kitchen & Bar

DEREK CARLISLE

Casey Staker really has created something special in this city. Zest is an over-21 restaurant featuring the city’s best vegetarian and vegan fare, cocktails, DJ-mixed tunes and even dancing. The cocktails at Zest are beyond delicious and creative. Featuring fresh-squeezed juices and often adorned with a beautiful edible flower, they pair perfectly with a vegan gluten-free dessert. 275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589, zestslc.com 2. Vertical Diner 3. Buds

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801-410-4046 | 3364 s 2300 e, slc | slcprovisions.com

FOOD & DRINK Best Greek-Style Burger

Apollo Burger

Since 1984, Apollo Burger has provided Utahns quality and quick meals at affordable prices. They’ve burgeoned to over 13 locations across the state, and are known for their consistently good service, their breakfast bowls and of course, their char-broiled burgers, including their very own Athenian Burger. The Athenian is a 1/4-pound beef patty layered with red peppers, house made tzatziki (Greek yogurt sauce) and a healthy slab of fresh feta cheese.

It’s lowkey one of the best burgers in town, and a must try at your next Apollo Burger visit. Multiple locations, apolloburgers.com

CW STAFF

Bewilder Brewing opened up shop in December 2019—not the best time to launch in light of COVID-19, but they burst onto the scene once people began heading downtown again. Bewilder’s co-owners Cody McKendrick and Ross Metzger come from homebrewing backgrounds at Salt City Brew Supply, and their brewery serves up delicious ales, sausages, Bavarian pretzels and sharables such as kettle chip “not-chos” with sausage, salsa, pickle, garlic sour cream, all slathered in creamy beer cheese—not-cho mama’s nachos! 445 S. 400 West, SLC, 385-528-3840, bewilderbrewing.com

PICKS Best Not-Cho

Bewilder Brewing

Best Tri-Tip Salad

Bandits’ Grill & Bar

Bewilder’s Kettle Chip Not-Chos

Thanks to Shane and Jen Barber, residents of Cottonwood Heights can enjoy some tasty ‘cue in their own hood in a gorgeous restaurant with an inviting bar and swank patio. After the couple opened the Cottonwood Heights Bandits’ in 2015, it filled a BBQ void in the area but, as the owners like to say: They are so much more than BBQ. Even still, with so many dishes featuring their hand-cut, slowroasted, wood-grilled tri-tip, you’d be missing out not to try their steak entrées, tacos, sandwiches and salads. If you’re watching your carbs, the tri-tip steak salad—with its mixed greens, grilled red onions, tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese and roasted garlic vinaigrette—will keep you in your paleo or 360 groove. Pro-tip: Try the tri-tip Taco Tuesdays lunch specials. 3176 E. 6200 South, Cottonwood Heights, 801- 944-0505, banditsbbqutah.com

Best Gin Joint

Beehive Distilling

Beehive Distilling has become synonymous with great gin, and for good reason—the bread and butter for the distillery is their Jack Rabbit Gin. Its floral and juniper blend make it a favorite among gin lovers, and there’s no better place to have a taste than Beehive’s bar overlooking their stills.

The bar is sleek, hip and welcoming, making it a great place to sit back and enjoy a martini or other specialty cocktail.

2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-259-0252, beehivedistilling.com

The 11th annual Utah Beer Festival, Utah’s largest beer sampling event—one, in fact, sponsored by City Weekly— kicked off in August after a year hiatus. Held at The Gateway in 2021, the event was bigger than ever with over 300 different beers, ciders and seltzers representing 60 breweries. The surprise hit of the Utah Beer Festival was the Beers of the World room, featuring international beers like Singha (Thailand), Orion (Japan), Mythos and Fix (Greece), Chouffe (Belgium) and dozens of others from Canada, Holland and Mexico, to name a few. Look for Beers of the Universe again in 2022. utahbeerfestival.com

Best Pup Cup

Bjorn’s Brew

Coffee and animals—does anything bring more joy at the start of the day? Bjorn’s Brew sniffed out the opportunity and now serves its java while donating $1 for every punch card redeemed to the likes of Best Friends, Nuzzles & Co., Street Dog Crew and Salt Lake County Animal Services.

Bring your pup to the window, and the staff will give you a full-size bone or Pup Cup (whipped cream) as well as a gingerbread cookie in the shape of a dog bone for the twoleggers. Multiple locations, bjornsbrew.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Beers of the World

Best Loaded Tater Tots

Bomb Dilla

The food truck craze has cultivated a unique dining experience in Utah. The Bomb Dilla food truck, owned and operated by Ruben Sauyun, brought a Los Angeles flair to the Beehive State with loaded quesadillas and tater tots.

Sauyun dishes out tater tots piled high with mac ‘n’ cheese, grilled meats and delicious sauces. You can find Bomb Dilla at many festivals, breweries and food truck gatherings around Salt Lake Valley. 818-635-7500, facebook.com/bombdilla

Best Bread to Get Out of Bed for

Best Grab-and-Go Burrito

Best Pit Boss

On Saturday mornings, there are usually two wolves inside me: one who wants to sleep in and nurse Friday night’s hangover, and one that hungers for Bread Riot. The latter usually wins out, because Bread Riot’s magnificent lineup of the crustiest loaves, dark brown pretzels, fragrant tordu and salty focaccia sells out at the Downtown Farmers Market at Pioneer Park really, really quickly—and for good, toothsome reason. Multiple locations, breadriotbakehouse.com

Breakfast burritos may as well be one of the five food groups if you’re a college student, and no one knows this better than Cafe Noir. This walk-up coffee shop three blocks from the U serves up toasty sausage, bacon or vegetarian spinach burritos with scrambled eggs and all the fixin’s, including plenty of Cholula, Tapatío and Sriracha packets to go, alongside an impressive selection of iced teas, drip coffee and lattes. 1035 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-532-1888

Bam Bams BBQ has racked up numerous competition awards for their delicious, barbecued meats that include all the Texas classics—brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, turkey and chopped beef.

That builds confidence. But it’s an especially confident Q’r who shares his secrets, and owner Cameron “Bam Bam” Treu does just that with his own barbecue classes. And it’s an especially special BYU football fan who takes his Q game to the Ute tailgate to show respect and support after the death of Ute player Aaron Lowe.

Tip of the hat, Bam Bams. 1708 S. State, Orem, 801-225-1324, bambamsbbq.com

Bread Riot Bakehouse

Cafe Noir

Cameron Treu, Bam Bams BBQ

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Best Utah Beer Festival Addition

Best Locals Only Beers

CW STAFF

Craft by Proper

PICKS

Best Southern Utah Surprise

One of Utah’s staple craft breweries, Proper Brewing Co. has blossomed into five diverse locations. There’s the original brewery, Avenues Proper, Stratford Proper, Proper Burger and Craft by Proper, each with their own flair and funk. In a state with now over 30 craft breweries, Craft invites them all to Utah’s “locals only” beer bar.

Nowhere else in the state can you enjoy such a variety of stouts, lagers, pilsners and other offerings from such an array of great breweries. 1053 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-242-7186, craftbyproper.com

Capitol Burger Food Truck

Best White Whiskey

Dented Brick Distillery

If these walls could talk! Dented Brick, named after a shootout that left impressions in the bricks of a weller’s house where the distillery now resides, has one helluva story to tell with their spirits, too. Their White Whiskey is an ode to the first Utah distiller on record, Hugh Moon. The Hugh Moon White Whiskey is crystal clear and made from 100 percent Utah-sourced rye and filtered, artisan water from their in-house well. 3100 S. Washington St., South Salt Lake, 801-883-9837, dentedbrick.com

The Capitol Burger food truck burgers—all of them—are arguably the finest in the state, and given the truck’s station astride Capitol Reef National Park, their reputation extends far beyond Utah.

Luke Fowles, the truck operator, was a teammate of Viet Pham’s when he beat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef, so, he’s got mad skills. Try the pulled pork or mac ‘n’ cheese burgers—and it will hit you instantly: Ahhh, that’s what great burgers taste like. PS—The burgers are even better when paired with an Etta Place cider just down the road. Parked somewhere in Torrey during summer season or occasionally in Richfield during winter, 801-362-0226, facebook.com/capitolburgertruck

Best Smoky Blend of Whiskeys

Campfire by High West Distillery

COURTESY PHOTO

Capitol’s pulled-pork burger

Best Low-Carb Salad

Greek Souvlaki

Who isn’t dieting, hoping to lose 18 months of COVID hibernation weight gain these days?

Aptly named Campfire, this blend of scotch, bourbon and When it comes to losing weight, everyone rye whiskeys has a definite smoky note that is sure to warm eventually defaults to salads—which are too you up while you sip it neat or mix it up in a cocktail. Created often so boring, you soon return to pasta. in new, charred white American oak barrels and second use The tastiest salads we’ve found for any diet bourbon barrels, you get a hint of sweet and spice with the are those found at Greek Souvlaki. A pork gentle smoke in each sip. Perfectly paired with a campfire, or or chicken souvlaki stick (Utah’s best) sits firepit, as flames seem to enhance the experience. 27649 Old atop a heaping bed of lettuce, tomato and Lincoln Hwy., Wanship, 435-649-8300, highwest.com cucumber with just enough Kalamata olives and feta cheese to remind you that dieting can be heathy and tasty. Multiple locations, greeksouvlaki.com

Start your diet tomorrow: Feldman’s sloppy Joe comes fully loaded with a half pound of pastrami and corned beef.

Best Chinese Takeout

Dragon Diner

With seating capacity that never came close to the demand for their reputable Chinese fare, Dragon Diner developed an efficient takeout system long ago. When demand increased ever more during COVID-19, the DD took it up a notch, switching to takeout only, where it continues to knock it out of the park. With a menu that spans diverse Chinese cooking styles, we can imagine how difficult it is to keep items fresh and tasty while whisking so many orders out the door. But Dragon Diner gets it ready for you to take home better than anyone in any food genre. 1331 E. 3900 South, Millcreek, 801-272-9333, thedragondiner.com

Best Ode to Utah’s Past

Eight Settlers Distillery

Eight Settlers Distillery and their products are named after iconic and historic places from Utah’s rich history. The newish Cottonwood Heights distillery name honors the first eight people who settled what was called Butlerville, which was colloquially known as “The Place to Be.” Their whiskeys are named Ragtown and Devil’s Gate, references to the landmarks of pioneers and miners of the Wasatch Front. They’re darned good drinking whiskeys, too. Map ’em. 7321 Canyon Centre Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights, 385-900-4315, eightsettlersdistillery.com

Best Papusa

El Viroleño

El Salvadoran cuisine isn’t as widely known as it deserves to be, and one trip to El Viroleño is enough to make a culinary convert out of anyone. The menu features a different take on recognizable items like tamales, quesadillas and empanadas, but the real showstopper is the papusa, a thick flatbread stuffed with cheese, meat, beans and/or vegetables, all topped with a tomato salsa and cabbage slaw. And at a couple bucks a pop, it gives street tacos a run for their money as a delicious, low-budget staple from south of the border. 471 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-595-7021

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Best Deli Delight

Feldman’ s Deli’ s Sloppy Joe

Best Use of Gelato

Dolcetti Gelato’s Affogato

Leave it to the Italians to comingle breakfast and dinner in a single-serving treat. Called affogato, its yin-yang balance depends on the size of a dollop of gelato dissolving in a shot of steaming espresso. (A splash of Grand Marnier or Amaretto adds nuance, if you are so disposed.) The measure of gelato tips the balance one way or the other. If you like the yin character of creamy gelato more than the manly yang of espresso, check out Fillings and Emulsions for its generous servings of gelato. If you favor strong espresso, a smaller scoop of gelato at Dolcetti Gelato yields an affogato with a bracing finish. 902 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-485-3254, dolcettigelato.com

Best Fairy Tale Desserts

Conte de Fee

The team at Conte de Fee specializes in creating cakes, confections and other baked goods that appear to have wafted into reality from a beautiful dream. Rainbow cakes that reveal a vivid-colored sponge, rich Basque cheesecake that melts in your mouth and mille crepe cakes stacked with light crepes and flavors like lemon curd and matcha all await you at this effulgent bakery. 7695 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801-987-8112, contedefeebakery.com

Many a Salt Lake transplant longs for a 24-hour Jewish deli. But the fact that Salt Lake has at least one authentic Jewish deli (albeit only open until 8 p.m.) is cause for celebration. While they’re famous for their corned beef and pastrami, their best sandwich might just be their sloppy Joe (it’s not what you think). They make Reubens a dozen different ways. Bagels in the morning are the real deal. And Feldman’s is the only place within 500 miles that makes must-have matzo ball soup. 2005 E. 2700 South, SLC, 801-906-0369, feldmansdeli.com

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AS SEEN ON “ DINERS, DRIVEINS AND DIVES”

Serving American Comfort Food Since 1930 -91 YEARS AND GOING STRONG-BREAKFAST SERVED DAILY UNTIL 4PM-DELICIOUS MIMOSAS & BLOODY MARY’S-TAKEOUT AVAILABLE“In a perfect world, every town would have a diner just like Ruth’s”

Sehr Gut !

Old world flavor in the heart of Salt Lake

“Like having dinner at Mom’s in the mountains” -Cincinnati Enquirer

-CityWeekly

4160 EMIGRATION CANYON ROAD | 801 582-5807 | WWW.RUTHSDINER.COM OPEN THURSDAY THRU MONDAY -CLOSED TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

20 W. 200 S. SLC | (801) 355-3891

siegfriedsdelicatessen.com

FOOD & DRINK

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Capitol Reef’s Best Pickled Carrots

Grid City’s Vegan Rachel

PICKS

Gifford Homestead

Sure, the pies may have been what put Gifford Homestead on the radar of Capitol Reef tourists, but we have to ask: have you tried the pickled carrots? With just the right amount of vinegar-induced pucker and a kick of spice from garlic and dried red peppers, you might find yourself wondering: what’s better—the pickled carrots or the pies? Open seasonally from mid-March to end of October. Capitol Reef National Park, Scenic Drive, Teasdale, 435-425-3791, home.nps.gov/care/learn/ historyculture/giffordhomestead.htm

Best Innovative Brewery Menu

Grid City Beer Works

Best Gluten-Free Nostalgia

Good Food Bakery

Remember those pink-and-white circus animal cookies covered in sprinkles you loved as a child? Do you miss fluffy, gooey, delicious cinnamon rolls? Good Food Bakery has you covered with gluten-free renditions of your childhood favorites. But be careful—you’ll get hooked. IG: @ goodfoodglutenfreebakery, 423 W. 800 South, No. A-113, SLC, 801-413-4978

Best Charming Candy Shop

Hatch Family Chocolates

Over 10 years ago, Epic Brewing released their Big Bad Baptist Stout, an imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels and a knock-you-to-the-ground 11.7% ABV. It grew in popularity among the beer community, and now Epic has a “Baptist Season” every fall where creativity runs rampant and they brew specialty blends of their original Baptist, including the “Naked Baptist” or “Big Bad Baptist.”

In 2021, Epic brewed six new Baptist variants, along with the seasonal release of the original. 825 S. State, SLC, 801-906-0123, epicbrewing.com

Best Scrambled Eggs

Finn’s Cafe

When it comes to cooking eggs, “over easy” is to “over hard” as “soft-scrambled” is to “scrambled.”

Ordering “soft-scrambled eggs” in a restaurant is an act of hope. Something invariably goes awry between the moment the server scribbles your order to the moment the plate of eggs is delivered.

Maybe the server is careless. Maybe the cook is heavy handed. The upshot is that instead of moist eggs, you get a mound of overcooked eggs whose texture is like sodden styrofoam. Finn’s Café is the exceptional exception. The clean, well-lit Norskinspired restaurant has been rewarding the hopeful with soft scrambled eggs since 1952. 1624 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-467-4000, finnscafe.com

Franck’ s Tuesday Tasting Menu

Think tasting menus are only for restaurant critics and foodies with trust funds? Not so at Franck’s, where the Tuesday Tasting Menu serves up three artful courses, including dessert, on a rotating weekly basis for just $45.

All curated by chef Robert Perkins, you can check the current menu online weekly, but don’t wait to make a reservation—the Tuesday Tasting Menu is highly requested. 6263 S. Holladay Blvd., SLC, 801-274-6264, francksfood.com

Combining Nepali and Indian food under one roof, the Himalayan Kitchen is a staple for the downtown Salt Lake City lunch crowd and now for those lucky souls in South Jordan. Always known for their tandoori specials and inexpensive meals, the Himalayan plays on that theme three times over every day. There, you’ll find three notable daily specials: the traditional Himalayan, the gluten-free Meat Lovers and the Veggie Lovers (vegan). 360 S. State, SLC, 801-328-2077; 11521 S. 4000 West No. 105, South Jordan, 801-254-0800; himalyankitchen.com

Best Colorful Martini

Holystone Distilling

Murray’s Holystone Distilling is as sleek as it is smooth—each bottle is masterfully crafted and distilled in house. One of their staples, the Cerulea Gin, is lavender-colored and leaves behind notes of citrus and candied flowers with a hint of cedar and vanilla. The best part? Portions of proceeds of Cerulea Gin are donated to support breast cancer research. 207 W. 4860 South, Murray, 385-800-2580, holystonedistilling.com

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PICKS

Best Charcuterie in a Box

Harvest & Honey

Best Pudding

Handle

When The New York Times (or a City Weekly foodie, for that matter) comes to town just to try your dessert, you know it’s has to be delicious.

The Times visited Park City and named Handle’s Whiskey Caramel Pudding one of the best desserts in the country. It’s a delicate balance of rich pudding, creamy maple mascarpone and a salty Chex Mix streusel. Handle nails it on the head. It’s the type of treat that turns nondessert lovers into pudding-aholics. 136 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-602-1155, handleparkcity.com

Harvest & Honey’s mouthwatering charcuterie: Go ahead, open the box!

You gotta love meats and cheeses in a pretty box. Honestly, Harvest & Honey’s packaging is so pretty, you don’t want to disturb the contents. That is, until you do, and then you are even happier with what’s inside. Jessica Gonzalez packs a punch in her boxes of charcuterie, from mini boxes that make great gifts or are perfect for snacking, to a large box that creates a beautiful grazing table, everything you could want on a board is inside. harvestandhoneyco.com

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Epic Brewing

Best Taste of Tuesday

Himalayan Kitchen

COURTESY PHOTO

Best Big Bad Baptists

DEREK CARLISLE

Besides the fact that Grid City is one of the best new breweries in town, their food is amazing—and, in particular, their default vegan menu (in a twist, all non-vegan items are the ones labeled). Menu staples like the Vegan Rachel feature fried seitan with salty slaw and pickle sauce, and nut-based beer cheese is a common special on their frequently changing menu. Bar food or not, vegan or not, this is one of the most innovative restaurants in the city right now. 333 W. 2100 South, South Salt Lake, 801-906-8390, gridcitybeerworks.com

A true mainstay in our community, Hatch Family Chocolates uses family recipes to deliver the best chocolate in town.

Indulge in fun treats like chocolate dinosaurs or opt for adultfriendly affogato—Jared Gold has been working his magic with them, and it shows. Online, you can watch interviews and get to know Steve Hatch better with his “Short & Sweet” segments.

Hatch’s hand-dipped chocolates should be on offer for any gathering of friends or family. We love you, Kate and Steve. 376 Eighth Ave., SLC, 801-532-4912, hatchfamilychocolates.com

Best Lunch Special Trio

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Best Rim-Defying Milkshakes

PICKS

La Crepe OG

Kaiser’s Texas barbecue is the real deal

Best Texas Ribs

It doesn’t take much talent to make a milkshake taste good, but making one look good? Yeah, that’s a gift. The team at La Crepe OG celebrates the humble milkshake by topping their offerings with a fully assembled gooey s’more or an artfully shattered strawberry Pop Tart. Their work is something that truly needs to be seen to be believed, so get the lead out and check them out already. 2411 Kiesel Ave., Ste. 101, Ogden, 385-333-4549, lacrepeog.square.site

Kaiser’s Bar-B-Q & General Store

Best Menudo

La Puente

Best Tasteful Noods

Best Irresistible Tapas

When West Valley welcomed Hong Kong Banjum, an extension of the Paik’s Noodle empire, Utahns got their first taste of Korean staple jajangmyeon, homemade noodles topped with a savory black bean sauce. It’s an unassuming bowl that distills the comforting power of noodles and sauce into a complete and satisfying dish.

Once you taste it, you might crave it at least once a week. 3513 S. Constitution Blvd., Ste. 100, West Valley City, 385-900-8607, paiksnoodleut.com

Kimi Eklund, the driving force behind her one-of-akind Sugar House eatery, leaves no stone unturned in bringing a European dining experience to Salt Lake diners. Her restaurant’s distinctive decor, color scheme and large-format abstract art make it a place to sit and linger to soak up the ambiance. You may even feel transported to another space and time. But to complete the experience, consider ordering the “Kimistyle” tapas with a favorite beverage. The Mediterranean bruschetta is a no-brainer, and the golden beet carpaccio takes it over the top. Combine the luscious crab cakes and the totally munchable jalapeno bacon roasted Brussels sprout egg rolls with a crafted cocktail or exquisite wine, and that may be all she wrote. Oh, and you can still order the oysters! Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House, 2155 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-946-2079, kimishouse.com

Hong Kong Banjum

Best Sushi for Goths

Itto Sushi

Sushi and spooky season aren’t necessarily two things that we have ever associated, but that was before we met the Dracula Roll at Itto Sushi. Initially created as part of a Halloween event a few years back, its popularity warranted a full-time spot on the restaurant’s menu.

Morbid sushi fans can get a tempura shrimp and spicy crab roll topped with crispy onions and sriracha entombed within a coffin filled with woodsmoke whenever the need strikes them. Multiple locations, ittoutah.com

Kimistyle Tapas

Level Crossing Brewing

What’s a better American combination than beer and pizza? Level Crossing hits the mark in both those categories with their award-winning brews and brick oven pizza. Their Suss It Out, a rye IPA, is a hit, as is their Look Up! amber ale. For food fare, the Sweet Home Chicago pizza is a must, which is topped with San Marzano sauce, roasted bell peppers, Italian sausage, onion and mozzarella.

2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-270-5752, levelcrossingbrewing.com

Best Meze

Few Mexican restaurants these days serve that tasty stew (and noted hangover cure) of oregano, spices, hominy and tripe called menudo. Nearly everyone loves a zesty bowl of pozole, which is almost the same dish but made with pork meats—not pork stomach. Menudo is a harder sell.

That’s too bad because when menudo is good, it’s very good. And the very best of the very good is delicious at La Puente. Our recent bowl at the South Salt Lake location came with an optional pig’s foot, Pata. Old school, yeah! Multiple locations, lapuenteslc.com

Manoli’s

Meze, Greek for taste or bite (think Spanish tapas), is how Greeks tend to enjoy their meals instead of individual plates. The shared eating style encourages intimacy and community among the dinner table, and no one does it better in Utah than Manoli’s. At Manoli’s, you can enjoy a modern flare for traditional Greek dishes such as yemista (stuffed peppers), htapodi (charred octopus), tyropita (cheese pie) and the house staple, paidakia (grilled lamb riblets). 402 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-3760, manolison9th.com

We’re going bananas for Papito Moe’s plantains SARAH ARNOFF

No matter the rib joint you find in Texas, you always find very nearly the same items: brisket, ribs, pork sausage and pulled pork, most often mesquite smoked. What separates them all is razor thin, be it the smoke, the grade of meat or just as often the love a proprietor puts into his servings. All of the above are found at Kaiser’s, but especially the love—and Salt Lake is the better for it. Drop by, peruse the general store and leave with the most authentic style Texas ribs in the valley. 962 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-355-0499, saltlakebbq.com

Best Beer and Pizza

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PICKS Best Laid Plantains

Papito Moe’s

Best Smutty Corn

La Casa del Tamal

Adventurous eaters of Latin American food will have no doubt heard of huitlacoche, loosely translated as corn smut. It’s a fungus that grows on corn cobs, and it’s delicious. While hard to find here in Utah, La Casa del Tamal makes an excellent quesadilla that melds the earthy, umami flavor of huitlacoche with tons of melty cheese. If you’re looking for something smutty to liven up your meal, La Casa del Tamal has you covered.

2843 S. 5600 West, Ste. 140, West Valley, 385-266-8729, lacasadeltamalutah.com

There are few sorrows that can’t be alleviated with a perfectly cooked plantain. Luckily, the team at Papito Moe’s specializes in mofongo, a versatile Puerto Rican dish that can be served up with anything from grilled shrimp to roast chicken. We’re not sure whether it’s the starchy texture or the slightly sweet flavor that’s unique to the plantain, but it’s risen pretty high in the ranks of our comfort food favorites. 7786 S. 5600 West, West Jordan, 385-529-5462, papitomoes.com

DEREK CARLISLE

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Best Roshambo

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RoHa’ s Shambo Juicy IPA

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RoHa Brewing Project is home to iconic ales like the Back Porch, Maltese Cross and Steady Edge Imperial Red. How do the three partners come to agree on names of their creations? Well, with a friendly game of Roshambo, of course. Rob, Chris and Josh settle friendly disputes and naming of beers with rock, paper, scissors and even named their Juicy IPA Shambo in honor of their foolproof practice. 30 E. Kensington Ave., SLC, 385-227-8982, rohabrewing.com

Best Guacamole Burger

Rich’s

Best Ogden Classic

Burgers-N-Grub

Roosters Brewing

Every great city has great pioneers. Ogden—too often ignored in the past—has had its ups and downs but is certainly on the upswing these days. A good part of that credit goes to Roosters, which startled Ogden’s notable 25th Street area awake back in 1995. Now with three locations that includes a taproom—all serving pioneering beers and super pub fares—Roosters is poised to keep it going for years to come. Multiple locations in Ogden and Layton, roostersbrewingco.com

Rich’s guacamole burger

Best Danish Aebleskiver

Ruca’ s

Because Ruca’s is the only restaurant in Utah offering the pancake orbs known in Danish as aebleskiver, the Garden City eatery has no competition in the coveted “Best Aebleskiver” category. No matter. The seasonal restaurant, which overlooks Bear Lake, does a brisk business. It serves 1,000 or more aebleskiver a day. Loyalists drive 100 or more miles for pancakes the size of lacrosse balls. Their popularity isn’t too surprising since 15% of Utah’s population traces its lineage to Scandinavia. Lots of kids grew up eating grandma’s aebleskiver, freckerdiller and other traditional Danish dishes. 284 S. Bear Lake Blvd., Garden City, 435-946-3691, rucasbearlake.com

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Best Prosciutto Sandwich

Best Wood-Fired Molten Wonder

Mediterranean Market & Deli, with its distinct Italian Sub hand-painted sign on State Street, was originally called Caneparis and was one of the city’s first delis, opening its doors in 1958. It’s now owned (for over two decades) by Annette Ravarino. Their Prosciutto sandwich, made with either domestic or imported prosciutto (and we highly recommend their imported) will melt in your mouth; the meat is great on a sandwich or DIY charcuterie board. 3942 S. State, SLC, 801-266-2011, medmarketSLC.com

Pizza Nono, a mom-and-pop pizzeria in the 9th & 9th neighborhood (note: “nono” is Italian for “ninth”) lays claim to the Rocket Man pizza, a pièce de résistance that brings together a symphony of cheeses and peppery arugula. Little wonder it seems to be catching on (as in “all the rage”) with its layer of fontina and mozzarella melted upon a lightly charred thin crust. Added to that you’ll find slices of prosciutto di Parma. Then it’s dusted with Grana cheese and topped off with a handful of colorful arugula (which, oddly, is the actual namesake of the pizza, since arugula grows like “rocket”). May the cheese be with you. 925 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-702-3580, pizzanono-slc.com

Mediterranean Market & Deli

Best Reason to take Frontrunner to Ogden

Ogden River Brewing

Ogden River Brewing’s Pat Winslow has been an avid homebrewer and a part of the Utah beer community for ages. A former train conductor, he retired from his day job and started his dream of opening a brewery. Ogden River Brewery boasts a full brewpub menu as well as favorite beers such as the Hop Train Pale Ale and the Blasting Powder Coffee Stout. 358 Park Blvd., Ogden, 801-884-6939, ogdenriverbrewing.com

Pizza Nono’ s Rocket Man

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The downtown Salt Lake workforce knows that the spot to get one of the best burgers around is at Rich’s Burgers-N-Grub. The mainstay at Rich’s is the guacamole burger, which is simple yet scrumptious. Rich’s piles on the housemade guacamole and loads the bun with 100 percent Angus beef, pico, Monterey Jack cheese and lemon mayo. It’s a must try for burger lovers. 30 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-355-0667, richsburgersngrub.com

Best Japanese Whiskies

Post Office Place

Japanese whiskies at Post Office Place

Best Dog House

Porky’s Kauai

Some folks dismiss hot dogs as classless, but we’ll bet they’ve never been to Porky’s Kauai. When you see one of these monstrous hot dogs topped with pulled pork, grilled onions and fresh pineapple, you’ll forget every unkind word you ever said about a hot dog. These are glorious, physics-defying entrees and one of the best reasons to pay a visit to Utah County. 785 E. 200 South, Lehi, 801-803-3783, porkyskauai.com

When it comes to booze, Utahns often assume they are somehow deprived. But it ain’t necessarily so, especially when it comes to Japanese whisky. Thanks to Rich Romney, the GM for Takashi and the bar next door, Post Office Place, as well as the resident expert in Japanese spirits, Salt Lakers have a large array of Japanese whiskies to choose from. Romney and his team have assembled an expansive Japanese whisky selection, including the house label Ohishi Takashi Cask, as well as whiskies from Suntory, Nikka, Fukano and other notable distilleries. Don’t know where to start?

Stop by on Japanese Whisky Wednesdays (20% off on all whisky, all day) and experience Japanese cocktail culture at its Utah finest. 16 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595, popslc.com

DEREK CARLISLE

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Best Gluten-Free Spring Rolls

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SOMI Vietnamese Bistro

PICKS

It’s hard to find a gluten-free spring roll in this city that’s not cross-contaminated. SOMI Vietnamese bistro delivers with locally sourced ingredients, to boot. But don’t stop there: SOMI has an overall impressive menu, with several gluten-free options. Be sure to add an order of calamari served with Thai basil and jalapenos— yum! 1215 E. Wilmington Ave., Ste 100, SLC, 385-322-1158, somislc.com

Best Flaming Cheese Wheel

Sicilia Mia

Best Happy Valley Watering Hole

A creative spin on a classic: Sicilia Mia’s spaghetti carbonara

Strap Tank Brewery

It says something that this local brewery and gastropub occupies two pieces of high-visibility Utah County real estate. The brewery’s antiquebiker-bar-meets-circus-sideshow vibe seems at odds with the local culture, making it an even more fun place to visit. Not to mention the fact that their food and beer are consistently on point. Multiple locations, straptankbrewery.com

Spaghetti carbonara, a traditional Roman meal, gets a creative spin at Sicilia Mia. The family-run Italian restaurant’s signature dish is prepared tableside with a heap of spaghetti, egg, cured pork, pepper all tossed in a fiery basin of cheese. The chef usually belts a song or two in Italian, making for one of the coolest dining experiences around. Multiple locations, siciliamiautah.com

Best Patio Sushi and Sake

Best Gluten-Free Pizza

In terms of elegance and extravagance, Sapa exceeds in both categories when it comes to their artistic sushi preparations. While indoor dining at Sapa is a delight, you should always vie for a table on their incredible, enclosed patio. The traditional Japanese architecture is stunning and provides plenty of ambiance as you take in your sushi and sake. 722 S. State, SLC, 801-363-7272, sapabarandgrill.com

A gluten-free crust that doesn’t taste like cardboard? What? A pizza that’s even squishy and soft? Settebello’s pizza will leave you asking your server three times, “Is this really gluten-free?”

Pizzas are cooked on their own stones to avoid cross-contamination. When you come back to reality and realize you are in a food coma, you will have enough of your pie left over to enjoy the next day. After dinner, you can pop next door for some gelato, because there’s no such thing as being too full for dessert! 260 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-322-3556, settebello.net

Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill

Best New Vegan Cheese

Seasons Plant Based Bistro

Vegans these days have it so good. Not only are supermarkets ever expanding their vegan meats and cheeses (with ones that actually taste good), but we have local options, too.

In 2019, the plant-based restaurant Seasons started offering cultured housemade cheeses in perfect little wheels—and, boy, are they good. Added to a charcuterie board or sliced for simple cheese-n-cracker snacking, these dairy-free wheels are flavorful and delicious.

Buy them at the Downtown Farmers Market or at Seasons. 1370 S. State, SLC, 385-267-1922, seasonsslc.com

JOHN TAYLOR

Sill’s Cafe, where a side of bacon means business

Best Korean Stunner

Stun Cube

As a one-stop shop for Korea’s most notable dishes, it’s hard to overlook Stun Cube and what it’s doing for local Korean food. Their cube combos offer savory bulgogi with your choice of protein, and their bibimbap gets its rice just right for that crispy finish. On top of that, the tteokbokki is a life saver during the colder months of the year—it warms you up from the inside out. 2732 S. State, South Salt Lake, 801-419-0082, stun-cube.business.site

Best Salsa Bar

Taco Taco

This authentic taco shop was created by the owners of the erstwhile Cannella’s. Their affordable meat and veggie tacos reach new heights courtesy of their fresh, loaded salsa bar. Taco Taco was created with all the festivity Mexico offers, celebrating the tradition of millenary cuisine symbolic of the bold Lucha Libre gladiators. Their tacos al pastor are a must … and a favorite of many kids. Enjoy fantastic veggie options and an outdoor patio. You know it’s good when there’s a steady wait for lunch (and remember, they are closed Sunday and Mondays). 208 E. 500 South, SLC, 801-428-2704, tacotacoslc.com

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PICKS Best Old-Timey Café

Sill’ s Café

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana

Best Drive-Thru Tacos

Sobe Eats

Thanks to Sobe Eats, we no longer need to settle for mediocre tacos and burritos at the expense of not wanting to get out of our cars. The awardwinning team has brought their elevated take on Mexican favorites like birria and carnitas burritos and tacos to a cozy, unassuming location in Sandy.

The only tricky part about becoming a regular is trying to eat these bodacious burritos while driving without spilling all over yourself. 120 W. 9000 South, Sandy, 954-616-7559, sobeeats.square.site

They just don’t make ‘em like this any longer. From the busy counter to tables that are packed with patrons sipping their morning coffee, you know you’ve gone back in time. From the low key décor to the waitresses that are just a whole lot nicer than those at the shiny places down the road, you know you’re inside a treasure. And from the giant plates of food, including Utah’s best scone—a masterpiece!—you are left wishing you lived in your parents’ era. Mark Sill’s down for a visit. Your memories will thank you. 335 E. Gentile St., Layton, 801-544-7438, facebook/com/sillscafe

DEREK CARLISLE

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Best Angel Wings

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Tin Angel Reopening at the Eccles Theater

PICKS

Thai Delight’s tom kha gai

Best West Jordan Thai

In 1967 a nondescript State Street bar named the Tin Angel hired a fashion show to boost business realizing too late that it was a drag fashion show, launching Utah’s drag scene. That era faded, but fast forward to now, and the owner’s son, Jerry Liedke Jr., and wife, Kestrel, opened their own Tin Angel, a creative, contemporary, award-winning eatery in the difficult-to-prosper Pioneer Park area. Later relocated into deluxe surroundings in the Eccles Theater, the Tin Angel was spreading its wings until COVID-19 hit. Finally, the Tin Angel is again open, coinciding with the long-awaited reboot of the Eccles Theater 2021-2022 season. 131 S. Main, SLC, 801-328-4155, thetinangel.com

Thai Delight

Best Chilaquiles

Tradition

Family matriarch Lae Tranngoc oversees every entrée and roasts peppers to make her garlic chili oil for the flavorful and refreshing tom kha gai, a creamy, coconut chicken soup. “It’s a good balance of all the ingredients—a sweet and spicy blend with a little heat,” says son Win Tranngoc, who invites diners to dial their spice level before presenting the soup in a stainless-steel firepot. 6271 S. Dixie Road, West Jordan, 801-968-7626, thaidelightcafe.com

Best Sugar House Shooters

Tap Room

Where else are you going to find Yamazaki 12-year for under $15 a shot?

This is another Sugar House hidden gem. If you love whiskey, you need to know about the Tap Room, a low-key joint with friendly staff, pool tables and a back patio that’s great for hanging out with friends. 2021 S. Windsor St., SLC, 801-484-6692 slctaproom.com

Best Tiramisu to Your Door

Tasty Tiramisu

Yes, you can have tiramisu delivered!

Paula Williams has been making the delicious treat for years and sharing it with friends in need of a pick-me-up.

Searching for a new hobby herself, Williams decided to try her hand at creating interesting flavors, like pistachio and caramel apple, letting her foodie friends serve as taste testers.

First-timers and seasoned tiramisu lovers alike can order through DM on Instagram. IG: @tastytiramisu801

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Nothing beats weekend brunch in Salt Lake City, especially when you can dine across from Liberty Park and then walk off your full belly while strolling under the trees. Tradition is just right for brunch, offering as it does small plates like funeral potatoes, fried green tomatoes and pigs in a blanket and then, of course, the fabulous entrees: chicken and pancakes, biscuits and gravy and

Best Carb Delivery

The Carb Dealer

Tosh’s Japanese curry ramen

more. But for a gluten-free taste of the Southwest, you gotta try the chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lahKEE-lays). Bites of tortillas are fried and covered in verde and braised pork, black beans and then sprinkled with Cotija cheese. Two fresh eggs rest on top. Sooo good. And don’t forget to order an Old Fashioned to go with it. 501 E. 900 South, SLC, 385- 202-7167, traditionslc.com

Best Beer Sides

Emigration Brewing Co.

Little known fact: Utah’s first brewery was built at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in 1865 by one Henry Wagener. Emigration Brewing Co., located next to Ruth’s Diner, tips its hat to the canyon’s brewing history, not by brewing beer but by collaborating with local crafters like Shades, Kiitos Brewery, Roha Brewing Project, Moab Brewery and even Mtn. West to create namesake brews and ciders. Plus, they have various locally brewed “guest taps,” bottles and cans. But what snacks to pair with them? That’s where Emigration Brewing’s culinary squad shines. From tamari-glazed cauliflower to Dutch pull-aparts, warm chewy Bavarian pretzels and a killer charcuterie board, your drive (or bike ride) up the canyon will be amply rewarded. And we haven’t even got to the legendary wood-fire pizzas or other entrees yet. That’s for another time.

4170 Emigration Canyon Road, SLC, 385-800-1098, emigrationbrewing.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Ramen Wizard

Toshio Sekikawa

Each week the carb dealer releases her menu on Instagram with a selection of sourdough focaccia breads, cream puffs and meringues in a plethora of flavors. Having grown up in Fiji, tea time was a staple in her home and everything was made from scratch.

Favorites include tomato basil focaccia, banana cream pie cream puffs and passionfruit meringues. Get a sampler and try them all; you’ll thank me later. IG: @carbdealerslc

Best Treats to Bake at Home

The Dough Lady

Brainstorming flavor ideas together, Amy and Eric Lund launched their baking business over the holidays hoping to sell to family and friends. Today, through the power of social media and word of mouth, their little endeavor has turned into a much bigger project.

Turns out lots of folks need that sugar rush. From classics like cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookie dough to apple pie rolls and spiced chai cookies, get your fix by ordering through DM on Instagram. IG: @doughladyslc

Best Surf and Turf on a Bun

The Garage Grill

It takes courage to add seafood of any kind to a gastropub menu, but the team at The Garage Grill is pulling it off nicely. Consider the Crabby Patty Wagon, a textbook pub burger stacked with spicy crab slaw and tempura shrimp. The crab slaw and shrimp add a welcome burst of sweetness, making it hard to go back to regular burgers knowing this beast is out in the world. 1122 E. Draper Parkway, Draper, 801-523-3339, thegaragegrill.com

Toshio Sekikawa, owner and executive chef of Tosh’s Ramen, orders custom ramen noodles from a California noodle factory to create five different flavors of delectable, premium ramen soup ranging from vegetarian to pork. A soft-boiled egg adds a delightful texture variation, and the shiitake mushrooms add even more flavor. Sekikawa prepares the noodles themselves to the perfect consistency—firm enough to hold their shape but so tender they nearly melt in your mouth. Tosh’s Ramen, 1963 E. Murray Holladay Road, SLC, 801-278-8249; 1465 S. State, SLC, 801-466-7000; toshsramen.com

JOHN TAYLOR

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FOOD & DRINK

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.....no Brainer!

FOOD & DRINK

CW STAFF

PICKS

75 trillion cells say “Yes,” to Czech Lev Lion Beer

Best Panko-Encrusted Corn Dogs

Yummy’s Korean BBQ

Yummy’s corn dog 2.0

NOVEMBER SHOWS

It’s tough to improve upon the classic corn-dog formula, but thanks to a Korean trend that recently made its way to our neck of the woods, we’re witnessing history in the making. Yummy’s Korean BBQ serves up traditional corn dogs or cheesy variants slathered in panko, fried to perfection and then dusted with granulated sugar. When topped with a healthy spurt of ketchup, you’ve got something familiar yet daringly new. Multiple locations, yummysutah.com

Best Beast 11/18 Test Tones // Quais 11/19 Cosmic Kitten // Quinn The Brain // Cudney 11/20 Ben Brinton // The Deaf and The Musician // Surprise

V & R Baking Co.

From perfectly textured, slightly chewy ginger snaps to a ham, tomato and jalapeno-laden signature croissant nicknamed “the beast,” to fudgy brownies in flavors such as mint, chocolate fudge, chocolate peanut butter and seven-layer bars, V & R Bakery is the best place to seek a bakery fix.

Relish in the culinary talents of Victor Hernandez and Rosanna Wayman, who acquired their baking chops from years of working at V and R’s former incarnation, Pierre’s Country Bakery. 3239 E. 3300 South, Millcreek, 801-419-0050, wrbakingco.com

Best Authentic New York Pizza 11/24 The Shackletons // Choice Coin

Villaggio

The Jersey native who turned us on to this place says it reminds him of home. Villaggio imports its ingredients from New York City for a true authentic experience. They offer pizza by the slice and have a full menu that will not disappoint. Try the Pizza Bianca, Nonna’s Meatball Parm sub or a jumbo calzone derived from Old World Neapolitan recipes.

Tutti mangia! 3144 S. State, South Salt Lake, 801-410-4355, villaggio-slc.com

Best Taste of Philly

Vito’s 400 S & MAIN ST. / MUST BE 21+ BUY TIX @ QUARTERSSLC.COM/THE-DLC

Vito’s, aptly dubbed “the Philly King of Bountiful,” is a must-try for Philly cheesesteak lovers. Vito’s is a simple crew of Vito himself cooking behind the counter and a roaming busser. That’s all that’s needed for Vito’s to absolutely kill the lunch game

ALEX SPRINGER

@ Restaurants, Bars, Super Markets, Carlson Distributer;

in Bountiful. Upon entering, customers drop cash (no cards accepted) in a box and Vito takes your order, whether it’s a classic Philly or garnished with favorites like jalapenos or mushrooms. 100 S. Main, Bountiful, 801-953-8486

Best Rotolo

Pago

Any true pasta lover has a soft spot for rotolo, fresh pasta rolled out into a large paper-thin sheet, filled with any variety of cheese, meat or veg and formed into a roulade. And if you are indeed a pasta lover, then you must roll into Pago 9th and 9th for their artichoke rotolo complete with herbed ricotta, tapenade, pomodoro and fried shallots. Bonus points if you opt to start off with Table X sourdough.

878 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-582-0777, pagoslc.com

Best Brewsie Marriage

Uinta Brewing and Nomad Eatery

When the popular Nomad Eatery moved crosstown to set up at Uinta Brewing, it was clear good things were happening. What could possibly be better than the pairing of some of Utah’s best brewed beers with some of Utah’s best casual dining fare? Want to walk the aisle with a Baba Black Lager or Hoodoo Kolsch? Then maybe set it off with a Knuckle Sandwich or Spicy Southwest Burger. Or for that long time commitment, go with a classic Cutthroat IPA and a batch of loaded fries. Great beer, great food—a real one-two punch at Uinta Brewing. 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC, 801-467-0909, uintabrewing.com

Best Southern Biscuits

Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade Few restaurants dare to perfect a Southern dish, and fewer still dedicate their entire operations to pumping out biscuits and gravy, but Sweet Lake—with three locations in Salt Lake, Draper and American Fork—does it masterfully. Stopping in for the first time? Try the house favorite, Hoss, which is Sweet Lake’s house biscuit, buttermilk battered chicken breast, bacon, egg, cheddar, housemade gravy and green onions. Multiple locations, sweetlakefresh.com

Best Craft Cheese

Beehive Cheese

When brothers-in-law Tim Welsh and Pat Ford filled their vat for the first time in 2005, they had a combined eight days of cheese-making experience. However, they turned their vision of a Utah creamery into a raging success over the past 16 years and Beehive Cheese is a premiere cheese factory in Utah. You can find Beehive cheeses in supermarkets or grocery stores statewide, or you can purchase cheese online and have their products shipped to your door and into your belly. 2440 E. 6600 South, Uintah, 801-476-0900, beehivecheese.com

Best Bar Longevity

Desert Edge Pub & Brewery

Desert Edge opened its doors in 1972 as a small watering hole serving Coors to college students fixated on the new trend of electronic video games and weekend folk or bluegrass music. They began their craft brewing in 1995, joining just a handful of

craft breweries in the state. Over the years, they’ve become a sanctuary for beer drinkers at the bar, family dinners in the restaurant and a great place to meet up with friends. Always on tap at Desert Edge are their classics and favorites—a nitro stout, hefeweizen, pilsner and pale ale. Historic Trolley Square, 551 S. 600 East, SLC, 801-521-8917, desertedgebrewery.com

Best Beer Labeling

Red Rock Brewery

Since breaking dirt in 1994, Red Rock Brewery has amassed more than 100 regional and national awards. Their beers are on draft at many local bars and restaurants, but whenever possible, check out their awesome beer-bOttle labels. Many recognize the iconic Elephino Double IPA elephant and the Drioma Russian Imperial Stout spirit of the night, both original watercolor paintings by Chris Harlin, their head brewer at their downtown location. But keep sipping and looking, since other labels (i.e., Golden Halo Blonde Ale designed by former server Matt Dennis and Bobcat Nutbrown Ale, designed by Sanya Durich) are equally creative and memorable.

Marvella! Multiple locations, redrockbrewing.com

Best Rebranding

Gaetano’s Sub Shop

Need your hero fix? Gaetano’s is your place. Curtis deLagerheim has been stacking sandwiches since 1996 at the State Street location of Grinders 13, which even dates back decades prior. From line cook to proprietor, Curtis became sole owner of that location in 2010 and rebranded it to Gaetano’s Sub Shop in February 2021 after his great grandfather. The building has had a modern face lift, including a new take-out window, cementing new twists and flair into this East Coast eatery. 1618 S. State, SLC, 801-467-3676, GaetanosSLC.com

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Thank you for the support Utah, Cheers!

A. Fisher Brewing Co. 320 W. 800 South, SLC, UT FISHERBEER.com - (801)-487-BEER

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Shout it from the rooftop: The Green Pig’s avocado rolls are delish

Best Salt Lake City Bar

The Green Pig Pub

DEREK CARLISLE

Best Neighborhood Bar

Best Late-Night Grub

Best Ogden Bar

Best Theme Night

A Bar Named Sue (Sue’s for short) has a stronghold in Holladay and Midvale, and it’s easy to see why. Each have diehard regulars at their weekly bingo, trivia and other themed nights, and the staff is amiable, the type that remembers their customers’ faces and orders with ease. The food fare is worth the trip on its own—Sue’s is known for their insanely tasty wings and sandwiches, such as their flagship Tennessee Turkey. 8136 S. State, Midvale, 801566-3222; 3928 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-275-5578, ABarNamedSue.com 2. Dick n’ Dixie’s 3. Brickyard Bar

Arepas and late-night grub have gone hand in hand forever, but it just took the opening of Arempa’s to help us locals see the light.

Giant, overstuffed corn tortillas filled with rice, beans, grilled pork or roast chicken just feel right when it’s after midnight, and your body demands sacrifice. 350 S. State, SLC, 385-301-8905, arempas.com 2. Pie Hole 3. Beto’s Mexican Food

Self-proclaimed as Ogden’s “five star dive bar”, Funk ‘n Dive is a no frills, good-time bar that patrons have flocked to for years. Partners and longtime friends Bridget Gordon and Dave Morris (Green Pig, Piper Down, Ice Haus and others) teamed up to create an easy and affordable restaurant, and as with many of the Morris bars around town, an excellent vegan menu. 2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801-621-3483, funkanddive.com 2. Brewskis 3. The Angry Goat Pub & Kitchen

Each July, the Days of ‘47 celebrates the arrival of Utah pioneers in 1847. There are the usual parades, dances, rodeos, races and assorted festivities offered statewide. In recent times, those not of the pioneer heritage have created “Pie and Beer Day” (to rhyme with Pioneer Day). Still, there is no more of a unique celebration than the Gays of ‘47. This “Pio-QUEER” weekend has a gay rodeo, parties at both LGBTQ bars and straight bars, and of course, drag shows. Local queens like Jason CoZmo, Gia Bianca Stephens and a slew of DJs bring the music and glam as an alternative to the traditional parade and rodeo the Mormons hold every year. Portions of the cover charges go to nonprofits like Equality Utah, Utah Pride Center and the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. utahlgbtqchamber.org and Twist Bar & Bistro, 32 Exchange Place, SLC, 801-322-3200, twistslc.com 2. Viva la Diva 3. Drag Karaoke at Why Kiki

A Bar Named Sue

Arempa’s

Funk ‘n Dive

Gays of ‘47

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Why do Salt Lakers so love the Green Pig? Well, for one thing, there’s a rooftop patio, just the place where friends want to hang.

There’s pub food that’s made from scratch daily (kudos for both stellar vegan and nonvegan bar fare), the varied entertainment (including a Monday blues jam plus karaoke and trivia nights—not to mention live bands and DJ Latu on the weekend), and the drinks, from pints of local beers to top drawer spirits to premium wines. And with over a dozen flat screens, it’s the place to watch games. And we love those avocado rolls. Really, we do! 31 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-532-7441, thegreenpigpub.com 2. Gracie’s 3. The Ivy

READERS’

PICKS

READERS’

PICKS

Best NonDowntown Bar

Best Bar Patio

The Hog Wallow Pub

Gracie’ s

Best Dive Bar

Johnny’s

If you go to this SLC dive often enough, you become family, or at least kissing cousins. The bartenders keep the bar but also the people, which is good since Johnny’s beer selections (that include over 30 full strength and selected import beers) make patrons a little wild sometimes.

It’s all about the patio, pool tables, pub food, live tunes on weekends, shuffleboard and, of course, cheap booze. 165 E. 200 South, SLC, 801- 746-3334 2. Willie’s Lounge 3. Bongo Lounge

Best Sports Bar

Legends Pub & Grill

As much as the cable companies want to believe that Utahns are proximity fans of “nearby” teams such as the Raiders or Broncos in the NFL or Diamondbacks and Rockies in MLB, Utahns by and large are fans of a wide variety of sports teams across the country. There’s no better place for people to stream games across all the major sports than Legends. Along with their longstanding downtown location, they recently opened up a Sandy iteration. 677 S. 200 West, SLC; 10631 S. Holiday Park Drive, Sandy, 801-355-3598, whylegends.com 2. The Huddle 3. The Break

Enjoy local and out-ofstate touring bands while savoring Hog Wallow pub fare and beverages.

Best Park City Bar

No Name Saloon

No Name Saloon is one of those Park City bars that gets packed because, yes, it’s on Main Street, oozes with local history and serves incredible buffalo burgers and craft beverages, but also because it’s one hell of a charismatic bar. The rough and tumble Old West vibes are present, and their rooftop area is the perfect place to escape crowds and, during Sundance, scout for celebrities below.

447 Main St., Park City, 435-649-6667, nonamesaloon.com 2. The Cabin 3. O’Shucks

Hog Wallow is where people post up before and after hitting the slopes in Big Cottonwood Canyon, including celebrity guest and nearby resident Post Malone, who is often spotted at the neighborhood watering hole. Music lovers flock to the always-impressive lineups they host (still waiting on that Post Malone booking), and their popular patio is one of the coolest spots in town to get a bite and beer. 3200 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon Road, SLC, 801-733-5567, thehogwallow.com 2. Ice Haus 3. Prohibition Bar

Best LGBTQ+ Bar

Best Beer Selection

A perennial Best of Utah winner, Sun Trapp has the charm of a dive bar with its old school decor, but it can just as easily turn into a party bar and dance club when the music is right. The best part is that it carries both those qualities while fostering a space for local queer folks and their friends to drink beer out of Mason jars and feel welcome and right at home.

102 S. 600 West, SLC, 385-235-6786, thesuntrapp.com 2. Why Kiki 3. TryAngles

In 2001, when The Bayou opened its doors, the idea of a craft beer bar was still a pretty novel concept. This bar that specialized in craft beers from around the world was an immediate success and its reputation grew from within and outside of the state as a must stop for beer lovers. Even two decades later, The Bayou still manages to endear itself to craft beer lovers by stocking its fridges with the hard-to-get bottles and cans that may not even be on the radars of other pubs. 645 S. State, SLC, 801-961-8400, utahbayou.com 2. Beerhive Pub 3. Beer Bar

Sun Trapp

The Bayou

JOHN TAYLOR

We love heading to Gracie’s tiered patio to grab a drink and meet with friends. The food and beverages combined with the downtown city views just give off a vibe of contentment. Plus, Gracie’s does not disappoint with their taste in local bands. They offer live music or a DJ almost every night of the week. 326 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-819-7565, graciesslc.com 2. The Hog Wallow Pub 3. The Green Pig Pub

DEREK CARLISLE

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Unexpectedly Good Food from a Decidedly Great Bar

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326 S. West Temple Open 11-2am, M-F • 10-2am, Sat & Sun graciesslc.com • 801-819-7565

OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR

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Serving Food Til Midnight

READERS’

READERS’

Best Live Music

Best Liquor Selection

Urban Lounge

Whiskey Street

PICKS

PICKS

Urban Lounge features indoor and outdoor concert spaces.

Outdoor shows are still a norm everywhere these days, and the Urban Lounge has one of the most frequently used and beloved outdoor concert spaces. Sometimes it’s used to double-book shows, with an early performance outside and a later one inside—it’s a clever way for the venue to capitalize on show times and tickets, since both were scant in 2020. Performers love it, too—not just for the safety element but because being outside eases a lot of the chaos that can ensue at a packed-like-sardines indoor show. 241 S. 500 East, SLC, theurbanloungeslc.com 2. The State Room 3. The Depot

Whiskey Street’s My Bloody Christmas cocktail

Best Karaoke

Best Dance Club

Best Craft Cocktails

Karaoke is a Japanese term that means “empty orchestra.” Japanese karaoke, with its plush private rooms and bar service, is a far different beast than our rowdier version in the USA. However, in Utah, one place seems to have karaoke well dialed in: the Highlander Club. With karaoke on tap seven days a week, their large space is great for celebrations. While you’re waiting for your turn to belt out a tune, play a round of pool or dig into a basket of English-style chips. 6194 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-277-8251, highlanderutah.com 2. Piper Down 3. Club 90

Yes, it’s a dance club, especially on Thirsty Thursdays with DJ Mvdness, Friday Nights with DJ Dirty Dave & DJ Myze, and Saturday nights with DJ Dirty Dave & DJ Marcell Mesquita. And the expansive layout offers both a patio and main floor where the vibes can be just to your liking. But there’s more: The drink specials are inspired and the food menu is indeed “bistro” dining at its finest, well beyond your average pub grub, making this not only a dance club but a date-night spot. Twist’s location right downtown makes it perfect as your first stop or last of the night. 32 Exchange Place, SLC, 801-322-3200, twistslc.com 2. Why Kiki 3. Echo

Returning champs in this category, Water Witch doesn’t just serve the best craft cocktails, their delivery and presentation is second to none. Try the flaming mai tai for an impressive and tasty good time. Patrons navigate the small space with ease.

163 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-462-0967, waterwitchbar.com 2. Bar X 3. Under Current

The Highlander Club

Best Utah County Bar

The Owl Bar

Located 13 miles northeast of Provo, this 1890’s bar is an easy winner because it’s so cool. Not only does it have a wild origin story (wild as in it hosted Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall Gang when it was located in Thermopolis, Wyoming.

Robert Redford had it moved to Sundance and restored), but it’s one cool bar that hosts local and national musical acts on many Friday and Saturday nights. The resort offers views of Provo Canyon and Mount Timpanogos—no better place to enjoy the music, beer, cocktails and seasonally inspired food at The Owl Bar. 8841 N. Alpine Loop Road, Sundance, 801-223-4222, sundanceresort.com 2. ABG’s Bar 3. Strap Tank Brewery

Twist Bar & Bistro

Best New Bar

Varley

The lounge vibe at Varley is on point, serving up craft cocktails, delicious snacks and shareable plates. The Thai coconut curry mussels and grilled beet hummus are perfect options for an after-work get together. Dim lighting, comfortable seating and a thoughtful menu that pairs great with the cocktail options complete the mood, in case you want to get your lounge on and stay a bit. 63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-203-4124, varleyslc.com 2. Aces High Saloon 3. The Palace

Water Witch

Best Bar Menu

White Horse

Returning to the top of the list, White Horse does a great job serving up enchanting bar foods. Sure, you’ll find some of the old standbys like a bacon cheeseburger (wagyu beef, of course) but be sure to branch out and try something new. Don’t miss the confit duck wings, Buffalo roasted cauliflower or fried oysters. 325 S. Main, SLC, 801-363-0137, whitehorseslc.com 2. Whiskey Street 3. The Bayou

JOHN TAYLOR

Holding steady in the top position, Whiskey Street is where the liquor is.

When you have a wall lined with more than one hundred whiskeys from around the world and are situated on a road once designated “Whisky Street” by Brigham Young, you must be in the liquor business. The old-town vibe of the interior is the perfect backdrop for night out on the town. If you are not a whiskey drinker, don’t fret, there are plenty of classic cocktails, wine and spirits to pander. 323 S. Main, SLC, 801-433-1371, whiskeystreet.com 2. Lake Effect 3. Water Witch

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Best Blues News

Open Blues Jam

If rainy days and Mondays always get you down, the Open Blues Jam at The Green Pig Pub will shore up your spirits. Gary Tada, Kevin Gardner and Ray Rosales kick things off on Monday nights with a 45-minute set. After that, they open the stage up to local musicians to get their blues jam on, so bring your guitar, bass, horns, harmonica, keyboard, cowbell—hey, even your blue suede dancing shoes! No cover charge (and no bongos, either). Mondays at10 p.m., The Green Pig Pub, 31 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-532-7441, thegreenpigpub.com

Best Racks

CW STAFF

PICKS

After a year or more of canceled events, Afro Paradigm seemed to sweep in at the perfect time. In August, Afro Paradigm introduced “The Interlude,” a social celebration held on the rooftop of the Industry building.

With permanent smiles, creatives, artists and local influencers danced all night long to the beats brought by DJ Joune’s and other local artists. Look for Afro Paradigm’s next event in the beginning of 2022—they are planning and looking forward to connecting more of Salt Lake City in a fun space. afroparadigm.com

Best New Social Celebration

Afro Paradigm

Big Willies Sports Bar & Grill In the epic years of Utah bar crawling, there wasn’t a tavern in town that didn’t have a pool table or three. Those days are gone for now in favor of lavender scented cocktails, but at Big Willies, The Color of Money tradition continues. Not just classic pool tables, but Snooker, anyone? If that’s not your fancy, Big Willies has other games from darts to dingers, along with drinks that don’t bust your pocketbook. The only thing missing is the smoke. 1717 S. Main, SLC, 801-463-4996, bigwillieslounge.com

Best Bar Makeover

Brickyard Bar on Highland Drive

The old Lumpy’s underwent a massive renovation and transformed into the gorgeous Brickyard Bar. It is still a great neighborhood sports bar, but it also brings in fantastic local music acts and even offers a Sunday morning yoga class. Hungry? You’ll find a delicious balance of restaurant and bar food. Millcreek has upped its game. 3000 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, 801-883-9845, thebrickyardbar.com

Best Late-Night Drinks

Reggie on sax creates a vibe with DJ Joune at a recent Afro Paradigm “Interlude”

Duffy’s Tavern

With the friendliest of bartenders, it is truly a good time there. No frills—no need for them there. You can even order a delicious veggie grilled cheese, cheesesteak sandwiches and other great bar food. And who doesn’t love affordable beer? 932 S. Main, SLC, 801-355-6401

Best Happy Ending

Fall and Rise of the Tavernacle

It was gutting to hear about the Tavernacle closing when the team made the announcement last summer but hearing about their reopening only a few months later was enough to give me emotional whiplash. We’ve had a few local joints close only to reopen, but something about this quick turnaround gave me hope for those running our scrappy hospitality scene. Here’s looking forward to another few decades of drag brunches and grand piano melee. 50 W. 300 South, SLC, 801623-0987, tavernacle.com

Best Anticipation

Flanker Kitchen & Sporting Club

We’ve been hearing the buzz for a while, and at long last, Flanker is set to open on Dec. 8. This latest addition to the downtown nightlife scene fills the space left behind by the Punch Bowl Social at The Gateway. The kitchen and sporting club will boast a massive 17,500 square-foot complex that features a casual restaurant, three bars, 400 square-foot LED screens, private karaoke and sports simulator rooms, a nightclub and cocktail lounge. If you can’t find fun at Flanker, you can’t find it anywhere. So, get that bad boy open already. 6 N. Rio Grande St. No. 35, SLC, 801-683-7070, FlankerSLC.com

Best Monday Night Music

Garage on Beck

Back in May, Triggers & Slips started this cool new Monday-night music at The Garage on Beck. After a year of COVID, the city was craving something like this. We were freshly vaccinated and wanting to dance. Each band had guest musicians join them. It was so much fun! The Garage thankfully kept it going with Jonny Gold, George Charles Nelson III and Brother Carl Carbonell. Look for monthly Triggers & Slips Monday Night shows in November and December. 1199 Beck St., SLC, 801-521-3904, garageonbeck.com

MONHAND MATHURIN

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Best Sugar House Brewery Crawl

Hopkins, Craft by Proper, Wasatch Breweries

Sugar House is bursting at the seams with an influx of new apartments and congested streets. But for those that rack up the miles on bikes or on their two feet, it’s the perfect place to make three brewery stops—Hopkins, Craft and Wasatch are all within a stone’s throw of each other. Hopkins and Wasatch both have great food selections to go along with their taps, while Craft by Proper is a locals-only beer bar fixed with a wide variety of Utah favorite beers. 1048 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-528-3275, hopkinsbrewingco.com; 1053 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-242-7186, craftbyproper.com; 2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-783-1127, wasatchbeers.com

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NIGHTLIFE

CW STAFF

Best Perseverance

Best Bar Rescue

In 2019, the Dick N’ Dixie’s family tragically lost one of their staff members when a vehicle struck him at the adjacent intersection at closing time. D&D’s popular owner, Will Bourne, was also critically injured and spent nearly four months in the hospital. Bourne has since recovered and instead of folding in adversity, he grew. In 2021, even through COVID-19, he took on the old Tinwell bar spot and renamed it The Pines, opening a clean, complementary addition to Dick N’ Dixie’s. Congratulations, Will. Dick N’ Dixie’s, 479 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-994-6019; The Pines, 837 S. Main, SLC, 801-906-8418

The Walker Building in downtown Salt Lake once housed Walker Bank, which was owned by the Walker family who developed the Walker Lane area in Cottonwood and built a beautiful mansion there that was eventually sold to someone with little appreciation for old, fine things and thus demolished it. Which was great for Ogden’s Own. They bought the mansion’s early 1900s-era marble and oak back bar, rescuing it from a miserable life as an ice-cream counter, and returned it to the whiskey-pouring centerpiece it was meant to be at Sidebar, their new club within Ogden’s Own distillery. For your sitting pleasure, try the 1800s English pub bench, too. 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995, ogdensown.com

Will Bourne

PICKS Best New Venue

The DLC in Quarters Arcade

Best Reggae Nights

The Royal

The Royal is the place for music lovers. Thursdays through Saturdays, The Royal hosts bands from a variety of genres.

Local bands such as Ginger and the Gents and Royal Bliss are regulars on the stage. And The Royal also hosts weekly Reggae Nights on Thursdays—keeping the beats going— featuring bands like Newborn Slaves, Makisi and others. The affordable drinks and good eats are a plus, too. 4760 S. 900 East, Murray, 801-550-4451, theroyalslc.com

Best for a Get-To-Know-You Date

The Ruin

Work is a curse of the drinking class, and dating is the curse of the single class. If you fall into both categories, the Ruin’s super-comfy leather lounge chairs are the perfect spot for a quiet conversation and a cocktail to break the ice. Their “Pearly Gates” cocktail is a favorite (made with gin, egg whites, bergamot and activated charcoal). And if the date goes well, then pop next door to SOMI. 1215 Wilmington Ave., Ste. 120, SLC, 801-869-3730, ruinslc.com

In a year when many venues were just trying to stay open, another one got things rolling, practically for the first time. After a few shows right before the pandemic hit, Quarters Arcade Bar decided to open their in-bar venue space, The DLC, and try again. They’ve been booking mostly local shows steadily over the past few months, and while there are still tough decisions to be made as this pandemic continues, it’s good to see a new space for music forging ahead. 5 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-477-7047, quartersslc.com/the-dlc

Not long ago, a couple from Bangor, Maine, settled onto well-worn cushioned stools at Junior’s Tavern. The guy surveyed the joint: A small but comprehensive selection of suds and booze, a lone TV set in the corner, a pool table in the back and, on the east wall, a case displaying hundreds of vintage beer cans. Oldies and jazz wafted from speakers.

“Honey,” he said, “it feels like home.” Since 1974, proprietor Greg Arata has catered to an eclectic clientele making them feel “at home,” too. Getting nostalgic? Check out Junior’s— the consummate neighborhood bar—right in the heart of downtown. You won’t regret it. 30 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-322-0318, juniorstavern.com

Best Upcoming Hot Spot

Tailgate Tavern

Dive of the gods. Centrally located in South Salt Lake, it’s brand new, and they already featured all the hottest local acts playing here. Opening weekend they had Bad Brad Wheeler, Carl Carbonell, Muskrat Jones, Nate Spenser, JT Draper, Kelly Belerose and Timmy the Teeth.

With pool tables and a great friendly vibe, this promises to be the place to be. 3550 S. State, SLC, 801-290-2531, tailgatetavernslc.com

Bongo Lounge

Since the Legislature wants to control how much liquor constitutes a drink at bars, we’ll get an ounce no matter where we go. This is why we love dive bars—$2 drinks at the Bongo is our jam. Pool tables, booths and quiet corners are good for catching up with old friends. Oh, and the best juke box in town. Cash only.

2965 Highland Drive, SLC, 801-466-1577

The State Room

By choosing to stay closed during the entire pandemic—until this fall—we can say that The State Room played it the safest of any venue in town. But they (along with sister venue The Commonwealth Room) were also the first of venues around town to double down, requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test result to get into shows. It was a bold and controversial thing to do at the time they chose to do it, but they turned out to be leaders of the pack, as most venues have since ended up following suit. 638 S. State, SLC, 801-596-3560, thestateroompresents.com

This south Salt Lake Valley club wears its patriotic fervor proudly. But it especially hits the right buttons when it comes to supporting veterans and first responders. Top-drawer kudos for that. Their creative way is to help those folks by offering $10 Challenge Coins that are delivered anonymously (if you wish) to patrons who have served country, county or municipality. You may not earn a full dispensation for doing this nice deed, but you’re on your way—everyone needs redemption. 3517 W. Maradona Drive, Herriman, 801-938-9363, redemptionbarandgrill.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Pay It Forward

Redemption Bar & Grill

Best Bar Ambiance

The Lake Effect

Immaculately curated cocktails and food prepped with intention is just what you’ll find at the stylish Lake Effect. We were happily surprised to find they stocked a gin that we drank in Amsterdam that we loved so much. They book rad local musicians nightly, which adds to the ambiance and creates a memorable experience. It’s also a really fun brunch spot. 155 W 200 South, SLC, 801-285-6494, lakeeffectslc.com

Redemption in Herriman brings food, sports and fun together on three levels.

ALEX SPRINGER

Junior’s Tavern

Best $2 Drinks

Best COVID-Conscious Pivot

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Making music at The DLC

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NIGHTLIFE Sally Cone Slopes performs at Why Kiki.

SALOON

CW STAFF

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When we heard about one of the new bars downtown, we thought it was “waikiki,” a tiki bar. But it’s Why Kiki. Turns out it’s a tiki bar, but it’s a drag bar, too! Island-themed drinks are spiked with swirling glitter, sharing menu space with mai tais and bulging fishbowls, plus drag brunch eats that include penis-shaped waffles (with gooey dipping sauce). And, of course, among all the kitsch (a mermaid-adorned ship’s prow towers over the back patio) is camp to match in their regular drag shows and costume parties. 69 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-641-6115, whykikibar.com

Best Millcreek Clubbin’

Nobody parties like the Westerner. In any month at this sprawling club in West Valley City, you can let loose your inner party animal at such parties as this years’ White Claw Ball, Burger and Beer Bash, Porters Party, Margarita De Mayo, Effen Party and the Jim Beam Orange Launch.

Or how about the recent two weekends of Scare Tastic, celebrating Halloween? If not in the party mood, try the free mechanical bull, free line dancing or free pool. Top country bands in the area, to boot, no pun intended. 3361 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City, 801-972-5447, westerner.com

Millcreek’s bluest building is still ripping and roaring as usual, and clearly the readers of City Weekly know it. Home to the ever-loyal Spazmatics and their cover classics, plus tons of other local and touring acts on the regular, Liquid Joe’s is always a dependable place for Millcreekers and Salt Lakers alike to dance and find a good time. 1249 E. 3300 South, Millcreek, 801-467-5637, liquidjoes.net

Liquid Joe’s

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BY SCOTT RENSHAW & BENJAMIN WOOD comments@cityweekly.net

Sidewalk space transformed into pop-up bar and restaurant patios or stages for buskers and performing artists.

F

or more than 30 years, City Weekly’s Best of Utah issue had a simple but reliable focus. It was our opportunity, and an opportunity for our readers, to tip our hats to the individuals, organizations and businesses that made our state better—more fun, more vibrant, more livable, more entertaining. Yes, we recognized people and groups that worked for justice and compassion, but it didn’t generally feel like we had to get existential about it. These weren’t, after all, matters of life and death.

Well. Here we are. Nearly two years and thousands of lost and disrupted lives into the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re still arguing over whether vaccines are necessary (not actually an argument) and debating the efficacy of masks (not actually a debate). State and local officials have repeatedly made it harder for us to emerge from the chaos into something resembling normalcy. And that makes it all the more important to honor those who have done what they can trying to make things easier.

Below, we’ve identified a few worthy recipients of a Best of Utah designation for going the extra mile during the pandemic—we know there could be many more, and we welcome your responses as to who you think they might be. Some of them showed us that they prioritized the safety of their employees and customers. Some of them devoted themselves to big public health efforts. Some of them came up with innovative ways to keep us connected. All of them, however, in ways big and small, found ways to do the right thing, even when it was the hard thing. We’re all just a little bit closer to that normal because of them.

It’s odd to look to a professional sports franchise for civic leadership, but in a state where elected members of government prefer to talk every issue—and occasionally their constituents—to death, it’s both refreshing and encouraging to see the Utah Jazz drawing clear and honorable lines in the sand. Individual players like Donovan Mitchell have been patronized from on high after speaking truth to power on topics like institutionalized racism and police brutality, while the team collectively had to deal with a wave of “anti-white” nonsense over its laudable scholarship program for minority youth.

Earlier this year, The Jazz moved swiftly and decisively to ban members of its fanbase for inappropriate behavior. And despite the certainty of pushback, ticket holders were told that they’d better show up vaccinated, or recently tested, or not show up at all. In those and many other instances, the Jazz has shown that it has the strength, resolve and foresight to do necessary good, and in so doing has set a strong community example that many of its adult fans on Capitol Hill would be wise to follow.

KRCL 90.9 FM

The pandemic brought with it a deluge of information, as traditional timewasting activities were replaced with an endless doomscroll of case counts and hospitalization rates. Many fine media outlets devoted untold hours to analyzing, contextualizing and personalizing the horrors of COVID-19, but KRCL 90.9 FM went above and beyond by putting the “us” in “virus.”

Through its many hours of programming, the KRCL staff assembled a comprehensive portrait of life in the time of Corona, offering up-todate information on the lives touched and ended by disease, as well as insightful and sensitive explorations on the many ways that our world has been forever changed.

All of our state’s teachers deserve praise for adapting to—and shepherding Utah’s children through—a uniquely challenging academic calendar. Educators conducted untold numbers of home visits and parent conferences to check in on families and ensure that learning was happening in the face of daunting obstacles, and utilized creative drive-through parades, outdoor assemblies and other initiatives to maintain and nurture a child’s connection to their school. We’ll never get that school year back, but teachers and principals around Utah worked tirelessly to make it as meaningful as possible.

Those pressures were even more pronounced in Salt Lake City, where the decision to go all-virtual brought with it the ever-boiling wrath of the GOP-controlled Legislature. No matter whether you agree with the SLC Board of Education’s decisions, it was the teachers and school principals who had to figure out how to make them work. That meant reinventing the wheel of education right in front of our eyes, as the district shifted from at-home work packets to teacher-led zoom classrooms to a new, socially-distanced approach to traditional oncampus learning.

County Health departments

We can—and likely will—debate forever whether and how the United States should have prepared for an outbreak on the scale of COVID-19.

But those national-level gripes should not detract from the herculean efforts of Utah’s county and tribal health departments in mounting largescale vaccination operations, effectively from scratch, all while working to provide accurate and informative guidance to residents against a cacophony of disinformation, rumor and outright lies, some of which came from the very lawmakers who dictate state health policy.

With one hand tied behind their backs, Utah’s public health professionals rallied an army of volunteers and leveraged private sector partners to provide vaccines as they became available, rapidly bringing the state to the point where personal choice—not shot availability—is the primary indicator of a someone’s vaccination status.

Open Streets

If it wasn’t before, COVID-19 made clear that we live in the future.

App-based services like DoorDash and telemedicine were already gaining traction, only to be thrust into the mainstream overnight while everything from churches to governments scrambled to catch up by building internet-first versions of themselves. But some of the best innovations were boringly analog, as people were reminded that often what they really need is a safe, clean, and comfortable space to be outside with their friends and family.

Salt Lake City leaned into that need, with great results. In 2020, the city piloted a series of car-free streets, opening up miles of asphalt and concrete to recreation and commerce. And in 2021, it followed up those experiments by transforming Main Street into a pedestrian-friendly paradise during the summer months and allowing businesses to spill out to the curb. While it was only during weekend evenings—and overly cautious around the TRAX lines—the Open Streets initiative offered a boost to downtown businesses and an inviting attraction to residents looking for something—anything!—to do besides binge Netflix, while also providing the best showcase yet of what a less-car-dependent Salt Lake City could be.

The Bayou & other Salt Lake City arts organizations

Many businesses of all kinds have faced the difficult question in 2021 of what constitutes a “safe” reopening once COVID vaccines were widely available. Any restrictions risked not just limiting their customer base, but arousing the ire of those who believed that such restrictions were tantamount to stomping on the Constitution. That didn’t stop The Bayou from becoming a rare example of a business that opted to require proof of vaccination not just for every one of its employees, but for every customer as well. Bars and restaurants have faced enormous challenges coming back from closures, but even protesters outside the business and the odd death threat hasn’t deterred The Bayou from making the well-being of everyone inside their doors the highest priority.

Those same challenges have applied to arts organizations and live entertainment venues, which remained dark for months at a time. And the same credit is due to those who chose to require vaccines for their patrons. The State Room Presents—which promotes events not just at its namesake music venue, but also the Commonwealth Room and Live at the Eccles—announced in September that it would require proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test for all attendees. Proof of vaccination also was a condition of entry for theater groups including Salt Lake Acting Company and Pygmalion Theatre Company, making a shared theatrical experience feel like less of a risk.

The Utah Independent Redistricting Commission

It was obvious that Utah lawmakers were never going to accept fair, independently drawn voting maps after Proposition 4 passed with the slimmest of slim majorities in 2018. The electoral victory— no small feat—was openly dismissed by government leaders as “only in Salt Lake,” and when the time came, those leaders made sure to rid the new voter-created law of what few teeth it had.

Worse yet, lawmakers retaliated against the state’s voting majority by diving even deeper into the depths of immoral, unethical, antidemocratic gerrymandering.

But let it never be forgotten that the independent commission did its work and did it well. After its tour of public hearings, commissioners went on to exhaustively chart out actual communities of interest, and then drew its maps (live, in public, in broad daylight!) with careful consideration for the way that Utahns naturally group themselves together—not by party registration and incumbent addresses, but by school districts, neighborhoods, geography and city residency. That effort produced 12 exemplary maps, each defensible based on coherent, objective, apolitical criteria (one noisy, performative resignation notwithstanding).

The maps were dead on arrival, replaced by a grotesque quilt of greed and crass partisanship. Doing the right thing is hard but doing the right thing when you’re doomed to fail is even harder.

Do you have a COVID-era “Extra Miler” whom you think should be honored? Please let us know at comments@cityweekly.net.

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As things get chilly, especially out by the desert off the lake, The Saltair is seeing some of its last shows of the year—but the one coming up this week will be hot enough to keep things warm at least for one night. Playboi Carti will provide that heat when he stops in to Utah on his “King Vamp” tour. The album he’s promoting, Whole Lotta Red, is certainly vampy enough to warrant the tour moniker; vampirism has long been a reference point for his style, both sonically and personally. With a career that’s been going since he was a teen, the 25-year-old offers on his latest album even more of the uniqueness that’s made him famous: his talent for making mumble-rap sound like a vibe, and his occasional dips into a rap style that sounds like goo-gah-gah baby babbles. Carti is part of a young generation of rappers who lean into weird shit, from how they rap to how they dress, and lately he’s leading the way, specifically with the distinctive beats and blaring synths on Whole Lotta Red that other artists are referencing like crazy right now. The same goes for opener Rico Nasty, a firebrand who channels punk rage with cranking guitar to match to build her signature sound, which often feels more aggro than anything put out by her macho male contemporaries. Carti’s protégé Ken Car$on will also open, with his 2021 album Project X in tow. The show’s Thursday, Nov. 18, doors are at 7:30 p.m., and tickets to the all-ages show are $54.95 at thesaltair.com.

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Oscar Peterson Tribute at Capitol Theatre

Though musicians always pass on, the beautiful thing about their work is that it can live on through other artists, and luckily that’s true in the case of Oscar Peterson, too. The famous jazz pianist left this realm nearly 15 years ago, but he left behind his legacy of sweet, sweet jazz piano, which will be covered at an upcoming show here in SLC. The pianist was a success from a young age, studying classical piano under Paul de Marky, a Hungarian pianist who was onceremoved mentor-wise from Franz Liszt himself. As he grew into his own as an adult in the 1940s, though, he gravitated towards more contemporary styles, like the blues-informed boogie-woogie and swing, and contemporary artists like Nat King Cole. Besides earning a reputation as a super competent pianist, he developed a method of playing that leaned on the standards while still bursting with his own flair and quickness, making for cascading tapestries of sound that he’d often fill out with a rotating cast of accompanying band members. His unique ability to play to the ears of jazz fans and non-jazz fans alike made him a stand-out in the jazz world, so that even as times changed and the popularity of the genre faded in the 1970s and beyond, he’d continue to play many different stages often.

Peterson also recorded frequently, and by 2000, he’d amassed an astonishing 130 albums recorded under his own name. It’s good, then, that when this tribute concert comes to the Capitol Theatre, it will be Peterson’s own protégé Benny Green taking on his songs, with backing from bassist Christian McBride, guitarist Russell Malone and drummer Jeff Hamilton.

The all-ages show is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19 and tickets are $10 - $20 at saltlakecountyarts.org.

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Bad Religion and Alkaline Trio at The Union Event Center

Some punk rock history rolls through the Union Event Center soon, and for fans of said revival of the genre, this is one night not to miss. Before becoming part of the ’90s revival of fast and noisy punk rock, Bad Religion was making a name for themselves in the ’80s, releasing their debut How Could Hell Be Worse on what is now the iconic Epitaph Records label— founded by Bad Religion’s co-founder and lead guitarist Brett Gurewitz.

Their fame grew upon releasing albums with the major label Atlantic, like 1993’s Recipe for Hate and 1994’s Stranger Than Fiction—the latter which includes instantly recognizable melodic hits like “21st Century (Digital Boy),” a quintessential ’90s diatribe against the despondency of middleclass living. From the same mid-’90s hot-bed of punk rock appreciation came Alkaline Trio, who not only found inspiration in the same kind of hardcore and traditional punk that Bad Religion did, but who also helped lay the groundwork for what would become a specific pop-punk and emo sound later into the 2000s—which was also when they hit their stride, with 2001’s From Here to Infirmary and 2003’s Good Mourning. In some ways, Alkaline Trio and Bad Religion were once two sides of the same coin, sharing punk aesthetics that shaped what popular rock sounded like at the start of the new millennium, the former juggling political and cultural angst, and the latter indulging the messiest of emotions and human nature. See them co-headline at The Union Event Center on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m., with opener War on Women. The show is all-ages and tickets are $35 at theunioneventcenter.com.

Tisoki at Soundwell

COURTESY PHOTO

Bad Religion

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For those who take their dubstep with a dose of atmosphere, rejoice! U.K. electronica man Tisoki is on his way here. Tisoki’s work, like all EDM, is beat-heavy and often falls back on those essential moments of building energy before the drop (electronic high-hats going off all day), but on his new 2021 album, 01953 atmosphere and delicate moments lift everything up to something groovable, even for those outside the EDM realm.

The album recalls the glossy trippiness of fellow U.K. acts like Palmistry at times, and there are even house-like moments that channel the eerie aura of early pioneers like Burial. They are really cool features to pick out of the deftly produced album, where standouts include “GLASS,” “WAVY” and the sensual builder “ALL NIGHT,” assisted by Cry4Tre and byblood. He’ll find an opener in JAWNS, who is altogether of a heavier hand with his stuff, especially on his 2021 single, which features wildly oscillating drops that come after deep, drippy build-ups, making for a song that sounds like it’s fighting with itself, or short-circuiting— a good example of the loud and brash EDM style that made the genre recognizable to wider audiences over the past 10 years.

The two will balance each other out well when they stop into Soundwell on Saturday, Nov. 20, brought to the venue by the local Mutiny Music Collective. The 21+ show starts at 9:45 p.m., and tickets are $20 at soundwellslc.com.

Royal Bliss Pre-Thanksgiving Bash at The Depot

A Thanksgiving tradition is back this year at its traditional venue. If you already know what we’re getting at, it’s the annual bash put on by local rockers Royal Bliss, who certainly add some of their signature attitude to an otherwise low-key holiday. This show comes as they’ve just released new singles this year, including “Lead The Way” and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Going To California.” The latter is a bit of a departure from their usual contemporary, heavy alt-rock sound, but leans into their capabilities within the more traditional roots of rock.

Besides having Royal Bliss’s ample repertoire of songs to look forward to, the group will be joined by other popular Utah acts like Jordan Mathew Young, Ginger & The Gents and Tony Holiday. It seems that their Led Zeppelin cover isn’t the only way that Royal Bliss are leaning into Americana—all their openers have some kind of Americana bent, whether it’s Ginger & The Gents’ bluesiness, Tony Holiday’s melodic roots or Young’s outlaw country vibes that he perfected with a stint on The Voice.

Hear some new tunes from the Bliss and enjoy the other locals, too, when they bring Thanksgiving in with a bang on Nov. 24 at The Depot. Doors are at 7 p.m., the show is all-ages and tickets are $20 at depotslc.com.

ESSENTIALS

the

ENTERTAINMENT PICKS, NOV 18-25, 2021

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

COURTESY PHOTO

ERIC HOBBS

When you make the kind of impression that Hasan Minhaj has, it’s hard to remember that he’s only been performing for a little over a decade, and only became reasonably well known in 2014, after he joined The Daily Show as the last new correspondent hired before Jon Stewart’s departure. But subsequently, he carved out a space that’s deeply rooted in his identity and the things that matter to him.

His 2017 Netflix special Homecoming King, which recorded the one-man show he had been touring for two years, allowed him to share personal stories of confronting racism as a person of color, and living with the expectations of immigrant parents. In 2018, his series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj also came to Netflix, allowing him to explore topics ranging from economic inequity to voting rights. And his role headlining the 2017 White House correspondents’ dinner allowed him to unload on the absent then-president. Minhaj is once again out on the road with a new one-man show, titled The King’s Jester. It’s a chance to be reminded that he’s less a stand-up comedian than he is a storyteller—and, at his roots, a truth-teller.

Hasan Minhaj brings The King’s Jester to the Eccles Theater (121 S. Main St.) on Friday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m., with tickets $45 - $95. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test is required of all attendees, and this event will be a phone-free experience that will require all smart devices to be sealed in locked pouches during the performance. Visit liveat-the-eccles.com for tickets and additional event information. (SR)

There has been nothing conventional about Alton Brown’s journey to becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the foodie world. Creating entertainment was always part of his life plan, but for a while it seemed like he would be doing it behind the camera, including work as a cinematographer on music videos like R.E.M.’s “The One I Love.” But in the mid-’90s, he got a wild hair about what he saw as the disappointing quality of cooking shows on television, and enrolled at the New England Culinary Institute to get the background knowledge required to create his own show.

In 1998, Good Eats was born, bringing a more scientific sensibility to TV cooking, along with Brown’s genially professorial demeanor. More than 20 years later, Brown’s gigs have included 16 seasons of Good Eats in various incarnations, hosting Food Networks’ Iron Chef America and winning James Beard and Peabody awards for his work.

He’s also figured out a way to translate his success to the stage, as he launches his third national tour, Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats. Like in his previous live shows, Brown will combine his culinary knowledge with a format that feels almost like a variety show, featuring a little music, a little weird science, a little audience participation and plenty of entertainment. The tour stops at the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) on Saturday, Nov. 20, with performances at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., tickets starting at $25. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test is required of all attendees. Visit live-at-the-eccles.com for more info. (SR)

| CITY WEEKLY | NOVEMBER 18, 2021 | 133

Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats

Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester

One of the compelling features of a repertory dance company is its ability to put together a program that represents a sweep of history in the art form. Experiencing classic works provides a glimpse into great work that still remains vital, while premieres and more recent work can offer the excitement of new discovery. This week, Repertory Dance Theatre offers a program titled Compass that takes audience members on an artistic journey that spans more than 80 years of choreography.

Steps in the Street, created by legendary choreographer Martha Graham in 1936, was inspired by the threat of European fascism in that year, following Graham’s refusal of an invitation to the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games cultural events. Also on the bill is Bebe Miller’s 2019 original RDT commission Event, an exploration into relationships fitting into the choreographer’s observation that “I love to watch people.

We are all movers. … As a choreographer, I want to communicate who we are together as humans.” Rounding out the program is Ihsan Rustem’s world-premiere piece Hallelujah Junction, which the Zurich-based choreographer identifies as a celebration of being able to be back together again after the separations of the COVID pandemic.

Compass runs at the Rose Wagner Center Jeanné Wagner Theater (138 W. 300 South) Nov. 18-20 at 7:30 p.m., with tickets $30. For those unable to attend in person, an ondemand virtual performance will be available on Nov. 26. Face coverings will be required for all in-person attendees. Visit rdtutah.org for tickets and additional event information.

(Scott Renshaw)

| MUSIC | CINEMA | DINING | A&E | NEWS |

SHARON KAIN

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

RDT: Compass

onTAP S ON U W FOLLO GRAM A T S IN

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

KLY

WEE C L S @

Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com On Tap: Bougie Johnny’s Rose

Bewilder Brewing 445 S. 400 West, SLC BewilderBrewing.com On Tap: Haze Hugs Hazy Pale

Mountain West Cider 425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com On Tap: Holiday 4 Pack

Bohemian Brewery 94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com

Ogden River Brewing 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA

Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale Desert Edge Brewery 273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com On Tap: Fresh Brewed UPA Epic Brewing Co. 825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com On Tap: Chocolate Mint Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout Fisher Brewing Co. 320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com On Tap: Red Ale Grid City Beer Works 333 W. 2100 South, SLC GridCityBeerWorks.com On Tap: Extra Pale Ale

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134 | NOVEMBER 18, 2021

2 Row Brewing 6856 S. 300 West, Midvale 2RowBrewing.com On Tap: Feelin’ Hazy

Hopkins Brewing Co. 1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com On Tap: Cowboy Lite Hoppers Grill and Brewing 890 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale HoppersBrewPub.com

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Policy Kings Brewery 223 N. 100 West, Cedar City PolicyKingsBrewery.com Proper Brewing 857 S. Main, SLC ProperBrewingCo.com On Tap: Gungan Sith Lord Red Rock Brewing Multiple Locations RedRockBrewing.com On Tap: Baked Pastry Stout

A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week Squatters 147 W. Broadway, SLC Squatters.com Strap Tank Brewery Multiple Locations StrapTankBrewery.com Springville On Tap: PB Rider, Peanut Butter Stout Lehi On Tap: 2-Stroke, Vanilla Mocha Porter TF Brewing 936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com On Tap: Edel Pils Talisman Brewing Co. 1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com On Tap: Uplifted Scottish Style Ale Toasted Barrel Brewery 412 W. 600 North, SLC ToastedBarrelBrewery.com

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com On Tap: Mild and Free British Mild

Uinta Brewing 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC UintaBrewing.com On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer

Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com On Tap: Cosmic Autumn Rebellion

UTOG 2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com On Tap: UTOG Pale Ale

SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com On Tap: A Series of Singularities

Vernal Brewing 55 S. 500 East, Vernal VernalBrewing.com

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com On Tap: Pumpkin Spice Latte Ale

Kiitos Brewing 608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com

Shades Brewing 154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer On Tap: Winter Warmer Amber Ale

Level Crossing Brewing Co. 2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com On Tap: West Coast IPA

Silver Reef 4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George StGeorgeBev.com

Wasatch 2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC WasatchBeers.com Zion Brewery 95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com Zolupez 205 W. 29th Street #2, Ogden Zolupez.com

Off the Beaten Path

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

MIKE RIEDEL

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NOVEMBER 18, 2021 | 135

his week I found two lagers that are far more complex than I was expecting. As the weather begins to chill, a lager with a little more oomph seems to pair perfectly with these colder autumn days.

TF - Tochtervat: Assistant Brewer Rita Behles and her father, Joe, brewed this special collaboration for the simple reason that dads and daughters should always be making beer together. Tochtervat is German for “father/daughter,” and I must say, this is one of the most unusual lagers I’ve ever had. It breaks a lot of rules brilliantly, and I must share what I’ve found.

It’s noticeably bronze in a color that radiates like a setting sun. It’s brilliantly clear, with two inches of pillowy, airy white foam. The nose is very floral and herbal— earth, hay field, sweet but light pale malts and spice gently waft off the beer. It is very ticklish to the senses, with a slightly sharp bitterness and tart sweetness in the back.

Still, rose petals and fresh grass mixed with white pepper and muddled spices keep the aroma superbly fresh and appetizing. It smells crisp and quenching with notes of lemon peel and grapefruit.

Right from the start, the Nobel hops delivers crisp, floral and spicy refreshment as promised. Pale malts come in initially, but are instantly followed by delicate spice and crisp natural carbonation. Hops follow right away, slightly tart and sweet to cool your palate, and also excite. Citrus and hay build in strength as still-soft sweet, granola-like malts glide across your pal-

ate. It shows great complexity, and also a luxurious texture. It really is soothing and exciting to enjoy. Light notes of melon and strawberry are hiding in the back, but are mostly covered by citrus rind and bitter herbs. Touches of yeast and spice at the end also aid a very crisp and bitter finish to make it a superb and complex lager.

Overall: If you’re looking for something unique that feels traditional, while turning everything upside down, check this autumn beauty out before it’s gone.

Hopkins - Cowboy Lite: This beer is partially the progeny of Hopkins’ Campfire Smoked Lager and a light pilsner. After making their Campfire beer, the brewers used the smoke-infused yeast to craft the Campfire Lite. This imparts a subtle level of smoke flavor that’s barely perceivable, but adds nice character to the finished product. It pours a completely clear light straw gold, with a moderate crisp-looking white head and steady, fast visible carbonation. There’s a very crisp, clean pilsner nose—light grass, dough/fresh bread, some crackers and a bit of floral character as well. A good marriage of malt and hop aroma.

The taste delivers what the nose suggested, making for a really pleasant swig. Nice malt notes start up front, with that bread and dough character coming through nicely. Hop notes follow closely, providing that slight peppery spiciness and floral flavor.

Those Chinook and Saaz hops have a nicely restrained bite that carries through all the way to the end. Some smoke becomes evident as it warms and develops a light roast profile. Grapefruit and floral/peppery spices linger in the crisp finish.

Overall: A really excellent American Lager. The assertive hop profile, combining German and American qualities with that hint of coffee roast smokiness, takes a “lite” beer and makes it something more than ordinary. I guess my only question is, can they make this beer only after making the Campfire Smoked lager? I guess we’ll find out.

Both of these lagers come in at 5.0 percent ABV, and are on their respective seasonal tap handles. Both are available to go in growlers and crowlers. Enjoy these before the heavy holiday beers take hold of the market. As always, cheers. CW

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

The road less traveled reveals two rugged lagers made for the adventurous palate.

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136 | NOVEMBER 18, 2021

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Now that the Downtown Farmers Market (slcfarmersmarket.org) is closing shop for the year, it’s time for the Winter Market to satisfy your needs for homegrown produce. This year, the Winter Market will be held at The Gateway (12 S. Rio Grande Street), where locals can continue securing fresh fruit, veggies, meat, eggs and honey—among other tasty treats—throughout the winter. The Winter Market officially kicked off on Nov. 14, and will continue every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until April 17. There’s always something special happening at this Farmers Market cousin—it’s a bit more low-key and a lot more festive, plus it’s a great spot to do some locally-based holiday shopping.

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USA Today recently listed Alpine Distilling (7132 Silver Creek Road, Park City, 435-200-9537, alpinedistilling.com) as one of its 10 best gins in a national competition. Alpine Distilling’s Summit Gin was the lauded spirit, which the publication praised for its sophisticated balance among flavors of juniper berry, coriander seed, angelica root, ginger, cardamom and orange peel. It never hurts to be able to slap “award-winning” on the label of your locally crafted spirits, and we’re increasingly proud of how many local distilleries are making waves on a national scale. Congratulations to the Alpine Distilling team—we’ll make sure to drink to your continued success.

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Seafood buffets are the magnum opus of bonkers dining options, and I couldn’t be happier with the news that Chow Time Seafood Buffet (2819 S. 5600 West, 801-890-3838, chowtimeseafood.com) has recently opened its doors. This is a place that touts an extreme menu packed with oysters, fresh crawfish, calamari, king crab and a staggering variety of shrimp. Yes, there is other stuff like steak and chicken wings on the table as well, but this is a place that caters to those craving an excess of freshly-caught vittles straight from the coast.

Anyone hankering for more seafood than they should reasonably eat will feel right at home at this new West Valley destination.

Quote of the Week: “Seafood makes you live ten years more.” –Kevin Steele

GOSH DARN DELICIOUS! 30 E BROADWAY, SLC UT 801-355-0667

CINEMA

FILM REVIEW

Unforced Error

King Richard and the biopic trap of “showing the real people at the end.”

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

I

ily out of the neighborhood where he sees threats to his family everywhere. The title of the film alone makes it fairly clear that the screenwriters are going to be on Richard’s side when it comes to the question of whether he was promoting his own interests more than those of Venus and Serena, but Smith’s performance walks a delicate line where we can always see him bristle when his ultimate authority over their lives is challenged.

More powerful still is the performance by young Saniyya Sidney, who does a simply remarkable job of capturing a Venus Williams navigating the terrain between enthusiastic young girl and ferocious competitor. Director Reinaldo Marcus Green trusts her with a single shot during Venus’s debut professional tournament that most actors with decades more experience couldn’t pull off: a change in her facial expression when Venus decides that it’s winning time where it looks like she instantly ages 15 years. Sidney creates exactly the Venus Williams that’s needed for this movie, and it’s a thing of beauty.

AA½ Will Smith Saniyya Sidney Jon Bernthal Rated PG-13 Available Nov. 19 in theaters

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Which is why it is so instantly aggravating when the closing montage has to trot out all the footage of Venus (and Serena), both as adults and in some of the home-video footage that we saw re-created in the movie. King Richard winds its way through notions about the psychological damage inflicted by many sports-parents on their kids, and how Richard dodged that for his girls, but ultimately this is the kind of movie that lives or dies on the strength of its central performances.

King Richard gets that part so right—then, right at the finish line, gets the job of honoring those performances so wrong. CW

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Will Smith and Saniyya Sidney in King Richard

| MUSIC | CINEMA | DINING | A&E | NEWS |

many of King Richard’s biopic rhythms are, it’s boosted by some tremendous acting.

And then along comes “showing the real people at the end” to make me want to pull my hair out.

The narrative here begins in the early 1990s, with Richard (Will Smith) working daily with pre-teen Venus (Fast Color’s Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton) on their game in their Compton, Calif. neighborhood, even as he tries to find a big-time coach willing to take them on for free. He finally lands a willing coach in Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn), but “the plan” ultimately takes the entire Williams family to Florida and the tennis academy run by Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal), with Richard’s notions about what’s best for his girls repeatedly bumping up against Macci’s own strategies.

The first half, before the relocation to Florida, does the job of establishing what drives Richard to drive his daughters—a combination of all the disrespect heaped on him over the years, much of it raciallymotivated, and a desire to get his fam-

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

t’s a bit of a running joke between me and my critic pals—as well as my socialmedia network—about how there’s a certain convention in biographical dramas that I hate. I refer to it, quite prosaically, as “showing the real people at the end”: the almost invariable tendency of filmmakers to wrap up their fact-based stories by showing us pictures and/or footage of the real-life characters whose lives we’d just seen dramatized. In part, it’s a quirk of mine built on a general preference that the magic of the movies remain magical, consistent with my complete lack of interest in “behind-the-scenes” footage or director commentaries. I prefer my movies to give me a choice as to whether I’m given a look behind the curtain, and my choice will always be “hard pass.”

Yet there’s also a level on which I’ve always found it disrespectful to the actors who were cast to bring these characters to life. While there are exceptions to the rule, generally speaking, if I’ve just spent 120 minutes being asked to invest in dramatic performances, I don’t need to be elbowed in the ribs on my way out the door as I’m told “look, they were acting like these people.”

By virtue of this prologue, you might fairly guess that King Richard—the tale of Richard Williams, and how his relentless life plan for daughters Venus and Serena ultimately sent them to the top of the women’s tennis world—employs this trope, and not in a positive sense. As conventional as

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

| NEWS | A&E | DINING | CINEMA | MUSIC |

138 | NOVEMBER 18, 2021 | CITY WEEKLY |

SOAP BOX ‘Executive Privilege’ Should End

On Nov. 9, D.C. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan refused former President Donald Trump’s request, based on “executive privilege,” for a preliminary injunction forbidding the National Archives and Records Administration from releasing documents to the U.S. House committee grandstanding on—er, “investigating”— the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

If Trump’s name goes down in history for anything of substance rather than mere flash, it should probably be for his bizarre claim that people who aren’t executives anymore retain executive privilege over information pertaining to their time in office.

The concept of executive privilege appears nowhere in the Constitution but was instead developed in court decisions, culminating in 1974’s U.S. v. Nixon.

Nixon lost that case and was required to turn over audiotapes of Oval Office conversations as part of the Watergate scandal that led to his resignation. But the Supreme Court did assert a “valid need for protection of communications between high government officials and those who advise and assist them,” so as to encourage “candor” rather than “a concern for appearances and for their own interests.”

Appeals to national security, justified or not, also remain a perennial executive privilege favorite.

What we haven’t faced before is a legal test of the notion that executive privilege inheres in the person rather than the office, remaining a former president’s prerogative after he’s lost his bid for reelection and returned to private life. It’s a silly notion without basis in law, jurisprudence, tradition or common sense.

The U.S. government’s executive branch

@SLCWEEKLY records logically fall under the stewardship of that branch and of its current chief executive, not of every Bill, George, Barack and Donald who may have held the post in the past. And the purpose of that stewardship supposedly answers to claims of “the common good” rather than the comfort of former executives. President Joe Biden, the current chief executive, has directed the National Archives to release the documents requested by Congress, leading to Trump’s challenge.

The bigger question is whether the idea of executive privilege has any defensible place at all in a government that claims to be a democratic republic made legitimate by the consent of the governed. The answer is no.

The purpose of the executive branch is to execute the will of Congress and, by supposed extension, the people. The president isn’t a king and the U.S. government

@CITYWEEKLY

@SLCWEEKLY

isn’t a company he owns. He’s an employee, a functionary, a gofer. He operates at the direction and behest of Congress. His actions should therefore be subject to its constant examination and evaluation.

Donald Trump isn’t even any of those things anymore. He’s just a disgruntled former employee who enjoys no plausible “privilege” whatsoever regarding the historical records of his administration and its actions.

THOMAS L. KNAPP

William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism

Care to sound off on a feature in our pages or about a local concern? Write to comments@cityweekly.net or post your thoughts on our social media. We want to hear from you!

THE BOX

What is the ‘best’ local product, company or person that deserves a shoutout?

John Saltas

Morning commuters have been waving at the school crossing guard at 1100 S. State Street for years. He returns each wave, his Vietnam veteran ball cap always set squarely on his head. This Veterans Day, I finally pulled over to say thanks. He is Navy Corpsman Hernandez who served in Kon Tum, Vietnam.

Next time you’re down that way, give him a shout out.

Katharine Biele

If you’ve ever had a pedicure and come out of it with bloody toes, you’ll appreciate Nailed! and their professionalism.

Christie Zervos

Chicken wings at A Bar Named Sue. We love their bingo night, too.

Benjamin Wood

Hat tip to state schools Superintendent Sydnee Dickson and her staff, who admirably perform the thankless task of holding Utah’s unruly public education system together.

Paula Saltas

Best seasonal menu: Provisions. They are always changing it up and the food is unique, you can’t go wrong.

Mikey Saltas

Post Office Place’s sliders.

PRIVATE EY

Best Teachers Ever

T

@johnsaltas

paints, the alphabet, music and the notion of always making new friends. She also encouraged me and Jim Wankier, a left-hander, to fight it out when his elbow bumped mine as we sat next to each other on Day 1. We became best friends. It remains a good lesson.

My second grade teacher, Mae Stillman, opened doors and windows to a new world outside of our little canyon via aquariums, terrariums, our little library and the bookmobile. I learned so fast they wanted to jump me into third grade mid-year, but Mrs. Stillman had the good sense to know it wouldn’t work since I was too loud, noisy and disruptive—tea leaves.

I remember Copperton Elementary principal John Wharton raising our flag, leading the PTA mothers, coaching us up and down our only hallway and always smiling.

He taught us, “principle is just a word but a principal is your pal.” Thus, when inclined otherwise, which is often, I remembered to respect authority.

Grant Pullan, my sixth grade teacher, introduced giant maps of the world and showed us where some of our older brothers were then serving in Vietnam. Oh-oh! He pushed hard for extra effort and rewarded it. So much so, by the time I passed sixth grade, I’d been pushed enough to have read an entire junior volume of encyclopedias. Jeopardy never called, though—reward is not a given.

I remember few junior high school teachers. It was the era of escape, for sure. But West Jordan Junior High’s Napoleon J. Tullos was everyone’s laughing Texan buddy, the perfect foil to all that was going on in the world in the 1960s—riots, great music, hippies, Yippies, war protests, assassinations. He helped us through it all.

Then there was Floyd Richardson, also of West Jordan Junior High. A gym teacher basically just blows a whistle, does jock inspections and hollers a lot. But he was more

than that. Many years later, I went out for a beer at the Peter Pan Billiards, which had sports photos pasted all over its smoky walls. Sure enough, there was a picture of a young boxer, Mr. Richardson, looking to knock someone’s head off. Respect.

I can see this isn’t going to work. Not enough space, so I’ll end with these fine folks from Bingham High School.

Tom Pazell: A Croatian and future Boston Red Sox until he was shot up in Italy in World War II. A dear friend and mentor til the day he died. Tommy took crap from nobody. He also gave his soul to goodness. Elma Wankier: The mother of my buddy, Jim, was also a crackerjack English teacher.

Nobody could diagram a sentence like Elma could. Beatrice Bates: Herself a BHS grad from decades earlier, I can’t imagine any English or literature instructor having a larger impact on a school or community than did the beloved Mrs. Bates. Roy Whitworth was my coach through three years of athletic letters, but another imprint came via our first-ever health and sex-ed class when he warned on Day 1: “A hard-on has no conscience.” He was right.

Paul Newton: There simply wasn’t a better math teacher anywhere. He sent so many students to region and state math finals, it was silly. His lesson was to take a hard subject, break it apart, then make it fun and easy. A wonderful man.

And finally, Jean Wollam, who assigned our basically lilywhite, LDS, literature class the assignment to read Claude Brown’s Manchild in the Promised Land. This was 1971 when the book was being banned in schools across America for its hard knuckle portrayal of one black man’s upbringing in Harlem. It was critical reading then and remains so today. She was brave for making that happen—probably my life’s best lesson from a teacher willing to go where no one else will.

Because that is important. CW Send comments to john@cityweekly.net.

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

oday, you’re reading our 32nd edition of Best of Utah. Since our very first Best of Utah (a whopping 36 pages), City Weekly has honored thousands of local merchants, personalities and dog parks with the accolade of being named Utah’s very best. Over those years, we’ve learned a lot about this community. Among those lessons is that you can’t just foot-wedge your way into the hearts and minds of communities with anything less than honesty. City Weekly has a historic and unspoken trust with you, and you with us. We screw up all the time—perilously in each Best of Utah issue—but we never undervalue who you are. You are the best, named so right now by the pioneer of the genre locally. Yep, the graybeard.

We have all been through two incredibly rough years.

More than once, we were let down or even betrayed by a perceived friend or ally. More than once, we came within inches of throwing in the towel. More than once, we were spared that fate when a guardian angel, sprite, astrological omen, shaman, new friend or long-lost friend whispered to us to make sure we not give up, to stay in the game. Without such interventions City Weekly would be yesterday’s news.

Which begs for me the questions: How did we even get here in the first place? Who from my accumulated thousands of yesterdays is worthy of a Best of Utah accolade today? Then it came, a cluster of names I remember fondly from my various public school teachers and educators.

This is a fitting time to thank some of them, and by extension, all schoolteachers and educators throughout Utah.

Here are my belated Best of Utah shoutouts: Lola English, my Copperton Elementary first grade teacher: Mrs. English properly introduced me to finger

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HITS&MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE @kathybiele

MISS: Missing in Action

U.S. Rep. Blake Moore has been curiously quiet during the redistricting cycle. Curious because of all Utah politicians, he should be the one to speak out for fair voting boundaries. Moore was co-chair of Better Boundaries, the nonpartisan group that ran the initiative for Proposition 4—which created the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission. “I just am sick of our community being torn apart, literally and figuratively,” he told students at Utah State University. That was in 2018. This is now, after he won Rob Bishop’s seat in Utah’s 1st District. No, Moore doesn’t live in the district, but he doesn’t have to. The U.S. Constitution only requires that a candidate be a resident of the state. Moore grew up in Ogden, but now lives in Salt Lake City. He has promised and then equivocated about moving, but still hasn’t decided. Finally, on Nov. 8, Moore put out a cloying statement to his party overlords with slight, obligatory props to the commission. “As I have observed the process play out, and contrary to some public and media commentary, our state Legislature appears heavily focused on communities of interest.” Among the many replies: “Were you even paying attention?”

HIT: Trigger Happy

We have to take some delight in our gerrymandered representatives. Rep. Chris Stewart is one of the best, because constituents can depend on him to foster divisiveness and effectively ignore his urban base. He made a big splash with his most recent meme—a photo of the congressman in a tightfitting leather jacket sitting atop a motorcycle, proclaiming “Chris’ Priorities—2nd Amendment.” There were no end of snarky replies, including “Your top priority is guns? Not poverty, inflation, homelessness, homeownership, taxes, fair wages, education, health care, child hunger, etc., etc. Just guns and the 2nd Amendment, which is completely intact.” Just to clarify, Stewart later put out a “socialist laundry list that your hard-earned taxpayer money is going towards.” Yes, it included investing in the climate crisis, affordable housing and child care, which apparently the congressman doesn’t support.

MISS: Under-Study

Well, your state school board has also been gerrymandered. So it’s unlikely that any of its ill-considered decisions will be revoked. Yes, we’re referring to Critical Race Theory, which is not a thing. Students at Sandy’s Jordan High School were really upset when the school decided to drop an elective course on ethnic studies, according to reporting in the Deseret News. By the way, Jordan High is among the more diverse schools in the state. But the Board of Education recently passed a rule defining “what concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion cannot be taught in public schools,” because the Legislature worried that the little ones might feel hurt or guilty. The truth hurts, doesn’t it?

CITIZEN REV LT IN A WEEK, YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Breathless Costs

The nations of the world just concluded a major climate conference, but the bad air isn’t going away any time soon. A BYU study found that Utahns’ life expectancy can be up to 3.6 years shorter because of the state’s bad air, and the impact on outdoor laborers is huge.

So, can you escape it? Or is that killer air just something you have to live with—or die with?

A panel discussion Can You Afford Clean Air? will examine “local and global inequities around clean air, and the compounding effects the lack of clean air has on peoples’ lives.” The quality of the air you breathe varies dramatically based on where you live—even within a single city. Virtual, Monday, Nov. 22, 12 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/30qs5ts

Where Have All the Plastics Gone?

You try to do the right thing and recycle, but the larger story of plastic is a complicated one.

“Where exactly do plastics end up once they leave the recycling bin?” That’s a question the Utah Recycling Alliance seeks to answer in The Story of Plastic—Film Screening and Virtual Panel Discussion. A free screening of the new film The Story of Plastic will help fill out the picture, because it’s not only about protecting the oceans, although they are increasingly becoming a plastic dump. Once you’ve RSVP’d, you can watch the film at your convenience, then join the panel discussion later. Virtual, Thursday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m., Free/register at https://bit.ly/30dZtnr

Transgender Rememberance

It’s not easy to be gay. It’s even harder to be trans, especially in Utah. The Williams Institute estimates that 1.4 million adults identify as transgender in the United States. In Utah, that’s about 7,200. This year alone, at least 45 transgender or gender non-conforming people in the country have been fatally shot, or killed by other violent means. At the Transgender Day of Remembrance, advocates will read the names of people lost and memorialize their lives. “Check out Project Rainbow’s memorial from Nov. 13-21 at the Salt Lake City County Building facing State Street. Candles will be lit at 6 p.m.

Nov. 20 in memory of the lives we’ve lost.”

Livestreamed/Utah State Capitol Rotunda, 350 N. State, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2-4 p.m. free. https://bit.ly/31QjUHj

Black Reconstruction

You probably learned about the Reconstruction era in school, but since Critical Race Theory has become a thing, you may now realize some of the major gaps in your learning. In Between the Lines: W.E.B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction, you will revisit Du Bois’ 1935 text and his “ground-breaking study of the role African Americans played during the post-Civil War Reconstruction period.” Du Bois’ said Reconstruction was “the finest effort to achieve democracy for the working millions which this world had ever seen.” Virtual, Thursday, Nov. 18, 4:30 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/3FdZJBp

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY B Y R O B

B R E Z S N Y

Go to realastrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes.

Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Aries poet and philosopher Friedrich Hölderlin (1770–1843) had many ups and downs. He was one of Germany’s greatest poets and philosophers, but he also endured more emotional distress than most people. His biographer wrote, “Sometimes this genius goes dark and sinks down into the bitter well of his heart, but mostly his apocalyptic star glitters wondrously.” You may have been flirting with a milder version of a “bitter well of the heart,” Aries. But I foresee that you will soon return to a phase when your star glitters wondrously—and without the “apocalyptic” tinge that Hölderlin harbored.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Author David Foster Wallace felt sad about how little of our mind’s intense activity can be shared with others. So much of what goes on inside us seems impossible to express. Or if it is possible to express, few of our listeners are receptive to it or able to fully understand it. That’s the bad news, Taurus.

But here’s the good news: In the coming weeks, I believe you will experience much less of this sad problem than usual. I’m guessing you’ll be especially skilled at articulating your lush truth and will have an extra receptive audience for it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) “I never resist temptation,” declared playwright George Bernard Shaw. Why did he dare to utter such an outlandish statement? “Because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me,” he said. I propose that you aspire to embody his attitude during the next eight weeks, Gemini.

Make it your aspiration to cultivate a state of mind wherein you will only be tempted to engage with influences that are healthy and educational and inspiring. You can do it! I know you can!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Capricorn novelist Haruki Murakami writes, “I was always hungry for love. Just once, I wanted to know what it was like to get my fill of it—to be fed so much love I couldn’t take any more. Just once.”

Most of us feel that longing, although few of us admit it. But I will urge you to place this desire in the front of your awareness during the next two weeks. I’ll encourage you to treat your yearning for maximum love as a sacred strength, a virtue to nurture and be proud of. I’ll even suggest you let people know that’s what you want. Doing so may not result in a total satisfaction of the longing, but who knows? Maybe it will. If there will ever be a time when such fulfillment could occur, it will be soon.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) An article published in the journal Scientific American declared, “Most people don’t know when to stop talking.” Conversations between strangers and between friends typically go on too long.

A mere 2% of all dialogs finish when both parties want them to.

That’s the bad news, Aquarius. The good news is that in the coming weeks, your sensitivity about this issue will be more acute than usual.

As a result, your talk will be extra concise and effective—more persuasive, more interesting, and more influential. Take advantage of this subtle superpower! (Further info: tinyurl.com/WhenToStop) PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Since 1996, Ira Glass has produced the renowned radio series This American Life. In 2013, as a reward for his excellence, he was offered a raise in his annual salary from $170,000 to $278,000. He accepted it for one year, but then asked that it be lowered to $146,000. He described the large increase in pay as “unseemly.” What?! I appreciate his modesty, but I disapprove. I’m always rooting for Pisceans like Ira Glass to embrace the fullness of their worth and to be aggressive about gathering all the rewards they’re offered. So I’m inclined, especially right now, to urge you not to be like Glass. Please swoop up all the kudos, benefits, and blessings you deserve.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) I encourage you to adopt the perspective expressed by spiritual author Ann Voskamp. She wrote, “I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, the moments before I sleep.” I understand that taking this assignment seriously could be a challenging exercise. Most of us are quick to spot flaws and awfulness, but few have been trained to be alert for elegance and splendor and wondrousness. Are you willing to try out this approach? Experiment with it. Treat it as an opportunity to reprogram your perceptual faculties.

Three weeks from now, your eyes and ears could be attuned to marvels they had previously missed.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Storyteller and mythologist Michael Meade believes that each of us has an inner indigenous person—a part of our psyche that can love and learn from nature, that’s inclined to revere and commune with the ancestors, that seeks holiness in the familiar delights of the earth. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to cultivate your relationship with your inner indigenous person. What other experiences might be available to you as you align your personal rhythms with the rhythms of the earth? What joys might emerge as you strive to connect on deeper levels with animals and plants and natural forces?

| COMMUNITY |

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) To create your horoscope, I’ve borrowed ideas from four famous Leos. They all address your current astrological needs. First, here’s Leo author P. L. Travers: “More and more I’ve become convinced that the great treasure to possess is the unknown.” Second, here’s Leo author Sue Monk Kidd: “There is no place so awake and alive as the edge of becoming.” Third, Leo poet Philip Larkin: “Originality is being different from oneself, not others.” Finally, Leo author Susan Cheever: “There is no such thing as expecting too much.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) “Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don’t read the lines,” wrote author Margaret Millar. That’s not a common problem for you Scorpios. You are an expert at reading between the lines, but that doesn’t cause you to miss the simple facts. Better than any other sign of the zodiac, you are skilled at seeing both secret and obvious things. Given the astrological omens that will be active for you during the rest of 2021, I suspect this skill of yours will be a virtual superpower. And even more than usual, the people in your life will benefit from your skill at naming the truth.

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CANCER (June 21-July 22) While still a teenager, Cancerian cowboy Slim Pickens (1919–1983) competed in the rodeo, a sporting event in which brave athletes tangle with aggressive broncos and bulls. When America entered World War II, Pickens went to a recruiting office to sign up for the military. When asked about his profession, Pickens said “rodeo.” The clerk misheard and instead wrote “radio.” Pickens was assigned to work at an armed forces radio station in the American Midwest, where he spent the entire war. It was a safe and secure place for him to be. I foresee a lucky mistake like that in your near future, Cancerian. Maybe more than one lucky mistake. Be alert.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Libran educator and anthropologist Johnnetta Cole wrote, “The first sign of an educated person is that she asks more questions than she delivers answers.” I agree and would also say this: A prime attribute of an intelligent, eager-to-learn person is that she asks more questions than she delivers answers. I encourage you to be like that during the coming weeks, Libra. According to my astrological estimation, you are scheduled to boost your intelligence and raise your curiosity. An excellent way to meet your appointments with destiny will be to have fun dreaming up interesting questions.

© 2021

NO DIVING

BY DAVID LEVINSON WILK

ACROSS

1. “____ Good” (Panda Express slogan) 2. Bygone channel that aired “Veronica Mars” 3. *Common swimming pool decree ... or what can be seen in the answers to this puzzle’s

G

Taxed & Bugged

M

starred clues 4. Activist Brockovich 5. *”You’re talking apples and oranges” 6. Big Apple initials 7. *Coaching cliché 8. Shankar who taught sitar to George Harrison 9. Grabby kid’s demand 10. *Cantina request 11. Motown great Gaye 12. Pacific weather phenomenon 13. Twitter handle starter 21. Melancholy 23. Smidgen 24. Where Warren Buffett sells an annual lunch date for charity 26. Test with a Social Studies sect.

28. Neighbor of Ghana and Benin 36. Bear in two constellations 38. “Hidden Figures” actress Janelle 40. *”Over my dead body!”

41. Hover ominously 42. Editor’s “Don’t change that” 44. “Absolutely!”

46. Tater ____ 48. Hard to fool 49. Alfonso with two Oscars for Best Director 50. Steak orders 58. Length x width, for a rectangle 60. $5 bills, slangily 63. ____ Fridays 64. Put two and two together?

65. Dejected

Last week’s answers

No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

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Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9.

1. Start watching a TV show, say 7. Barbershop job 11. “Oh, give ____ break!”

14. Sleek and chic 15. 1985 U.S. Open champ Mandlikova 16. Ctrl-____-Del 17. Like Netflix movies, at first 18. On any occasion 19. ICU figures 20. Stonewall ____ (1969 uprising site) 21. “Peer Gynt Suite” composer 22. Caesar’s lucky number?

23. Patel of “Slumdog Millionaire” 25. Stare at in a creepy way 27. Going out with 29. MLB stat 30. Co. captains?

31. Like some patches 32. Holm of “The Hobbit” 33. Go crazy with, in a way 34. Comedian Notaro 35. “Dagnabbit!”

37. One who delivers 39. Ace Hardware offerings 43. Univ. near Albany 45. Tiny bit 47. Like freshly brewed coffee 48. Plays the role of 51. Privy to 52. Dig up dirt 53. Outback automaker 54. Grp. that added North Macedonia in 2020 55. Defib expert 56. Confucian path 57. Foaming at the mouth 59. “Blueberries for ____” (classic children’s book) 61. Where remains may remain 62. Parched, as a desert 63. Indian drums similar to bongos 66. Stub hub?

67. Music halls of old 68. Two-time Oscar winner Jackson 69. Middle of dinner?

70. Linguist Chomsky 71. “How curious ...”

SUDOKU X

| COMMUNITY | | CITYWEEKLY.NET |

142 | NOVEMBER 18, 2021

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

osquitos in November? Who thinks about them when you’re trying to swat the last of the fall flies and sweep up those interminable elm bugs? November is the time of the year when people who own property must pay their annual property taxes, and part of those taxes in Salt Lake City/County go toward mosquito abatement. I got my tax bill and $51.63 will be spent on getting rid of those pesky things, but next year my estimated tax is going to go to $90.24. What gives?

According to the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement Department (MAD), officials say they need to pay for more employees and for more studies of mosquitoes. How do we get rid of mosquitoes? Sadly, we kill them with chemicals/neurotoxic pesticides—that certainly can’t be healthy for humans or Mother Earth. On the flip side, these flying pests aren’t great for humans because they can carry diseases like West Nile and even Lyme.

In September, they sprayed around the Utah State Fairpark site as 11 people had been diagnosed with West Nile virus from Weber to Salt Lake Counties, with one person dying of the virus. That’s better than in 2017 when 62 people were diagnosed with West Nile.

What’s really sobering is the fact that the Utah State Prison is being relocated directly west of the new airport. Thousands of employees at both sites—as well as prisoners and passengers—will be providing mosquitoes with some juicy blood next bug season.

They go away for good during our first freeze, but start to come back in the spring, peak in the summer and then taper off in the fall.

Right now, the only mention of them is on our tax bill, but you can bet when the new prison opens and Phase 2 of the airport is completed, we’ll have more reports of mosquito swarms and bites. The $780 million state prison is getting ready to house around 3,600 inmates this January and those people will attract mosquitoes with every exhale of carbon dioxide.

The executive director of the MAD trapped hundreds of mosquitoes at the old prison site in a 24-hour measurement, but then lured thousands in 24 hours at the new prison site.

It’s horrible being in prison for many reasons, and this looming plague just adds another layer of hell to both inmates and staff at the new Utah State prison opening next year. It is built on wetlands that will certainly turn into drylands with this ongoing drought, so it’s possible the bloodsuckers will dry up themselves. Alternatively, there will be less feed for the birds, reptiles and mammals to eat.

Although Salt Lake City homeowners pay for abatement out of their property taxes, the state has been paying for treatments/ sprays out of the state prison construction fund. Whether those monies will continue to flow will be up to the Legislature. Hopefully, the burden will not fall to Salt Lake City residents who will unfortunately suffer from not just the insects, but the toxic chemicals used to treat them. n Content is prepared expressly for Community and is not endorsed by City Weekly staff.

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WEIRD

Who Knew?

When David Saunders, 98, died of COVID-19 in late August, his family donated his body to Med Ed Labs for medical and science research. But KING-TV in Portland, Oregon, reports that Med Ed sold the cadaver to Jeremy Ciliberto, the organizer of the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, which travels around the country and charges spectators $500 to observe in person the autopsy and dissection of a human body. When investigators alerted Mike Clark, the funeral director in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who had prepared Saunders’ body for donation, he was mortified: “I was totally horrified ... he and his family thought that his body was going for the advancement of medical students.” Instead, it went to a Marriott ballroom, where participants were invited to examine and touch the body—which might still have been infectious. Ciliberto says he can “guarantee” that the departed and his family knew what his body would be used for, but a Med Ed spokesman says the event organizer was “beyond dishonest.”

Least Competent Criminals In Winnipeg, Manitoba, a heist went wrong on Oct. 31 when thieves broke into a vacant house to steal a furnace. The Winnipeg Police Service told the CBC that neighbors reported smelling natural gas, and when officers responded, they saw two unconscious people inside the home. The thieves, who had been “overcome by the noxious gas fumes” after the gas line became dislodged, regained consciousness outside and were questioned, but, because this is Canada, were later released without charges.

Weapons of Choice Tahonee Fickes, 20, chose the closest weapon at hand to assault Kimberly Pittman, 52, inside a Walmart in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 7. A criminal complaint filed on Oct. 27 charges that Fickes “threw a cold chicken” at Pittman, striking her on the back of the head, according to The Smoking Gun.

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Local News In International Falls, Minnesota, the city council voted in late October to stop dressing up the 26-foot-tall statue of Smokey Bear that stands in the center of (where else?) Smokey Bear Park, Minnesota Public Radio reported. The residents of the city have adorned Smokey for decades with seasonal attire, such as fishing gear during the summer or earmuffs, mittens and a 25-foot-long scarf during winter months. But when Mayor Harley Droba talked with other Minnesota towns with giant statues (Paul Bunyan in Bemidji, the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth), he learned that they “thought it was kind of crazy” that Smokey was getting dressed up. Council member Mike Holden said he would miss decorating Smokey, but “they don’t want the importance of Smokey the Bear to be degraded.”

Did Not See That Coming The U.S. Navy revealed that its $3 billion nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Connecticut managed to run into an undersea mountain on Oct. 2 in the South China Sea, CNN reported. The Connecticut was able to make it to Guam under its own power, and the Navy said its nuclear reactor was unharmed, but 11 seamen suffered minor injuries. In response to the incident, Vice Adm. Karl Thomas determined that through “sound judgment, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the accident,” and released the sub’s top officers from their posts. But David Sandwell, a professor of geophysics, said less than half the sea floor is mapped in that area. “It’s not surprising that you could run into something.”

CONTESTANTS!

| COMMUNITY |

Great Art The New York Earth Room was created in 1977 by artist Walter De Maria and consists of a second-floor apartment at 141 Wooster Street that is filled with ... dirt. The room’s caretaker, Bill Dilworth, waters and rakes the dirt regularly, Oddity Central reported, and welcomes up to 100 visitors a day. “The artist never attached any meaning to it,” Dilworth said. Admission is free to view the 250 cubic yards of soil, but people are not allowed to take photographs or touch the dirt.

n As Braiden Lankford, 20, and her mother, 50, argued about the “cleanliness of the house” on Oct. 23 in their home near Tampa Bay, Lankford struck her mother in the head with two tacos, The Smoking Gun reported. When police arrived, “the victim had food debris all around her on the couch and on the back of her shirt,” police reported. The mother was not injured, but Lankford was charged with domestic battery.

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

Bright Idea Islamic police in Karo, Nigeria, arrested 26-year-old Aliyu Na Idris on Oct. 26 because he was trying to sell himself for 20 million nara, or about $49,000, Oddity Central reported. He works as a tailor, but said, “The decision to sell myself was due to poverty. I plan to give my parents 10 million nara when I eventually get a buyer.” Police said what he did was “forbidden in Islam,” but he was released the day after his arrest and said the police only gave him advice.

Fickes and Pittman are not related, and police have not determined a motive for the chicken hit. Fickes is facing an unrelated child endangerment charge as well.

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

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144 | NOVEMBER 18, 2021

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