SLM May/June 2023

MAGAZINE OF THE MOUNTAINWEST

THE

OUTDOORS EDITION 6 Essential Utah Hikes / Patio Dining Gear / Summer Festivals / Spring Escapes

27 WAYS TO LUNCH Where & How in SLC

SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

Why is everyone in Utah playing Dungeons & Dragons now?

Explore Asian tastes at South Salt Lake’s Chinatown Market

Take turns taking turns.

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contents

MAY/JUNE 2023

FEATURES

42 LEARN TO LOVE YOUR LUNCH

BY SALT L AKE STAFF

Inconveniently situated in the middle of the day, it’s tempting to skip lunch when we’re busy. But there are so many places and ways to do lunch, including the right lunch for you.

Let’s learn to love lunch again.

50 VISIBILITY

AT THE “Y”

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

Student action and protests at BYU have gained national attention in both recent years and through out its history, increasing the visibility of marginalized student groups.

Students give their perspectives on what visibility achieves.

58 EVERYONE IS

PLAYING D&D

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

ON THE COVER PHOTO BY DAVID RULE

The Great Chamber in Grand Staircase-Escalante is one of our essential outdoor adventures.

Thanks to shows like Stranger Things, the perception of Dungeons & Dragons has changed, and Utah plays more D&D than any other state. The appeal? The students in an afterschool tabletop gaming club show us what’s so magical about D&D.

MAY /J UNE 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

9

contents 17

the hive

BY SALT L AKE STAFF

With summer nearly upon us, it’s time for the return of outdoor festivals, and Salt Lake has your guide. There’s also a guide on preparing to climb Kilimanjaro, if that’s more your speed, and outdoor gear for the “in-between” season.

31

adventures

BY JEREMY PUGH

The great outdoors is calling, and there’s no greater place to answer the call than here. Our picks for essential spring/ summer adventures.

77 park city

BY TONY GILL

The Deer Valley Concert Series is back and development woes have citizens at odds—it must be summer in Park City.

Plus, where to find the most “stacked” sandwiches.

85

36

on the table

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

Sweet and savory Korean pastries, addictive K Dogs and other tasty treats found in the Chinatown Market.

85

111

bar fly

BY AVREY EVANS

It’s the tale of two bars: one new with a bold concept and one old school with a new owner.

116

social

Relive the 2023 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Award Ceremony!

120 last page 77

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

How to play the Utah Lottery.

volume 33 number 3 Salt Lake magazine (ISSN# 1524-7538) is published bimonthly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October and Novemeber/December) by Utah Partners Publishing, Ltd. Editorial, advertising and administrative offices: 515 S. 700 East, Suite 3i, SLC, UT 84102. Telephone 801-485-5100; fax 801-485-5133. Subscriptions: One year ($35.95); for shipping outside the U.S. add $45. Toll-free subscription number: 877-553-5363. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2023, JES Publishing Corp. No whole or part of the contents may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of Salt Lake magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Manuscripts accompanied by SASE are accepted, but no responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited contributions. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Salt Lake magazine, PO Box 820, Boca Raton, FL 33429.

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R E D R O C K / T H E C H E E S E C A K E F A C T O RY / B R I O

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S TA R T D I S H I N G

THE MAGAZINE FOR UTAH

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EDITOR’S LETTER

‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ G R O W I N G U P I N U TA H hiking

mysteries of the ancient peoples whose cliff dwellings are found around every corner.

Yep, as the Johnny Cash song goes, “I’ve Been Everywhere” and hiking was how I got there.

I love showing newcomers and visitors around and helping them find their way. So, as summer approaches we highlight six essential hikes all around Utah (“Oh the Places You’ll Go,” page 36) to whet your appetite for exploration. And speaking of appetites, you’ll need fuel for the trail, so we also guide you to the best lunch spots around the city (“Love Your Lunch,” page 42).

Finally, we direct you to the easiest hikes ever—strolling through the crowd at the first festivals of the summer season (“Set Your Clocks to Summer,” page 17)—starting with Living Traditions in May. If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re right. Welcome to the Outside Issue of Salt Lake magazine. It’s time to get out there and play!

Jeremy Pugh PHOTO JEREMY PUGH

Editor Jeremy Pugh atop Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park

was just how we got places, usually woefully underprepared. (Example: One summer in Logan, my roommate and I spent our time rambling around above Tony Grove looking for caves in the sinkholes up there.

He’d tie off a climbing rope and descend until the rope ran out. I stood up hoping he’d get back out. It was pretty stupid).

But the point is, we didn’t say “let’s go hiking” it was more like “let’s go up to Desolation Lake” and a hiking trail was the way to get there. It wasn’t until I got older and got to know a lot of flatlander newcomers that I realized hiking was a “thing.” And, that having a water bottle, a light pack and layers was super helpful. Also a few “summit beers.”

Over the last decade, I have gone on a series of magazine assignments that took me to every corner of Utah. I explored the Mighty 5 National Parks during winter, hiking long ambitious trails in each, I followed photographer Austen Diamond on a whirlwind tour of Utah State Parks to capture morning sunrises and starry night skies and spent a week with a BLM archeologist on Cedar Mesa uncovering the

14 SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM | M AY/JUNE 2 0 2 3

Photo courtesy: HOK Architects

WHAT’S NEXT AT YOUR NEW MORE ADDITIONS ARRIVING 2023-2024 Since the first flights departed The New Salt Lake International Airport, millions of travelers have experienced its stunning architecture, tech-friendly amenities, and thoughtfully curated dining and shopping options.

22 ADDITIONAL GATES

But we’re just getting started.

As Phase 2 is finished in 2023, you can expect 22 additional gates and 19 new shops and restaurants, including more local favorites. And in 2024, Phase 3 will bring even more places to eat, drink, shop, and relax—plus a new central tunnel that significantly shortens the walk to Concourse B gates.

See what’s next for your new SLC at slcairport.com

19 NEW SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS

CENTRAL TUNNEL TO CONCOURSE B

MORE FLIGHTS TO MORE DESTINATIONS

LIVING TRADITIONS festival

A three-day celebration presenting the traditional music, dance, craft, and food of the multicultural communities that make Utah their home.

Friday, May 19 / 5 - 10 pm Saturday, May 20 / 12 - 10 pm Sunday, May 21 / 12 - 7 pm Washington Square and Library Square FREE ADMISSION

LIVINGTRADITIONSFESTIVAL.COM

The Hive

Festivals . . . . . . . . . pg. 17 Satire . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 20 Fitness . . . . . . . . . . pg. 22 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 24 Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 26 High Profile . . . . . pg. 28

t r e n d s / p e o p l e / t a lk

Set your clocks to Summer!

Nine festivals to set your summer watch by

BY JEREMY PUGH

T

IME IN SUMMER moves slower.

PHOTO COURTESY LIVING TRADITIONS

We look at the clock less and enjoy warm afternoons that stretch into long, languid nights. And nothing helps keep time in summer as well as the annual lineup of festivals and celebrations.

The season runs Spring through Summer, and the variety and regularity of Utah’s festivals mark the passing of the warmer months like clockwork. So as you’re losing track of time here are nine mainstay summer festivals that will help keep you track of Summer’s pace. >>>

Grupo Folklorico at the Living Traditions Festival, kicking off the season in May.

MAY /J UNE 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

17

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FESTI VA LS

(Below and Right) Busker Fest runs in June with street performances around Salt Lake City

The Living Traditions Festival— The traditional kick-off to Salt Lake’s summer festival season is filled with dance, food from around the world and a celebration of Utah’s diverse culture. saltlakearts.org

Blues in Utah. Many legendary blues artists performed at earlier blues-centric festivals from the 1980s into the 2000s.

(BB King, Muddy Waters, James Cotton, to namedrop a few.)

The Utah Blues Festival was started to revive that tradition and bring national blues acts to the Beehive State once again. utahbluesfest.org

LOVELOUD Festival—Founded in 2017 by Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons and Tyler Glenn of the Neon Trees, LOVELOUD brings communities and families together to celebrate (and love) LGBTQ+ youth and encourage acceptance and community. Also, it’s a killer show. loveloudfest.com Kilby Block Party—Kilby Court is one of the most celebrated music venues in Salt Lake. The stage at the all-ages club has seen legendary artists pass across its stage. To celebrate that history, its owners started the Kilby Block Party, to bring together the local music scene and internationally renowned performers for one giant concert. kilbyblockparty.com

JUNE

(Above) The Utah Arts Festival and (right) an Intertribal Pow Wow at the Living Traditions Festival

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Utah Pride Festival and Parade— The Utah Pride Festival and Parade is held in downtown Salt Lake in June celebrating Utah’s diversity and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

The event is a program of the Utah Pride Center, and includes the state’s second-largest parade, after the Days of ‘47 Parade. utahpridecenter.org Utah Blues Festival—There’s a long history of celebrating the

SLC Busker Fest—Busker Fest is a free event held annually in Salt Lake to showcase local and traveling street performers. The festival celebrates the city’s rich Vaudeville history by bringing the living tradition of busking and street theater downtown.

It happens in conjunction with SLC’s Open Streets event that closes off a large section of Salt Lake’s Main Street to cars making it a fun and surprising time of year to stroll the city. buskerfestslc.com Brewstillery—Brewstillery is Utah’s all-local beer-and-spirits event that brings together local breweries, local distilleries and thirsty patrons, all in one space. slugmag.com Utah Arts Festival—The Utah Arts Festival is the largest outdoor multi-disciplinary arts event in Utah with attendance hovering above more than 70,000 each summer. uaf.org

PHOTOS: (BUSKER FEST) COURTESY BUSKER FEST, (LIVING TRADITIONS) COURTESY LIVING TRADITIONS; (UTAH ARTS FESTIVAL) COURTESY UTAH ARTS FESTIVAL

MAY

THE HIVE

SATIRE

HOW TO HIKE WITH YOUR DOG! Utah trail etiquette for you and your new dog. Who’s the puppy!?

BY JEREMY PUGH

W

HEN TO GO: ANYTIME! Now that you’re a dog owner in Utah, it is important that you take your giant, slavering untrained puppy absolutely everywhere with you. We all love dogs! So. Much.

WHY? No idea. You’re the one who moved

to Utah. You’re like, “Mom. No, I’m not going to turn Mormon. I think I’ll get a dog!”

That’s the Utah way.

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Gary will expect you to replace his ultralight Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad from that night in Capitol Reef. It’s possible you’ll have to re-carpet.

WHAT ABOUT THE POOP? Make sure

off-leash days. But those are for people whose puppy isn’t just the best little puppy ever. Stay out of humanity’s last stronghold: The Cottonwoods. Don’t forget the Farmers’ Market!

you carefully bag up your dog’s doo and then leave the baggy trailside because, eww, you’re not going to carry that around! Just leave its transportation out of the canyon to someone else who cares more than you and ignore the burning in your ears as that Samaritan curses you and your pooch.

WHAT IF HE? Jumps all over other hikers and mauls other dogs? That’s a great way to meet people IRL. Be sure to call out, “He’s friendly!”

WHERE TO GO? Tanner Park or, as we like to call it, “What Life Will Look Like When Dogs Rule the Earth.” Millcreek Canyon has alternating on-leash and

STILL GOING TO GET THAT DOG, HUH?

WHAT TO EXPECT? Poop. Steaming piles of human-sized poop. As the pup grows, you’ll need bigger bags.

Adopt a rescue from Best Friends Utah.

2005 S. 1100 East, SLC 801-574-2454, utah.bestfriends.org.

ILLUSTRATIONS JENNIFER TERRY

HOW MUCH? Can you really put a price on a creature that loves you unconditionally until he starts humping that lady dog and you’re like “Fennel! Get off her!”? But still yeah, lots and lots of money, time and inconvenience.

Especially when Fennel gets into Jerry and Kestrel’s backyard chickens. Ooo boy. Also,

ANTHONYS

F I N E A RT & A N T I Q U E S

a n t h o n y s f i n e a r t. c o m | s a l t l a k e c i t y

THE HIVE

FITNESS

How Do You Climb Kilimanjaro?

One step at a time (and lots of training)

BY MARY RUTH HARRIS

Kilimanjaro. Most of it anyway. My story of (almost) climbing the tallest mountain on the African Continent starts with my father who left us too soon. He was 58 years old when he died of a heart attack. He was in top shape, and losing him so early cast a shadow over my view of fitness and health, sometimes asking “what does it matter?” But my dad would remind me that being in good health is essential for experiencing the world with whatever time I have. When I was invited to climb Kilimanjaro it was daunting but something I knew my dad would want for me.

GETTING READY I contacted nutritionist and trainer Jeff Sproul of PureFitness and Nutrition. When I said the word “Kilimanjaro” he responded with a

prescription for weekly sessions of strength training and nutrition check-ins that kept me accountable and on track. Sproul offers a lowkey, non-judgemental approach to fitness. And I’m proof he can work with anyone—a middleaged mom (like me) or youngsters who want to run Spartan races.

I also fell back on my yoga practice. Core Power Yoga has some of the best yoga instructors and attending those classes provided a lot of necessary perspectives, flexibility and meditation material that would be invaluable on the most difficult portions of the climb.

I had been paired with World Wide Trekking by a colleague, who had trekked with the outfit before. Traveling with a local guide, Dean Canidale (WWT’s lead guide and founder), and my local friends made it feel safe to go. So off I went, carrying a worn photo of

my father and I standing on top of a peak in the Wind Rivers, smiling and wearing unintentionally matching flannel and khakis.

That image kept me going.

ON KILIMANJARO There are five different ecological zones to pass before reaching what is affectionately called “the roof of Africa,” Kilimanjaro.

Over the next few days, it was misty. The clouds seemed to rise straight from the ground, swirling above us, behind us and around us. I couldn’t see ahead. I couldn’t see below. I asked our guide, Dean, to move the clouds so we could see the landmark Kilimanjaro Lava Tower. Magically, he waved his hands and they did! (But Dean also started the Human Outreach Project, a non-profit that gives back to locals in the communities he visits around the world. He specializes in miracles.)

Generally, I have a hard time asking for help. When we scaled the Breakfast Wall (the most technical part of the trek), I was struggling but still stubbornly resisted. At one point, I couldn’t see above me and felt panic rising. At that moment our guide Happiness (yes, that was her name) said, “Mary, take the hand of Happiness.” I took her hand. Her hand was strong, warm and soft. We smiled and my fear retreated. I climbed up.

COMES THE WIND From the Great Barranco camp (13,077 feet), the group heads up the Breakfast Wall for some rock scrambling on the way to the Karanga Valley camp on Kilimanjaro.

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The wind was trying to tell me something. It was trying to say something so much so that

PHOTOS: (LEFT AND OPPOSTIE PAGE LEFT) WORLD WIDE TREKKING, (TOP AND OPPOSITE RIGHT) MARY RUTH HARRIS

L

AST DECEMBER, I CLIMBED

it rolled over my tent one night. It kept on howling and beating dirt and grime into my clothing, eyes, ears and nostrils. It made it hard to communicate, walk or breathe. It brought frustration. On the highest camp in the middle of the night, the wind made machinery-like metal noises as it hit the tents and shook them violently for hours.

I remembered a Core Power Yoga class in the night while the tents shook. The class put me into a position called warrior three where the body is stretched out long horizontally, and one leg is standing firm vertically. As we held the pose

and sweat dripped from my body, the instructor said “Mary! You’re making the T like tenacity, do you have tenacity? Do you know what it means?”

Gasping, I said, “I don’t know?” She walked by and continued class. Those nights on the mountain, in the wind, I truly learned what it meant. And wind, it turns out, has greater tenacity than us mere humans. After several days, Dean made the hard call to abandon our summit attempt. We slumped back down never setting foot on the top of Africa’s roof.

Once home, it was hard to explain what it was like. I had a lot to recover from and reflect upon. I called Christine Stockham, LMT, NBT-HWC, the founder of Harmonic Alignments, LLC. Not just a masseuse, she is an integrative bodyworker. I scheduled a 2-hour customized treatment session.

She has many techniques, and she is magical. The massage, aromatherapy, and more, let the air out and helped me start understanding the experience.

I still don’t know what the wind was trying to tell me. I’ll wonder for years to come. I’ll consider the vision, purpose, trust and direction I learned from my father and how it helped me find the tenacity to turn away from something I wanted so much.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Ruth Harris has lived in Utah most of her life and for the past 22 years in Salt Lake City.

With a background in medicine and a passion for healthy living, Mary loves experiencing and writing about anything that will add to wellness and well-being, hers and yours. An avid cyclist and trail runner, she writes about health, beauty, fitness and athletic training for Salt Lake magazine.

CELEBR ATE YOUR LOVE IN A PL ACE WHERE TIME STANDS STILL

375 NORTH CANYON ROAD, SLC, UTAH 84103 PHONE: (801) 521-7969 PHOTO BY SHELBY COLLIER

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MAY /J UNE 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

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GEA R

Between Seasons

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE/ STYLING BY ARIANNA JIMENEZ AND JEANINE MILLER

Spring can be fickle in Utah as we move into summer. Here are our picks to keep you comfortable and warm on your early season outings on the trail and relaxing at the campsite.

1

2

8

3

4 5

6

7 1. Men’s Look: base layer, Men’s Turpin Fleece Half Zip ($99) Stio, stio.com; mid layer, Men’s Aero Fleece ($149) Kuhl, kuhl.com; outer layer, Men’s The Outsider Jacket ($249) Kuhl, kuhl.com 2. Women’s Look: base layer, Women’s Prism Hoody ($149) Kuhl, kuhl.com; mid layer, Women’s Skycrest Shirt ($185) Stio, stio.com; outer layer, Women’s Exploit Hooded Jacket ($399) Stio, stio.com 3. Spyfire Down Komfortrs ($250 ea.)

Kuhl, kuhl.com 4. Groundwork Sleeping Bag ($45) Stoic, steepandcheap.com 5. BaseCamp Sleeping Pads ($114) Thermarest, thermarest.com 6. Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad, ($239) REI, rei.com; 7. Eskape 50 Kanvas Duffel, ($299) Kuhl, kuhl.com 8. Railroad Lantern ($99) Barbones Living, barebonesliving.com.

24 SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM | M AY/JU NE 2 0 2 3

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A local and independent real estate brokerage – www.thegroupslc.com

THE HIVE

FOOD

HOLES IN THE WALL Three walk-up windows to fuel summer strolls

BY JEREMY PUGH

A

LT H O U G H S A LT L A K E has plenty of food trucks and now food halls, there is a dearth of restaurants offering fast, portable food meant to be eaten—now that summer is here—outside or while strolling the streets in-between stops on a pub crawl. But several restaurants are punching holes in the walls (or have already) to serve the roaming diner.

Ryan Lowder always wanted Copper Common to be a “spot where you could eat and drink on a Sunday night in Salt Lake.” For which we thank him.

Serving a late-night crowd in any city takes a special commitment, just ask Lowder’s late-shift staff and the crew at the Pie Hole. But Common is an intentionally small space so Lowder knocked a hole in the wall onto Edison Street and bought a neon sign that blazes “Hot Buns” to beckon the bar crowd. Hot Buns will serve a rotating menu of burgers, hot dogs, fries, soft-serve ice cream and something he calls “Phocup,” which is, duh, Vietnamese Pho in a cup.

11 E. Broadway, SLC, coppercommon.com

Pie Fight Pie Fight never was anything but a walk-up window and a welcome addition to the 9th and 9th neighborhood. Specializing in a small menu of hand-sized pies and pasties both sweet and savory. (We especially love the Macaroni & Cheese pie, as not everyone in Utah has a sweet tooth). The pies are a perfect addition to a summer stroll in Salt Lake.

937 E. 900 South, SLC, thepiefight.com

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Buds Yet another “hole in the wall” that is just a hole in the wall, Buds is a favorite of the vegan and vegetarian crowd. Heck, it’s a favorite of the peoplewho-like-to-eat-food crowd. Buds is an excellent example of a vegan restaurant that wears the plant-based label with pride but makes plant-based food that tastes like actual food in the form of massive sandwiches that can be taken to go or eaten out front at Buds’ popular picnic tables.

509 E. 300 South, SLC, budsslc.com

PHOTOS: COURTESY HOT BUNS, PIE FIGHT AND BUDS

Copper Common’s Hot Buns

THE HIVE

HIGH PROFILE

Lessons Learned University of Utah’s president reflects on his first turbulent year

BY HE ATHER HAYES

EAT, SLEEP, LEARN UofU’s Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute opened its doors in 2016. One of the first buildings of its kind, it offers students a combined residential and learning space complete with studios where they can not only eat, sleep and socialize but also build prototypes and launch companies.

Randall plans to model the success of the Lassonde with the Impact and Prosperity Center which will contain two research centers: the Sorenson Impact Center and the Center for Business, Health and Prosperity, in addition to housing nearly 800 students.

Randall, University of Utah’s then-dean of the David Eccles School of Business, stood before a tough crowd. There were no hardball questions about research funding, campus safety, equity or graduation rates. Rather, Randall encouraged his daughter’s classmates to find their passion at Clayton Middle School Career Day. “I remember that speech,” says Randall, whose appointment in 2021 as president of the University of Utah has thrust him into the limelight. “It’s true,” he says of a story he shared with the kids, “I did want to be a pro basketball player when I was their age. I lived and breathed basketball, but unfortunately I stopped growing at 5-foot, 9-inches…and I couldn’t jump. It was very clear to me early on that I was in deep trouble.” While Randall may not be living out his NBA fantasies, he says he is living the dream with a career in education.

PURSUING PASSION The first Utes alum in 50 years to lead his alma mater, the accounting major enrolled at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he spent eight years earning an MBA and Ph.D. in operations and information management. “I knew I needed to earn a living, but I wanted something with intrinsic value,” he says. “While at Wharton, I really began to admire my professors. They could work on projects they were passionate about and remain intellectually curious, and they could instill confidence in

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their students. I loved the idea that, like them, I could build organizations and also build people.”

After nearly accepting a teaching position with the University of Chicago, Randall felt a tug toward the Wasatch mountain range. “The job market in Utah academics is thin, so I felt lucky to get a job as a professor of accounting at the UofU in the late ’90s.” Several teaching awards and a decade later, his 2009 appointment to dean of the business school likely came as no surprise to those within the department. In the succeeding decade, under his watch, it grew five-fold and its entrepreneurial program ranked 5th in the country.

Now leading the charge for the entire University since August 2021, Randall is brimming with plans for the school that “give everyone else FOMO,” but he rejects being credited as the one with all the great ideas. “I wouldn’t describe myself as an ‘ideas guy,’ but I think I am someone who recognizes great ideas and gives them a chance,” he says. “That’s the fun part of my job: meeting people who have energy and passion around their great idea—and then clearing the path for it. I hope at the end of the day, that is what I’m known for.”

‘COMMUTER CAMPUS’ NO MORE As Randall works to add “5,000 beds in five years” to accommodate the University’s growth and change its long-standing reputation as a “commuter school” (citing data that shows on-campus students do better than their off-campus

counterparts), he says he envisions variations of the Lassonde Institute popping up all over campus, like the Impact and Prosperity Center that broke ground last September (see sidebar).

“I think we’re in a moment where universities have to completely redefine the relationship they have with students and their community,” says Randall. “A student today isn’t like a student 20 or 30 years ago.

A teacher’s job is no longer to disseminate information, but to teach students how to use the information at their fingertips.”

‘WHO WE INCLUDE’ Randall is taking seriously the concern among some that an internal hire—particularly a hometown white man—is perpetuating what some see as the “establishment” rather than a pivot. How to be more inclusive of a changing student body demographic and addressing campus safety top his priority list.

In March, the U held its first-ever campus safety conference with Jill McCluskey as the opening speaker.

Her daughter Lauren was killed on the U’s campus in 2018. McCluskey acknowledged the safety improvements made at the U since but emphasized the improvements still needed, especially concerning crosscampus communication.

When it comes to inclusiveness, Randall recognized his limitations upon taking office and created a transition team to improve outcomes. Composed of a broad cross-section of the university from students to hospital staff to depart-

PHOTOS: (LEFT) LASSONDE ENTREPRENEUR INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH; (RIGHT) ADAM FINKLE

S

I X Y E A R S A G O , Taylor

ment chairs, he asked for their recommendations to improve, among other things, sustainability, equity, diversity and inclusion. Through dozens of forums and the creation of the Presidential Commission on Equity and Belonging, he says he’s working to address the harms of racism in the UofU community.

“For too long, universities have made themselves important by excluding people,” he says. “We have to be known for who we include.”

MEETING STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE

Taylor Randall, University of Utah President

Those middle-schoolers Randall spoke to a handful of years ago?

Many are newly-minted college students representing a generation described as more values-driven in their approach to job prospects.

Many students want to infuse more meaning into their careers when they enter the workforce. Randall hopes to turn students’ interests into projects that combine profit and purpose—leading to personal satisfaction while tackling Utah’s biggest challenges.

During his first year and a half, he has met with members of the legislature, leaders of other Utahbased universities and community advocates to “clear a path” for student collaboration that could solve our state’s most pressing concerns.

“I want people to say, ‘Look what the U is doing’, then join us,” he says.

From the Great Salt Lake’s toxic dust, to poor air quality along the Wasatch Front, to inequitable health outcomes throughout the state, Randall thinks the UofU is poised to find the solutions.

“Ideas that change society come from universities,” he says, adding that the UofU is the largest research university in the state by far. “We don’t just want to do research for research’s sake, we actually want to take it into the community so students can see how it changes not only the lives of others but their own.”

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Adventures

Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 31 Outdoors . . . . . . . . . pg. 36

t r ave l / o u t d o o r s / w e llb e in g

The Mist Trail (below) is one of Yosemite National Park’s iconic hikes.

Top of Your National Park Bucket List Explore Yosemite’s waterfalls this spring

BY JEREMY PUGH

Y

O U C A N P R A C T I C A L LY H E A R Peter Coyote narrat-

ing the Ken Burns’ documentary. It is America’s Third National Park but, thanks to John Muir’s powerful voice from the wilderness and his famed invitation to President Roosevelt in 1903 to camp with him in Yosemite,w it was the park that inspired Roosevelt’s fight to preserve Yosemite and lay the groundwork to create the National Park Program. Muir’s lifelong mission to protect Yosemite captured the national imagination and once you visit, you’ll see why. Why go now: Waterfalls. Giant waterfalls. Yosemite’s famous falls are gushing in the spring and although the park is jaw-dropping year-round, the waterfalls are, well, majestic. But wait a sec: Yes. There will be crowds. And, while the park has instituted a reservation system that eases bottlenecks, bring patience and plan ahead. >>>

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TRAVEL

1. Basecamp Option No. 1

Tenaya at Yosemite is just 3 miles from the South Entrance (less busy) and is a destination in itself. Beautiful grounds laced with hiking and biking trails feature a full-service lodge, restaurants, bar, pool and spa. But you’ll want to book one of the Explorer Cabins, a group of private twobedroom tiny homes, in a quiet wooded glade along the creek below the main lodge. Explore the trails with guided hiking tours or rent a mountain bike and get directions to the hidden waterfall. Tenaya also offers guided tour packages from Yosemite 360, with insightful guides who will give you a good orientation tour of the massive park. visittenaya.com

Tenaya at Yosemite’s Explorer Cabins offer private quarters amid the forest (above) as well as hiking and mountain biking trails (left) with on-site bike rentals and guided tours.

2. Basecamp Option No. 2

4. Mariposa Grove (of Giant Sequoias)

3. The Mighty Yosemite Valley

The big show, as it were, is Yosemite Valley surrounded by massive granite cliffs laced with thundering waterfalls showering rainbow mists from high above. This is inevitably the most crowded area of

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the park but here’s a trick.

Pack your bathing suit and a towel and locate a picnic area along the Merced River, which abounds with wading and swimming holes accessed from rocky (sandals are help ful) put-in beaches off the picnic areas.

Wow. Often missed by visitors champing at the bit to get to the Valley, the Mariposa Grove area is an example of how easy it is in a national park to ditch the crowds by hiking a mile or so off the beaten path. Make time to take the 7-mile Mariposa Grove Trail to Wawona Point which will take you out of the crowded shuttle area into a series of groves to the base of the Giant Sequoias and a final payoff with the view from Wawona Point. Add on the Guardian’s Trail Loop for even more neck-craning wonder.

These trees are BIG!

PHOTOS COURTESY TENAYA

The town of Mariposa is 50 miles from the western (busier) entrance to Yosemite. The southernmost Gold Rush town, founded in 1849 by John C. Fremont has maintained its historical charm with former saloons and rooming houses converted into boutique hotels and upscale cocktail bars. In the historic charm, department try the River Rock Inn (an addition to a home built in 1891) or the Yosemite Plaisance B&B with private rooms and entrances (and meals by chef-owner Hélène Halcrow). For a budgetfriendly option, try the newly renovated Mariposa Lodge, a charming motel-style property.

For more lodging and dining, choices visit yosemite.com

LEAVING SO SOON? 2 More Cool Things There’s so much to do in the park but don’t miss these deep dives into the history of the area.

› The Mariposa Museum & History Center A massive and eclectic collection of artifacts and exhibits interpreting Native American, Spanish Settlement, California Gold Rush, Yosemite and Mariposa County History. mariposamuseum.com

› The Yosemite Climbing Museum

PHOTO ADOBE STOCK

Yosemite was where modern climbing was invented.

From the famed Camp 4 camping area in Yosemite Valley, a group of rebellious climbers made the first accents of the giant granite walls thought previously unassailable, including Half Dome. Founder Ken Yager was a young climber during some of the most daring portions of this rich history and has dedicated his life to celebrating and honoring “the Dirtbags of Camp 4” with a museum in Mariposa dedicated to their history making accomplishments. yosemiteclimbing.org >>> Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias is a star (and often missed) attraction of Yosemite National Park.

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TRAVEL Yosemite’s tunnel view

5. The Little, Medium, Big and Really Big Hikes

Salt Lake City

Fresno

Getting there Fresno International Yosemite Airport is a quick flight from SLC and a 65-mile drive to Yosemite’s South Entrance.

Every national park has the hike, in Yosemite, it is the Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall Trails, also known as the “Mist Trail.”

And it comes in easy, medium and hard stops. The easy stop is to the footbridge below Vernal Falls but don’t stop there.

Climb the giant staircase and walk through the eponymous mist to the top of Vernal Falls.

Keep going and you’ll get to the top of Nevada Falls. For the really hardcore you can make the 10- to 12-hour hike to the famed “cable route” to the summit of Half Dome. To actually climb the cable route and

summit, you have to luck out with the daily lottery for permits

but the hike to the cables is adventure enough!

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GET OUT

HIK E

‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’ Discover 6 essential hikes from around Utah and wonder ‘why haven’t I done that?’

BY JEREMY PUGH

1

Kanab More of a drive than a hike (unless you are up for a 17mile exposed slog) so you’ll need a 4WD and experience driving in soft sand. How ever you get there, the reward is one of the most beautiful sights in Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument.

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PHOTO DAVID RULE

THE GREAT CHAMBER (CUTLER POINT)

2

GRAND WASH + CASSIDY ARCH Capitol Reef National Park

T PHOTOS: (GRAND WASH) MATT MORGAN / UTAH OFFICE OF TOURISM, (BONNEVILLE SHORELINE TRAIL) DISCOVER DAVIS COUNTY

O T R U LY U N D E R S TA N D T H E B E A U T Y

of the place we call home you need to get out onto a trail. From the scenic alpine wonders of the Wasatch Front and Back to the otherworldly landscapes of Southern Utah’s Red Rock desert, the Utah landscape captures the imagination like no other place on Earth. Utahns are fortunate to have many public lands within our borders which include National Parks and National Monuments, the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service lands and wilderness areas.

The through line here is that Utah is full of well-managed and well-marked trails that allow both beginners and experts to get into a wide range of terrain and solitude. As always, know before you go, bring plenty of water and, please, pick up after yourself. Enjoy!

Capitol Reef National Park is not easily appreciated from the road. You need to get into it. Grand Wash is a good way in. Take an easy stroll below the towering walls above the Cassidy Arch Trail. A stern climb that is rewarded with a top-down view of one of Utah’s most magnificent arches.

3

2 1

3

BONNEVILLE SHORELINE TRAIL PHOTO CREDIT TK

Salt Lake and Davis County A Wasatch Front treasure, the shoreline trail runs along the “bathtub ring” of ancient Lake Bonneville in the foothills from North Salt Lake to Parley’s Canyon (pictured here above Davis County). It’s a trail runner’s and hiker’s dream for both short and long excursions with rewarding views.

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GET OUT

HIK E

FISHER TOWERS Moab This red rock ramble from the banks of the Colorado River outside of Moab is rewarded with the journey through the Martian landscape of Southern Utah—a maze of fins, pinnacles and bizarre formations — and the destination beneath the towering spires that are Fisher Towers.

5

4

CATHERINE’S PASS Little Cottonwood Canyon

THE GEAR Hiking in Utah really only requires good sturdy hiking shoes and water. But being comfortable hiking in Utah is another thing.

Here’s some picks to make the trail easier.

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Kühl’s Renegade Rock hiking pants look good but more importantly they are tough, really tough. A lighter version of Kühls soft shell winter models, these pants are built to move, dry quickly and can survive scraping scrambles through narrow slot canyons. $99, kuhl.com

Spring hiking means carrying a variety of layers for variable conditions. The Kühl Eskape 20 liter is the ‘goldilocks’ of hiking packs. Not too big to slow you down but roomy enough for water, snacks and peeling layers. $249, kuhl.com

Rheos’ Lanier navigator and Stono shades are stylish, yes, but also durable— built to survive throwing into the top of your pack and the inevitable drops onto the trail. Plus they float! $65, rheosgear.com

PHOTOS: (CATHERINE’S PASS) JAY DASH / UTAH OFFICE OF TOURISM, (FISHER TOWERS) ADOBE STOCK

Starting above Albion Basin, near Alta Ski Resort and connecting Little to Big Cottonwood Canyon, offers better views than the popular Cecret Lake Trail. Best during summer, this trail is ideal for peeping the wildflowers in late June and July. You also may encounter wildlife including moose.

6

4

PHOTO DISCOVER DAVIS COUNTY

5

6

ANTELOPE ISLAND Antelope Island State Park To truly experience The Great Salt Lake, there is no better vantage for observation than from the western shoreline trail on Antelope Island.

The island hides the city lights of the Wasatch Front behind you and offers an otherworldly view of the ancient salty sea stretching out to the horizon.

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THE GOLDEN PROPORTION The ‘Deluxe’ from Grove Market & Deli exemplifies the formula for combining the Golden Proportion of bread to filling that adds up to a monster sandwich that gives 120%.

FRESH BREAD

Imperial Roll

MEAT

Ham + Turkey

40%

30%

VEGGIES

10%

TOMATO

20%

CHEESE

20%

= DELICIOUSNESS 120% 42 SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM | M AY/JUNE 2 0 2 3

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Lettuce + Pickle + Avocado

BY JEREMY PUGH

B

A

K

LE

C

T

’S

T

E LUNCH K A

!

LEARN TO

LOVE YOUR LUNCH Remember lunch? We used to go to it, look forward to it even, but COVID and the grind have diminished our midday repast, making it the most-skipped meal of the day. What did lunch ever do to deserve that?

I

n the Gilded Age, Diamond Jim Brady’s lunch might start with a couple of dozen oysters, then go on to a brace of lobsters, some deviled crabs and roast beef. And he still had time to become one of the most famous millionaires of his time. One hundred years later, millionaires are a dime a dozen, but lunch is a rarity. Most Americans won’t stop working long enough to eat a real midday meal. The American lunch is shrinking in length, diminishing in importance and nearly bankrupt in imagination. From the luxurious, three-martini events of the ’50s, we devolved to power lunches in the ’80s, to lunch at the keyboard in the ’90s, to a PowerBar and a Zoom meeting in 2023. Even on weekends, it’s rare for us to devote much time to the midday meal. It’s time to take it back.

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THE HOLEIN-THEWALL LUNCH

Spencer’s For Steaks and Chops is the place to go to impress and honor your clients and seal the deal.

One of the main problems at lunch is the time factor: in and out in under an hour is quite a trick. These places are not secret—all the secret places deserve to remain secret, I think. But these spots are a little tucked away or off the beaten track—downstairs, through a hallway, on the other side of the tracks.

AREMPAS

Power lunches are backed by expense accounts and reflect that in the pricing.

This is a meal that’s all about Flex, throwing down the Black Amex and sealing the deal. These days, however, the people at the table aren’t just men in suits sporting shiny wingtips. The suits are hoodies and sweats and the wingtips are pristine Jordans.

SPENCER’S FOR STEAKS AND CHOPS

Spencer’s wedge salad

TAKASHI

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The menu item Millionaire’s bacon says it all, a decadent slab of pork belly, drizzled with honey and fig compote. Plus a gorgeous filet mignon served with a side of seasonal vegetables and frites. Or, if you want to seem submissive, a salad.

255 S. West Temple, SLC, spencersslc.com

The Japanese practically invented the high-power, high-stakes lunch meeting with salarymen coolly appraising opponents at the table by how well they can handle their sake (or in your case, chopsticks). So what better place to earn (or lose) face than to boldly dine Takashi’s sushi and sashimi? Protip: Do not dip the Otoro in soy sauce. 18 W. Market Street, SLC, takashisushi.com

TOSH RAMEN On the vanguard of the Ramen trend, Chef Tosh Sekikawa, formerly of the dearly departed downtown sushi spot Naked Fish, introduced authentic ramen to the city and still packs in the lunch crowds at his original State Street location (and a second in Holladay).

1465 S. State St., SLC and 1963 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, toshramen.com Chef Tosh Sekikawa

PHOTOS: (TOSH SEKIKAWA) ADAM FINKLE; (SPENCER’S) COURTESY SPENCER’S FOR STEAKS AND CHOPS

The Power Lunch

An Arepa is a hand-sized packet of ground maize dough stuffed with a variety of fillings. Think Venezuelan Hot Pocket. It’s the centerpiece of a vegan and vegetarian-friendly menu at Arempa’s. 350 S. State St., SLC, arempas.com

The Bar Lunch

There was a time when drinks over lunch were implicit. Nowadays it depends on your particular work culture to determine if that beer you want to order is frowned upon, winked at, or encouraged. Read the room. That said, there are still places in the world that don’t judge a midday tipple, and, in fact, encourage it.

DUFFY’S TAVERN

GARAGE ON BECK

BEWILDER BREWING CO.

Make no mistake, Duffy’s is a bar, dark and windowless.

Basically, a day drinker’s paradise. The standout made-to-order sandwich, however, justifies calling a visit midday “going to lunch.”

932 S. Main St., SLC, Instagram @duffystavernslc

This roadhouse located in the “Historic Refinery District” has a full menu, a sprawling patio, live music, several bar areas that open to the outside and a stellar menu, including fried funeral potatoes. So it’s kind of churchy? 1199 N. Beck St., SLC, garageonbeck.com

This craft brewery’s excellent menu of housemade sausages practically requires an accompanying beer. You can tell the boss that the sausage made you do it. Also the dart boards are regulation if you feel like a game. 445 S. 400 West, SLC, bewilderbrewing.com

Bewilder Brewing

THE FOOD HALL LUNCH

PHOTOS: (WOODBINE FOOD HALL) ADAM FINKLE; (THE LOCAL MARKET AND BAR) DAN CAMPBELL

Not a food court, which was the grand name that malls in the ’80s dubbed the space where you’d find Sbarro, Hot Dog on a Stick, Orange Julius and Mrs. Fields Cookies. (Whatever happened to Mrs. Fields?)

But today the trend is grander, a food “hall.” Here you can hold court properly with your picky-eating coworkers who can get whatever they want.

WOODBINE FOOD HALL A bright, airy space in the Granary with lifted ceilings and skylights, local vendors serving everything from ramen to pizza and (bonus) a rooftop bar.

545 W. 700 South, SLC, woodbineslc.com

THE LOCAL MARKET & BAR Aiming to put the neighborhood back in the beleaguered, long underconstruction “neighborhood” near the SLC Library, Local Market &

Bar’s eight vendors were selected by NYC Chef Akhtar Nawab. The centerpiece is the “Good Bar” area at the entrance but the real gem is the back, the excellent sliders from Pop’s Burgers.

310 E. 400 South, SLC, thelocalsaltlakecity.com

GRANATO’S BLOCK PARTY 2700 Granato’s, the original specialty grocery in SLC, emerges from wherever it had been with a reinvention of its original space on 2700 East. 4044 S. 2700 East, Holladay, blockparty2700.com

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) Pop’s Burger and a yummy treat from Cereal Killerz in the Local; Zachary Howa and Ryan Reich at Woodbine.

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THE LUNCH SPECIAL

Sometimes the best way to try things is to try ALL the things.

Himalayan Kitchen’s Buffet can help.

For a true assessment, any lunch price has to be multiplied by five, because that’s how many lunches you eat in a workweek. Ten (ish) bucks is the high mark; over that and someone else had better be paying.

THE ROBIN’S NEST The weekly “Blue-Egg Special” features a rotating cast of specialty sandwiches, and lunch deals include a half sandwich, salad or chips, a soda and a sweet treat to finish. 83 E. 300 South, SLC, robinsnestslc.com

CURRY FRIED CHICKEN

SIEGFRIED’S DELICATESSEN This traditional German deli boasts a menu with every meal under $10 and a daily meal special for $8.99. Try the sausage plate with one or two housemade sausages accompanied by a selection of hearty side-dish options.

20 W. 200 South, SLC, siegfriedsdelicatessen.com

The Buffet Lunch

You pays your money and you takes your chances—no decisions necessary until the food is in front of your face. That’s one beauty of a buffet; the other is variety. Be a vegetarian one day, a carnivore the next. It’s up to you.

Serving a selection of delectable dishes prepared fresh in the deli, you can browse and pick and choose among a wide selection of choices, take your meal on the patio and do your shopping for dinner all at once. 135 E. 100 South, SLC, harmonsgrocery.com

HIMALAYAN KITCHEN Excellent any time of day, Himalayan Kitchen’s lunch buffet is an excellent way to sample the range of Surya Bastakoti’s menu of Nepalese and Indian Cuisine. 360 S. State St., SLC, himalayankitchen.com

RODIZIO GRILL

Rodizio Grill

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HARMONS DOWNTOWN

This is a lunch that lasts, giant skewers of meat are brought to your table Brazilian style and carved onto your plate by a roaming cadre of Gauchos. They will keep coming until you tell them to stop so wear your stretchy pants. 600 S. 700 East (in Trolley Square), SLC, rodiziogrill.com

PHOTOS: (HIMALAYAN KITCHEN) ADAM FINKLE; (RODIZIO) COURTESY RODIZIO GRILL

Curry Fried Chicken is actually a thing, and an actual restaurant that, in addition to its namesake curry-infused fried chicken, features a full halal menu including a delicious selection of hummus plates with salad, pita, and your choice of meat, falafel or veggie curry, under $10.

660 S. State St., SLC, curryfriedchickenslc.com

The Weekend Lunch A lunch that is leisurely is the King of Lunches. A PowerBar is not lunch. We prefer a long, lingering lunch on a Saturday or Sunday with no back-to-the-office deadline. The Leisurely Lunch can start late and stretch all the way to cocktail hour.

PHOTOS: (SUNDAY’S BEST) COURTESY SUNDAY’S BEST; (TRADITION SLC) COURTESY TRADITION SLC; (GOURMANDISE) COURTESY GOURMANDISE

SUNDAY’S BEST Originally (and hilariously) called “Brunch Me Hard,” Sunday’s Best has a mission for you. If you choose to accept, this will include a long lingering meal in one of its bright indoor or outdoor spaces, ideally with champagne. 10672 S. State St., Sandy, brunchmehard.com

TRADITION SLC Located with a patio overlooking Liberty Park, Tradition is an eminently civilized space to while away the afternoon. 501 E. 900 South, SLC, traditionslc.com

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) From Sunday’s Best oysters, a cocktail fit for midday, and loaded funeral potatoes from Tradition SLC.

THE ‘OLD’ FRIENDS LUNCH We don’t say “ladies who lunch” anymore.

Although the label no longer implies white gloves and hats, and may not even include chicken salad, there’s still a whiff of the dated phrase here.

Mainly it’s the difference between “just lunch” and gathering a group of longtime friends (of any gender) to talk about the good old days. It’s as much about the conversation as the cuisine. But it helps if you can get together at a spot that you actually went to in the “good old days.” Luckily, we have some places that fit the bill.

THE DODO RESTAURANT

GOURMANDISE

Pretty much the SLC O.G. spot for the friends-who-lunch crowd. Yes. There is chicken salad (although the shrimp salad, served on a flaky croissant is our fave.) 1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, thedodorestaurant.com

This French-inspired café is the perfect spot to catch up with the old gang and then bring home something from the bakery for new friends (kids). 250 S. 300 East, SLC, gourmandise.com

CUCINA This neighborhood spot in the Avenues is a haven that opens early for a regular coffee crowd and closes late for a regular dinner crowd. Lunch on its patio is the sweet spot. 1026 S. 2nd Ave., SLC, cucinawinebar.com

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SANDWICHES

OF DISTINCTION

Lydia Martinez, Salt Lake magazine Food Writer

We’ll spare you the story about the card-playing Earl of Sandwich and go straight to a list of great Utah sandwiches from Salt Lake magazine’s food writer Lydia Martinez. Sandwiches are all about proportion. Filling shouldn’t overwhelm the bread, and bread shouldn’t bury the filling. Tomatoes should be ripe; lettuce fresh; chicken cut into manageable chunks; cold cuts distinctive. Sandwiches, above all, are meant to be eaten by hand.

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

PHOTOS BY ADAM FINKLE

No. 1

CAPUTO’S MUFFULETTA “I once spent an entire day in search of the best Muff uletta sandwich in NOLA. Caputo’s stands right up next to them as an equal. I love anything briny and olive-y on bread. Add the imported Genoa salami, ham, mortadella with a tart olive salad and you have the perfect balance of fatty, rich, spicy and tart on a ciabatta bun. Get the whole sandwich. The olive brine and oils soak into the bread and it much better later in the day.”

314 W. 300 South, SLC, caputos.com

No. 2

BELTEX MEATS’ CUBANO “My favorite sandwich in town (hands down) is the Beltex Cubano. They only serve it on Saturdays and only until they sell out. I made a journey there every single Saturday for like six months straight —from the lomo, the ham, the mustard, the bread, the pickles and an onion jam this Cubano is next level. They do serve other sandwiches on other days of the week, and they are all good. But the Cubano wins.”

511 E. 900 South, SLC, beltexmeats.com

No. 3

FELDMAN’S SLOPPY JOE “Corned beef AND pastrami together in one magical sandwich. The ‘sloppy’ part comes from Feldman’s house-made Thousand Island dressing and the coleslaw piled on top. There will be drips.

Honestly, what makes this sandwich next level is the authentic Jewish Rye studded with caraway seeds. Get it with the potato salad, which is a great foil for this rich sandwich.”

2005 E. 2700 South, SLC, feldmansdeli.com

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IS IT A SANDWICH? No. 4

CHUNGAS’ MILANESA TORTA “The Milanesa torta is amazing. It is a pounded, breaded chicken cutlet that is fried golden brown and served on bread with mayo, refried black beans, chili, cheese, avocado and onion, and served with lime and salsa. They are HUGE. I would get one for lunch and eat the other half for dinner—they somehow get better when they sit for a while. Their gorditas are also great. Basically a sandwich between two puff y corn tortillas.” 180 S. 900 West and 1895 S. Redwood Rd., SLC, chungasslc.com

Sand·wich / ‘san.(d)wiCH/ noun an item of food consisting of two pieces of bread with meat, cheese, or other fi lling between them, eaten as a light meal.

START HERE

Is there bread?

YES Off to a good start.

Are there two slices of bread?

NO It’s not a sandwich.

Maybe toast.

No. 5

OH MAI SANDWICH KITCHEN’S THE SINNER BANH MI

NO Good. Is one slice of bread on the top and one on the bottom?

“It is spicy and fatty and acidic and fresh—on the best, crispiest but still soft in the middle bread. I always get the Sinner Banh Mi (braised pork belly, black pepper, lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots and soy sprouts, jalapeños and chili-lime fish vinaigrette) that is not punch in-the-face spicy. The honey-glazed pork is delicious.

Tone it down and hold the jalapenos.”

850 S. State St., SLC, ohmaisandwichkitchen.com

NO Not a sandwich.

NO It’s not a sandwich.

YES OK. Is the bread wet?

YES Not a sandwich.

Those sound like noodles. It’s lasagna.

YES So far so good.

Does it have a filling?

NO Not a sandwich.

YES Nice work. Is that filling in between the two slices of bread?

No. 6

GROVE MARKET’S ‘THE DELUXE’ “Not only is Grove Market a classic in the sense of being a community staple since the 1940s, its Deluxe sandwich is exactly what a deli sandwich should be. Ham. Turkey. Avocado. Your choice of cheese (American, because, classic). Dressed with mayo and mustard, sometimes I’ll add some bacon. And I always eat the accompanying pepperoncini fi rst. Best eaten with basic potato chips and a coke (and some of The Grove’s macaroni salad.)” 1906 S. Main St., SLC, grovemarketdeli.com

YES Excellent.

Is it a meat filling?

YES Let’s see. Does the meat filling consist of a ground beef patty?

YES That’s a hamburger, which is not a sandwich, for some reason.

NO Congratulations.

It’s a sandwich.

Enjoy!

NO Not a sandwich. It could be pancakes?

NO Not to worry. Is the filling a paste, butter, vegetable?

YES Congratulations.

It’s a sandwich.

Enjoy!

NO Is the filling something edible at least?

NO Whatever that is, it’s not a sandwich. Eating it would be ill-advised.

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W H AT T H E H I S TORY OF S T U DE N T AC T I V I SM AT BR IGH A M YOU NG U N I V E R SI T Y C OU L D R E V E A L A B OU T T H E F U T U R E .

Rainbow demonstrations, civil rights clashes, rallies, walk-outs and viral TikTok accounts—marginalized students at BYU may be more visible than ever before, but can increased visibility lead to increased understanding and acceptance within the wider community? Current BYU students share their perspectives.

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

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PHOTO ALLISON BAKER (@ALLISON.BAKER.PHOTOGRAPHY)

More than 1,000 people N THE EVENING OF March 4, 2021, Maddison Tenney participate in the first BYU was working late deep within a ceramics studio on the Pride March, June 2021.

Brigham Young University campus when her phone started buzzing with activity. “My phone starts blowing up,” she says. One message asked, “Are you watching?” Tenney walked outside. On the mountain above the Provo campus, the iconic “Y” lit up the night in rainbow colors.

For Tenney, who first started to realize she was queer in 2017, it was a revelation. “The idea that someone from the CES handbook about “homosexual behavior.” Every student and who didn’t even know me, who loves me in such a staff member at a CES institution, such as BYU, signs the Honor Code, powerful way that they’re willing to climb a mountain, agreeing to obey its strictures or face discipline. The removed section of the really gave me the confidence and sense of belonging 2020 code reads, in part: “Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and that I needed,” she says. violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual The group Color the Campus lit up the “Y” to “show relations between members of the same sex but all forms of physical love and support for LGBTQ+ students and faculty at intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.” all CES [Church Education System] schools.” The In the wake of the change, stories started circulating of queer BYU students cascade of events that led up to the rainbow-lighted celebrating by coming out publicly or demonstrating physical affection— “Y,” and the events that followed, demonstrate the sea holding hands, hugging, kissing—openly for the first time. For some, the of uncertainty for those navigating existence in the change represented a shift toward greater LGBTQ+ acceptance, even if only margins of the community. tacitly. The celebration was short-lived. BYU tweeted shortly after the change to the handbook, “We’ve learned that there may have been some miscommunication as to what the [2020] Honor Code changes mean. Even COMMUNITY FROM VISIBILITY though we have removed the more prescriptive language, the principles of the One year before, in February of 2020, BYU made a Honor Code remain the same.” BYU representatives went on to say because change to its Honor Code, excising an entire section

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PHOTO ALLISON BAKER (@ALLISON.BAKER.PHOTOGRAPHY)

dating means different things to different people, the Honor Code Office would handle any questions on a case-by-case basis. Still, some hoped, could there perhaps be room for LGBTQ+ students to date openly like their heterosexual peers?

The answer was no. Two weeks later, CES leadership followed up with a letter, stating, “One change to the Honor Code language that has raised questions was the removal of a section on ‘Homosexual Behavior.’…Same-sex romantic behavior cannot lead to eternal marriage and is therefore not compatible with the principles included in the Honor Code.”

Then, the demonstrations began. For days, students clad in rainbows and holding signs gathered outside of the Wilkinson Student Center on BYU campus to protest what some saw as a reversal of the Honor Code change. Some students say they felt betrayed, lured into coming out or being open with their relationships, only to have that openness taken away. The swift arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdowns threatened to undermine the movement’s momentum, but the cat (or cougar) was out of the Student Jillian Elder speaks bag. about her coming out at the Radical Hope Pride Event 2022.

BYU student and representative of Cougar Pride Center, Mariane Rizzuto, recalls how the campus landscape changed from before to after those short weeks in Winter 2020. “In my experience, everything my freshman year was really hush-hush. I didn’t know Collective,” she says. It any people who were out publicly. I think a lot of began as a small [non-LGBTQ] people were less cautious about their Instagram account with words and might say something inadvertently the goal of sharing the homophobic,” she says. “There are definitely people stories of queer BYU who have been, and continue to be, very hostile towards students and their experiences—“The good, the bad and the ugly,” says Tenney. our community.” But, she believes the issue is that, “To give a more holistic view of what it’s like to be queer at BYU.” As time went on, overwhelmingly, many people on campus never had to “We started getting really big really quick,” she says. think about queer issues until recently.

“It’s become clear how big the community is,” says Rizzuto. “I think there was some A year to the day after the CES letter sparked real power in seeing a bunch of queer students gathering and resisting, on campus, very protests, students were back on campus and looking up visibly.” And visibility begets more visibility. at a rainbow “Y” for the first time. BYU, once again, Raynbow Collective joined existing student groups like Understanding Sexuality, reacted with a tweet, saying, “BYU did not authorize Gender and Allyship (USGA) and the Cougar Pride Center (CPC), further amplifying the lighting of the ‘Y’ tonight.” Authorized or not, the visibility of BYU’s queer community as a whole. “It’s all about proximity, right?”

Maddison Tenney was inspired. says Tenney. “Queer folks aren’t some kind of scary monster. We’re your neighbors, family members and friends. We’re in your Relief Societies and wards. I think the “I went home that night and started the ‘Raynbow’ increased visibility and proximity has really created a lot more openness and increased

BYU is founded as Brigham Young Academy.

BYU students write the Honor Code to deal specifically with academic honesty and establish a committee to deal with violators.

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BYU’s first Black student, Norman Wilson, attends the university. (His attendence is discovered by BYU student Grace Soelberg in 2023 as part of her BYU Slavery Project research.)

BYU begins an on-campus aversion therapy program, including electroshock, for men experiencing same-sex sexual attractions.

BYU president Ernest L. Wilkinson begins fall term by telling students that rioters will be expelled, no questions asked.

“We do not want others on this campus to be contaminated by your presence.”— Wilkinson, Make Honor Your Standard.

The start of a gay “purge” at BYU. A former student later writes in Advocate that five gay BYU men die by suicide in 1965.

PHOTOS: (LEFT) USED BY PERMISSION, UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

1875 1948 1937 1959 1964 1965

QUEER FOLKS AREN’T SOME KIND OF SCARY MONSTER. WE’RE YOUR NEIGHBORS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS.

the need to address the student population as it is.”

It’s also provided the community that students like Rizzuto had been looking for. Early in her education at BYU, the other queer students close to Rizzuto transferred to UVU. “I felt like I was suddenly alone at BYU again,” she says, then she came across an application to join CPC. After joining, she says, “I definitely think I have a community now that I never really felt like I had my entire life.” And, the newfound openness has helped other queer students find the same. “People now have access to information on where to find community in new ways.”

THE PUSH-PULL OF PROGRESS

PHOTO (RIGHT) MARRIOT LIBRARY, BYU

The growing prominence and activity of the queer community and other marginalized groups at BYU has not come about without resistance. After the lighting of the “Y,” BYU introduced a policy on demonstrations that explicitly bans all demonstrations on the “Y” mountain, citing safety concerns, and erected a fence around the “Y.” In response, Color the Campus lit the “Y” in trans-flag colors. Then, in June 2022, queer student groups held the first BYU-approved LGBTQ+ demonstration on campus since the introduction of the policy.

In 2019, before the wider protests, BYU political science valedictorian Matt Easton spoke openly about being gay in his commencement speech. The video of his speech has 250,000 views on Youtube. BYU’s Social Science Department approved the speech beforehand, but Easton still drew the ire of LDS Church leadership. In a 2021 speech at BYU, apostle Jeffrey R. Holland posited, “If a student commandeers a graduation podium...in order to announce his personal sexual orientation, what might another speaker feel free to announce the next year until eventually, anything goes?” Holland goes on to quote former BYU president Dallin H. Oaks to implore members of BYU’s faculty and staff to show a little more “musket fire” when defending the LDS faith’s current views on sexuality and marriage.

Easton penned a response letter to Holland in The Salt Lake Tribune, writing, “Within an hour of your remarks, three current BYU students expressed to me how unsafe and scared they felt knowing that church leaders instructed the university’s faculty to use metaphorical ‘musket fire’ to defend the ‘doctrine of the family’ and push back against LGBTQ+ inclusion.”

“I think the coalition building has been incredible. It’s been incredible to see what has been accomplished at BYU. There is so much support from faculty, staff and other students,” says Tenney. “On the other hand, facing active threats of violence has been really difficult,

—MADDISON TENNEY

BYU STUDENT SNAPSHOT 34,390 total students: Caucasian: 81% Hispanic or Latino: 9% Two or more races: 4.5% Asian: 3% Pacific Islander: 1% Black: 1% American Indian: <1% According to a March 2022 BYU ‘Campus Climate’ student survey: Gender: 45% male, 54% female, 0.7% transgender or other Sexual orientation: 92% straight, 5% bisexual, 2% gay/lesbian, 1% other In a study released in 2021, of the 7,625 BYU students surveyed, 996 students (13%) indicated a sexual orientation other than “strictly heterosexual.”

1967 1968- 1970 1976 1976 19771978 1970 Wilkinson’s administration takes over Honor Code enforcement from the student committee. The Daily Universe runs editorials in protest.

Black athletes from the University of Texas (UTEP) are the first of many to protest BYU over racial discrimination. In a letter, the president of UTEP warns BYU to recruit a “token” Black athlete to avoid future problems.

Ron Knight becomes BYU’s first Black football player.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports on efforts to “purge” gay students under BYU president Dallin H. Oaks— interrogating arts and drama students, surveilling gay bars, bugging dorms and placing entrapment ads.

A PhD candidate in BYU’s Psychology department publishes a dissertation outlining aversion therapy electroshock experiments on gay male BYU students.

A BYU student and professor write The Payne Papers, defending homosexuality as an innate trait and send it to LDS Church leaders. Boyd K. Packer, in a speech at BYU, To the One, asserts that homosexuality is a curable “perversion.”

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with outside businesses and organizations.” Reportedly, BYU removed the pamphlets to avoid appearing as if it was affiliated with any of the off-campus groups mentioned in the pamphlets, and the university prefers students to use its new Office of Belonging rather than off-campus resources.

“What we really wanted was for more students to have access to life-saving resources,” says Tenney. BYU’s removal of the pamphlets made headlines internationally. That spreads the word perhaps more effectively than the pamphlets themselves could have. “Even though what happened wasn’t our intention,” says Tenney, “People worldwide were able to help provide queer students with resources, and that couldn’t have happened any other way.”

BYU alum Matt Easton poses with the other 2022 “Five Husbands,” selected as part of Ogden’s Own Distillery’s pro-LGBTQ+ initiative.

With the growing visibility of marginalized students at BYU, their message to the university is often how the institution could build a place where all students feel like they belong. The fallout from a 2022 talk by BYU religion professor Brad Wilcox put a spotlight on how BYU deals with racism. “‘How come the Blacks [in the LDS Church] didn’t get the priesthood until 1978?’” posits Wilcox in a video of his talk. “Maybe what we should be asking is, ‘Why did the whites and other races have to wait until 1829?’ When you look at it like that…we can just be grateful!” Wilcox later tweeted an apology, “To those I offended, especially my dear Black friends, I offer my sincere apologies, and ask for your but, ultimately, I think the culture has been moving in a more positive forgiveness.” way. And I think that will continue.”

In response, members of BYU’s Black Student Union (BSU) Going into BYU’s Fall 2022 term, Tenney and Raynbow Collective met with Wilcox. Ron Weaver III, BSU’s VP of Activities, who prepared pamphlets for the new freshman gift bags which outlined was in the meeting, says, “I had to correct him.” Telling Wilcox, resources for LGBTQ+ students and allies. The campus newspaper, The “You apologized for embarrassing your family and friends.

Daily Universe initially approved the pamphlets, and Raynbow That’s not directly addressing the situation.” They Collective paid and signed a contract with the paper to distribute the recommended, rather than a statement, Wilcox put out a video pamphlets. BYU administration decided to remove the pamphlets explaining his mistake to be seen by all Black members and from the bags after Student Life had started to deliver them to students. “We said, ‘this would help a lot of people.’ It wouldn’t freshman dorms. “That experience was disappointing and fix all of the issues, but that would help,” says Weaver, but the disheartening,” says Tenney. “But, it also gave us the opportunity to video never materialized “That’s my biggest frustration,” says have a lot of really fantastic conversations about how BYU interacts

PHOTOCOURTESY OGDEN’S OWN DISTILLERY

BUILDING BELONGING

After more active recruitment of Black students, the total number of black students on campus rises to 40.

The LDS Church lifts all race-related restrictions to members.

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Stuart Matis, a gay former BYU student, writes a letter published in The Daily Universe, urging acceptance of gay people. Four days later, he dies by suicide on the steps of a California LDS stake center, amidst the clamor over LDS-supported Proposition 22.

BYU faculty propagates narratives of “successful” conversion therapy for homosexuality.

The group Soulforce Equality Ride stages “die-ins” in memory of LGBTQ+ BYU students who have died by suicide.

Local news reports that dozens of protestors are arrested, including a few BYU students.

BYU revises the Honor Code.

Same-sex attraction alone is no longer a violation of the code, but acting on it is.

PHOTO (LEFT) COURTESY THE DAILY UNIVERSE

BY COMMON CONSENT

1978 1981 2000 2005 2006 2007

Weaver. “When there’s an issue, everyone would rather be hush-hush. But when we make a mistake, we have to be held fully accountable, as Christ teaches us.” Weaver says he wants the rules to apply to everyone. “Students are held accountable, but people with titles make the same mistakes and nothing is done… If we have grace and mercy for professors, have it for students, too.”

BYU released their report on “Race, Equity and Belonging” in February 2021. In speaking with BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of color) students, the report found they experienced “loneliness and isolation” because of racism at BYU. Among the report’s recommendations was to create a new office to plan and implement “initiatives to assist students and employees with issues related to race, equity and belonging.” BYU’s Office of Belonging opened its doors in September 2022. Now Weaver says he is working with students in the office to improve representation and address racial inequality within BYU’s dress and grooming standards. This comes after he was brought into the Honor Code Office for a possible violation.

In early 2018, Weaver dyed his hair blond. The Honor Code counselor told Weaver his hair was “unnatural and unprofessional.” Weaver says he tried to crack jokes because being called into the Honor Code Office is a scary thing. “When you get called to the Honor Code Office, it could mean you’re getting kicked out of school for breaking the rules.” But while blond might be a natural, and therefore acceptable, color for a white student, the feeling at the time was that it was not acceptable for a Black student. “Who are they to determine what professionalism is?” asks Weaver. “There are multiple hairstyles within our [Black American] culture that are professional, but they don’t know what they are because they don’t have the right representation.”

The new Office of Belonging offers resources, like a way to report discrimination, and plans to implement “extensive diversity and inclusion training programs” this academic year. Before that, “they had paused all [diversity] training after Elder Holland’s talk,” says Tenney. That was August 2021. During that time, Raynbow Collective provided Equality Educator training with Equality Utah and continues providing DEI training as of March 2023. “We believe that professors and students deserve information about race and gender equality and on how to treat people with kindness and empathy.”

BYU is on the precipice of a new era. This March, BYU announced a new university president to replace Kevin J. Worthen. C. Shane Reese, who has been academic vice president at BYU since 2019, was on the Committee on Race, Equity & Belonging, but reactions to his presidential appointment have been mixed. When BYU cancelled gender-affirming therapy for transgender clients of its Speech and Language Clinic, Reese defended BYU’s decision in a letter to the program’s accrediting body. In response to Reese’s appointment, Raynbow Collective released a statement, “All students deserve a campus that is safe, kind and full of resources. This includes students on the margins, students seeking belonging, and students unsure of where to start.”

ALL STUDENTS DESERVE A CAMPUS THAT IS SAFE, KIND, AND FULL OF RESOURCES. —RAYNBOW COLLECTIVE

A KINDER PLACE On just about any social media post about being a BIPOC or queer student at BYU, you are also likely to find a commenter encouraging said students to “get out of there” or “go to school somewhere else.” While the commenters are often well-meaning, Rizzuto says those comments are also not very helpful. “It drives me crazy…We exist in every space, and telling us to just ‘go away’ is unproductive.”

PHOTO (RIGHT) COURTESY OGDEN’S OWN DISTILLERY

2010 2011 2016 2017 2019 2019 USGA (Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship) begins weekly meetings on the BYU campus.

Later, BYU bans USGA from meeting on campus.

BYU revises the Honor Code to remove the language banning homosexual adadvocacy.

FreeBYU files an accreditation complaint to the American Bar Association against BYU law school, claiming it violates ABA’s anti-discrimination policies. The ABA considers but later rejects the complaint.

BYU policies on LGBTQ+ students hinder its Big 12 Conference consideration.

The first LoveLoud Festival gains support of the LDS Church. M. Russel Ballard says in a speech at BYU, the reason “was to send a strong message that LGBT youth... should never be mistreated.”

Political science valedictorian Matt Easton speaks about being gay in his commencement speech.

The American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America pull BYU job ads from their websites over complaints that BYU’s Honor Code discriminates against students in same-sex relationships.

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MORE VISIBILITY: QUEER COALITION Cougar Pride Center: a group aiming to empower queer BYU students, celebrate progress and advocate for change through collaborative activism. Among their efforts is the Safe Housing Project which helps connect queer students with affirming housing options. cougarpridecenter.org

Raynbow Collective: a volunteer organization focused on creating and identifying safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff at BYU by developing networks with organizations, businesses, artists, and activists to support BYU students. raynbowcollective.org USGA (Understanding Sexuality, Gender, and Allyship): an “unofficial” group of BYU students, faculty and guests who wish to enhance the BYU community by providing a safe space for open, respectful conversation on intersectional LGBTQ+ topics. The longest-running active group of its kind at BYU. usgabyu.com

Rizzuto says it also doesn’t account for the many reasons Cougar Pride Center’s why a marginalized student might end up at BYU in the Radical Hope Pride first place or why they feel the need to stay. “Many of us felt Event 2022 either pressure from our family or some combination of that and financial reasons,” she explains. BYU is a comparatively cheap university to attend and even if a student wanted to transfer, not many can afford to restart their education elsewhere.

“I have some complicated reasons why I chose to go to BYU,” says Rizzuto, whose entire family has attended BYU and whose grandfather was a BYU professor. “But one of them is definitely that I wanted my parents to be proud of me.” In the end, she says, asking people ‘why would you stay there?’ is “saying to the marginalized group that it’s all in us. It’s putting all the pressure on us instead of asking the institution to have some more respect.”

Weaver enrolled at BYU expecting to find a diverse, open-minded community of faith like the one he had back in Chicago. What he found was a lot of ignorance

2019 2020 2020 2021 2021 2021 Emma Gee becomes the first Division I athlete in BYU’s history to come out publicly as bisexual.

BYU removes the ban on “homosexual behavior” from its Honor Code, but CES leadership later clarifies that the school’s policies have not actaully changed.

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The BYU Black Student Union writes to LDS president Russel M. Nelson, asking the school to address the campus buildings named after segregationists and slavery supporters.

Color the Campus hosts Rainbow Day one year after the same-sex dating policy clarification. Students light the “Y” in rainbow colors. BYU clarifies the lighting is unauthorized.

BYU releases a report, Race, Equity, And Belonging, which finds BIPOC students feel “isolated and unsafe” due to racism on campus.

BYU Pride, now the Cougar Pride Center, organizes the first pride march at BYU.

PHOTO ALLISON BAKER (@ALLISON.BAKER.PHOTOGRAPHY)

The Out Foundation: a group with a mission to empower LGBTQ+ students and alumni of BYU with initiatives based on the needs of students and alumni. The group also provides some guidance transferring from BYU for queer students who reach the “tipping point where they decide to leave.” theout.foundation

of people of other races and circumstances, like single-parent households. “There were a lot of people who did not look like me, who did not understand where I was coming from.”

When he saw racism on campus—with hairstyles or racial slurs—he says, “I was blindsided.

I thought, ‘we’re all supposed to be people of Christ.’”

Rizzuto recognizes that some of the concerns involve more than just BYU’s students or campus. “We’re dealing not only with BYU, but it’s reflective of the church, which reflects the culture that most of us grew up in, and our families, and it’s just—it’s a lot bigger than us. And it’s a lot bigger than BYU in a lot of cases.”

Given the chance, Weaver says he would still choose BYU, if he had all of the knowledge he has now. “The reason why I fight for these things is because I would love for my kids to come to BYU. I love this place. This is the Cougar Pride Center place where I met my wife.” But he doesn’t want his kids, or anyone gathers outside of else, to go through what he’s gone through at BYU, so he’s staying The Bright Building in Provo prior to the Queer to change things from the inside. “Nothing against people who have Artistry Showcase 2022. left. I want to work with them because the overall point is how do we stop people from getting treated this way?”

Faith is a reason why marginalized students first choose BYU and why they choose to stay at BYU…and a reason they want to make it better.

“If we really deeply believed in the inherent divinity then this would be a much kinder place,” says Tenney. “I believe BYU has that capacity.

I think the church has that capacity. I know its members definitely have that capacity.”

MORE VISIBILITY: ‘BE A MENACE’ In February of 2022, a TikTok account called Black Menaces posted its first video in which Black students at BYU react to a fireside chat given by BYU religion professor Brad Wilcox. The Black Menace response video has been viewed nearly 430,000 times as of this writing, and The Black Menaces continued to make videos. They pivoted to asking questions of BYU students and posting the various answers in videos on TikTok without commentary from its members.

“Who said, ‘Negroes are not equal with other races,’ Adolf Hitler or a church leader?” asks one video.

(Answer: It was LDS apostle Bruce R. McConkie.)

The Black Menaces have also started a podcast, expanded into a social media coalition with chapters at universities all across the country and recently led a student walk-out at BYU as part of the nationwide “Strike Out Queerphobia” event to end federal Title IX exemptions for religious institutions. theblackmenaces.org

2021 2021 2021 2022 2022 2023 BYU announces the new Office of Belonging.

In a speech at BYU, LDS apostle Jeffrey Holland calls for more “musket fire” from BYU faculty in opposing same-sex marriage.

The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) investigates whether BYU’s discipline of LGBTQ+ students violates Title IX. DoE later dismisses the civil rights complaint due to Title IX exemptions for religious institutions.

The BIG 12 Conference admits BYU, satisfied with BYU’s efforts to address its LGBTQ+ discrimination.

The Black Menaces, a group of Black BYU students, start a TikTok channel after making a reaction video to BYU professor Brad Wilcox’s problematic fireside talk on denying Black LDS members the priesthood, which goes viral.

BYU cancels gender-affirming care for transgender clients receiving voice therapy at its speech clinic.

BYU students participate in Strike Out Queerphobia to protest Title IX religious exemptions.

BYU Professors and student researchers share results of the BYU Slavery Project, “a collaborative project...studying the legacies of slavery and the founding of Brigham Young University.”

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EVERYONE IS PLAYING

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (no, really)

Any experienced player will tell you that a lot has changed since the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons came out 50 years ago. But few things demonstrate better the change in the perceptions of D&D and its players than the recent events at a local charter school.

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

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PHOTOS BY ADAM FINKLE /

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY ARIANNA JIMENE Z

T A L AY T O N J U N I O R H I G H S C H O O L , on an average

Friday afternoon, tables filled with students playing Dungeons & Dragons fill up two classrooms and spill out into the hallway and across a second-story landing. Students perch in their chairs, scour their lists of spells and items and call out in dismay or triumph, as the various Dungeon Masters do their best to react to the often maddening exploits of each respective adventuring party. It truly is a sight to behold. A beautiful, nerdy sight.

Last school year, teacher Cameron Pingree started a gaming club at North Davis Preparatory Academy (NDPA) in Layton, inviting students to come learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons. A handful of students signed up and played D&D almost every Friday for the whole year. This school year, Pingree and the club’s other teachers set about recruiting for the club, going class to class, handing out permission slips to interested students.

“We printed about 50 permission slips, thinking that would be more than enough,” says Pingree.

It wasn’t. By the third class, they were out of permission slips. In the end, 140 students handed in signed permission slips to join the

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gaming club. NDPA’s 6-9 grades combined have a few more than 350 students. More than one-third of the junior high is playing D&D almost every Friday after school…not many after-school clubs can boast that kind of attendance.

The tabletop roleplaying game first came into existence in the 1970s, before these students’ parents were born, and now, what is arguably the most famous tabletop roleplaying game is experiencing a renaissance. Wizards of the Coast, which owns D&D, says that in 2020, an estimated 50 million people were playing the game, making it more popular than ever. And, Utah is partially to thank for that.

According to a 2023 search-data analysis, Utah plays more D&D than any other state in the nation. For decades, the perception was that Dungeons & Dragons is a niche pastime reserved for a socially awkward and sunlight-averse subset of humanity. It also took a turn as a tool for the devil to corrupt the souls of innocent youngsters during the Satanic Panic. So how did this game become the chief hobby of a diverse and discerning group of middle school kids?

Maybe you have to play the game to understand, or see it through the eyes of the kids who love it.

PHOTO CREDIT TK

Students from North Davis Prepatory Academy’s Gaming Club prepare for another gaming adventure (and talk to Salt Lake magazine about why they love playing Dungeons & Dragons.)

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ERIEVE SORCERESS

ISABELLA, 8TH GRADE The Character: Erieve (below) casts spells to help her adventuring companions in combat, but sometimes she’ll leave an opponent dangling out of reach of the melee fighters with her use of the Levitate spell. (What else do you expect from an Air Genasi?)

The Player: Isabella, like many of her peers, first heard of D&D from the Netflix show Stranger Things. When she isn’t playing D&D, Isabella enjoys playing soccer.

THE DUNGEON MASTER WILL, 8TH GRADE

The Character: As the Dungeon Master, Will (above) has built a place of portals for his players to explore. When they enter a portal, a dice roll will determine their fate and take them to the world of an existing animated TV series. But things do not always go to plan…

The Player: Will started playing D&D three years ago and can’t possibly be forced to choose his favorite part—after all, in D&D, you can do anything (if the dice be kind).

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PHOTO DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

‘I’D LIKE TO LOOT THE BODY…’ Like that of any recently slain monster or NPC in-game, the body of D&D work has been picked over and relieved of anything valuable time and time again. While not every D&D adaptation has been successful at bringing new players to the game (take the 1983 animated series or the 2000 liveaction movie, for instance), some of the magic of D&D has been milked and bottled and sold by a handful of popular media adaptations that have helped fuel the growth of the game.

Many of the students of NDPA’s gaming club had never heard of Dungeons & Dragons until they watched a little show called Stranger Things. In the first season of the Netflix show, the young heroes find their humdrum suburban lives upturned by events, not unlike the adventures in their weekly D&D game. Together as a party, they take down a monster dubbed the Demogorgon, after a Demon Lord from D&D lore. In the most recent season, the BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy) gets a name from another top-tier D&D baddie—the uber-powerful undead wizard Vecna. During many of their reallife adventures, one main character often implores, “why couldn’t we just play D&D?” The chance to play a game that creates larger-than-life adventures inspired students to join the school club and start D&D games of their own.

Stranger Things is not the first nor the most recent popular television show to depict the magic of D&D. Some members of an older generation first started playing D&D after an episode of NBC’s Community that aired in 2011 (now hard-to-find thanks to a Drow—dark elf—cosplay that did not age well). In 2015, a crew of talented voice actors created a show called Critical Role and started live-streaming their house D&D game on Youtube and Twitch.tv. Now on their third campaign, the group is live-streaming

weekly to an audience of more than one million viewers.

Critical Role also successfully launched a crowdfunding campaign to produce an animated TV series based on its first campaign, The Legend of Vox Machina, which is now in its second season on Prime Video.

They have also announced the upcoming animated series adaptation of their second campaign, The Mighty Nein.

NDPA teacher Cameron Pingree also points to the pandemic and lockdown for the resurgence of tabletop roleplaying.

People who used to play “back in the day” picked up the hobby again in lockdown, supported by ZOOM and online tools like “D&D Beyond” that provide a digital alternative to the old-school pen-and-paper method. “D&D lets people use their imagination, like reading a book,” he says, but with some important distinctions. “Reading about a character is not as fun as being a character.” And, with D&D, unlike reading a book, you don’t do it alone. Virtual D&D sessions over video calls became one way to escape the isolation of lockdown, and, even when the world started to reopen, people kept playing, and word got out.

That brings us to the Hollywood film adaptation released in March 2023, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The film is not so much a cause of the recent surge in popularity as it is a result. Only time will tell if the movie will push the game to even higher heights of popularity.

A TABLETOP GAMER’S BEST FRIEND Almost everything you need, including a community, can be found at these local shops that cater to the tabletop gamer.

Endzone Hobby Center: Purveyor of games, LEGO and comics, Clearfield, 801-774-5050

Game Grid: Multiple locations, but the Lehi shop is one of the best places for minis, gglehi.com

Game Haven: Multiple locations statewide that host tabletop games, yourgamehaven.com

Game Night Games: A game shop with weekly open game nights, Salt Lake City, gamenightgames.com

Hastur Games: A source for tabletop, card and board games, Midvale, hasturgames.com

Legendarium Books: A fantasy/sci-fi /horror bookstore and RPG cafe, Salt Lake City, legendariumbooks.com

The Nerd Store: The name says it all. A shop for comics, games, toys, etc., and home to Wasatch Comic Con, Valley Fair Mall, West Valley City, nerdstoreutah.com

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‘YOU WALK INTO A TAVERN…’ It’s the classic opener to a D&D session for a reason. It introduces a brand new world—full of magic and monsters and colorful (read: dangerous) characters—in an otherwise low-stakes environment. Like a new party of adventurers entering a tavern, young D&D players get to gradually test the boundaries of their world. “The players get to act out and experience ‘real’ scenarios as a character, rather than as themselves. It’s almost therapeutic,” says Pingree. As teachers and Dungeon Masters, they are not trying to send students down a specific path when they play, rather, they provide the opportunity and a safe place—a whole new world—for students to explore identities and emotions as a character.

Some would argue that playing D&D can be more than just “almost” therapeutic but actually therapeutic.

Dr. Megan Connell is a psychologist who literally wrote the book on the subject, Tabletop Role-Playing Therapy: A Guide for the Clinician Game Master, about how mental health professionals are using table-

top role-playing games, specifically Dungeons & Dragons, to help clients learn and practice therapy skills in a fun and safe environment through role-played situations.

Through that experience and exploration, Pingree says he has seen students grow and discover themselves. He’s had dozens of emails from parents who are realizing the positive impact playing D&D is having on their students.

Pingree says the gaming club also checks off all the boxes for what an administration wants from a school club: it helps build skills in math, teamwork, language arts, socialization, creativity, and so on. So much so, that year two of the gaming club came with a much more substantial budget. And they had some help from the local gaming community.

Endzone Hobby Center donated dice and supplies and offered students who visit their store half-off character miniatures.

When we asked these kids what they liked about D&D, the answers were varied…yet similar. While they all enjoyed playing different aspects of the game—combat, roleplaying, strategizing, setting traps, making friends—almost to a student, the answer to what makes D&D unique was the same: “It can be anything you want it to be. There are no limits, except for your own imagination, and anything is possible in D&D.”

A DUNGEONS & DRAGONS DICTIONARY Campaign: A series of individual gaming sessions connected by an overarching story or adventure. If a session is a chapter, the campaign is the whole novel.

Critical: The success or failure of a character’s action often comes down to the roll of a 20-sided die (d20). Rolling a 20 is an automatic success or Critical Success. Rolling a one is an automatic failure or “Crit fail.”

Dungeon Master (DM): The person who “runs” the game, helps build the world around the players’ characters, inhabits that world with quests and NPCs and makes determinations on rolls and rules.

Homebrew: An adventure or any feature or mechanic that is not from an official sourcebook but created by the DM or a third party.

NPC: A non-player character (as opposed to the characters played by the players), typically controlled by the Dungeon Master

Party: Also called an Adventuring Party, this is the group or band to which the players’ characters (or adventurers) belong.

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PHOTO ADOBE STOCK

One-Shot: A single, stand-alone gaming session that is typically not part of a broader campaign.

SIDON FIGHTER

DRAYDEN, 6TH GRADE The Character: A noble from an underwater kingdom, Sidon (below) has come to an academy on the surface world to fight and learn how to be a hero (which involves fighting his roommates in the arena).

The Player: Drayden wanted to play in his older brother’s D&D campaign, but they stayed up too late..

Now he’s played many campaigns and plays other games like Dice Thrones with his family.

ATHENA LILY RANGER

ATTLEE, 8TH GRADE The Character: Athena and her wife, Silver, are trying to set things right after killing the boyfriend of their son, Apollo, who, in turn, killed Athena’s beloved god.

The Player: Attlee’s favorite part of D&D is roleplaying and likewise plans to audition for next year’s drama class. Attlee often cries while caught up in the moment of moving and emotionally charged D&D sessions, DMed by the teacher, “Mr. Cameron.”

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NINJA CAT

ROGUE

KORBEN, 8TH GRADE The Character: He’s a ninja. He’s a cat. Enough said.

The Player: Korben (below) promised himself that if he ever made a sneaky character, that character could only have one name: Ninja Cat. He made good on that promise. He joined the gaming club with his friends and has made new friends because of D&D.

SAILOR MOON CLERIC

RUBY, 7TH GRADE The Character: Sailor Moon (above) is loyal to her friends and heals them when they’re hurt in combat.

The Player: Ruby started playing D&D with her friends to improve her social skills. She’s also honing her basketball skills to become an asset to the team for next year.

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SO, YOU WANT TO PLAY DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

One does not simply play D&D. (There’s the obligatory Tolkien reference for you.) While the rules and gameplay can take a few sessions to get down, and there are certain necessary readings and supplies, it’s the formation of an actual group—including a few players and a Dungeon Master—that’s the real trick.

STEP

1

THE READING

There are a lot of official D&D sourcebooks out there (I have no less than 18, which might be excessive). They generally fall into three categories: rulebooks, campaign settings and adventures. To get started you’ll likely need:

• The Player’s Handbook • The Dungeon Master’s Guide • The Monster Manual • An adventure book of your choice (or you can make your own “homebrew” adventure) • Or a one-stop-shop with a D&D Starter Set from Wizards of the Coast STEP

2

THE SUPPLIES

• At least a single set of seven dice of the following values: 4, 6, 8, 10 (x2), 12, 20 • A simple dice tray • A miniature figure (mini) of your character • Pencils, notepad and characters sheets, if you want to go old school • Or an online/virtual dice roller and character tracker like “D&D Beyond” or “Roll20” STEP

3

THE GROUP

PHOTOS ADOBE STOCK

If you don’t have at least three or four friends waiting around to start a D&D game, we recommend: • Joining a local D&D Facebook group, like “Dungeons and Dragons Utah Gamers” • Visiting a local shop that hosts regular, open-play D&D nights, like Legendarium Books in Salt Lake City • Checking out the local library. Salt Lake County Library, for instance, has its own D&D Discord server (slcolibrary.org/dungeons-and-dragons) MAY /J UNE 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

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aster fishermen and adventure-seekers alike flock to the recently re-imagined River Retreat Lodge in Irwin, Idaho, just a hop and a skip away from Idaho Falls.

Formerly known as the Old Irwin Lodge, Elizabeth Douville and her family purchased the 5-acre property from its previous owners in October 2020. The secluded lodge features six outdoor-themed suites, each with unique vintage displays from canoes to national park signage. The property also features a museum-quality staged lodge where guests can enjoy gourmet breakfast in the Great Room, and a fully landscaped garden, complete with a gazebo and stunning mountain sunset vistas.

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“One of the biggest draws here in Swan Valley is our proximity to that scenic south fork of the Snake River,” says Douville. “Everyone wants to catch that trophy trout, and this area is a favorite of many fishermen.”

With the motto ‘Revel in Adventure, Retreat to Serenity,’ the River Retreat Lodge team acts as your adventure concierge for the duration of your stay at their secluded lodge.

“Our main goal is to help people find adventures, and we will do so without a fee,” Douville says.

Sitting just 30 minutes from Palisades Reservoir and within two hours of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, River Retreat Lodge is in the ideal location for outdoor connection.

“We do host events here and work with a lot of local vendors,” Douville says. “We can source just about anything to help people host an unforgettable retreat, and are happy to recommend the area’s top talent to guests who aren’t flying blind as they plan.”

Douville and her team are pros at utilizing their many contacts to create entirely customized outdoor-oriented retreats for all types of guests, from wedding parties to retirement retreats. They can host flyfishing clinics, offer locally catered dinners, recommend bespoke hiking itineraries and even coordinate rentals for days of reservoir dipping through their partners in Alpine, WY. ■

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—May Lilley, Chief Marketing Officer of Under Canvas.

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mmerse yourself in iconic Southern Utah with a one-ofa-kind experience at ULUM Moab, a new, luxury outdoor resort from the minds behind Under Canvas. From the sun-drenched lobby, to the airy patio, to the seemingly endless open spaces surrounding the resort, ULUM Moab reflects nature inside and out. During the day, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy national park exploration assisted by an Adventure Concierge.

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F O R M SPA “Many people want that makeup-free glow, whether it be with preventative care, lash lifts, or simply tinted SPF for their fun in the sun.”

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hen you’re out having fun in the sun, trust the professionals at Form Derm Spa to help your skin stay hydrated and glowing. Master aesthetician Daphne Garcia shares her top tips for maintaining healthy skin while traveling: THE PREP The road to glowing vacation skin starts before you even embark. If you have a few months to gear up, Garcia has a few

tricks up her sleeve to promote healthy skin ahead of time.

“Laser resurfacing can reverse the signs of aging, address pigment concerns and tighten the skin; while micro-needling with a PRP add-on will have your skin cells performing at their most youthful for the duration of your trip.”

For more timely treatments, the exfoliating and moisturizing Hydrafacial® is a popular choice to minimize the chances of breakouts while traveling, while dermaplaning can soften fine lines, and removes vellus hairs from the face for smooth product application.

“Another quick add-on for a makeup-less look is your classic wax, lash lift and tint,” Garcia says. “That gives you that ‘I just got out of the pool, and I still look like this’ confidence.”

ON THE ROAD While en route, dryness is the ultimate skin enemy, particularly when flying. “Dehydration risk is high due to decreased fluid intake plus that cabin air drying out the skin, which can affect your skin barrier function.”

Garcia encourages mid-flight touch ups of hyaluronic acid serum, paired with a ceramide moisturizer to prevent that trans-epidermal water loss in the air. Most FormRx serums and products are TSA compliant, for storage in carry-ons and hiking bags alike.

VACATION SAVERS For sun protection, Garcia says that mineral-based SPFs and regular reapplication are key. “Mineral SPFs physically block UV rays from penetrating the skin, whereas a chemical SPF requires a chemical reaction to prevent exposure.”

Hats, sunglasses, and UV protective clothing are also crucial to shielding other parts of the body. Take special care to look after care the neck and chest areas.

Other products in this pro’s travel bag include quality salicylic acid cleansers to break down oils and pollutants, mineral-based SPF powder brushes in every possible bag, and a vitamin C antioxidant serum to increase SPF efficacy. Just in case, FormRx’s Curing Nectar is also always on hand to treat sunburn and irritation. ■

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hen you picture a tropical vacation in the Florida Keys, you might be imagining something very similar to a stay at Bungalows Key Largo. Set right on the water, with many resort amenities directly overlooking the bay, the views at the resort are breathtaking and unforgettable. The resort’s exclusive, intimate feel among guests is also celebrated and enjoyed by many. To some, this is paradise.

Every once in a while, it can be nice to escape Utah’s mountainous terrains and head for a wildly different climate. That's exactly what adult travelers headed to Bungalows Key Largo can expect. The all-inclusive resort, reserved only for adults, features idyllic luxury resort amenities that are exclusively for registered resort guests. No outside guests are permitted, creating a very private, intimate environment.

The accommodations at Bungalows Key Largo truly must be seen to be believed. Each room is its own stand-alone 900-square-foot bungalow with a spacious outdoor patio that includes a large soaking tub and outdoor shower. If that wasn't enough, a couples massage in the waterfront tiki hut that overlooks the bay may make you think you've truly found paradise.

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ocated at the doorstep of Capitol Reef National Park, Capitol Reef Resort features many of the glamping accommodations that have taken social media by storm.

Whether you choose to spread your nights in a covered wagon or a tepee, you’ll be doing so in style - and with a surprising amount of comfort.

Vacationers from around the world flock to the world-renowned Red Rock region of Utah to visit Capitol Reef National Park. Luckily for Salt Lakers, this member of the state’s Mighty 5 National Parks is no more than a four-hour drive away.

Located just a mile away from the National Park, Capitol Reef Resort has a wide array of room types for every type of family and explorer looking for a memorable stay. You might prefer to try something different from a regular hotel room and take advantage of Capitol Reef Resort's luxury glamping options such as standalone cabins, Conestoga wagons and tepees.

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Capitol Reef Resort currently has some great summer packages and deals available on its website. Future guests are encouraged to reserve early. Between taking in one of Utah's most cherished natural landscapes, glamping in a Conestoga wagon and going for a hike with a llama, a stay at Capitol Reef Resort is sure to be one of the most unique vacation choices around. ■

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RUST I C I N N AT JAC KSO N H O LE

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hile the aesthetics at the Rustic Inn at Jackson Hole may make you feel like you’ve entered a long-ago time and place, you actually haven’t gone that far at all. The resort is a five-hour drive from Salt Lake, putting it just far enough out of reach to feel like a real vacation, but close enough that you still feel the comforts of familiar territory. Saddle up, it’s worth the drive.

If the tropics aren't your thing, you long for a simpler time and you’re feeling particularly Western, the Rustic Inn at Jackson Hole, set right in the heart of the valley might be the trip for you. The five-hour-long drive to the unique boutique resort is long enough to feel like a real vacation but close enough to make it easy for a weekend getaway.

However, once you arrive, you may feel as if you traveled through time, back to the days of the Old West.

No matter the season there is always something exciting to do at Rustic Inn. Depending on the time of year you might enjoy a thrilling whitewater rafting experience, a race through the snow on a dog sled, or a horseback ride to channel your inner cowboy, just to name a few. The folks at the resort highly recommend a wildlife tour with Backcountry Safaris to observe the Wyoming wildlife in their

natural habitat.

The name, Rustic Inn, may suggest a complete throwback to the Old West, however, modern luxuries such as the spa’s one-of-a-kind eucalyptus steam room and the enormous hot buffet breakfast each morning hardly feel like ‘roughing it.’ The wranglers that gave the area its rich history would likely be jealous of the guests enjoying the Rustic Inn Bar and Bistro’s locally sourced menu and extensive wine offerings from the cellar. ■

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Park City

Sandwiches . . . . . pg. 77 Development . . . pg. 80 Deer Valley . . . . . pg. 82

li f e o n t h e o t h e r s i d e

Stacked owner’s Katie and Jason Greenburg

NOT JUST A SANDWICH

BY TONY GILL

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

T

H E N A M E S AY S I T A L L . S TA C K E D .

The ingredients? Quite literally yes, of course. It’s a sandwich after all. My expectations? Absolutely. Open a sandwich joint inspired by the famed delis of New York City and you’re offering folks an oasis in what has chronically been a desert for hoagies, heroes, grinders and all manner of concoctions of ingredients placed between a couple slices of bread. Well, Katie and Jason Greenberg know New York, they know sandwiches, and they’re delivering exactly what they’ve promised.

435-214-7052, 1890 Bonanza Dr., stackedpc.com

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PARK CITY

Top of the Stack Park City has a new sandwich champion

BY TONY GILL

(TOP) The Banh Mi and (BOTTOM) The Reubenawitzsteinberg

NOT JUST LUNCH As much as Stacked is built around delectable sandwiches, the Greenbergs are hoping you’ll stop by for more than lunch.

“We have a full espresso bar and an ever-expanding breakfast menu. We want people to come in multiple times a week and be able to have something different each time,” Jason says. I can personally vouch for the breakfast sandwich, made with an authentic east-coast roll, being the best in town.

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PHOTOS ADAM FINKLE

F

O L K S F R O M C E R TA I N P L A C E S take their food rather seriously. I’m sure those L.A. people have told you about their tacos. Chicagoans love their deep-dish pizza. Don’t even get me started on the barbecue brawl between Texans, Carolinians and people from both sides of Kansas City. But perhaps no faction on earth feels quite the level of affection for food as New Yorkers do for their deli sandwiches. That’s why a pair of dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers, Katie and Jason Greenberg, started making them from scratch in Park City.

The husband-and-wife team are hardly new to the local food scene, and it’s no accident they ended up in Park City. “Katie and I met while working in a restaurant in New York, but we knew it would be hard to start our own restaurant there. We didn’t have a trust fund or millionaire backers, so we quit and hopped in a car. After visiting 27 states in 47 days, we felt like Park City was the right place. The lifestyle it offered was great, and, despite a unique food culture here, it wasn’t saturated yet, so we saw an opportunity,” Jason says.

After working in a variety of fine dining establishments around town since 2014—Katie at Firewood and High West, Jason at the St. Regis—Jason started Nosh, a Mediterranean-inspired eatery at the Silly Market which has since become a restaurant in Prospector. “We both grew up eating deli in New York, which was just a huge part of the culture there,” says Jason. “There didn’t seem to be anything filling that niche here, and it’s always been a dream of Katie’s to open a deli. When the opportunity presented itself just a few doors down from Nosh, we jumped at the chance.”

Enter Stacked, which the pair opened in January 2023.

It has the New York classics you’d expect, along with some evolved, creative flavors. “It’s a little bit globally inspired, and we’ve created everything we could from scratch. The pastrami, the roast beef. We make it all right here,” Jason says. You can taste the dedication in the sandwiches, from the Banh Mi, to the Veni Vidi Vici (a classic Italian), to the Reubenawitzsteinberg (a Reuben, of course). Regardless of what you choose, the sandwich will be stacked, and you won’t be going home hungry.

Experience The Summer Life Elevated Elevated 7452 feet high lies limitless experiences, bespoke luxury, exquisite dining, revitalizing spa and unparalleled views.

The St. Regis Deer Valley 2300 Deer Valley Drive East Park City, UT 84060 t. +1 435 940 5700 marriott.com/slcxr or srdvdining.com

PARK CITY

WHO’S FUNDING THESE CHANGES?

Contribution findings based on publicly available information See: followthemoney.org.

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FROM THE TOP DOWN Legislation superseding local regulation signals futility of Summit County’s development fight

BY TONY GILL

N

O T H I N G S T I R S Summit County

residents quite like a development debate. The potent mixture of NIMBYs, developers, profiteers, conservationists and more creates a cosmic gumbo of opinion, motive and messaging. The most recent battleground is Park City’s entrance corridor in Kimball Junction, where developers for Dakota Pacific have been fighting to rezone a fledgling tech campus into a vast mixed use residential and commercial area in the face of vehement local opposition. But now it appears as if all the energy thrown at the issue will be for naught, as the Utah Legislature passed a law taking the decision out of Summit County’s hands while gifting the win to developers.

Essentially, language added into Senate Bill 84

at the last moment by Rep. Casey Snider—which was never discussed on the floor—allows developers in counties which are non-compliant with Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone (HTRZ) planning to build up to 39 units per acre as long as 10 percent of the units are classified as affordable housing. Summit County was deemed out of compliance as they did not formally apply for approval of their HTRZ, which promotes affordable housing development around transit hubs.

The bill’s passage effectively removes Summit County’s ability to approve or deny the rezoning request for a major development within its boundaries. “It might as well say Summit County on the legislation,” says Roger Armstrong, Summit County Council Chair. “Dakota Pacific has

ILLUSTRATION JENNIFER TERRY

Ethics concerns pervade the passage HTRZ amendments in SB 94 and HB 446. Dan Hemmert, who previously owned a financial stake in the Dakota Pacific Project is now a lobbyist for the company. He oversaw the transit zone development program as head of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity until the end of 2022, and on January 18, 2023, registered as a lobbyist for Dakota Pacific. Casey Snider, who introduced the pertinent language changes received $4,270 in political contributions from the Utah Association of Realtors and $1,000 from the Utah Homebuilders Association. Utah Speaker of the House Brad Wilson has received $40,093 and $9,650 from the same organizations and House Majority Leader Mike Schultz $12,000 and $2,900 respectively.

While far from the only lawmakers receiving such funding, it raises valid questions about who’s benefiting from decisions impacting Utah communities.

a pending application before the Summit County Council, and they’ve helped author language for the legislature that effectively vests the exact uses they’ve asked for.”

The area, on the west side of S.R. 224 in Kimball Junction was originally planned as a tech development, but attracting businesses proved difficult and the property remained largely undeveloped. Dakota Pacific purchased the property in 2018 knowing the restrictions in place and has sought approval for a mixed-use development ever since. Opposition has been fierce, led by groups like Friends for Responsible Development (FRD). FRD did not respond to numerous requests for comment, however in a public statement issued in late February said, “John Miller and Dakota Pacific have worked the back halls of the Utah State Capitol” and “in a move that is 100% corrupt and beyond egregious have seized Summit County’s land-use authority.”

Representatives from Dakota Pacific likewise did not respond to multiple requests for comment. However, they have publicly positioned their plans for the area as a necessary boon to the community describing affordable housing in Summit County as “urgently needed.”

Armstrong counters that while housing availability is a valid issue, the narrative is a disingenuous attempt to further an agenda. “The narrative is that Summit County is allergic to

housing, and that’s just not true,” he says. “There are more than 1,100 deed-restricted units as part of various projects in Summit County, which is way over the 10 percent required. We’ve invited legislators to come take a look at what we’re doing, and they just ask, ‘what’s your problem with affordable housing?’ Even with affordable housing included in projects, the market rate housing ends up so impossibly expensive the middle gets left out.”

The future of Summit County is unwritten, especially with the prospect of another Olympics on the horizon. So, what’s the correct balance between progress and preservation? It’s a difficult one to strike, but Armstrong warns of a positive feedback loop. “We take dirt from one hole to fill another and end up with a deeper hole,” he says. Adding to the population requires more services, which requires an ever-greater number of employees like law enforcement officers, teachers, fire and EMS personnel and staff for necessary services like grocery stores and gas stations. The result is the exact same discussions about land use, housing, traffic and affordability down the line.

“The Governor’s position is essentially, ‘Build baby build,’” Armstrong says. “But when can we say we’re at a stable level of development with housing available and good businesses for the community as a whole? We have to maintain some influence over that locally.”

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PARK CITY

Family enjoying the sounds of the Deer Valley Concert Series

PARK CITY SONGS OF SUMMER

BY TONY GILL

L

I S T E N C L O S E LY. Can you hear it? That’s the sweet, sweet sound of music returning to the mountains of Park City. As tunes start drifting with the warm summer breeze, we instinctively flock to the hills in search of good vibes and aural refreshment. Park City has no shortage of summer music venues and performances, but the centerpiece has to be Deer Valley, where a surprisingly varied cast of performers takes the stage each season.

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PHOTOS: (TOP) PARK CITY CHAMBER/ BUREAU, (LEFT) DEER VALLEY

Deer Valley Concert Series returns after taking a gap year

The Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater hosts three separate series: The Deer Valley Music Festival, the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series and the Deer Valley Concert Series. The resort’s eponymous music festival is the summer home of the Utah Symphony, where they’ve played with all manner of renowned performers like the B-52s, Elvis Costello and Gladys Knight.

The Grand Valley Bank Series, hosted by Mountain Town Music, is a set of free shows wherein locals of all stripes are invited to get their groove on without exorbitant costs.

The Deer Valley Concert Series, which hosts notable national touring acts from a diverse list of genres, was a notable absence last summer. The series was put on hiatus as Deer Valley underwent some on-mountain capital improvements, but now that those are wrapped the stage is set for a triumphant return in 2023.

Under the bright lights some serious star power is set to appear. Though the full lineup and scheduling is still in flux as of publica-

tion, confirmed shows on the horizon include plenty to be excited for. Folksy americana sensations CAAMP—whose name is a bemusing acronym for slugging cheap booze and who enthralled Red Butte Garden during a show last summer—play on July 16, while Park City mainstays and festival-circuit heroes Michael Franti & Spearhead—who I’ve seen a shameful number of times—are slated for August 11, and the one-and-only Kenny Loggins—the man of Danger Zone fame and fortune who’s currently basking in Tom Cruise’s reflected glow once again—will perform on September 2 as part of his farewell tour.

To view all the latest details and a complete schedule and list of performances for The Deer Valley Music Festival, the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series and the Deer Valley Concert Series, visit Deer Valley’s website.

2250 Deer Valley Dr, 435-649-1000, deervalley.com

WHAT ABOUT THOSE BYOB RULES? Sorry for the bad news, but as was the case last year outside alcohol is no longer permitted at Deer Valley concerts. This is undoubtedly a particularly difficult pill to swallow for those who identify strongly with CAAMP’s moniker. Resort owner Alterra altered their business model to apply for single-event permits with the DABS so they can sell beer, wine and liquor instead of allowing attendees to bring their own. Security was actually pretty tight last year, so a healthy pregame is your best bet to save a bit of money.

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N O W O P E N 7 D AY S A W E E K

On The Table

K-Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 85 SanFran Burritos N Frys . . . pg. 90 Moon Bakery . . . . . . pg. 96 Iced Desserts . . . . . pg. 98

f o o d / t r e n d s / d in in g

SPOTLIGHT

CHINATOWN MARKET

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Samgyetang aka Korean chicken soup (below) is eaten in the summer to combat fatigue, while Gamjatang, a pork bone soup with chilies (top) is known as the perfect hangover cure (with a side of spicy kimchi).

Indulge Korean Cuisine Cravings To-Go K-recipe offers Korean food favorites, deli-style

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

T

he classic deli meal has saved us all at some point. Grabbing a salad or two before a potluck (or when we are too exhausted to cook) is a tradition. Now, the local deli offers even more variety with K-Recipe. Everything is packaged in convenient to-go containers—kimchi, soups, proteins and sides—ready to eat. >>>

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ON THE TABLE

Left: Eunsuk and Seungho Lee of K- Recipe. Below: Classic gimbap (“gim” meaning seaweed, and “bap” meaning rice) is made fresh daily with vegetarian ingredients.

MEET ‘MOM AND POP’

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IF YOU GO K-Recipe is located inside Chinatown Supermarket at 3390 S. State St., South SL 801-368-2018

PHOTOS ADAM FINKLE

K-Recipe is owned by the wife-husband team of Eunsuk and Seungho (Scott) Lee. The couple came to the United States in 2010, when Seungho was brought on as an expert in his field. He left the company in 2017, and they decided to move to Utah in mid-2018. “I thought Utah may have more opportunity,” Seungho says. “I thought, ‘this is a growing state.’

That’s why we decided to come. We didn’t know what we would do yet.”

Then, it came to them.

In Korea, to-go eateries are ubiquitous, as are convenience stores where the deli food is as good as any anything you’ll find in a restaurant.

Eunsuk and Seungho opened their deli inside Chinatown Supermarket in April 2020, and the timing was perfect. “We wanted to start a personal business. This type of business is popular in South Korea,” says Seungho. “I thought it would be good in the Chinatown market. During COVID, people liked being able to come in and grab a few things to go.”

Now, they keep coming back.

Eunsuk explains, “I studied cooking in college. And then, I was an assistant professor teaching students to cook. The main recipes are mine and are very traditional.”

“She is a very good cook,” Seungho proudly chimes in.

WHERE TO EAT Listings

A select list of the best restaurants in Utah, curated and edited by Salt Lake magazine

American Fine Dining Arlo–271 N. Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845. arlorestaurant.com. Chef Milo Carrier has created a destination in a small, charming house at the top of the Marmalade neighborhood. A fresh approach and locally sourced ingredients are the root of a menu that bridges fine and casual dining, at once sophisticated and homey.

Bambara–202 S. Main St., SLC, 801-3635454. bambara-slc.com. The menu reflects food based on sustainability and the belief that good food should be available to everybody. Prizing seasonally driven dishes sourced from local farmers, he turns out dishes with a community-minded sensibility.

The Charleston–1229 E. Pioneer Rd.,

Draper, 801-550-9348. thecharlestondraper.com.

Offering gracious dining in Draper, Chef Marco Silva draws from many culinary traditions to compose his classic and exciting menu—artichoke souffle, braised halibut, ratatouille. The setting, in a historic home surrounded by gardens, is lovely and we love his high standards: No kids under 11 Friday and Saturday evenings and an indoor dress code.

Grand America–555 S. Main St., SLC,

801-258-6708. grandamerica.com, laurelslc.com.

Grand America Hotel’s Laurel Brasserie & Bar is one of the dinner/nightlife stars of the city, and the kitchen makes sure other meals here are up to the same standard. The setting here is traditionally elegant but don’t be intimidated. The food shows sophisticated invention, but you can also get a great sandwich or burger.

HSL –418 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-539-9999. hslrestaurant.com. The initials stand for “Handle Salt Lake”—Chef Briar Handly made his name with his Park city restaurant, Handle, and now he’s opened a second restaurant down the hill. The place splits the difference between “fine” and “casual” dining;

the innovative food is excellent and the atmosphere is casually convivial. The menu is unique—just trust this chef. It’s all excellent.

La Caille–9565 Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, 801942-1751. lacaille.com. Utah’s original glamour girl has regained her luster. The grounds are as beautiful as ever; additions are functional, like a greenhouse, grapevines and vegetable gardens, all supplying the kitchen and cellar. The interior has been refreshed and the menu by Chef Billy Sotelo has today’s tastes in mind. Treat yourself.

HAofLL

Log Haven–6451 E. Mill Creek Canyon Road, SLC, 801-272-8255. log-haven.com. Certainly Salt Lake’s most picturesque restaurant, the old log cabin is pretty in every season. Chef Dave Jones has a sure hand with American vernacular and is not afraid of frying although he also has a way with healthy, lowcalorie, high-energy food. And he’s an expert with local and foraged foods.

FA M E

Pago–878 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-532-0777. 341

S. Main St., SLC, 801-441-2955. pagoslc.com. Tiny, dynamic and food-driven, Pago’s ingredients are locally sourced and reimagined regularly. That’s why it’s often so crowded and that’s what makes it one of the best restaurants in the state. The list of wines by the glass is great, but the artisanal cocktails are also a treat.

Provisions–3364 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801410-4046. slcprovisions.com. With Chef Tyler Stokes’ bright, fresh approach to American craft cuisine (and a bright, fresh atmosphere to eat it in), Provision strives for handmade and local ideals executed with style and a little humor.

SLC Eatery–1017 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-

7952. slceatery.com. The SLC Eatery offers culinary adventure. Expect equally mysterious and delightful entrees and exciting takes on traditional dishes.

Table X–1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-

3712. tablexrestaurant.com. A trio of chefs collaborate on a forward-thinking thoroughly artisanal menu—vegetables are treated as creatively as proteins (smoked sunchoke, chile-cured pumpkin, barbecued cannelini beans) bread and butter are

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ININ

G

This selective guide has no relationship to any advertising in the magazine. Review visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by Salt Lake magazine.

D

SALT LAKE CITY & THE WASATCH FRONT

2A 02D1 WAR

2019 Salt Lake magazine Dining Award Winner

made in-house and ingredients are the best (Solstice chocolate cake.) Expect surprises.

American Casual Blue Lemon–55 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-328-2583. bluelemon.com. Blue Lemon’s sleek interior and high-concept food have city style.

Informal but chic, many-flavored but healthy, Blue Lemon’s unique take on food is a happy change from downtown’s food-as-usual.

Brick & Mortar–228 S. Edison Street, SLC, 801-419-0871. brickmortarslc.com. Brick & Mortar is a bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown (where Campos Coffee used to be). It’s a gastro pub with a mean brunch game, but the lunch and dinner (and after-dinner drinks) won’t disappoint.

Cafe Niche–779 E. 300 South, SLC, 801433-3380. caffeniche.com. The food comes from farms all over northern Utah, and the patio is a local favorite when the weather is fine.

Citris Grill–3977 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC,

801-466-1202. citrisgrill.com. Most dishes come in either “hearty” or “petite” portion sizes. This means you can enjoy a smoked salmon pizzetta or fried rock shrimp appetizer and then a petite order of fire-roasted pork chops with adobo rub and black bean-corn salsa. Expect crowds.

Copper Onion–111 E. Broadway, Ste. 170, SLC, 801-355-3282. thecopperonion.com. An instant hit when it opened, constant crowds attest to the continuing popularity of Ryan Lowder’s Copper Onion. Though the hearty, flavorful menu changes regularly, some favorites never leave: the mussels, the burger, the ricotta dumplings. Bank on the specials.

Cucina–1026 E. 2nd Ave., SLC, 801-322-3055.

cucinawinebar.com. Cucina has added fine restaurant to its list of descriptors—good for lunch or a leisurely dinner. The menu has recently expanded to include small plates and substantial beer and wineby-the-glass lists.

HAofLL

FA M E

Dining Award Hall Of Fame Winner

Quintessential Utah

All the technology you need to start, run, and grow your restaurant — all connected by a powerful POS. Let us take care of your tech, so you can focus on what matters most.

Like serving great food to hungry Utahns.

ON THE TABLE

Korean-style food on a stick puts American-style corn dogs to shame. Hot Dogs are served in panko-coated dough. Cheese sticks are breaded and fried with french fries studding the sides.

K

-Pop, K-Dramas and now…KDogs! Far from being a passing trend, Korean-style street food is addictive and delicious. SanFran Burritos N Fryz is one of several Korean eateries located inside Chinatown Supermarket.

They specialize in K-style street food, including the ever famous fluffy-breaded hotdogs on a stick.

Richard Kim, the owner SanFran Burritos N Fryz, is newer to Salt Lake City but is no stranger to restaurants. He owned a Mexican restaurant with some Asianfusion touches in San Francisco, as the name might suggest. Eventually, he says, “We tried to retire but realized we weren’t ready.” He and his wife bounced around a bit before landing in Utah.

When they opened their restaurant inside the Chinatown Supermarket, they started serving Mexican-style burritos with some Korean flair. Then, inspiration hit.

“Six months after we opened, I noticed that K-food was booming everywhere, in the whole world,” he says. “So I asked my wife, who is a good cook and has a good sense of the taste of food, ‘Hey, maybe we can add a hot dog to the menu, but not an Americanstyle hot dog.’ Everybody likes hot dogs, but I wanted to do something different.”

Move Over, Corn Dogs Korean-style hot dogs are the new star of the show

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

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Korean-style hot dogs, or gamja hot dogs, are different. They are dipped in batter and fried, but it’s not a corn dog. Most Korean hot dogs are coated in a slightly sweet yeasted dough or rice flour dough, then rolled in panko-style breadcrumbs, before taking a turn in the fryer for extra crunch. The outside is extra crisp and crunchy as a result, and the batter is almost pillowy once cooked.

Corn dogs originally made their way to Korea and landed in the street food scene sometime in the ’80s. Then, in the mid-2010s, K-dogs started cropping up in Korea's food halls and night markets, with flavorful new toppings and extra crispy exteriors. Once they began making appearances in K-dramas >>>

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

THE HOT DOG, K-STYLE

The Dodo–1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-486-

2473. thedodorestaurant.com. It’s hard even to update the review of this venerable bistro. So much stays the same. But, like I always say, it’s nice to know where to get quiche. And our raspberry crepes were great. Yes, I said crepes.

Epicure–707 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale,

801-748-1300. epicureslc.com. American food here borrows from other cuisines. Save room for pineapple sorbet with stewed fresh pineapple.

Hub & Spoke Diner–1291 S. 1100 East,

SLC, 801-487-0698. hubandspokediner.com. This contemporary diner serves the traditional three a day with an untraditional inventiveness applied to traditional recipes. Like, artisanal grilled cheese with spiked milkshakes. And mac and cheese made with spaetzle. Breakfast is king here—expect a line.

Coffee & Cocktails with friends | Non-Alcoholic Bottle Shop | DJ Brunch | Tastings | Catering | Private Events |

Left Fork Grill–68 W. 3900 South, SLC, 801266-4322. leftforkgrill.ipower.com. Every booth comes with its own dedicated pie shelf. Because no matter what you’re eating—liver and onions, raspberry pancakes, meatloaf or a reuben—you’ll want to save room for pie. Tip: Order your favorite pie first, in case they run out. Now serving beer and wine.

Little America Coffee Shop–500 S. Main St., SLC, 801-596-5708. saltlake.littleamerica. com. Little America has been the favorite gathering place for generations of native Salt Lakers. Weekdays, you’ll find the city power players breakfasting in the coffee shop.

London Belle Supper Club–321 S.

Main St., SLC, 801-363-8888. londonbelleslc.com.

It’s a combo deal—restaurant and bar. That means you have to be over 21 to enter but it also means that you can stay in one place all evening. Their kitchen serves up everything from duck confit nachos to their signature 12-ounce Niman Ranch ribeye.

Moochie’s meatballs–232 E. 800 South, SLC, 801-596-1350; 2121 S. State St., South Salt Lake, 801-487-2121; 7725 S. State St., Midvale, 801-5621500. moochiesmeatballs.com. This itty-bitty eatery/ take-out joint is the place to go for authentic cheese­ steaks made with thinly sliced steak and griddled onions glued together with good ol’ American cheese and wrapped in a big, soft so-called French roll.

Nomad East–1675 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-

883-9791. nomad-east.com. Nomad East is cousin to the original, now-closed Nomad Eatery. It’s in the charmed location on 1300 South where Eggs in the City used to be. Everything here is cooked in a pizza oven, even the roasted chicken (a must-have.)

Chef Justin is a salad wizard. Fun and excellence combined.

Oasis Cafe–151 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-3220404. oasiscafeslc.com. Oasis has a New Age vibe, but the food’s only agenda is taste. Lots of veg options, but meat, too. The German pancakes are wonderful, but its evening menu suits the space­— being both imaginative and refreshing.

Oquirrh–368 E. 100 South, SLC 801-359-0426. oquirrhslc.com. Little and original chef-owned bistro offers a menu of inventive and delicious dishes— whole curried lamb leg, chicken confit pot pie, milkbraised potatoes—it’s all excellent.

455 25th Street,Ogden, UT We are your one stop shop!

Contact us: events@360degreesrg.com Just Be You! IG @wbseatery

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ON THE TABLE The Park Cafe–604 E. 1300 South, SLC,

801-487-1670. theparkcafeslc.com. The Park Cafe has been serving up breakfast to the Liberty Wells neighborhood since 1982. Right next to Liberty Park, the cafe’s location is hard to beat.

Pig & A Jelly Jar–401 E. 900 South, SLC,

385-202-7366; 227 25th St., Ogden, 801-605-8400; 1968 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, 385-6955148. pigandajellyjar.com. Great chicken and waffles, local eggs, and other breakfasts are served all day, with homestyle additions at lunch Sunday-Thursday and supper on Friday and Saturday.

Porch–11274 S. Kestrel Rise Rd., Bldg. G, South Jordan, 801-679-1066. porchutah.com. A chef-owned restaurant in the new urban community of Daybreak, this sleek little cafe was conceived by Meditrina owner Jen Gilroy and focuses on locally-sourced cuisine with southern touches.

and YouTube videos, it was inevitable that they would migrate back in their new and improved form.

"We didn't get a recipe from anyone," explains Richard. "We tried this way, that way and we wasted lots of flour.

Then fi nally, we got the recipe right for the pastry.”

Also unique to SanFran Burritos N Fryz are the additions of cheddar cheese or jalapeño cheddar cheese sausage choices. And, you can get BOTH a hot dog and a mozzarella cheese stick stuffed into the same battered goodness. The cheese melts to gooey perfection and stays melted through some kind of magic.

like how it turned out. So we decided to buy fresh potatoes. People love it."

YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT

PRO TIP: Get the sugar, if nothing else.

Something about a dusting of simple white sugar over deep fried, crispy, savory hot dog promotes everything up to master level street-food.

Another uniquely Korean-style street food? The cheesy potato. Picture a generous baton of cheese wrapped in that sweet, fluff y dough. Now, embed that dough with cubed French fries right before you pop it in the hot oil. It comes out looking like cubist art and tastes like deep-fried heaven. "Some places use pre-made French fries," says Richard. "But we tried that a couple of times and didn't

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DON’T FORGET THE SAUCE There’s a wide swath of sauces and toppings to go along with K-dogs. Basic ketchup is in the lineup, but it’s joined by spicy mayo, honey mustard, sweet mayo, parmesan cheese and sugar. (Yes, sugar.)

Combining several toppings is the norm.

When your order arrives, Richard will ask you which sauces you want and will custom-dress your dog to your taste. I went for the spicy mayo, mustard, and sugar on my cheesy potato, and my entire palate was happy with my choices.

IF YOU GO SanFran Burritos N Fryz is located inside Chinatown Supermarket at 3390 S. State St., South SL, 801-368-2018

Roots Café–3474 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-

277-6499. rootscafeslc.com. A charming little daytime cafe in Millcreek with a wholesome, granola vibe.

Ruth’s Diner–4160 Emigration Canyon Rd., SLC, 801-582-5807. ruthsdiner. com. The original funky trolley car is almost buried by the beer garden in fine weather, but Ruth’s still serves up diner food in a low-key setting, and the patio is one of the best. Collegiate fare like burgers, BLTs and enchiladas rule here. The giant biscuits come with every meal, and the chocolate pudding should.

The Salt Republic–170 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-433-6650. exploretock.com/the-saltrepublic-salt-lake-city. A modern eatery with a focus on healthful and hearty dishes from local ingredients, prepared in the kitchen’s rotisserie and wood-fired oven, for breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Salt Lake City Hyatt Regency hotel.

Silver Fork Lodge–11332 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd., Brighton, 801-533-9977. silverforklodge.com. Silver Fork’s kitchen handles three daily meals beautifully. Try pancakes made with a 50-yearold sourdough starter. Don’t miss the smoked trout and brie appetizer.

Stella Grill–4291 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-288-

0051. stellagrill.com. A cool little arts-and-crafts-style café, Stella is balanced between trendy and triedand-true. The careful cooking comes with moderate prices. Great for lunch.

Tiburon–8256 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801-255-

1200. tiburonfinedining.com. Servings at Tiburon are large and rich: elk tenderloin was enriched with mushrooms and demi-glace; a big, creamy wedge of St. Andre came with pork belly. In summer, tomatoes come from the garden.

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Richard Kim (right) owned a Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco prior to moving to Salt Lake City and opening SanFran Burritos N Fryz

Porcupine Pub and Grille–3698 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-942-5555. porcupinepub.com. With 24 beers on tap available for only $2 every Tuesday, Porcupine has practically created its own holiday. Chicken noodle soup has homemade noodles and lots of chicken. Burgers and chile verde burritos are good, too.

Tradition–501 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-2027167. traditionslc.com. Plan your meal knowing there will be pie at the end of it. Then snack on pigs-inblankets (sausage from artisan butcher Beltex) and funeral potatoes. Fried chicken, braised pork, chicken and dumplings are equally homey. Then, pie.

Vessel Kitchen–905 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-810-1950; 1146 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale, 801337-5055; 11052 S. State St., Sandy, 801-349-2544; 1784 Uinta Way, #E1, Park City, 435-200-8864. vesselkitchen.com. Each of Vessel’s four locations is in an area of Utah they feel they can engage with the local populace through straight-forward, fast, casual cuisine that’s also healthy. Online ordering and curbside takeout are available at every Vessel restaurant.

Bakeries The Baking Hive–3362 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-419-0187. bakinghive.com. Tucked behind Provisions restaurant, this homespun bakery uses real butter and cream. Classes allow kids to ice and decorate their own cakes and they offer gluten-free options, too.

The Bagel Project–779 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-906-0698, bagelproject.com. “Real” bagels are the whole story here, made by a homesick East Coaster. Of course, there’s no New York water to make them with, but other than that, these are as authentic as SLC can get.

Biscotts Bakery & Cafe–1098 W. Jordan Pkwy. #10, South Jordan, 801-890-0659; 6172 W. Lake Ave., South Jordan, 801-295-7930. biscotts. com. An Anglo-Indian teahouse, Lavanya Mahate’s (Saffron Valley) latest eatery draws from intertwined cultures, serving tea and chai, English treats and French pastries with a hint of subcontinental spice.

Carlucci’s Bakery–314 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-366-4484. carluccisbakery.com. Plus a few hot dishes make this a fave morning stop. For lunch, try the herbed goat cheese on a chewy baguette.

At La Stellina, Italian nostalgia meets American inspiration where simplicity is exquisite in its own right.

City Cakes & Cafe–1860 S. 300 West, D, SLC, 801-359-2239. 192 E. 12300 South, Ste. A, Draper, 801-572-5500. citycakescafe.com. Glutenfree that is so good you’ll never miss it. Or the dairy— City Cakes has vegan goodies, too. And epic vegan mac ‘n’ chezah.

Chip Cookies — 155 E 900 S #101, SLC,

801-889-2412. chipcookies.co. Probably the only gourmet cookie delivery company that began out of pregnancy cravings. Try the weekly specialty cookies or one of the original flavors. Delivery, pick-up and catering available.

Eva’s Bakery–155 S. Main St., SLC, 801355-3942. evasbakeryslc.com. A smart French-style cafe and bakery in the heart of downtown. Different bakers are behind the patisserie and the boulangerie, meaning sweet and daily breads get the attention they deserve. Go for classics like onion soup and croque monsieur, but don’t ignore other specials and always leave with at least one loaf of bread.

Unwind at our Topgolf Swing Suite, a fun, lively atmosphere spotlighting virtual realty games and a platter-style menu.

Fillings & Emulsions–1475 S. Main St., SLC, 385-229-4228. fillingsandemulsions.com. This The St. Regis Deer Valley, Park City, UT 84060 t. + 435 940 5700 or srdvdining.com MAY /J UNE 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

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Granary Bakehouse–1050 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-810-0296. granarybakehouse.com. The classic bakery sells beautifully lamenated baked goods, does not skimp on the quality of the baked artisan breads and sources local ingredients.

Gourmandise–250 S. 300 East, SLC, 801-

328-3330, 725 E. 12300 South, Draper, 801-5711500. gourmandise.com. This downtown mainstay has cheesecakes, cannoli, napoleons, pies, cookies, muffins and flaky croissants. And don’t forget breads and rolls to take home.

K-STYLE SWEET BITES AND SIPS Don’t miss out on these small, shareable bites for dessert HODU-GWAJA—’WALNUT’ COOKIES Named for their walnut shape, the exterior is crispy and almost buttery, and the interior is stuffed with a sweet paste. It is debated whether it qualifies as a cookie, a mini cake, or a pastry. SanFran’s version, Ok-Hodu, is stuffed with red bean or sweet potatoes. Red bean paste is made with adzuki beans that are boiled, mashed, and lightly sweetened. They taste almost like a sweet crepe.

BUNGEO-PPANG Fish-shaped pastries made with a wafflelike batter, the name means “carp bread.”

They seem to have originated in Japan as Taiyaki and are sold in both countries as street food. They are filled with a sweet paste, usually red bean or sweet potato but sometimes custard or chocolate. San Fran’s Mini Taiyaki are smaller bite-sized versions of the original, and they fill them with red bean paste or custard.

HOUSE-MADE PERSIMMON PUNCH Korean persimmon punch (Sujeonggwa) is made by simmering fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, black sugar and dried persimmons together for several hours. It comes out sweet, without being sticky or overpowering, with a hint of spice. It makes for a perfect digestif to end your meal. Get the punch.

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La Bonne Vie–555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-

6708. grandamerica.com. Cuter than a cupcake, Grand America’s pastry shop has all the charm of Paris. The pretty windows alone are worth a visit.

Mrs. Backer’s Pastry Shop–434 E. South Temple, SLC, 801-

532-2022. mrsbackers.com. A Salt Lake tradition, Mrs. Backer’s is a butter cream fantasy. Fantastic colors, explosions of flowers, most keyed to the current holiday created from Americanstyle butter cream icing, fill this old-fashioned shop.

Passion Flour Patisserie–165 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-242-7040. passionflourslc.com. A vegan-friendly cafe located in an up-and-coming neighborhood. They offer coffee and tea lattes and a variety of croissants: the crust is flaky and buttery (despite the lack of butter). They also bake up some deliciously moist custom vegan cakes for any occasion.

Ruby Snap Fresh Cookies–770 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-834-6111. rubysnap.com. The Trudy, Ruby Snap’s classic chocolate-chip cookie. But it’s just a gateway into the menu of delicious fresh cookies behind the counter at Ruby Snap’s retro-chic shop on Salt Lake’s west side.

So Cupcake–4002 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801274-8300. socupcake.com. Choose a mini or a full cake, mix and match cakes and icings, or try a house creation, like Hanky Panky Red Velvet.

Tulie Bakery–863 E. 700 South, SLC, 801883-9741; 1510 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-410-4217. tuilebakery.com. You can get a little spiritual about pastries this good on a Sunday morning, but at Tulie you can be just as uplifted by a Wednesday lunch.

Vosen’s Bread Paradise–328 W. 200

South, SLC, 801-322-2424. vosen.com. This Germanstyle bakery’s cases are full of Eifelbrot, Schwarzbrot, Krustenbrot and lots of other Brots as well as sweet pastries and fantastic Berliners.

Barbecue & Southern Food Pat’s Barbecue–155 W. Commonwealth

Ave., SLC, 801-484-5963; 2929 S. State St., SLC, 385-528-0548. patsbbq.com. One of Salt Lake

City’s best, Pat’s brisket, pork and ribs deserve the spotlight but sides are notable here, too. Don’t miss “Burnt End Fridays.”

R&R BBQ–307 W. 600 South, SLC, 801-3640443. Other locations. randrbbq.com. Tasty, reliable and award-winning barbecue define R&R. The Ribs and brisket are the stars, but fried okra steals the show.

The SugarHouse Barbecue Company–880 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-463-4800.

sugarhousebbq.com. This place is a winner for pulled pork, Texas brisket or Memphis ribs. Plus killer sides, like Greek potatoes.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs (Also check bar listings, page 111)

Avenues Proper Publick House–376 8th Ave., SLC, 385-227-8628.

avenuesproper.com. It’s a restaurant and brewpub, with the emphasis on small plates and late hours.

The food is inventive, the beer is good and—big plus—they serve cocktails as well as brew at this neighborhood hot spot.

Bohemian Brewery–94 E. 7200 South., Midvale, 801-566-5474. bohemianbrewery.com.

Bohemian keeps a firm connection to its cultural history—so to go with the wonderful Czech beer, you can nosh on potato pancakes, pork chops and goulash. There’s also plenty of American beer fare.

Desert Edge Brewery–273 S. Trolley

Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery. com. Good pub fare and freshly brewed beer make this a hot spot for shoppers, the business crowd and ski bums.

Red Rock Brewing–254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446; 6227 State St., Murray, 801-2622337; 1640 Redstone Center Dr., Park City, 435-5750295. redrockbrewing.com. Red Rock proves the pleasure of beer on its own and as a complement to pizzas, rotisserie chicken and chile polenta. Not to mention brunch. Also in the Fashion Place Mall.

Squatters Pub Brewery–147 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-2739; 1763 S. saltlakebrewingco.com. One of the “greenest” restaurants in town, Squatters brews award-winning beers and pairs them with everything from wings to ahi tacos.

Wasatch BrewPub–2110 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-783-1127. saltlakebrewingco.com. Part of the same mega “boutique” group that produces Squatters and Wasatch beers and runs the pubs in Salt Lake City and Park City with those names, this extension is everything you expect a brewpub to be—hearty food, convivial atmosphere, lots of beer and a great late-ish option.

Breakfast/Lunch Only The Daily–222 S. Main St., Ste. 140, SLC, 801297-1660. thedailyslc.com. Chef Ryan Lowder’s only non-Copper restaurant (Onion, Commons, Kitchen) is open all day for breakfast, lunch and noshing. Call

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

little West-side bakery is worth finding—its unusual pastries find their way into many of Salt Lake’s fine restaurants. Pastry Chef Adalberto Diaz combines his classical French training with the tropical flavors of his homeland. The results are startlingly good and different.

in and pick up lunch, stop in and linger over Stumptown coffee, take some pastries to go and don’t miss the biscuits.

Eggs in the City–2795 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-581-0809. eggsinthecityslc.com. A familiar face in a whole new space—the favored breakfast joint has moved to Millcreek. Hip and homey, all at once.

Finn’s Cafe–1624 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-4674000. finnscafe.net. The Scandinavian vibe comes from the heritage of owner Finn Gurholt. At lunch, try the Nordic sandwiches, but Finn’s is most famous for breakfast (best pancakes in town), served until the doors close at 2:30 p.m.

Millcreek Café & EggWorks–3084 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-485-1134. millcreekcafeandeggworks.com. This spiffy neighborhood place is open for lunch, but breakfast is the game. Items like a chile verde-smothered breakfast wrap and the pancakes offer serious sustenance.

Burgers, Sandwiches & Delis Diversion–535 N. 300 West, SLC, 801-6577326. diversioneatery.com. Much-needed neighborhood eatery serving burgers, dogs, chili and fries. Try the “burger bowl”—just what it sounds like and twice as messy.

Feldman’s Deli–2005 E. 2700 South, SLC,

801-906-0369. feldmansdeli.com. Finally, SLC has a Jewish deli worthy of the name. Stop by for your hot pastrami fix or to satisfy your latke craving or your yen for knishes.

Pretty Bird Chicken–146 S. Regent St., SLC; 675 E. 2100 South, SLC. prettybirdchicken.com.

Chances are you’ll still have to wait in line for Chef Viet Pham’s Nashville hot chicken. There is really only one thing on the menu—spicy fried chicken on a bun or on a plate. Go early—Pretty Bird closes when the kitchen runs out of chicken.

Proper Burger and Proper Brewing–865 S. Main St., SLC, 801-906-8604.

properburgerslc.com. Sibling to Avenues Proper, the new place has expanded brewing and burger capacity, two big shared patios. And ski-ball.

Shake Shack–11020 State St., Ste. B, Sandy,

385-276-3910; 6123 S. State St., Murray, 801-4489707; shakeshack.com. The national favorite has landed in Utah and surely there will be more to come.

Danny Meyer’s all-American favorite serves burgers, mediocre fries and milkshakes, along with other fast food faves. Play board games and try one of their super cool shake flavors.

Siegfried’s Delicatessen–20 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-3891. siegfriedsdelicatessen. com. The only German deli in town is packed with customers ordering bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, sauerkraut and spaetzle.

Tonyburgers–613 E. 400 South, SLC, 801419-0531; Other Utah locations. tonyburgers.com.

This home-grown burger house serves fresh-ground beef, toasted buns, twice-fried potatoes and milkshakes made with real scoops of ice cream.

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Moon Bakery Moon Bakery, tucked inside Chinatown Supermarket, is Utah’s first Korean-style bakery. Owner Changwook Yoon is in the kitchen as early as 2:30 a.m. Everything is made by hand, in-house—breads and pastries (sweet and savory) donuts, cakes and mochi.

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

C

Top: Changwook Yoon, owner of Moon Bakery, is innovating classic Korean pastries. Above: Jelly-roll style cakes are filled with fruit and pastry cream.

Pick up a slice or better yet, a full cake.

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IF YOU GO Moon Bakery is located in Chinatown Market at 3390 S. State St., South Salt Lake, 801-263-0404

it to the dough. Cooking makes the starches hold more water and also makes for a more stable structure. This means a higher rise and softer pastry dough that is sweeter and more chewy than a typical American bakery. "We don't do frozen dough," says Changwook. "So we have to come in early every morning to make the dough, weigh it out, and prepare the fillings."

When Changwook took over Moon Bakery, he focused on maintaining the traditional K-style pastries. Still, he also added his own recipes to the shop. "I wanted to do a filled croissant. It is very popular and filled with strawberries and custard cream.

I make pound cake. And a chocolate custard twisted donut."

INSIDE THE DOUGH: SWEET AND SAVORY FILLINGS Sweet Korean pastries are often balanced by less sweet fillings.

They often feature roasted chestnuts, white beans, red bean paste, sweet potato, or eggy custard cream. You’ll also find diplomat cream paired with fresh fruit. Diplomat cream is pastry cream folded with stabilized whipped cream for a fluffy, lighter and less cloying filling. These fillings add a touch of sweetness that complements the dough without overwhelming it, resulting in a perfectly balanced and delicious treat. Both Changwook and Richard from SanFran Burritos N Fryz expressed surprise that people here in Utah love traditional Korean flavors like red bean paste.

When asked what he wanted people to know about his bakery, more than anything else, Changwook says, “I wanted them to know that everything is fresh. Every day. We make everything right here.”

PHOTOS ADAM FINKLE

hangwook came to the bakery through a family connection; his passion for craft, quality, and tradition is evident. We sat down with him to discuss his baking journey with the help of a translator. "I was looking for a business; the previous owner is my brother-in-law's friend. He was getting older and wanted to move on," says Changwook. "My brother-in-law introduced us. I wasn't living in Utah, so I visited here a couple of times and liked it, so I took it over." That was over three years ago.

Delving into the differences between Korean-style pastries and their American counterparts, it all comes down to the dough. In the U.S., pastries are rich in butter and sugar, while the dough is generally less sweet. Many are made with laminated dough, which results in flaky or crispy layers. Korean pastries are often made with milk bread dough base, lending them a soft and pillowy texture. Made using the Tangzhong method, milk, flour, and water are mixed and then heated to form a type of roux before adding

Coffee 3 Cups Coffee–4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza #104, Holladay, 385-237-3091. 3cups.coffee. With a slick, modern interior, 3 Cups transitions seamlessly from a neighborhood coffee shop by day to a wine and cheese bar by night. This family establishment boasts of roasting their own beans and baking their own goods.

Caffe d’Bolla–249 E. 400 South, #100, SLC, 801-355-1398. caffedbolla.com. John Piquet is a coffee wizard—a cup of his specially roasted siphon brews is like no other cup of coffee in the state. His wife, Yiching, is an excellent baker.

Cupla Coffee–175 W. 200 South, SLC, 385207-8362; 1476 Newpark Blvd., Park City, 801-4629475. cuplacoffee.com. The menu at Cupla reflects the owners’ lifestyle of a low-carb and low-sugar diet, without sacrificing taste for health. They roast their own coffee beans, rotated seasonally.

La Barba–155 E. 900 South, SLC; 9 S. Rio Grande, SLC, 385-429-2401; 13811 Sprague Ln., Draper, 801-901-8252. labarbacoffee.com. Owned by locally owned coffee roasters—a favorite with many local restaurants—this little cafe off of George serves coffee, tea, chocolate and pastries.

Logos Coffee–1709 E. 1300 South, SLC,

Salt Lake Roasting Company–820

King’s Peak Coffee–412 S. 700 West,

Central & South American

801-657-1383. logos.coffee. Logos is a small batch specialty coffee roaster that operates a mobile espresso cart (check social media for location) and a coffee bar that’s open 7 a.m.–2 p.m. everyday.

Suite 140, SLC, 385-267-1890. kingspeakcoffee. com. All of King’s Peak’s coffee is sourced directly from farmers or reputable importers. In the end, the result is a better quality coffee.

Old Cuss Cafe–2285 S. Main St., South Salt Lake. oldcuss.com. More than a coffee shop, this warm, mountain-man-style cafe serves plant-based food, craft coffee and a rotating menu of seasonal fare.

Publik–502 E. 3rd Ave., SLC, 385-229-4836; 975 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-355-3161; 210 S. University St., SLC, 385-549-1928. publikcoffee. com. Serving the latest in great coffee; the oldschool java joint made for long conversations; a neo-cafe where you can park with your laptop and get some solo work done.

Urban Sailor Coffee–1327 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-227-8978. urbansailorcoffee.com.

Urban Sailor Coffee opened its first sit-down coffee shop in Sugar House after originally serving Anchorhead specialty coffee from a mobile coffee cart and Steve Smith tea from a URAL sidecar motor.

A CURATED STEAK + SUSHI EXPERIENCE

E. 400 South, SLC, 801-363-7572. roasting.com.

SLC’s original coffee shop owner John Bolton buys and roasts the better-than-fair-trade beans.

Arempa’s–350 S. State St., SLC, 385-301-

8905. arempas.com. Happy, casual Venezuelan food—arepas, tequenos, cachapas—basically everything is cornmeal filled with pulled beef, chicken or pork and fried. But—also the same fillings between slices of plantains. And a chocolate filled tequena.

Braza Grill–5927 S. State St., Murray, 801506-7788. brazagrillutah.com. Meat, meat and more meat is the order of the day at this Brazilian-style churrascaria buffet.

Rodizio Grill–600 S. 700 East, SLC, 801220-0500. rodiziogrill.com. The salad bar offers plenty to eat, but the best bang for the buck is the Full Rodizio, a selection of meats—turkey, chicken, beef, pork, seafood and more—plus vegetables and pineapple, brought to your table until you cry “uncle.”

Reserve your table at aquaterrasteak.com

Now Open in City Creek Center Salt Lake City

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Indian

Asian Star–7588 S. Union Park Ave., Midvale, 801-566-8838. asianstarrestaurant.com. The menu is not frighteningly authentic or disturbingly Americanized. Dishes are chef-driven, and Chef James seems most comfortable in the melting pot.

Bombay House–2731 E. Parley’s Way, SLC,

Hong Kong Tea House & Restaurant–565 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-531-7010.

hongkongteahouse.yolasite.com. Authentic, pristine and slightly weird is what we look for in Chinese food.

Tea House does honorable renditions of favorites, but it is a rewarding place to go explore.

J. Wong’s Bistro–163 W. 200 South, SLC,

801-350-0888. jwongs.com. Drawing from their Thai and Chinese heritage, J. Wong’s menu allows you to choose either. Lunch—Chinese or Thai—isn’t a good deal. It’s a great deal. Don’t miss the ginger whole fish or the Gunpowder cocktail. Call ahead for authentic Peking duck.

French & European Bruges Waffle and Frites–336 W.

Cool Down with Bingsoo Moon Bakery also has the best treat of summer—the famous Korean iced dessert known as Bingsoo or Bingsu.

Ice is shaved down to an almost fluffy texture and then topped with sweetened condensed milk, fruit, red beans and whipped cream.

Flavors: Pat Bingsoo—traditional red beans (sweet adzuki beans) topped with seasonal fruit and condensed milk.

Mango Bingsoo—because, in the words of Changwook, "Americans love mango." A mango ice served with lots of chopped fresh mango and sweetened condensed milk.

Ddalgi Bingsoo—strawberry-flavored ice smothered with fresh strawberries.

Shockingly pink and less sweet than the other two flavors.

Get the large and share!

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Broadway, SLC, 801-363-4444; 2314 S. Highland Dr., 801-486-9999. brugeswaffles.com. The original tiny shop turns out waffles made with pearl sugar.

Plus frites, Belgian beef stew and a gargantuan sandwich called a mitraillette with merguez. Other locations have bigger menus.

Café Madrid–5244 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-273-0837. cafemadrid.net. Authentic dishes like garlic soup share the menu with port-sauced lamb shank. Service is courteous and friendly at this family-owned spot.

Franck’s–6263 S. Holladay Blvd., SLC, 801274-6264. francksfood.com. Founding chef Franck Peissel’s influence can still be tasted—personal interpretations of continental classics. Some, like the meatloaf, are perennials, but mostly the menu changes according to season and the current chef’s whim.

Mar | Muntanya–170 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-433-6700. mar-muntanya.com. The rooftop restaurant, atop the downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, has a menu of Spanish-inspired cuisine with an emphasis on shareable tapas, Spanish gin and tonic cocktails and regional specialties with a little Utah twist.

Monsieur Crêpes–1617 S. 900 East,

SLC, 787-358-9930. monsieurcrepesut.us. This French-style creperie offering both savory—Brie, prosciutto, tomato—and sweet—whipped cream, fruit, chocolate—fillings. The famous Gallic pancake evolved from a food truck into a charming cafe with a very pretty patio.

Curry in a Hurry–2020 S. State St., SLC, 801-467-4137. ilovecurryinahurry.com. The Nisar family’s restaurant is tiny, but fast service and fair prices make this a great take-out spot. But if you opt to dine in, there’s always a Bollywood film on the telly.

Himalayan Kitchen–360 S. State St.,

SLC, 801-328-2077; 11521 S. 4000 West, South Jordan, 801-254-0800. himalayankitchen.com. IndianNepalese restaurant with an ever-expanding menu.

Start the meal with momos, fat little dumplings like pot stickers. All the tandoor dishes are good, but Himalayan food is rare, so go for the quanty masala, a stew made of nine different beans.

Kathmandu–3142 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-

466-3504; 250 W. 2100 South, SLC, 801-935-4258; 863 E. 9400 South, Sandy, 801-981-8943. thekathmandu.net. Try the Nepalese specialties, including spicy pickles to set off the tandoor-roasted meats.

Both goat and sami, a kibbeh-like mixture of ground lamb and lentils, are available in several styles.

Royal India–10263 S. 1300 East, Sandy, 801572-6123; 55 N. Main St., Bountiful, 801-292-1835. royalindiautah.com. Northern Indian tikka masalas and Southern Indian dosas allow diners to enjoy the full range of Indian cuisine.

Saffron Valley East India Cafe–26 E. E St., SLC, 801-203-3325. saffronvalley.com. Lavanya Mahate has imported her style of Indian cooking from South Jordan to SLC. Besides terrific lunch and dinner menus, East Indian Cafe offers regular celebrations of specialties like Indian street food or kebabs. Stay tuned.

Saffron Valley–1098 W. South Jordan Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-438-4823. saffronvalley.com.

Highlighting South Indian street food, one of the glories of subcontinental cuisine, Lavanya Mahate’s restaurant is a cultural as well as culinary center, offering cooking classes, specialty groceries and celebration as well as great food.

Saffron Valley–479 E. 2100 South, SLC,

801-203-3754. saffronvalley.com. Yet another iteration of Lavanya Mahate’s vision of her homeland, this Saffron Valley location combines the best of her other three restaurants: Indian street foods, classic Indian and the Indian-Anglo bakery.

Tandoor Indian Grill–3300 S. 729 East, SLC, 801-486-4542; 4828 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-999-4243. tandoorindiangrill.com. Delicious salmon tandoori, sizzling on a plate with onions and peppers like fajitas, is mysteriously not overcooked.

Friendly service.

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Boba World–512 W. 750 South, Woods Cross, 801-298-3626. bobaworld.blogspot.com. This momand-pop place is short on chic, but the food on the plate provides all the ambiance you need. Try the scallion pancakes, try the Shanghai Fat Noodles, heck, try the kung pao chicken. It’s all good.

801-581-0222; 463 N. University Ave., Provo, 801373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., #120, West Jordan, 801-282-0777. bombayhouse.com. This biryani mainstay is sublimely satisfying, from the wisecracking Sikh host to the friendly server, from the vegetarian entrees to the tandoor-grilled delights. No wonder it’s been Salt Lake’s favorite subcontinental restaurant for 20 years.

Italian & Pizza Arella Pizzeria–535 W. 400 North, Bountiful, 801-294-8800. arellapizzeria.com. Chic pizza in Bountiful. Arella’s pies appeal to pizza purists, traditionalists and adventurers, with wood-fired crusts and toppings that range from pear to jalapeño.

Bricks Corner–1465 S. 700 East, SLC, 801953-0636. brickscornerslc.com. Bricks is the sole purveyor of Detroit-style pizza in Salt Lake City, baked in a steel pan and smothered in cheese, some might think it resembles a lasagna more than a pizza. You’ll want to come hungry.

Café Trio–680 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-533-8746. triodiningslc.com. Pizzas from the wood-fired brick oven are wonderful. One of the city’s premier and perennial lunch spots. Be sure to check out their weekly specials.

Caffé Molise & BTG Wine Bar–404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-364-8833. caffemolise.com.

The old Eagle building is a gorgeous setting for this city fave, with outdoor dining space and much more.

Sibling wine bar BTG is under the same roof. Call for hours.

Caputo’s Market & Deli–314 W. 300

South, SLC, 801-531-8669; 1516 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-486-6615; 4670 Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 801-272-0821. caputos.com. A great selection of olive oils, imported pastas, salamis and house-aged cheeses, and the largest selections of fine chocolate in the country. The deli menu doesn’t reflect the market, but is a reliable source for meatball sandwiches and such.

Carmine’s Italian Restaurant–2477 Fort Union Blvd., SLC, 801-948-4468.

carmines.restaurant. Carmine’s has a robust menu of Italian classics, including housemade pasta, Neapolitan pizza and a wine list expansive enough for pictureperfect pairings.

Cucina Toscana–282 S. 300 West., SLC, 801-328-3463. toscanaslc.com. This longtime favorite turns out Italian classics like veal scaloppine, carbonara and a risotto of the day in a chic setting. A tiny cup of complimentary hot chocolate ends the meal.

the OG | est 2016

Este Pizza–2148 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-4853699; 156 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-363-2366. estepizzaco.com. Try the “pink” pizza, topped with ricotta and marinara. Vegan cheese is available, and there’s microbrew on tap.

Nuch’s Pizzeria–2819 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-484-0448. nuchspizza.com. A New York-sized eatery (meaning tiny) offers big flavor via specialty pastas and wonderful bubbly crusted pizzas.

Ricotta is made in house.

Osteria Amore–224 S. 1300 East, SLC, 385270-5606. osteriaamore.com. An offshoot of the evergrowing Sicilia Mia group, the food here is not highly original —expect carpaccio, fried octopus, all kinds of pasta and pizza in the nicely redesigned space.

Per Noi Trattoria–3005 S. Highland Dr.,

SLC, 801-486-3333. pernoitrattoria.com. A little chefowned, red sauce Italian spot catering to its neighbor-

delivery | catering | gift cards #deliveringhappiness | @chipcookiesco | chipcookies.co

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The Pie Pizzeria–1320 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-582-5700; 3321 S. 200 East, South Salt Lake, 801-466-5100; 7186 Union Park Ave, Midvale, 801-2331999; 10627 Redwood Rd., South Jordan, 801-4954095. thepie.com. Students can live, think and even thrive on a diet of pizza, beer and soft drinks, and The Pie is the quintessential college pizzeria. While the original is a University neighborhood instituion, more locations have popped up around the valley to serve more than just the collegiate crowd.

Pizzeria Limone–613 E. 400 South, SLC,

801-953-0200; 1380 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-733-9305; 11464 S. Parkway Plaza Dr., Ste. 100, South Jordan, 801-495-4467; 42 W. 11400 South, Sandy, 801-666-8707. pizzerialimone.com. The signature pie at this local chain features thinly sliced lemons. Service is cafeteriastyle, meaning fast, and the pizza, salads and gelato are remarkably good.

Pizza Nono–925 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-7023580. pizzanono-slc.com. Small, kick-started pizzeria in 9th and 9th neighborhood has a limited but carefully sourced menu, a small but good list of wine and beer and an overflowing feeling of hospitality.

Pizza Volta–1080 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801797-1167. pizzavolta.com. Pizza Volta is a casual, family-oriented restaurant that serves pizzas as well as inventive cocktails, an unusual but welcome feature for a nieghborhood pizza joint.

Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta–1063 E. 2100

South, SLC, 801-484-1804. saltlakepizzaandpasta. com. And sandwiches and burgers and steak and fish.

The menu here has expanded far beyond its name.

Slackwater Pizza–684 S. 500 West,

SLC, 801-386-9777. slackwaterpizzeria.com. The pies here are as good as any food in SLC. Selection ranges from traditional to Thai (try it), and there’s a excellent selection of wine and beer.

Settebello Pizzeria–260 S. 200 West,

SLC, 801-322-3556. settebello.net. Every Neapolitan-style pie here is hand-shaped by a pizza artisan and baked in a wood-fired oven. And they make great gelato right next door.

Sicilia Mia–4536 S. Highland Dr., Holladay,

801-274-0223; 895 W. East Promontory, Farmington, 385-988-3727. siciliamiautah.com. A family-run restaurant with a huge number of fans who love the food’s hearty and approachable style, friendly service and touches of show biz—famous for its pasta carbonara, prepared in a wheel of Parmesan. The third in a trio of family-owned restaurants. They all recall Italian food of yesteryear.

Siragusa’s Taste of Italy–4115

Redwood Rd., Taylorsville, 801-268-1520. siragusas. com. Another strip mall mom-and-pop find, the two dishes to look out for are sweet potato gnocchi and osso buco made with pork.

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Stanza–454 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-746-4441.

stanzaslc.com. Chef Jonathon LeBlanc, brings a happy flair to this Italianesque restaurant. And Amber Billingsley is making the desserts. Va tutto bene!

Stoneground Italian Kitchen–249 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-364-1368. stonegrounditalian.com. The longtime pizza joint has blossomed into a full-scale Italian restaurant with chef Justin Shifflet in the kitchen making authentic sauces and fresh pasta. An appealing upstairs deck and a full craft bar complete the successful transformation.

Oh yeah, they still serve pizza.

Tuscany–2832 E. 6200 South, SLC, 801277-9919. tuscanyslc.com. This restaurant’s faux-Tuscan kitsch is mellowing into retro charm, though the glass chandelier is a bit nerve-wracking.

The double-cut pork chop is classic, and so is the chocolate cake.

Valter’s Osteria–173 W. Broadway, SLC,

801-521-4563. valtersosteria.com. Valter Nassi’s restaurant overflows with his effervescent personality. The dining room is set up so Valter can be everywhere at once. Old favorites include a number of tableside dishes.

Veneto Ristorante–370 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-359-0708. venetoslc.com. This small place, owned by Marco and Amy Stevanoni, strives to focus on one of the many regional cuisines we lump under the word “Italian.” Hence the name; and forget what you think you know about Italian food except the word “delizioso.”

Japanese Aqua Terra Steak + Sushi–50 S. Main St. #168, Salt Lake City, 385-261-2244. aquaterrasteak.com. Aqua Terra’s menu features premium steak and wild game cuts, a wide range of sushi, omakase and crispy rice, an array of classic and sake cocktails and wine offerings in a chic, art-deco setting.

Kaze–65. E. Broadway, SLC, 801-800-6768.

Utah’s sushi landscape, so he started serving tapas.

Mint has expanded to three locations in Salt Lake County. At his restaurant in Cottonwood Heights, Chef Soy prepares a weekly 10-course tasting menu of tapas for $70 a person.

Nohm–165 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-917-3812.

nohmslc.com. A genius Japanese and Korean restaurant specializing in robata and sushi. Chefowner David Chon is more daring with his menu than most—this is a place for exploring. If you see something you’ve never tasted before, taste it here.

Servers are happy to help.

Sake Ramen & Sushi Bar–8657 Highland Drive, Sandy, 801-938-9195. sakeut.com. Sake has a focus on modern interpretations of classic Japanese Dishes. They promise their Agadashi tofu “will make all of your problems disappear.”

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Takashi–18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595. takashisushi.com.

Takashi Gibo earned his acclaim by buying the freshest fish and serving it in politely eye-popping style. Check the chalkboard for specials like Thai mackerel, fatty tuna or spot prawns, and expect some of the best sushi in the city.

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Tosh’s Ramen–1465 S. State St., SLC, 801466-7000. 1963 E., Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay.

Chef Tosh Sekikawa is our own ramen ranger. His long-simmered noodle-laden broths have a deservedly devoted following—meaning, go early. Now with a second location.

Tsunami–1059 E. 900 South, SLC, 385900-0288; 7628 S. Union Park Ave., Midvale, 801-676-6466; 10722 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-748-1178; 1616 W. Traverse Pkwy., Lehi, 801-770-0088. tsunamiutah.com. Besides sushi, the menu offers crispy-light tempura and numerous house cocktails and sake.

Yoko Ramen–473 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-

876-5267. yokoslc.com. More ramen! Utahns can’t seem to slurp enough of the big Japanese soup— Yoko serves it up for carnivores and vegans, plus offers some kinkier stuff like a Japanese Cubano sandwich and various pig parts.

kazesushiut.com. Small and stylish, Kaze has plenty to offer besides absolutely fresh fish and inventive combinations. Food is beautifully presented and especially for a small place the variety is impressive. A sake menu is taking shape and Kaze is open until midnight.

Mediterranean & Middle Eastern

Kobe Japanese Restaurant–3947

Café Med–420 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-493-

S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-277-2928. kobeslc. com. This is Mike’s place—Mike Fukumitsu, once at Kyoto, is the personality behind the sushi bar and the driving spirit in the restaurant. Perfectly fresh fish keeps a horde of regulars returning.

Kyoto–1080 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-487-3525.

kyotoslc.com. The service is friendly, the sushi is fresh, the tempura is amazingly light, and the prices are reasonable. Servings are occidentally large, and service is impeccable.

Mint Sushi–8391 S. 700 East, Sandy,

385-434-8022; 3158 E. 6200 South, Cottonwood Heights, 801-417-9690; 4640 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 385-296-1872. mintsushiutah.com.

Owner Chef Soy wanted to bring in a new thing to

0100. medslc.com. Get the mezzes platter for some of the best falafel in town. Entrees range from pita sandwiches to gargantuan dinner platters of braised shortribs, roast chicken and pasta.

Layla–4751 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay, 801-

272-9111. laylagrill.com. Layla relies on family recipes. The resulting standards, like hummus and kebabs, are great, but explore some of the more unusual dishes, too.

Laziz Kitchen–912 S. Jefferson St., SLC, 801-441-1228. lazizkitchen.com. There are so many reasons to love Laziz Kitchen. Some are obvious— their top-notch Lebanese-style hummus, muhammara and toum.

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Mazza–1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259. mazzacafe.com. Excellent. With the bright flavor that is the hallmark of Middle Eastern food and a great range of dishes, Mazza has been a go-to for fine Lebanese food in SLC before there was much fine food at all.

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IS HEADING YOUR WAY

Manoli’s–402 E. 900 South, Ste. 2, SLC, 801-

532-3760. manolison9th.com. Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas have created a fresh modern approach to Greek food. Stylish small plates full of Greek flavors include Butternut-squash-filled tyropita, smoked feta in piquillo peppers and a stellar roast chicken.

Padeli’s–30 E. Broadway, SLC, 801-322-1111.

padelisstreetgreek.com. One of Salt Lake’s original Greek restaurants, Greek Souvlaki, has opened a contemporary version of itself. Padeli’s also serves the classic street fare, but these excellent souvlaki come in a streamlined space modeled after Chipotle, Zao and other fast-but-not-fast-food stops. The perfect downtown lunch.

Spitz Doner Kebab–35 E. Broadway, SLC,

801-364-0286. spitz-restaurant.com. This California transplant specializes in what Utahns mostly know by their Greek name “gyros.” But that’s not the only attraction. Besides the food, Spitz has an energetic hipster vibe and a liquor license that make it an afterdark destination.

Mexican

801.238.4748 www.spencersslc.com

@SpencersSaltLake

@SpencersSaltLake

Barrio–282 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-613-2251.

barrioslc.com. A slick new taco bar with a slightly punk Mexican theme, Barrio offers the usual selection of tacos—everyone’s favorite food, outdoor seating on nice days, margaritas, beer and a selection of serve yourself salsas.

Blue Iguana–165 S. West Temple, SLC, 801533-8900. blueiguanarestaurant.net. This colorful downtown restaurant has a charming downstairs location and patio, and has been a Salt Lake staple for decades. Enchiladas, tacos, and “jengo” nachos—piled high on a platter—are all good, as are the margaritas.

A nifty addition: phone chargers on every table.

Chile Tepin–307 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-

883-9255. chile-tepin.com. Popular for its generous servings of Mexican food, this place usually has a line on Friday nights. Heavy on the protein—the molcajete holds beef, pork and chicken—but cheese enchiladas and margaritas and other staples are good, too.

Chunga’s–180 S. 900 West, SLC, 801-953-1840; 1895 S. Redwood Rd., SLC, 801-973-6904. chungasmexican.com. These tacos al pastor are the real deal.

Carved from a big pineapple-marinated hunk, the meat is folded in delicate masa tortillas with chopped pineapple, onion and cilantro.

Lone Star Taqueria–2265 E. Fort Union Blvd., SLC, 801-944-2300. lstaq.com. Lone Star serves a burrito that’s a meal in itself, whether you choose basic bean and cheese or a special.

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Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2–736 W. North Temple,

SLC, 801-322-1489; 866 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-214-6050. rediguana.com. All locations are a blessing in this City of Salt, which still has mysteriously few good Mexican restaurants. Mole is what you want.

Rio Grande Café–258 S. 1300 East, SLC,

801-364-3302. riograndecafeslc.com. As bustling now as it was when it was still a train station, this is a pre-Jazz favorite and great for kids, too. Dishes overflow the plate and fill the belly.

Taqueria 27–149 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-

259-0940; 4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 801-676-9706; 6154 S. Fashion Blvd. Ste. 2, Murray, 801-266-2487; 1688 W. Traverse Pkwy., Lehi, 801331-8033. taqueria27.com. Salt Lake needs more Mexican food, and Todd Gardiner is here to provide it. Artisan tacos (try the duck confit), inventive guacamole and lots of tequila.

Seafood Current Fish & Oyster House–279 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-326-3474. currentfishandoyster.com. An all-star team made this cool downtown restaurant an instant hit. Excellent and inventive seafood dishes plenty of non-fishy options.

Harbor Seafood & Steak Co.–2302 E. Parleys Way, SLC, 801-466-9827. harborslc.com.

A much-needed breath of sea air refreshes this restaurant, which updates their menu frequently according to the availability of wild fish. A snappy interior, a creative cocktail menu and a vine-covered patio make for a hospitable atmosphere.

Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House–2155 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-946-2079. kimishouse. com.Kimi Eklund and Chef Matt Anderson are bringing a touch of glam to Sugar House with their highstyle, multi-purpose restaurant: It’s an oyster bar, it’s a steakhouse, it’s a lounge. However you use it, Kimi’s makes for a fun change from the surrounding pizza and beerscapes, with dramatic lighting, purple velvet and live music.

Market Street Grill–48 W. Market St., SLC, 801-322-4668; 2985 E. Cottonwood Pkwy., SLC, 801-942-8860; 10702 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-302-2262. marketstreetgrill.com. SLC’s fave fish restaurants: Fish is flown in daily and the breakfast is an institution.

The Oyster Bar–48 W. Market St., SLC,

801-531-6044; 2985 E. Cottonwood Parkway (6590 South), SLC, 801-942-8870. marketstreetgrill.com.

This is one of the best selection of fresh oysters in town: Belon, Olympia, Malpeque and Snow Creek, plus Bluepoints. Crab and shrimp are conscientiously procured.

Southeast Asian Chabaar Beyond Thai–87 W. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5100. chabaarbeyondthai. com. One of Annie Sooksri’s parade of restaurants, this one features what the name implies: a solid

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menu of Thai favorites plus some inventions based on Thai flavors.

Chanon Thai Café–278 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-1177. chanonthaislc.com. A meal here is like a casual dinner at your best Thai friend’s place.

Try curried fish cakes and red-curry prawns with coconut milk and pineapple.

FAV Bistro–1984 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, 801-676-9300. bestthaifoodinutah.com.

Cross-cultural food with a menu of fusion dishes based on Thai flavors.

Indochine–230 S. 1300 East, 801-582-0896.

indochinesaltlake.com. Vietnamese cuisine is under-­ represented in Salt Lake’s Thai-ed up dining scene, so a restaurant that offers more than noodles is welcome. Try broken rice dishes, clay pots and pho.

Mi La-Cai Noodle House–961 S.

State St., SLC, 801-322-3590. lacainoodlehouse. com. Mi La-cai’s noodles rise above the rest, and their pho is fantastic—each bowl a work of art. The beautiful setting is a pleasure. It’s even a pleasure to get the bill.

My Thai–1425 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-5054999. mythaiasiancuisine.com. My Thai is an unpretentious mom-and-pop operation—she’s mainly in the kitchen, and he mainly waits tables, but in a lull, she darts out from her stove to ask diners if they like the food. Yes, we do.

Oh Mai–850 S. State St.,SLC, 801-575-8888; 3425 State St., SLC, 801-467-6882, Other Utah locations. ohmaisandwichkitchen.com. Fast, friendly and hugely flavorful—that sums up this little banh mi shop that’s taken SLC by storm. Pho is also good and so are full plates, but the banh mi are heaven.

Skewered Thai–575 S. 700 East, SLC, 801364-1144. skeweredthai.com. A serene setting for some of the best Thai in town—perfectly balanced curries, pristine spring rolls, intoxicating drunk noodles and a well-curated wine list.

Tea Rose Diner–65 E. 5th Ave., Murray,

801-685-6111. bestthaifoodinutah.com. Annie Sooksri has a mini-empire of Thai and Asian restaurants across the valley—Tea Rose has been a favorite since 2007 and offers a menu of Thai staples and American breakfast dishes.

SOMI Vietnamese Bistro–1215 E. Wilmington Ave., SLC, 385-322-1158. somislc.com.

But there’s also Chinese food and a cocktail menu at this stylish Sugarhouse restaurant. Crispy branzino, pork belly sliders on bai and braised oxtail are some of the highlights to the menu, which also includes the standard spring rolls and pho.

Thai Garden–868 E. 900 South, SLC, 801355-8899. thaigardenbistroslc.com. Paprika-infused pad thai, deep-fried duck and fragrant gang gra ree are all excellent choices—but there are 50-plus items on the menu. Be tempted by batter-fried bananas with coconut ice cream.

Krua Thai–212 E. 500 South, SLC, 801-3284401. kruathaiut.com. Curries and noodle dishes hit a precise procession on the palate—sweet, then sour, savory and hot—plus there are dishes you’ve never tried before and should: bacon and collard greens, red curry with duck, salmon with chili and coconut sauce.

Zao Asian Cafe–400 S. 639 East, SLC,

801-595-1234; 2227 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801467-4113; Other Utah locations. zaoasiancafe.com.

It’s hard to categorize this pan-Asian semi-fast food concept. It draws from Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese traditions, all combined with the American need for speed. Just file it under fast, fresh, flavorful food.

Pho Tay Ho–1766 S. Main St., SLC, 385-2400309. photayho.com. One of the best Pho joints around is an unassuming house on the southside of Salt Lake City. The family-owned-and-operated noodle house keeps their menu small but full of flavor.

Steak

Pho Thin–2121 S. McClelland St., SLC, 801485-2323. phothinslc.com. From its Sugar House location, Pho Thin serves up pho made in the Hanoi style, and it’s a family recipe. Their menu also offers other Vietnamese comfort and street foods.

Christopher’s Prime–110 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-890-6616. christophersut.com. The menu is straightforward, chilled shellfish and rare steaks, with a few seafood and poultry entrees thrown in for the non-beefeaters.

Pleiku–264 S. Main St., SLC, 801-359-4544. pleikuslc.com. This stylish downtown spot serves a selection of Vietnamese dishes made from family recipes and served tapas-style. Note the pho, which is brewed for 36 hours and served in a full-bowl meal or a preprandial cup.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse–20 S. 400 West Ste. 2020, The Gateway, SLC, 801-3553704. flemingssteakhouse.com. This local branch of a national chain has a famously impressive wine list. With more than 100 available by the glass, it has selections that pair well with anything you order.

Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill–722 S. State St., SLC, 801-363-7272. sapabarandgrill. com.Charming Vietnamese stilt houses surround the courtyard. Sapa’s menu ranges from Thai curries to fusion and hot pots, but the sushi is the best bet.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse–275 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-363-2000. ruthschris.com.

This former bank building has inner beauty. Stick with classics like crab cocktail, order the wedge, and ask for your butter-sizzled steak no more than medium, please. Service is excellent. Eat dessert, then linger in the cool bar.

Sawadee Thai –754 E. South Temple, SLC, 801-328-8424. sawadeethaiutah.com. The menu goes far outside the usual pad thai and curry. Thai food’s appeal lies in the subtleties of difference achieved with a limited list of ingredients.

Spencer’s–255 S. West Temple, SLC, 801238-4748. spencersslc.com. The quality of the meat and the accuracy of the cooking are what make it

great. Beef is aged on the bone, and many cuts are served on the bone—a luxurious change from the usual cuts.

Vegetarian & Vegan

Contemporary Luxury Timeless Comforts, Modern Expression.

Rawtopia–3961 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC,

801-486-0332. rawtopia.com. Owner Omar AbouIsmail’s Rawtopia is a destination for those seeking clean, healthy food in Salt Lake—whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore. Desserts are amazingly indulgent—like chocolate caramel pie and berry cheesecake.

Vertical Diner–234 W. 900 South, SLC, 801- 484-8378. verticaldiner.com. Vertical Diner boasts an animal-free menu of burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts. Plus organic wines and coffees.

Zest Kitchen & Bar–275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com. Zest has sophisticated vegan cooking plus a cheerful attitude and ambience fueled by creative cocktails. Pulling flavors from many culinary traditions, the menu offers Cuban tacos, Thai curry with forbidden rice, stuffed poblano peppers as well as bar noshes and an amazing chocolate-beet torte—all vegan. The menu changes frequently. This is a 21+ establishment.

pendry.com | 435 800 1990 2417 High Mountain Road, Park City

PARK CITY & THE WASATCH BACK American Fine Dining Apex–9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, 435-6041402. montagehotels.com/deervalley. Apex at Montage exudes luxury in an understated and comfortable way. No need to tux up for pampered service; the classy lack of pretension extends to the menu—no unpronounceables, nothing scary or even too daring—just top-of-the-line everything. Quality speaks for itself.

350 Main–350 Main St., Park City, 435-649-

3140. 350main.com. Now run by Cortney Johanson who has worked at the restaurant for 20 years, this mainstay cafe on Main Street is seeing another high point. With Chef Matthew Safranek in the kitchen, the menu is a balanced mix of old favorites and soon-to-be favorites like Five Spice Venison Loin in Pho. Amazing.

Firewood–306 Main St., Park City, 435-252-

9900. firewoodonmain.com. Chef John Murcko’s place on Main Street is all about cooking with fire— his massive Inferno kitchen grill by Grillworks runs on oak, cherry and applewood, depending on what’s cooking. But each dish is layered and nuanced, with global influences. Definitely a star on Main Street.

Glitretind–7700 Stein Way, Deer Valley, Park City, 435-645-6455. steinlodge.com. The service is polished, and the menu is as fun or as refined or as inventive as Chef Zane Holmquist’s mood. The appeal resonates with the jet set and local diners. The wine list is exceptional. But so is the burger.

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ON THE TABLE Goldener Hirsch–7520 Royal St., Park

City, 435-655-2563. aubergeresorts.com/goldenerhirsch. A jazzed up Alpine theme—elk carpaccio with pickled shallots, foie gras with cherry-prune compote and wiener schnitzel with caraway-spiked carrot strings.

Mariposa at Deer Valley–7600 Royal St., Park City, 435-645-6632. deervalley.com. (Open seasonally) Try the tasting menu for an overview of the kitchen’s talent. It’s white tablecloth, but nothing is formal.

Mustang–890 Main St., Park City, 435-6583975. mustangparkcity.com. A duck chile relleno arrives in a maelstrom of queso and ranchero sauce.

Braised lamb shank and lobster with cheese enchiladas share the menu with seasonal entrees.

Rime Seafood & Steak–2300 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, St. Regis, Deer Valley, 435-940-5760. srdvdining.com. Acclaimed Chef Matthew Harris heads the kitchen at this simply brilliant restaurant at the St. Regis—meticulously sourced meat and seafood from his trusted vendors, perfectly cooked.

Royal Street Café 7600 Royal St., Silver Lake Village, Deer Valley Resort, Park City, 435-6156240. deervalley.com. (Open seasonally) Don’t miss the lobster chowder, but note the novelties, too. In a new take on the classic lettuce wedge salad, Royal Street’s version adds baby beets, glazed walnuts and pear tomatoes.

Viking Yurt–1345 Lowell Ave., Park City, Park City Mountain Resort, 435-615-9878. thevikingyurt. com. Arrive by sleigh and settle in for a luxurious five-course meal, featuring a healthy introduction to the nordic beverage aquavit. Reservations and punctuality a must.

American Casual Blind Dog Grill–1251 Kearns Blvd., Park

City, 435-655-0800. blinddogpc.com. The kitchen offers imaginative selections even though the dark wood and cozy ambience look like an old gentlemen’s club. Don’t miss the Dreamloaf, served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes.

The Blue Boar Inn–1235 Warm Springs

Rd., Midway, 435-654-1400. theblueboarinn.com.

The restaurant is reminiscent of the Alps, but serves fine American cuisine. Don’t miss the award-winning brunch.

Fletcher’s on Main Street–562 Main St., Park City, 435-649-1111. fletcherspc.com.

Fletcher’s has a casual approach designed to suit any appetite, almost any time. Talented Chef Scott Boborek’s carefully sourced dishes range from burgers to Beef Wellington—with lobster mac and Utah trout.

Handle–136 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-6021155. handleparkcity.com. Chef-owner Briar Handly offers a menu, mostly of small plates, with the emphasis on excellent sourcing—trout sausage and Beltex Meats prosciutto, for example. There are also full-meal plates, including the chef’s famous fried chicken.

Hearth and Hill–1153 Center Dr., (New-

park), Park City, 435-200-8840. hearth-hill.com.

This all-purposse cafe serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, focusing on bright, approachable American dishes with a kick.

High West Distillery–703 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8300. highwest.com. Order a flight of whiskey and taste the difference aging makes, but be sure to order plenty of food to see how magically the whiskey matches the fare. The chef takes the amber current theme throughout the food.

Lush’s BBQ–7182 Silver Creek Rd., Park City, 435-333-2831. lushsbbq.com. Tennesee-inspired BBQ you won’t soon forget.Think sharp vinegar with a hint of citrus and just a touch of sweetness. When the meat’s just coming off the smoker, you’d be hard pressed to find better ribs, brisket or pulled pork anywhere.

Sammy’s Bistro–1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City, 435-214-7570. sammysbistro.com. Down-toearth food in a comfortable setting. Sounds simple, but if so, why aren’t there more Sammy’s in our world? Try the bacon-grilled shrimp or a chicken bowl with your brew.

Silver Star Cafe–1825 Three Kings Dr.,

Park City, 435-655-3456. thesilverstarcafe.com.

Comfort food with an upscale sensibility and original touches, like shrimp and grits with chipotle or Niman Ranch pork cutlets with spaetzle. The location is spectacular.

Simon’s at Homestead resort–700 N. Homestead Dr., Midway, 800-327-7220. homesteadresort.com. Simon’s boasts a robust menu of smoked meats, wood-fired pizza and local craft beer, while the Milk House offers both classic and unexpected flavors of ice cream, coffee and treats.

The Brass Tag–2900 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, 435-615-2410. deervalley.com. In the Lodges at Deer Valley, the focal point here is a wood oven which turns out everything from pizza to fish and chops, all of the superior quality one expects from Deer Valley. Open seasonally.

Spin Café–220 N. Main St., Heber City, 435654-0251. spincafe.net. Housemade gelato is the big star at this family-owned café, but the food is worth your time. Try the pulled pork, the salmon BLT or the sirloin.

Eating Establishment–317 Main St.,

Zermatt Resort–784 W. Resort Dr., Mid-

Park City, 435-649-8284. theeatingestablishment. net. Claiming to be the oldest, this restaurant is one of Park City’s most versatile. On weekend mornings, locals line up for breakfasts.

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way, 435-657-0180. zermattresort.com. The charming, Swiss-inspired resort hosts both the high-end, but straight-forward, Z’s Steak & Chop Haus and the less formal Wildfire Smokehaus, home to smoked meats and draft beer.

Bakeries & Cafés Park City Coffee Roasters–1764 Uinta Way, Park City, 435-647-9097. pcroaster.com.

The town’s fave house-roasted coffee and housemade pastries make this one of the best energy stops in town.

Wasatch Bagel Café–1300 Snow Creek Dr., Park City, 435-645-7778. wasatchbagelandgrill. com. Not just bagels, but bagels as buns, enfolding a sustaining layering of sandwich fillings like egg and bacon.

Windy Ridge Bakery & Café–1750 Iron Horse Dr., Park City, 435-647-2906. windyridgebakery.com. One of Park City’s most popular noshing spots—especially on Taco Tuesdays. The bakery behind turns out desserts and pastries for Bill White’s restaurants as well as take-home entrees.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs Burgers & Bourbon–9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, 435-604-1402. montagehotels.com/ deervalley. Housed in the luxurious Montage, this casual restaurant presents the most deluxe versions of America’s favorite foods. The burgers are stupendous, there’s a great list of bourbons to back them, and the milkshakes are majorly good.

Red Rock Junction–1640 W. Redstone

Center Dr., Ste. 105, Park City, 435-575-0295. redrockbrewing.com. The house-brewed beers— honey wheat, amber ale or oatmeal stout, to name a few—complement a menu of burgers, brick-oven pizzas and rotisserie chicken.

Squatters Roadhouse–1900 Park Ave.,

Park City, 435-649-9868. squatters.com. Everyone loves the bourbon burger, and Utah Brewers Co-op brews are available by the bottle and on the state-ofthe-art tap system. Open for breakfast daily.

Wasatch Brewery–250 Main St., Park City, 435-649-0900. saltlakebrewingco.com. This was the first brewpub in Utah, and it serves handcrafted beer and family-friendly fare without a hefty price tag. Everyone loves Polygamy Porter, and the weekend brunch is great, too.

Breakfast Deer Valley Grocery & Cafe–1375 Deer Valley Dr., Park City, 435-615-2400. deervalley. com. The small lakeside spot serves sandwiches and lunch specials, plus it’s a great place to stock up on deer Valley classics to take home—think classic Deer Valley turkey chili.

Woodland Biscuit Company–2734

E. State Hwy. 35, Woodland, 435- 783-4202. woodlandbiscuitcompany.com. Breakfast is the real deal here so pile on the bacon and eggs but if you sleep late, not to worry—burgers, sandwiches and tacos are good too.

Continental & European Café Terigo–424 Main St., Park City, 435-

645-9555. cafeterigo.com. This charming café is the spot for a leisurely meal. Chicken and bacon tossed with mixed greens and grilled veggies on focaccia are café-goers’ favorites.

Courchevel Bistro–201 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-572-4398. courchevelbistro.com. Named after Park City’s sister city in the Savoie region of France, which happens to be the home turf of Chef Clement Gelas and is he having some fun with his mother cuisine. Be guided by him or your server and try some French food like you haven’t had before.

Italian & Pizza Fuego–2001 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, 435- 6458646. fuegopizzeria.com. Off the beaten Main Street track, this pizzeria is a family-friendly solution to a ski-hungry evening. Pastas, paninis and wood-fired pizzas are edgy, but they’re good.

Ghidotti’s–6030 N. Market St., Park City, 435-

658-0669. ghidottis.com. Ghidotti’s evokes Little Italy more than Italy, and the food follows suit—think spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and rigatoni Bolognese.

Try the chicken soup.

Grappa–151 Main St., Park City, 435-645-0636.

SAKEUT.COM | (801) 938-9195 | 8657 HIGHLAND DR, SANDY, UT 84093 @SAKERAMENSUSHI

@SAKE.RESTAURANT

grapparestaurant.com. Dishes like osso buco and grape salad with gorgonzola, roasted walnuts and Champagne vinaigrette are sensational, and the wine list features hard-to-find Italian wines as well as flights, including sparkling.

Japanese/Pan-Asian Sushi Blue–1571 W. Redstone Center Dr. Ste.

140, Park City, 435-575-4272. sushiblueparkcity.com.

Find the yin and yang of Asian-American flavors in Bill White’s sushi, excellent Korean tacos, crab sliders and other Amer-Asian food fusions, including the best hot dog in the state, topped with bacon and house-made kimchi.

Yuki Yama Sushi–586 Main St., Park City, 435-649-6293. yukiyamasushi.com. Located in the heart of Old Town Park City, Yuki Yama offers both traditional japanese dishes and more modern plates.

It’s all guided by the steady hands of Executive Chef Kirk Terashima.

Mediterranean Reef’s–7720 Royal St. East, Park City, 435-6580323. reefsrestaurant.com. Lamb chops are tender, falafel is crunchy, and the prices fall between fast food and fine dining. It’s a den of home cooking, if your home is east of the Mediterranean. Open seasonally.

Fresh organic Pizza Beer. wine. Craft Cocktails.

order now!

Mexican & Southwestern Baja Cantina–1355 Lowell Ave., Park City,

435-649-2252. bajaparkcity.com. The T.J. Taxi is a flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, cheddar-jack cheese and guacamole.

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ON THE TABLE Billy Blanco’s–8208 Gorgoza Pines Rd., Park City, 435-575-0846. billyblancos.com. Motor City Mexican. The subtitle is “burger and taco garage,” but garage is the notable word. This is a theme restaurant with lots of cars and motorcycles on display, oil cans to hold the flatware, and a 50-seat bar made out of toolboxes. If you’ve ever dreamed of eating in a garage, you’ll be thrilled.

Chimayo–368 Main St., Park City, 435-649-

6222. chimayorestaurant.com. Bill White’s prettiest place, this restaurant is reminiscent of Santa Fe, but the food is pure Park City. Margaritas are good, and the avocado-shrimp appetizer combines guacamole and ceviche flavors in a genius dish.

El Chubasco–1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City, 435-645-9114. elchubascoparkcity.com. Regulars storm this restaurant for south-of-the-border eats.

Burritos fly through the kitchen like chiles too hot to handle—proving consistency matters.

Tarahumara–1300 Snow Creek Dr., Ste. P,

Park City, 435-645-6005. tarahumararestaurant. com. Some of the best Mexican food in the state can be found in this Park City cafe. Don’t be fooled by the bland exterior; inside you’ll find a full-fledged cantina and an adjoining family restaurant with a soulful salsa bar.

Seafood Freshie’s Lobster Co.–1915 Prospector

Ave., Park City, 435-631-9861. freshieslobsterco. com. After years as everyone’s favorite summer food stop at Park Silly Market, Freshie’s has settled into a permanent location selling their shore-to-door lobster rolls all year round.

Rime Seafood & Raw Bar–9850 Sum-

mit View Dr., Park City. rimerawbar.com. Such a hit on the slopes that Chef Matt Harris took the concept inside and Rime is an anchor restaurant inside the St. Regis, Open Thurs-Sun.

Southeast Asian Shabu–442 Main St., Park City, 435-645-7253. shabuparkcity.com. Cool new digs, friendly service and fun food make Shabu one of PC’s most popular spots. Make reservations. A stylish bar with prizewinning mixologists adds to the freestyle feel.

Kuchu Shabu House–3270 N. Sundial Ct., Park City, 435-649-0088. kuchushabu.com.

The second shabu-style eatery in PC is less grand than the first but offers max flavor from quality ingredients.

Steak Butcher’s Chop House & Bar–751 Lower Main St., Park City, 435-647-0040. butcherschophouse.com. The draws are prime rib, New York strip and pork chops—and the ladies’ night specials in the popular bar downstairs.

Grub Steak–2093 Sidewinder Dr., Prospector Square, Park City, 435-649-8060. grubsteak-

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parkcity.com. Live country music, fresh salmon, lamb and chicken, and a mammoth salad bar.

Order bread pudding whether you think you want it or not. You will.

Edge Steakhouse–3000 Canyon Resort

Dr., Park City, 435-655-2260. westgateresorts.com.

This beautifully fills the beef bill at the huge resort, and the tasting menus take you through salad, steak and dessert for $45 to $60, depending on options.

NORTH SALT LAKE & BEYOND American Fine Dining The Huntington Room at Earl’s Lodge–3925 E. Snowbasin Rd., Huntsville, 888-

437-5488. snowbasin.com. Ski-day sustenance and fireside dinner for the après-ski set. In summer, dine at the top of the mountain.

American Casual Hearth on 25–195 Historic 25th St. Ste. 6 (2nd Floor), Ogden, 801-399-0088. hearth25.com.

The charming upstairs dining room is a great setting for some of the best and most imaginative food in Ogden. Handmade hearth bread, espresso-rubbed yak, killer stroganoff—too many options to mention here—this is really a destination restaurant.

Pig & a Jelly Jar–227 25th St., Ogden, 801-605-8400. pigandajellyjar.com. The same great made-from-scratch Southern comfort food as the original, now in Ogden. A popular brunch spot open seven days a week.

Prairie Schooner–445 Park

Blvd., Ogden, 801-392-2712. prairieschoonerrestaurant.com. Tables are covered wagons around a diorama featuring coyotes, cougars and cowboys—corny, but fun. The menu is standard, but kids love it.

Table 25–195 25th St., Ste. 4, Ogden, 385-2441825. table25ogden.com. A bright, contemporary space in Downtown Ogden has a patio right on Historic 25th Street. The elevated yet approachable menu includes Spanish mussels and frites, ahi tuna and a classic cheeseburger.

Union Grill–315 24th St., Ogden, 801-6212830. uniongrillogden.com. The cross-over cooking offers sandwiches, seafood and pastas with American, Greek, Italian or Mexican spices.

WB’s Eatery–455 25th Street, Ogden, 385-

244-1471. wbseatery.com. Part restaurant, part bar, part coffeehouse, WB’s Eatery is located inside The Monarch, a hip maker and market space for artists.

A hybrid space as well, the eatery sells CBD oil, as well as serving up cocktails, bites and boards of meat and cheese.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs The Beehive Pub & Grill–255 S. Main

St., Logan, 435-753-2600. thebeehivegrill.com. An indirect offshoot of Moab Brewery, the Grill focuses as much on house-brewed root beer as alcoholic suds, but the generally hefty food suits either.

Burgers, Sandwiches & Delis Caffe Ibis–52 Federal Ave., Logan, 435753-4777. caffeibis.com. Exchange news, enjoy sandwiches and salads and linger over a cuppa conscientiously grown coffee.

Maddox Ranch House–1900 S. Highway 89, Perry,

435-723-8545 maddoxfinefood.com.

Angus beef steaks, bison chicken-fried steak and burgers have made this an institution for more than 50 years. Eat in, drive up or take home.

Chinese Mandarin–348 E. 900 North, Bountiful, 801-

298-2406. mandarinutah.com. The rooms are filled with red and gold dragons. Chefs recruited from San Francisco crank out a huge menu. Desserts are noteworthy. Call ahead.

Italian & Pizza Slackwater Pizza–209 24th St., Ogden, 801-399-0637. slackwaterpizzeria.com. The pies here are as good as any food in Ogden. Selection ranges from traditional to Thai (try it), and there’s a good selection of wine and beer.

Rovali’s Ristorante–174 E. 25th St., Ogden, 801-394-1070. rovalis.com. This friendly family-owned place on Ogden’s main drag serves hearty Italian fare and housemade pastry, plus a creative bar menu and live music.

Japanese Ramen Haus–2550 Washington Blvd., Og-

den, 801-393-0000. ramenhausogden.com. Sergei Oveson’s experience with ramen master Tosh and Shani Oveson’s at Naked Fish shows all over their restaurant in Ogden. Simple but stylish sums the space and terrific is the only word for the ramen. Do not leave without ordering the honey toast even if you think you don’t want dessert.

Tona Sushi–210 25th St., Ogden, 801622-8662. tonarestaurant.com. The charming old space on Ogden’s main drag houses a meticulously top-notch sushi restaurant. Owner Tony Chen grows herbs and sprouts in the basement and the plates he presents show an artist’s touch. Ask about the secret menu.

Mexican Sonora Grill–2310 Kiesel Ave., Ogden,

801-393-1999. thesonoragrill.com. A big, beautiful Mexican restaurant, the kind you see in Texas or New Mexico, Sonora serves great chips and salsa, a famous margarita, several kinds of ceviche and all the dishes you love as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

STEAKHOUSE Excite your senses with an elevated dining experience. | A large private conference room to host private dining events.

Southeast Asian Thai Curry Kitchen–582 25th St., Ogden, 385-333-7100. thaicurrykitchen.com. Chic and sleek counter service offering bright from-scratch curries and salads plus locally made kombucha.

PROVO & CENTRAL UTAH American Fine Dining Communal–102 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-

373-8000. communalrestaurant.com. Food is focused on the familiar with chef’s flair—like braised pork shoulder crusted in panko. Attention to detail makes this one of Utah’s best.

1234 WEST SUNSET BLVD. SAINT GEORGE, UT 84770 ■ ANASAZISTEAKHOUSE.COM ■ 435-674-0095

The Tree Room–8841 Alpine Loop Scenic

Byway, Sundance Resort, Sundance, 866-627-8313. sundanceresort.com. Sundance Resort’s flagship is known for its seasonal, straightforward menu and memorable decor, including Robert Redford’s kachina collection. Try the wild game—spice-rubbed quail and buffalo tenderloin.

American Casual Chom Burger–45 W. 300 North, Provo,

385-241-7499. chomburger.com. Colton Soelberg’s (Communal, etc.) low-key high-end burger place has an eye towards infusing high-quality ingredients into America’s favorite sandwich. Inexpensive, innovative and delicious burgers and shakes, as we have come to expect from Soelberg who has a knack for elevating comfort food.

Whether it's brunch, lunch, or dinner, we invite you to join us at Tifiny's!

The Foundry Grill–8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance Resort, Sundance, 866-9322295. sundanceresort.com. The café in Sundance Resort serves comfort food with western style—sandwiches, spit-roasted chickens and ­steaks. Sunday brunch is a mammoth buffet.

Station 22–22 W. Center St., Provo, 801-6071803. station22cafe.com. Ever-hipper Provo is home to some cutting-edge food now that the cutting edge has a folksy, musical saw kind of style. Station 22 is a perfect example of the Utah roots trend—a charming, funky interior, a great soundtrack and a menu with a slight Southern twang. Try the fried chicken sandwich with red cabbage on ciabatta.

567 South Valley View Dr | Saint George, UT 84770 | Phone: (435) 879-3363

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ON THE TABLE Indian

Bar Grub & Brewpubs

American Casual

Bombay House–463 N. University Ave.,

Moab Brewery–686 Main St., Moab,

Bear Paw Café–75 N. Main St., St. George,

ST. GEORGE & SOUTHWEST UTAH

George’s Corner Restaurant & Pub–2 W. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-216-

Provo, 801-373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., West Jordan, 801-282-0777; 2731 E. Parley’s Way, SLC, 801-581-0222. bombayhouse.com. Salt Lake’s biryani mainstay has several sister restaurants worthy to call family.

Italian & Pizza Màstra Italian Bakery and Bistro–476 N. 900 West, Ste. D, American Fork,

385-221-9786. mastraorders.com. Màstra is owned by a born-and-raised Italian who serves up authentic, but not snobbish, Italian food. The carbonara is the crowd favorite.

Pizzeria 712–320 S. State St., Ste. 185,

Orem, 801-623-6712. pizzeria712.com. The pizza menu reaches heights of quality that fancier restaurants only fantasize about. Not only are the blister-crusted pizzas the epitome of their genre, but braised short ribs, local mushrooms and arugula on ciabatta are equally stellar.

Vegetarian Ginger’s Garden Cafe–188. S. Main St.,

Springville, 801-489-1863. gingersgardencafe.com.

Tucked inside Dr. Christopher’s Herb Shop, Ginger’s serves truly garden-fresh, bright-flavored, mostly vegetarian dishes.

MOAB & SOUTHEAST UTAH American Dining

435-259-6333. themoabbrewery.com. A beloved watering hole for river-runners, slick-rock bikers, red-rock hikers and everyone who needs a bite and a beer, which is nearly everyone in Moab. All beer is brewed on site.

American Fine Dining Anasazi Steakhouse–1234 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George, 435-674-0095. anasazisteakhouse.com. Diners cook their own steaks and seafood on volcanic rocks at this stylish and artsy spot that also serves up fondue and cocktails.

King’s Landing–1515 Zion Park Blvd., Ste. 50-A, Springdale, 435-772-7422. klbzion.com. In the Driftwood Inn, some of the finest food and the finest view in Utah. The kitchen is ambitious—seasonal, vegan, gluten-free are all covered. Mushroom tart involves mushrooms, caramelized onions, butternut squash and grapes with burrata and basil, but the flavors meld into harmony.

Rib & Chop House–21677 S. Convention Center Dr., St. George, 435-674-1900. ribandchophouse.com/st-george-utah. Rip & Chop House is home to premium steaks, fresh seafood and baby back ribs (the local favorite). The perfect nonchalant atmosphere for quality food.

Painted Pony–2 W. St. George Blvd., Ste. 22, St. George, 435-634-1700. painted-pony.com. The kitchen blends culinary trends with standards like sage-smoked quail on mushroom risotto. Even “surf and turf” has a twist—tenderloin tataki with chiledusted scallops.

Hell’s Backbone Grill–20 N. Highway 12, Boulder, 435-335-7464. hellsbackbonegrill.com.

Owners Blake Spalding and Jen Castle set the bar for local, organic food in Utah. Now the cafe has gained national fame. They garden, forage, raise chickens and bees, and offer breakfasts, dinners and even picnic lunches.

Spotted Dog Café–428 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-0700. flanigans.com/dining.

Relax, have some vino and enjoy your achiotebraised lamb shank with mint mashed potatoes on top of rosemary spaghetti squash.

Sunglow Family Restaurant–91 E. Main St., Bicknell, 435-425-3821. This pit stop is famous for its pinto bean and pickle pies. Yes, we said pickle.

Vermillion 45–210 S. 100 East, Kanab, 435644-3300. vermillion45.com. Who would expect a fine restaurant with a French chef in Kanab? But here it is, and it’s excellent.

Mediterranean Il Posto Rosso at the Radcliffe Moab–477 S. Main St., Moab, 435-355-1085.

radcliffemoab.com/dining. Il Posto Rosso has a modern, Mediterranean-inspired menu with protein and other ingredients sourced from a variety of local farms, gardens and ranches.

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Wood•Ash•Rye–25 W. St. George Blvd., St George, 435-522-5020. theadvenirehotel.com/ wood-ash-rye-restaurant. Located in historic downtown St. George, Wood•Ash•Rye seeks out regionally sourced ingredients to curate one-of-a-kind recipes that rotate with every season.

435-900-8790. bearpawcafe.com. St. George’s favorite breakfast and lunch cafe for more than 25 years! Bear Paw Cafe is the perfect place to get breakfast at anytime of the day. Don’t forget to try the guest favorites, including belgian waffles, handcrafted pancakes, world-class french toast and fresh crepes.

7311. georgescornerrestaurant.com. This comfy nieghborhood hangout spot serves burgers and pub grub, along with regional beers.

Mom’s Café–10 E. Main St., Salina, 435-529-3921. famousmomscafe.business.site. Mom’s has fed travelers on blue plate standards since 1928. This is the place to try a Utah “scone” with “honey butter.”

Morty’s Café–702 E. St. George Blvd., St.

George, 435-359-4439. mortyscafe.com/stgeorge.

From burgers to coffee, Morty’s Cafe has just about every type of quick and fresh classic food.

Straightforward and relaxed, don’t forget to try their homemade special Morty sauce.

Oscar’s Café–948 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-3232. oscarscafe.com. Blueberry pancakes, fresh eggs, crisp potatoes and thick bacon. We love breakfast, though Oscar’s serves equally satisfying meals at other times of day.

Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen–233 W. Center St., Kanab, 435- 689-

1959. peekabookitchen.com. Complementing Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, this casual eatery serves vegetarian cuisine—artisanal pizza, local beer, craft cocktails and a rocking patio.

Red Rock Grill at Zion Lodge–Zion National Park, 435-772-7700. zionlodge.com.

Try eating here on the terrace. Enjoy melting-pot American dishes like smoked trout salad with prickly pear vinaigrette. And you can’t beat the red rock ambience.

Whiptail Grill–445 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-0283. whiptailgrillzion.com. Tucked into an erstwhile gas station, the kitchen is little, but the flavors are big—a goat cheese-stuffed chile relleno crusted in Panko and the chocolate-chile creme brulee.

Xetava Gardens Café–815 Coyote Gulch Court, Ivins, 435-656-0165. xetava.com. Blue corn pancakes for breakfast and lunch are good bets. But to truly experience Xetava, dine under the stars in eco-conscious Kayenta.

Bakeries & Cafés Tifiny’s Creperie–567 S. Valley View Dr., St. George, 435-879-3363. tifinyscreperie.com.

Enjoy the cozy dining room and the comforting, casual French cuisine, featuring classic sweet and savory crêpes.

LISTED AS ONE OF THE BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN UTAH ACCORDING TO THE DESERET NEWS

Mexican Angelica’s Mexican Grill–101 E. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-628-4399. angelicasmexicangrill.com. A bright Mexican eatery serving up traditional street food in a cozy space.

Café Sabor–290 E. St. George Blvd, St. George, 435-218-7775. cafesabor.com. Sabor boasts a warm and welcoming atmosphere with an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs work their magic. The menu includes a fusion of traditional Mexican dishes with a Southwestern twist.

The Bit and Spur–1212 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-3498. bitandspur.com. The menu stars Southwestern cuisine—ribs, beef and chicken—as well as chili verde. A longtime Zion favorite, there’s almost always a wait here, but it’s almost always a pleasant one with a view and a brew in hand.

Italian & Pizza Cappeletti’s Restaurant–36 E. Taber-

nacle St., St. George, 435-986-4119. cappelettisrestaurantstgeorge.com. A family owned Italian resturant.

With fresh homemade salami, handmade mozzarella, beef empanadas, seafood linguini and more, Cappeletti’s has been serving St. George for more than a decade.

h es fr y da . de Ma ery ove ev h l t wi

Open Mon - Sat 11am to 9pm 101 E ST. GEORGE BLVD. ST. GEORGE, UT 84770 ANGELICASMEXICANGRILL.COM | 435-628-4399

Chef Alredo’s Saint George–1110 S. Bluff St., St. George, 435-656-5000. chefalfredos. com. Authentic Italian cuisine in the heart of southeren Utah. With incredible food and outstanding servuce, Chef Alfredo’s is a must for a date night or special occasion.

The Pizza Factory–2 W. St. George Blvd.,

St. George, 435-628-1234. stgeorgepizzafactory. com. The original St. George Pizza Factory, founded in 1979, is one of the city’s main attractions. It was born of a desire to create the perfect pizza parlor, where friends and family could come together over a slice or a whole pie.

Japanese Sakura Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi–81 N. 1100 East, St. George, 435-

275-2888. sakuraut.com. The Hibachi side of the restaurant gives both dinner and a show in one, but if you’re shy about open flames, Sakura also offers tasty sushi rolls.

Southeast Asian Banana Blossom Thai Cuisine–430

E. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-879-3298. bananablossomstgeorge.com. A homey Thai restaurant that has a menu full of the classics and also offers tasty takeaway.

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Bar Fly

ACME Bar . . . . . . . . . pg. 111 Bar Listings . . . . . . pg. 112 Juniors Tavern .. . . pg. 114

lib a t i o n s / b a r s

ACME BAR IS AN ESCAPIST’S PARADISE A spirited island paradise that took over the former Campfire Lounge has shaken up Sugar House’s bar scene and awakened the imagination of Utah drinkers

BY AVREY EVANS

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

W

21 & OVER BARS Forget about navigating the state’s labyrinth of liquor laws—the bars and pubs listed here prioritize putting a drink in your hand, although most of them serve good food, too.

Restricted to 21 and over.

(Be prepared to show your I.D., whatever your age.

This is Utah, after all.)

All bars listed in the Salt Lake Bar Fly have been vetted and chosen based on quality of beverage, food, atmosphere and service.

This selective guide has no relationship to any advertising in the magazine.

Review visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by Salt Lake magazine.

HEN SAM MILLER AND MIKEY ED WA R D S came to Salt

Lake a few years back, they had a vision for a new kind of nightlife experience. Using their combined experience working in tiki bars in San Francisco and Paris, the pair set out to enlighten Utah drinkers of their vanilla ways. Of course, we weren’t completely blind to the ways of tiki cocktails, but our notions of overlysweet libations with Red Dye 40 were in dire need of an update. Miller and Edwards began hosting an educational series at Caputo’s called “Island Time,” which invited guests to learn tiki recipes and history. Apart from their classes, the duo could also be found slinging Frozen Daiquiris and Mai Tais at Water Witch. Sipping their tropical creations, the city embraced an island state of mind with open arms—but we wanted more.

In October of 2022, Miller and Edwards jumped at the chance to purchase the former Campfire Lounge in Sugar House. Partnering >>>

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BAR FLY

up with Water Witch’s Sean Neves and Scott Gardner, the group’s tropical vision began to take shape. “When we saw the space, we knew it was a cool funky building with good bones,” Miller recalls. “If you squint, you would see that it could be an immersive space that just needed some love and TLC.” With the holidays fast-approaching, the team sprung into action and wrapped the space head-to-toe in Christmas lights and ordered as much rum as their shelves would hold. The sudden flurry of activity caught a lot of attention, and Utahns’ curiosity peaked as the rundown watering hole turned into a full-blown Christmas fantasy. “Season’s Drinkings” was here.

“I think it was way more successful than any of us imagined it would be,” says Miller. “We opened the doors with 100 people in line and they kept coming non-stop.”

“Season’s Drinkings” could not have been a better introduction for ACME, but what was next? Following their holiday takeover, Miller and Edwards once again converted the space into an ephemeral concept called Suckerfish. Featuring sea creature decor, tropical sips and a small selection of bites by Nohm’s chef David Chon, the bar continued to satiate our growing penchant for tiki. At its core, Miller wants ACME to be a neighborhood tiki bar that gives guests an immersive experience. “The main ethos of Tiki is escapism, transporting you to another place and helping you forget what’s going on in the real world.” The ACME group extends that same promise of escapism to industry members, who are invited to step outside of their normal day-to-day routine and host takeovers at ACME. “Bartender exchanges were really something I wanted to bring to Salt Lake to elevate the bar culture here,” Miller explains.

ACME will remain an escapist’s paradise, but bargoers will soon have to bid adieu to the incandescent decor and lingering remnants of log cabin guise. A major renovation will take place sometime late May into June, and the owners have tall design orders. Starting with the 2,500 square foot patio, the ACME group wants to immerse guests in a modern tiki lounge. “We’re going to build each area into its own feeling and vibe,” Miller explains. “Entering the main bar will be our big tropical escape with palapa thatched roofs, fog machines, fire shows—sensory overload.” In the bar’s side room, guests will be transported to a darker, more demonic side of island life. “Think, ‘catacombs in France.’” Another important design detail, the bar won’t be relying on appropriated pacific islander culture to get the message of tiki across. “You don’t need to display carvings of a Polynesian or Maori deity to make it a tiki bar,” Edwards adds. “We want to bring Tiki into the modern lens and focus on the main ethos of Tiki—escapism.”

The renovation won’t be a small feat, but out of the ashes will no-doubt rise a welcome piece of island paradise.

IF YOU GO 837 E. 2100 South, SLC Acmebarcompany.com @acmebarco

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AC–225 W. 200 South, SLC, 385-7229600. ac-hotels.marriott.com. The Eurostyled hotel has a chic lobby bar and a secret menu of drinks inspired by movies filmed in Utah, like Dumb and Dumber and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Acme Bar Co.–837 E. 2100 South,

801-467-3325. acmebarcompany.com.

The Sugar House neighborhood now has a high-concept, pop-up, seasonal cocktail bar. While the theme and menus are ever-evolving, it is always a good time with tiki-centric drinks.

The Aerie–9320 Cliff Lodge Dr.

Ste. 88, Snowbird Resort, 801-933-2160. snowbird.com. Floor-to-ceiling windows mean drinkers can marvel at nature’s handiwork while feasting from the sushi bar. The menu is global with live music some nights.

Alibi Bar & Place–369 S. Main

St., SLC, 385-259-0616. alibislc.com. Located along SLC’s bar line on Main Street, Alibi has a sleek, hip vibe and is generally filled with happy hipsters, especially when they have theme nights.

Back Door On Edison–152

E. 200 South, SLC, 385-267-1161. backdoorslc.com. This watering hole from the owners of Laziz Kitchen serves Lebaneseinspired bar bites and has a promising cocktail menu. Try the Oaxacan Old Fashioned along with the dip sampler.

Bar X–155 E. 200 South, SLC, 801355-2287. barxslc.com. This was the vanguard of Salt Lake’s new cocktail movement, serving classic drinks and creative inventions behind the best electric sign in the city.

Beer Bar–161 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-259-0905. beerbarslc.com. Ty Burrell, star of ABC’s small-screen hit Modern Family, co-owns Beer Bar, which is right next to Bar X. It’s noisy, there’s no table service, but there are 140+ brews to choose from, plus 13 kinds of wurst.

The Bayou–645 S. State St., SLC,

801-961-8400. utahbayou.com. This is Beervana, with 260 bottled beers and 32 on draft. The kitchen turns out artichoke pizza and deep-fried Cornish game hens.

Beerhive Pub–128 S. Main St., SLC, 801-364-4268. @beerhive_pub.

More than 200 beers­­—domestic, imported and local—with a long ice rail to keep the brew cold, the way Americans like ’em, are the outstanding features of this cozy downtown pub.

The Black Sheep Bar & Grill–1400 S. Foothill Drive #166,

SLC, 801-877-9350; 1520 W. 9000 South Ste. C, West Jordan, 801-566-2561. theblacksheepbarandgrills.com. A friendly

neighborhood sports bar with a homemade American menu, 14 TVs and events almost nightly. It’s a fun place to hang with friends or cheer on your favorite team.

BTG Wine Bar–404 S. West Tem-

ple, SLC, 801-359-2814. btgwinebar.com.

BTG stands for “By the Glass” and though BTG serves craft cocktails, specialty beer and good food, the pièces de résistance are the more than 50 wines by the glass.

Order a tasting portion or a full glass.

Casot Wine + Work–1508 S.

1500 East, SLC. 801-441-2873. casotwinework.com. In a town with a dearth of neighborhood bars and bars that want to be neighborhood bars but for a lack of location in an actual neighborhood, Casot is the real deal. Located in the established 15th and 15th hood, this small wine bar is a welcome addition featuring a Spanish forward list from Pago’s Scott Evans.

Contribution Cocktail Lounge –170 S. West Temple, SLC,

801-596-1234. For an escape from the hustle of downtown, pop into the Salt Lake City Hyatt Regency hotel’s cocktail lounge, to enjoy a small bite or a drink from the thoughtful cocktail menu.

Copper Common–111 E.

Broadway #190, SLC, 801-355-0543. coppercommon.com. Copper Common is a real bar—that means you don’t actually have to order food if you don’t want to. But on the other hand, why wouldn’t you want to? This bar has a real chef.

The Cotton Bottom–2820 E. 6200 South, Holladay, 801-849-8847. thecottonbottom.com. Remember when this was a ski bum’s town? The garlic burger and a beer is what you order.

Craft By Proper–1053 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-242-7186. craftbyproper. com. Another offering from Proper Brewing, Craft is a beer snob’s dream, serving up local-only beers. You can check their rotating “On Tap” list to see if they’re pouring your favorite, and the glass coolers behind the bar are stocked full of canned and bottled options.

Dick n’ Dixie’s–479 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-994-6919. @dickndixies. The classic corner beer bar where cronies of all kinds gather regularly to watch sports, talk politics and generally gossip about the city and nothing in particular.

East Liberty Tap House–850 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-

441-2845. eastlibertytaphouse.com. Half a dozen beers on draft and 20 or more by the bottle, and the rotation changes constantly. The menu does clever takes on bar food classics.

Eight Settlers Distillery–7321 Canyon Centre

Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights, 385-9004315. eightsettlersdistillery.com. The distillery is entrenched in and inspired by the history of the Cottonwood Heights area and so are the spirits.

Take home a bottle from the store or stay and enjoy a taste of the past at the themed, on-site restaurant.

Flanker–6 N. Rio Grande, The

Gateway, SLC, 801-683-7070. flankerslc.com. A little bit sports bar, a little bit nightclub and a little bit entertainment venue, with a parlor and bowling alley, private karaoke rooms and a golf simulator.

Franklin Avenue–231 S.

Edison Street, SLC, 385-831-7560. franklinaveslc.com. A swanky restaurant and bar by the minds of Bourbon Group. The food is multicultural fusion with roots in modern American. Housemade pasta, seasonal veggies and Asian-inspired dishes are served alongside a diverse cocktail menu—and a wall-to-wall selection of whiskies.

Garage–1199 N. Beck St., SLC,

801-521-3904. garageonbeck.com.

Everyone compares it to an Austin bar.

Live music, good food and the rockingest patio in town. Try the Chihuahua, a chile-heated riff on a margarita.

The Gibson Lounge–555

S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6000. grandamerica.com. Grand America’s inimitable style is translated into a cushy but unstuffy bar, the antithesis of the current hipster style. You can actually wear a cocktail dress to this cocktail bar.

Good Grammar–69 E. Gal-

livan Ave., SLC, 385-415-5002. goodgrammar.bar. The crowds playing Jenga on the patio, the decor, full of pop celebs and heroes, and a soundtrack of eclectic old- and alt-rock, makes a space that bridges old and young imbibers.

Gracie’s–326 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-819-7565. graciesslc.com.

Play pool, throw darts, listen to live music, kill beer and time on the patio and upstairs deck. Plus, Gracie’s is a gastropub.

Green Pig–31 E. 400 South, SLC,

801-532-7441. thegreenpigpub.com.

Green Pig is a pub of a different color.

The owners use eco-friendly materials and sustainable kitchen practices. The menu star is the chili verde nachos with big pork chunks and cheese.

High West Saloon–703 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8300. highwest.com. The bartenders at Utah’s award-winning distillery concoct different cocktail menus for every season focusing on High West’s spirits, although the bar stocks other alcohol.

Post Office Place–16 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595. popslc. com. Post Office offers craft cocktails, multicultural small plates and the largest selection of Japanese whisky in the state. Ask for a “special delivery” if you’re up for a boozy adventure.

Hive 435 Taphouse–61 W.

Quarters Arcade Bar–5 E.

St. George Blvd, St. George, 435-6198435. hive435taphouse.com. Providing a service to the St. George nightlife scene, Hive 435 also serves up live entertainment, gourmet pizza, sandwiches and favorite cocktails.

Ice Haus–7 E. 4800 South, Mur-

ray, 801-266-2127. icehausbar.com.

Ice Haus has everything you need from a neighborhood bar and a purveyor of German cuisine: a wide selection of pub fare and plenty of seating in the beer-hall inspired location. The menu has a strong number of vegan options.

Lake Effect–155 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-532-2068. lakeeffectslc. com. An eclectic bar and lounge with a fine wine list and full menu. Live music many nights; open until 1 a.m.

Laurel Brasserie & Bar–

555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6708. laurelslc.com. Laurel Brasserie & Bar’s food focuses on classic European cuisine with an American approach. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the real star is the Happy Hour menu with items like Pumpkin Arancini and The Smokey Paloma cocktail.

Oyster Bar–48 W. Market St.,

SLC, 801-322-4668. marketstreetgrill. com. The nightlife side of Market Street seafood restaurant, the Oyster Bar has an is a place to begin or end an evening, with an award-winning martini and a dozen oysters—half price on Mondays.

The Pearl–917 S. 200 West, SLC. @thepearlslc. The Pearl is a hip space serving craft cocktails and Vietnamese street food, conceived by the same minds behind Alibi Bar. The menu has items like banh mi sandwiches, caramel pork belly and chicken pho.

The Pines–837 S. Main St., SLC, 801-906-8418. @thepines.slc. From the owners of Dick N’ Dixie’s, The Pines is an elevated neighborhood bar with a cool interior and even cooler bartenders. Stop by to taste their solid range of brews, or visit the bar on a weekend for a new wave discotheque.

400 South, SLC, 801-477-7047; 1045 E. 2100 South, SLC. quartersslc.com.

Nostalgic for all those Gen Xers and gamer geeks, Quarters features retro gaming pinball and a game called Killer Queen. Drink a sling—or order a La Croix with a shot poured into the can.

Rabbit Hole–155 W. 200 South,

SLC, 801-532-2068. lakeeffectslc.com.

Downstairs in Lake Effect, the gaslit Rabbit Hole takes you to a different time, especially on Wednesday nights which are devoted to jazz. The Rabbit is a real listening room—you don’t talk over or under the music. This rare respect and a top notch bar makes this a very unusual hare.

Scion Cider Bar–916 Jeffer-

son St., SLC. scionciderbar.com. Cider has often taken a back seat to its more prevalent siblings, wine and beer, but not at Scion. It’s another soon-to-be favorite bar in the Central Ninth with a wide variety of 20 hard ciders on tap.

Seabird Bar & Vinyl Room–7 S. Rio Grande, The Gate-

way, SLC, 801-456-1223. seabirdutah. com. Great little locally owned bar in the Gateway with great views, a fun little patio, friendly bartenders and more style than the place can hold.

The Rest and Bodega–331 S. Main St., SLC, 801-532-4452. bodegaslc.com. The neon sign says “Bodega;” drink a beer in the phone booth–sized front or head downstairs to the The Rest. Order a cocktail, settle into the apparently bomb-proof booklined library, or take a booth and sit at the bar.

The Shooting Star–

7350 E. 200 South, Huntsville, 801-745-2002. shooting-starsaloon.business.site. More than a century old, this is gen-you-wine Old West.

The walls are adorned with moose heads and a stuffed St. Bernard. Good luck finishing your Star Burger.

Varley–63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801203-4124. varleyslc.com. A craft cocktail bar and lounge situated right next to its companion restaurant The Ivy. The modern aesthetic pairs well with a classic cocktail and conversation.

The Vault–202 S. Main St., SLC,

801-363-5454. bambara-slc.com/the-vault. A quintessential hotel bar, with big windows overlooking pedestrian traffic. Special cocktails may be themed to what’s on stage across the street at Capitol Theatre.

Wakara Bar–480 Wakara Way,

SLC, 801-581-1000. One of the few bars on the west bench, Wakara serves craft cocktails and hosts live music, trivia nights, liquor education and even, occasionally, drag queens.

Water Witch–163 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-462-0967. waterwitchbar.com. Three of Utah’s leading bartenders join forces in this charming tiny bar. Whether you want a classic drink, a draft or glass of wine, or a cocktail custom-designed to your taste, this is the place to belly up.

Whiskey Street–323 S. Main

St., SLC, 801-433-1371. whiskeystreet. com. This stretch of Main was once dubbed “Whiskey Street” because it was lined with so many pubs and bars.

A 42-foot-long cherry wood bar encourages you to bend the elbow.

Why KiKi–69 W. 100 South,

SLC, 801-641-6115. whykikibar.com.

A tropical beach-themed club to get away at with a fruity drink in a tiki glass (or bowl!) or shake it on the dance floor.

Don’t miss Taco Tuesday or the regular drag shows.

Zest Kitchen & Bar–275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com. Zest offers hand-crafted fresh juice cocktails with the same emphasis on local and organic ingredients as the food—try an original concoction like the Straw-bubbly Lavender Martini.

Beers & Brews Bohemian Brewery–94 E. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5474. bohemianbrewery.com. Enjoy the lagers beloved by Bohemian’s owners’ Czech forebears, following the ancient Reinheitsgbot or German Purity Law. Bewilder Brewing–445 S. 400 West, SLC, 385-528-3840. bewilderbrewing.com. In a building decked out with an awesome Trent Call mural, Bewilder Brewing set up shop next to the bygone nightclub Area 51. Try the house-made sausages and a beer list that skews toward traditional German styles.

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BAR FLY IF YOU GO Junior’s Tavern 30 E. Broadway, SLC 801-322-0318

New owner Bob McCarthy at Junior’s Tavern

What’s Next for Junior’s Tavern?

New ownership raises questions about the old-school bar’s future.

BY AVREY EVANS

J

U N I O R ’ S TAV E R N has been downtown’s one true and good neigh-

borhood joint since the ’70s. It’s a place that begs you to grab a bar stool, order a beer, and settle in for above-average bar chatter, like an actual good conversation. The usual suspects sitting next to you could be gray-haired intellectuals, booted construction workers coming off shift, women stopping in for a quick fernet fix, and maybe even a few high-powered city officials and media types. A few things you won’t find? Overpriced cocktails, douchey frat brothers and snooty influencers insisting their “phone eats first.” Yep. Junior’s is a real bar, just that. And it’s earned the devotion of countless regulars, some who have been visiting for 30-plus years.

As downtown’s nightlife scene has erupted with flashy new clubs and presumptuous mixology trends, Junior’s has remained a constant. It’s such a fixture that, understandably, when owner Greg Arata announced his retirement earlier this year, Juniors’ regulars began fretting. But Arata, being Arata, wouldn’t pass the torch to just anyone. Both he and new owner Bob McCarthy insist Junior’s will remain a bar for the people.

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“It was time to call it a career,” says Arata, who has been working behind the bar since 1975 when Junior’s sat across from the old Salt Lake City Library (now the Leonardo). Forty-seven years and one move later, Arata rang up the one person he knew would maintain the spirit of Junior’s.

“In 1992 I met Greg, and I walked right up to him and said ‘I want to buy this bar,’” says new owner Bob McCarthy. “Every time I saw him for the next 20 years I asked him the same thing, it became a joke between us until he reached out to me six months ago and said, ‘OK I’m ready.’” McCarthy, who also owns Stoneground and The Garage on Beck, doesn’t take his new ownership role lightly and is quick to reassure skeptical regulars.

“I don’t want to replace Juniors’ heart and soul, and I don’t want to shock the people that have been coming here 15, 20, 30 years,” he says. “Without them, Junior’s doesn’t exist.”

McCarthy says he wants to enhance the things that make Junior’s great. “I like to unearth things, find out what used to happen there, what bands played there, what were the glory days like, and bring them back to life,” he says. While paying homage to the bar’s storied past, Junior’s will also receive some much-needed modern updates. For customers, this will look like updated bathrooms and a garagestyle entrance to the patio. But rest assured, McCarthy is running any big changes past the employees (all of which have stayed on through the transition) and the regulars at the bar corner, who’ve dubbed themselves the “North Enders.” “I’ve created the ‘North End Coalition,’” McCarthy says. “I come to them with ideas and ask their honest opinion.”

Ultimately, Junior’s will remain the same-old friendly bar for the foreseeable future, as McCarthy isn’t planning any significant changes for the next two to three years. And Arata is confident Juniors’ new ownership is a step in the right direction. “Change is hard, and takes a while to get used to,” Greg adds. “I have a lot of faith in him.” McCarthy is determined to earn that same trust from Junior’s faithful. His plan?

“For now I sit, I listen and I get everyone comfortable.” As for Arata, you’ll likely still find him posted up at the bar’s north end in the afternoon, but mostly his plan is this: “Now, I’m just gonna live!”

BOBBY JUNIOR’S Bargoers might notice an alteration to Junior’s sign in the next few months. McCarthy, whose full name is Robert McCarthy Jr., plans to add an arc above the existing signage to read “Bobby Junior’s’.” “It signifies a transition,” says McCarthy “It’s an homage to moving forward.”

Desert Edge Brewery–273

S. Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery.com. The constantly changing variety and Beer School set Desert Edge apart from all the others.

This classic Salt Lake bar (and restaurant) continues to innovate its brews.

Epic Brewing Company–825 S. State St., SLC,

801-906-0123. epicbrewing.com. Epic exclusively brews high-alcohol content beer. The brewing facility moved to Colorado, but you can still buy cold beer to-go at the taproom.

Fisher Brewing Company–320 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337. fisherbeer.com. Fisher takes its name from a brewery originally founded in 1884, but the brews and low-key atmosphere are strictly right now. One of the few in town that has cask ale occasionally.

Grid City Beer Works–333

W. 2100 South, South Salt Lake,801906-8390. gridcitybeerworks.com. Grid City does triple-duty as a pub, brewery and restaurant. They also triple the ways they serve their one-of-a-kind beers— cask, nitro or CO2. The hard seltzers are pretty tasty, too.

HK Brewing Collective–370 W. Aspen Ave.,

SLC, 801-907-0869. hkbrewing.com.

Before the HK Brewing taproom, there was Hans Kombucha, a women-founded and queer-owned brewery. Now they’re slinging ‘booch’ from their taproom and lounge, along with tasty bites.

Hopkins Brewing Company–1048 E. 2100 South,

SLC, 385-528-3275. hopkinsbrewingcompany.com. If you like craft beer served with a focus on sustainability, “The Hop” could be your new favorite watering hole. The overall vibe is a natural fit for the Sugar House scene with live music multiple nights a week.

Kiitos Brewing–608 W. 700

South, 801-215-9165. kiitosbrewing. com. A rising star, Kiitos brews are on several menus around town. But if you stop by the brewery to taste, you can play pinball, too.

Level Crossing Brewing Company –2496 S. West Temple,

South Salt Lake, 385-270-5752. levelcrossingbrewing.com. A welcoming bar and community-minded gathering place for trivia and board game night and, of course, hand-crafted beer and woodfired pizza.

Mountain West Cider–425

N. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4147. mountainwestcider.com. With handcrafted ciders ranging from dry to sweet, all named for Utah’s iconic natural features, the people at Mountain West Cider know their craft and their community.

Park City Brewing–764 Uinta Way #C1, Park City, 435-2008352. parkcitybrewing.com. Their core beers are brewed in Park City and are named for the community. The brewpub is kid-friendly, making Park City Brewing the perfect family après spot.

Prodigy Brewing–25 W.

Center Street, Logan, 435-375-3313. prodigy-brewing.com. A family-friendly brewpub, Prodigy serves an upscale twist on classic brewpub fare and beers with labels tailored to the area, like “Cached Out” Hefeweizen and “Rusty Hoe” Farmhouse Ale.

Proper Brewing Co.–857 S. Main St., 801-953-1707. properbrewingco.com. From the same proper folks who brought you the Publick House, Proper Brewery and Burgers hugely expands the brewing capacity of the original.

Red Rock Brewery–254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446. redrockbrewing.com. A longtime favorite for tippling and tasting—the pub draws on 45 recipes for its rotating selection.

RoHa Brewing Project–30 E. Kensington Ave., SLC, 385-227-8982. rohabrewing.com. A friendly local taproom in the heart of Salt Lake’s Ballpark neighborhood. This taproom offers 12 draft beers, a variety of high-points beers, local ciders, wine, canned cocktails and spirits. Enjoy the live music, a firkin and other events.

Roosters Brewing Co.–253 25th Street, Ogden, 801-627-6171. roostersbrewingco.com. A local favorite in the heart of everything Historic 25th Street in Ogden, Roosters Brewing Co. offers both a comfortable dining experience in their restaurant and a 21+ tap room. The owners are deeply involved in the community, and that love shows in their drinkable beers and reliable American pubfare.

Saltfire Brewing–2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-9550504. saltfirebrewing.com. Located in a distilling and brewery hub of South Salt Lake, SaltFire has grown alongside its contemporaries, bringing a punk/metal edge and the tongue-in-cheek labels of its tasty craft brews, including “crushable” collaborations with the Heavy Metal Shop.

Salt Flats Brewing Co.–2020 Industrial Circle, SLC, 801-

828-3469. saltflatsbeer.com. Born in a garage—the Garage Grill to be exact— Salt Flats’ drinkable beers each takes its name from racing and motorsports culture. This is beer brewed to celebrate the racecar driver in all of us.

Shades Brewing–154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, 435-2003009. shadesbrewing.beer. A momand-pop brewery supplying many local restaurants—check the website—stop by their tap room.

Squatters/Wasatch–147 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-2739; 2110 Highland Dr., SLC, 801-783-1127; 1763 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-466-8855. saltlakebrewingco.com. Salt Lake’s original breweries merged to form Utah Brewers Cooperative and are now in the hands of Salt Lake Brewing Company. Squatters and Wasatch are the most popular watering holes in Salt Lake.

Dented Brick Distillery–3100 S. Washington

St., South Salt Lake, 801-883-9837. dentedbrick.com. Steeped in history, Dented Brick spirit start with water from a local artesian well. The driller of the well is also the distillery’s namesake. Try their handcrafted, signature vodka, rye, gin and rum in a scheduled tasting.

Hammer Spring Distillers–3697 W. 1987 South,

SLC, 801-599-4704. hammerspring. com. The distillery makes a variety of spirits, including vodka, gin, coffee liqueur and whiskey. Tours and tastings are available.

Holystone Distilling–207

W. 4860 South, Murray, 385-800-2580. holystonedistilling.com. Holystone is a small batch distillery, maker of an 114-proof gin, a grape-based vodka, Utah’s first legal absinthe and first Shochu. Tastings and tours are available by appointment.

Talisman Brewing Company–1258 Gibson Ave.,

Ogden’s Own Distillery–615 W. Stockman Way,

TF Brewing–936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-270-5972. tfbrewing.com. TF stands for Templin Family. Brewmaster Kevin Templin has a long history in Salt Lake’s beer scene. Expect meticulously made German-style beer and don’t miss game night.

Outlaw Distillery–552 W. 8360 South, Midvale, 801-706-1428. outlawdistillery.com. Outlaw makes rum, spiced rum, white whiskey, whiskey and Outlaw moonshine. Distillery tours available.

Ogden, 385-389-2945. talismanbrewingco.com. Talisman’s friendly tap room has 18 beers on tap, and you can pick up your own cans and growlers to take home. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food or order from a nearby restaurant. Dog friendly.

Uinta Brewing Company–1722 S. Fremont Dr.,

Ogden, 801-458-1995. ogdensown.com.

Ogden’s Own brings fun and passion with its labels, the most well-known of which is their award-winning Five Wives Vodka. Craft cocktails tailored to their spirits are served at their on-site cocktail bar, Side Bar.

Simplicity Cocktails, LLC–335 W. 1830 South, SLC, 801-

SLC, 801-467-0909. uintabrewing.com.

Founder Will Hamill says, “We make beer. Period.” Uinta produces certified organic beers and beer in corked bottles.

210-0868. drinksimplicity.com. Are you “ready-to-drink” craft cocktails and spirits? At Simplicity Cocktails, they follow one motto: keep it simple. When your product tastes that good, there’s no need to overcomplicate. Tastings are available at Simplicity’s Micro Lab.

Distilleries & Tasting Rooms

Sugar House Distillery–2212 S. West

Beehive Distilling–2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-2590252. beehivedistilling.com. Perhaps best known for their Jack Rabbit Gin, Beehive Distilling also serves up craft cocktails from not just a tasting room, but a full bar.

Clear Water Distilling Co.–564 W. 700 South, Ste. 401,

Pleasant Grove, 801-997-8667. clearwaterdistilling.com. Utah County’s lone distillery is doing the Lord’s work in bringing that part of Utah equally singular spirits. Tastings/tours are available.

Temple, #14, SLC, 801-726-0403. sugarhousedistillery.net. Sugar House’s distillers have a keen eye for detail, and ingredients for their spirits are sourced locally whenever possible. Everything goes down smooth. Open for tours and tastings.

Waterpocket Distillery–2084 W. 2200 South,

West Valley City, 801-382-9921. waterpocket.co. Waterpocket’s spirits are often fresh takes on old favorites or venturing into entirely new territory.

Tours and tastings are available by appointment.

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Salt Lake magazine’s 2023 Dining Awards February 27, 2023, The Local Market & Bar, Photos by Natalie Simpson / Beehive Photography

1 Jen Castle, Blake Spalding from Hell’s Backbone Grill and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall 2 Ernest Peters (left), Edgar Monterde 3 The Pearl’s Tommy Nguyen, Kelsey Terrell, Chase Worthen 4 Brad Nichles, Ashley Dove, Doug Gerpheide 5 Didi Saiki, Max Nelson 6 James Derrickson 7 Copper Common’ s Clint Hollingsworth, Brendan Kawakami

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SOCIAL

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8 Janette Erickson from Salt Lake magazine, Dominique Anderson 9 Faith Scheffler and Margo Provost from Log Haven 10 Brooke Clark, McCall Gray 11 Mary Bernedo, Pablo Moreno, Marcia Moreno 12 Salt Lake magazine Editor Jeremy Pugh 13 Jen Castle (Hell’s Backbone), Ali Sabbah (Mazza), Blake Spalding (Hell’s Backbone) 14 Calli & Hayes Broadhead

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Assistance League of Salt Lake City 2022 Women of Distinction Luncheon October 10, 2022, Photos by Lars Erickson

1 LouAnne and June Foster 2 Ci Ci Compton, Ann Hoffman, Tristen McDonald 3 The Bad Ass Coffee Company and friends of Ann Hoffman (Center) 4 Lars Erickson, Steve Dwyer, Ann Hoffman, Ci Ci Compton 5 Mary Nickels, Ashanti Yungai 6 Betty Thomas, Katie Thomas, Michelle Interdonato

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FIELD GUIDE

The Utah Lottery

Many will play and few will win, but the reward for winning the Utah hiking permit lottery is priceless

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O , W E K N O W. Utah doesn’t

have a conventional lottery where people can win something as mundane as money. Otherwise, Utahns wouldn’t be rushing over the border to Evanston, Wyo. every time the Powerball Jackpot climbs over $1 billion.

But there is a lottery that you can play right here in the Beehive State, with a prize you can’t put a value on: a rare, coveted permit to enjoy Utah’s most exceptional, pristine trails and (almost) untouched landscapes.

Limiting the number of visitors through a lottery process helps preserve and protect these national treasures by preventing damage to the natural landscape, so more visitors can enjoy them for years to come.

But, we’re not going to lie…it’s kind of a pain. You can’t just walk into a gas station or convenience store, pick out some numbers and buy a ticket.

Zion National Park has three popular hiking areas that require separate dayuse permits which can only be acquired through various online lottery and drawing systems and can require planning your

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trip up-to three months in advance (only to have it all fall through if you don’t win): The Virgin River Narrows, a 16-mile hike through dizzying slot canyons and the Virgin River; Angels Landing, a tricky 5.4-mile round-trip hike on a trail cut out of solid red rock up 1,488 feet to the top of a rock formation and breathtaking views of the park; and The Subway, a 9-mile roundtrip hike through a uniquely tunnelshaped slot canyon that requires hikers to wade in knee-deep water and scramble over large boulders.

The most coveted of all permits is to hike The Wave in the BLM’s Coyote Buttes North area, which, as locals tell it, it’s the hardest permit to get. It’s also pretty tough to get there, too, even if you have a permit. The hike to the Wave, a stunning and colorful sandstone formation evocative of its namesake, is a demanding 6.4 mile round-trip. Each day of the season (Spring–Fall), of the thousands of people applying only 64 visitors can get a permit. Of the people planning four months in advance, 48 of them

are picked ahead of time through the online lottery system, but—for the true risk-seeking gamblers—16 people can get permits in the daily lottery. Those folks travel all the way to the Utah-Arizona border, two days before the day they want to hike, and go all-in just hoping their number comes up.

Even with the best laid plans, we’re gambling on quite a bit when we hop in our cars and head to Southern Utah for an excursion in the great outdoors. We have to factor in the trickiness of reserving a high-demand campground, getting a timed entry slot for the National Park itself, and finding (legal) parking. And this time of year, inclement weather and flash flooding could close just about any trail in or around Zion or Arches the day you’re scheduled to hike it. And no, you can’t reschedule and there are no refunds.

Once you calculate all of that…Who are we kidding? Those odds are still way better than the odds of winning the actual lottery and, for some, the rewards are much greater.

ILLUSTRATION JENNIFER TERRY

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

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