Indulge in Black Desert Resort, Greater Zion’s soon-to-open, family-friendly, luxury destination. Utah residents can now book rates from $199/night and enjoy a $50 daily resort credit for dining, shopping, or spa indulgence.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
ON THE COVER
Elliott (Utah Valley University) during aerial training at the 2024 FIS World Cup Deer Valley. (Photo: @steven_kornreich/@usskiteam)
FEATURES
54
OLYMPIC LEGACY
BY CHRISTIE PORTER
The 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics changed the game. Now, Utah prepares to host the world for a second time, but Utah’s Olympic legacy began long before 2002...with a farm boy from Parowan, Utah.
62 WINTER IN PICTURES
BY CHELSEA RUSHTON
We asked local photographers for photographic reflections on winter in Utah. We received photographs of memorable adventures, inspiring landscapes and personal moments.
68
RESTAURANTS THAT STAY
BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
Restaurants are hard. And it’s hard to watch your favorite spot close its doors. So, we wanted to share the stories of local restaurants that have adapted, moved, transformed or doubled down to stay in business.
Karenna
The man-made Ice Castles in Midway, Utah draw families from all over.
Germanfest.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
17 the hive
BY SALT LAKE STAFF
We have tips for winter skin care, a cannot-miss food crush from a hot new joint and where to find Mars in Utah.
37 adventures
BY SALT LAKE STAFF
This winter, Epic Pass holders should cheat on Utah resorts with a trip to Whistler Blackcomb. We won’t tell.
77 around the state
BY SALT LAKE STAFF
Discover why Ogden has a raucous Germanfest every January, complete with authentic food and music.
83 on the table
BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
Warm up this winter with these favorite hot, spicy dishes.
101 after dark
BY AVREY EVANS
Where to find 120-plus wines in one place, and what’s the deal with Utah’s rare bottle lottery?
112 last page
BY CHRISTIE PORTER
Why does Utah love the Olympics more than anyone else?
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE AND MEDSPA
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Hormone Replacement • IV-Therapy • Facials • Chemical
Peels • TED Hair Restoration • Laser Hair Removal
Evolve Body Contouring • PRP • Intense Pulse Light
IN 2002, I was a desk editor at The Herald Journal in Logan. The paper sent a small crew—a photographer and two writers—who ran around like maniacs for the 17 days of the XIX Olympiad event and worked out of a cheap motel room in Midvale. Back up to Logan, we packed up their stories and scoured the wires for anything we could localize. “Math teacher from Mt. Logan Middle School gets hit with bobsled debris while volunteering at Olympics.” That sort of thing. I was in the stands for the short-track skating where Apolo Anton Ohno popped into the national spotlight after a specular pile-up crash on the final turn of the 1,000-meter race cost him the gold. (“OH NO!” was the headline in The Herald Journal.) While that was a memorable moment, what I remember most about those 17 days was how I barely recognized the city I had grown up in. The streets teemed with revelry as the mob of fans from around the world just seemed to overpower, Utah’s straight-laced norms. It was like a pack of kids begging a Mom: “Can we stay up late just this once? PLEASE. PLEASE.” And Mom was like, “Oh. OK. But don’t forget you have piano lessons tomorrow.”
The 2002 Winter Olympics cast aside the veil and shone a light on it all—Mormons, gentiles; sinners and saints—at the base of a vast outdoor playground. And we never really went back. In this issue our managing editor Christie Porter has compiled a look at Utah’s Olympic history, which you’ll be surprised to learn goes all the way back to 1912 and a young man named Alma from Parowan, Utah, and the lasting impact the Olympics made (“Building an Olympic Legacy,” p. 54). As we look back, we look forward to the nine-year run-up to the next Winter Games. We can all agree that 2002 changed Utah and it is wondrous to imagine what 2034 will look like.
Hopefully, I can score tickets to the short-track skating.
Jeremy Pugh
FOODCRUSH LYD I A’S Filet and Marrow Tartare
At Felt Bar and Eatery on Main Street
BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
WFOOD CRUSH:
[foōd KRUSH] noun.
An intense infatuation with a specific dish or meal, to the point where an individual thinks about it all the time and may drool a little when it crosses their mind. For example, her food crush on tacos was well known, to the point that everyone knew if you gave her tacos, she would be happy.
ELCOME TO MY LATEST FOOD CRUSH, where I highlight local dishes that stand out because they’re one-of-a-kind, the best execution of a classic, delightfully retro comfort food or simply so delicious they’re impossible to forget. Much like a real crush, these plates live rent-free in my head. I love proteins in the raw, from sushi to carpaccio and tartare. With minimal ingredients and a beautiful presentation, I love getting to the actual (ahem) bare-bones flavors that come with a simple raw dish. But barebones differs from what you’ll find in my latest food crush. Felt Bar and Eatery’s filet and marrow tartare is served on the bone. And it is anything but simple and exceptionally crush-worthy.
Felt is the hot new urban bar that arrived on Main Street in Salt Lake City last year. Appropriately named after the building where it resides in the Felt Building, the interior wraps you in black ceilings, warm wood, leather, and concrete. With Utah culinary veterans Richard Romney, formerly of Takashi and Post Office Place, and Travis Herbert, the former corporate chef for Fleming’s, this gem of a watering hole has quickly become a must-visit. The biggest reason to visit Felt again and again is for their unique take on the classic steak tartare. Most tartare dishes are made with top round or sirloin and are ground or chopped fine. Instead, at Felt, they use the filet, the tenderest part of the tenderloin, and do a rough chop.
Roasted bone marrow is mixed in as the binder rather than the usual raw egg yolk. It makes for a rich flavor and a smooth mouthfeel. The bone marrow dresses up the filet with a butter-like beefy essence that catapults the dish into an entirely new territory.
Lest the dish become too hefty, Chef Herbert mixes in a house-made beer mustard as a tangy counterpoint. Fried capers add some brine and a much-appreciated crunch. Finally, toast points with charred grill marks are the delivery method to get meat to mouth.
The table pairing for the bone marrow tartare is the fresh torched sablefish. The smokiness from the ever-so-slight char stands up to the bold flavors in the beef. Think of sablefish as the salmon of whitefish—luxuriously fatty and oh-sodelicious. The four generous slices at Felt Eatery and Bar were expertly kissed by a blowtorch, a common technique at sushi bars. What was uncommon at Felt Eatery and Bar was the yuzu ponzu, mango miso dotting the plate, and the cucumber wasabi sauce. I generally avoid wasabi when eating sablefish—it can overpower the delicate sweetness of the fish itself. The perfect foil to the heat of the wasabi is the blended-in cucumber to make a sauce rather than an aggressive dab of green.
PHOTO BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
Most tartare dishes are made with top round or sirloin. At Felt, they use the filet, the tenderest part of the tenderloin, and do a rough chop.
Just Checking in. How’s Your Skin this Winter?
Five tips for winter skin maintenance
BY MAKALA SANTANA
TAKING CARE
of your skin in the dry, cold winter months is a big task. Luckily, local expert and Coco Art & Spa owner Amy Hartman has swooped in to share tips, tricks and product recommendations for preventing damage, healing and caring for your skin, which can be especially problematic during winter months.
NO. 1: SUNSCREEN AND HYDRATION
“My number one rule for winter skin maintenance is sunscreen and hydration.” Hartman mentions these two things in unison to combat the misconception that sun exposure decreases during the winter. To boost hydration and protect against sun damage, Hartman recommends Image Skincare Sunscreen and Solar Gel.
NO. 2: VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS
Taking a vitamin D supplement can be beneficial to your skin. Hartman explains that a “high number of Utahns are Vitamin D deficient… Talking it over with your provider and maybe checking a lab to see where your level is, is really important since all Vitamin D is absorbed through the skin.”
NO. 3:
COOL IT WITH THE HOT SHOWERS
In the winter it can be a habit to turn up the temperature in your shower, “Extremely hot showers can also strip away our skin’s natural oils.” Hartman suggests taking nice-warm showers, but not to overdo it with the heat; and that goes for when we’re washing our hands, too.
NO. 4: GIVE YOUR HANDS A FACIAL
Dry, cracked hands are a common occurrence during the winter. Hartman suggests giving your mitts a boost
with a hand facial. After cleansing, use a serum like the Vital C from Image Skincare which will “noticeably lock in hydration with the use of hyaluronic acid and reduce fine lines and wrinkles,” says Hartman. Then, follow up with a moisturizer. Coco Art & Spa carries the entire Image Skincare Vital C line and is used in their 50-minute Vital C Hydrating Facial; all facials and manicures come with a hand treatment.
NO. 5: SERUMS INSTEAD OF LOTIONS
For those who hate the thick, sticky feel of lotions, Hartman suggests swapping out for a serum instead. “It won’t leave any irritating residue, and will get absorbed faster into your skin.” Her go-to product is Osea Undaria Algae Oil.
VITAL C hyrdating hand and body lotion. $42. imageskincare.com
Undaria Algae Body Oil. $52. oseamalibu.com
MARTIANS WALK AMONG US
Why are people playing Martian in the Utah desert?
BY JEREMY PUGH
MARS HAS ALWAYS been called the red planet, and it’s easy to see why with one look through a telescope. It’s also held a certain mystique, because for years we’ve been told that Mars is the planet most like Earth. And Utah is the place on Earth most like Mars. (Look at all that red rock.)
So it seems appropriate that the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) is located just outside Hanksville, near the massive area of rock formations and deep canyons called the San Rafael Swell. The project is co-operated by the Mars Institute and SETI Institute, and NASA provides part of its funding.
as if it were the Ghost Dunes of Noctis Labyrinthus. Beyond the otherworldly landscape that drew these would-be Martians to central Utah, the state long has had a connection to space exploration.
Dr. Bonnie Baxter, professor of biology at Westminster College in Salt Lake City and director of Westminster’s Great Salt Lake Institute, collaborated with the space program. Baxter’s work studying the microbiology of the Great Salt Lake caught the attention of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. Baxter studies the transition of the ancient progenitor of the Great Salt Lake, Lake Bonneville, into the salty remnant that exists today.
A glimpse of what’s out there (right here)
The MDRS researchers even have an all-terrain vehicle (Mars will test the limits of the term “all-terrain”) to explore. Designed by Polaris, the electric ATV, piloted by suited-up Martian explorers, occasionally can be seen crawling around the rocks of the San Rafael Swell.
The “astronauts” in Hanksville never leave the Earth; their job is to simulate what life could be like if and when humans ever get to Mars. They field-test dwellings and figure out how to grow food in what they hope will be Mars-friendly greenhouses, and try to answer all kinds of practical questions that will come up for explorers in a truly otherworldly environment. The “crew members” are deployed for two- to three-week missions.
Driving by the site, you can occasionally glimpse these earthbound Martians, suited up for space and exploring the Utah landscape
Mars on Earth
In February of 2021, the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover landed on Mars at Jezero Crater, an ancient lake bed.
The Great Salt Lake Institute aided JPL scientists in developing special equipment for Perseverance to help with its mission of seeking out ancient life and collecting samples for a possible return to Earth.
What: The Mars Desert Research Station (MRDS) Where: Just north of Route 24, Hanksville, Utah
Fun fact: The first Mars simulation project was situated in the Haughton Impact Crater in Northern Canada. More projects are planned for Europe and Australia.
Learn more: Visit mdrs.marssociety.org
One of the MDRS habitats where researchers simulate extended life on Mars (in Utah).
The “astronauts” in Hanksville never leave the Earth; their job is to simulate what life could be like if and when humans get to Mars.
THE OLYMPIC RINGS
The Utah company behind symbols of Olympic glory
BY JEREMY PUGH
IN THE RUN-UP TO the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games, you may recall, there was a large flap surrounding the bidding campaign to bring the Games to Utah. During that turbulence, public support for the Games waned. One local company, O.C. Tanner, played a special part in keeping them on track. And it was, as they say, the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
“Our CEO worked behind the scenes with Olympic leadership and our board to commit a sizable chunk of our charitable donations to the United States Olympic Committee,” says Sandra Christensen, the Vice President of O.C. Tanner’s Awards Division. The donation would be manifest in three familiar Olympic denominations: bronze, silver and gold. O.C. Tanner produced and donated the
Following the success of the 2002 Games, O.C. Tanner’s Awards Division was tapped to design the commemorative rings each U.S. athlete receives for making Team USA. Now, going on 13 Olympics, the company has presented more than 10,000 rings to every U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete who makes Team USA.
The rings, Christensen says, become a vital part of the athlete’s Olympic journey.
“It is the one thing they are guaranteed if they make Team USA,” she says. “Making the team itself is a huge accomplishment and this ring acknowledges that. Not all of the athletes will make the podium and earn a medal, but they all get their ring.”
Veteran athletes who have made Team USA for multiple Games strive to “collect all five,” Christensen says. “So they have one ring for every finger.”
medals for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The 2002 gold and silver medals were the heaviest Olympic medals ever created and, for the first time in Olympic history, the medals were varied for each sport, featuring 16 unique artists’ renderings of the various snow sports featured in the Games. Thus began a legacy of partnership between O.C. Tanner and the USOC (now the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee—USPOC).
Two years ago, snowboarding legend Shaun White told GQ Sports that his first Team USA ring (he has five total), earned when he was just 19 years old, is one of the 10 things he can’t live without. (Note to Shaun: If the rings are lost, O.C. Tanner will replace them.)
“Not a lot of athletes are going to carry their medals around,” Christensen chuckles. “So the ring becomes this subtle reminder for them and something they cherish.”
For more visit octanner.com
The Team USA rings are sized for each athlete and they can be customized with personalized touches.
For the past 13 Olympic Games, O.C. Tanner has provided each member of Team USA with commemorative rings. The rings become a cherished keepsake.
PHOTOS
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1. Croissant Gold stud earrings, available at Flight Clothing Boutique, $45, flightclothingboutique.com 2. Pink sequin dress available at A La Mode, $60, @alamodeslc 3. Molded Heart Bag in Star Gold by Simon Miller, available at The Collective Park City, $348, thecollectiveatparkcity.com 4. Sam Edelman Hazel Pointed Toe Pump in gold, available at Nordstrom, $150, nordstrom.com
Sundance Style
BY CHELSEA RUSHTON
PHOTOS BY KIMMY HAMMONS
Luxury townhomes featuring spacious RV garages, nestled in a gated community complete with two pools, hot tubs, playground, pickleball courts and miles of trails and BLM directly behind the community. Short-term rental approved. Perfect for vacation rentals at the base of majestic red mountains.
The Will of the People?
Leaders in the Utah State Legislature tried to take away the right of voters to shape their government. Utah Justices checked the effort, but the 2025 Legislative Session will bring more attempts to seize power from the people.
2025 Legislative Session ends: FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2025
Track bills and find your representative at le.utah.gov
THIS LAST NOVEMBER, Amendment D appeared on the ballot but votes “for” or “against” it were never counted. The Utah Courts ruled the language on the ballot was deceptive and voided the amendment. How that misleading text ended up on the November ballot and how it could have undermined the will of the people goes back to another ballot in 2018.
Enshrined in the Utah Constitution is the right for Utahns to reform their government through ballot initiatives. “In 2018, they exercised that right to try and get rid of gerrymandering, which plagues our state and makes it so that many voters have no tangible say in their representation,” says Katie Wright of Better Boundaries, an organization that supported 2018’s Proposition 4, which Utah voters passed. Rather than respecting the vote, the Republican majority in the Utah State Legislature repealed the measure, weakened the Independent Redistricting Commission created by the proposition and, instead, drew their own voting district maps.
The League of Women Voters of Utah and partners then sued the legislature, asserting
House Speaker Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) at the August 2024 special session where they passed S.B. 4003.
that the legislature’s Congressional maps were illegal. “We believe that every voter should have a voice,” says Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah. “What the Legislature did diluted other voices. If you divide Salt Lake County into four different Congressional Districts that go down to Southern Utah, you’re not only diluting the voices of urban Utah, but you are diluting the voices of rural Utah.”
While the District Court still has not yet ruled on the redistricting process itself, in August 2024, the Utah Supreme Court did rule that the Legislature violated the state constitution by repealing and replacing a citizen initiative. The unanimous Justice opinion read, “We hold that the people’s right to alter or reform the government through an initiative is constitutionally protected from government infringement, including legislative amendment, repeal, or replacement of the initiative in a manner that impairs the reform enacted by the people.”
Legislative leadership responded immediately to the ruling. “We were surprised at their reaction, which I will call hysterical,” says Biele.
The Legislature called itself into emergency Special Session (a relatively new power that once was held only by the Governor), and lawmakers passed S.B. 4003, the bill that put Amendment D on the ballot.
Senate President J. Stuart Adams (R-Layton) and House Speaker Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) claimed the amendment “prohibits foreign entities from contributing to ballot propositions,” and that “The initiative process will remain unchanged.”
In actuality, Amendment D would amend the constitution to allow the Legislature to repeal and replace
voter-backed initiatives, in effect weakening the ability of citizens to shape their own government.
“It’s too bad because they [the legislature] need to just calm down and remember who they represent,” says Biele. “They represent the people of Utah.”
The Utah Courts voided the amendment because the language on the ballot neglected to inform voters of what was at stake.
(Adams and Schultz drafted the Amendment D ballot language under a 2024 law that took that responsibility once held by the legislative general counsel.)
With their power once again checked by the judicial branch, the same lawmakers could try to retaliate during the upcoming 2025 Utah Legislative Session.
“We know that our judiciary is going to be under attack because legislative leadership has been saying that out loud,” says Wright.
“Their response has been to degrade our judiciary system. And we think that that’s really dangerous.”
Biele fears legislative leadership will
continue to erode the current merit-based system for judiciary appointments.
“We actually have a very good system right now,” she says. “Nothing is perfect, but it’s a good system. And then we have a retention election every three to five years for all of the judges.”
Legislative leadership could also try for another amendment like Amendment D.
“We expect that we will see bills this legislative session that try to undermine that constitutional right to ballot initiative,” says Wright.
“And we’re going to fight really hard against that.”
The League of Women Voters will be physically at the Capitol every day of the session. Citizens can track online the bills introduced on the Hill using the legislative session website and call their representatives and tell them how they want them to vote. Biele implores the public, “Please be educated on what is happening up there.”
Redistricting challenge
The anti-gerrymandering case of the League of Women Voters against the Utah State Legislature is currently in the Third District Court. “The district court will figure out how to redistrict,” says Katharine Biele. The district court could take several different paths, including accepting one of the Congressional District three maps proposed by the Independent Redistricting Commission. Regardless of what the District Court decides, it could be some time before they have a decision. Biele says, “We won’t have new districts one way or the other before 2026.”
Better Boundaries protest at the Utah State Capitol Senate President J. Stuart Adams at an August 2024 press conference on the bill that would become Amendment D
Jim Bradley was your voice in Salt Lake County government for nearly 30 years.
Jim and his family thank you for your support that made this legacy of service possible.
TAKING ABILITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL
The National Ability Center welcomes its new CEO and more opportunity to make recreation accessible to everyone
BY JEREMY PUGH
FThe NAC serves more than 5,000-6,000 individuals a year in its programs.
ROM HIS EARLY YEARS, Willie Ford unknowingly set on a path that would lead him to the helm of the National Ability Center, a program founded 40 years ago around a kitchen table in Park City by Pete Badewitz and Meeche White. From those modest beginnings, the NAC has grown into a major national resource to provide profound life-changing outdoor experiences for people of all abilities. Ford essentially grew up at Holderness School, a small private boarding school in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. His father was the dean, math teacher and football coach, and his mother coached the ski team.
“I saw what a positive impact living in a campus community dedicated to outdoor recreation can lead to,” he says. “I always at some point I’d be doing something along those lines.”
That early inspiration observing the rewarding work his mother and father undertook as teachers, coaches and mentors would become a fundamental touchstone for Ford.
After college at the University of New Hampshire where he was a two-time All-American member of the ski team (thanks, Mom), he found his way to the outdoor gear biz. First as the co-founder of Givego, a company that connects athletes with professional coaches, as well as Cake, a Scandinavian maker of premium lightweight electric motorcycles, and POC, a Swedish company known best for its iconic goggles. Thirteen years ago, POC was acquired by Utah’s own Black Diamond and Ford happily found himself in Park City.
The NAC celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It was founded in 1985.
“I’ll always be a New Englander at heart, but out here the snow is lighter and the sun is brighter,” he says of the move.
Ford always found himself drawn toward the experiences that had informed his early life. Like the High Fives Foundation, an adaptive sports organization in Truckee, Calif., where Ford was a volunteer and a board member. At High Fives he gravitated toward working with Military to the Mountains program that wounded veterans experience skiing and snowboarding.
“I understand the impact that outdoor experience can deliver,” he says. “When I heard about the NAC, I always thought I would love to be a part of that organization. When the word on the street was that the CEO position was open. It hit me like a bolt of lightning.”
After an extensive search, the NAC tapped Ford for the job last summer.
“We have a big responsibility,” he says. “Helping individuals get outside their comfort zone, and leave with confidence, inspiration and self-esteem, proud of what they accomplished. That’s just part of it. So many families tell us that ‘my son or daughter felt completely invisible until they came to the NAC.’ There is so much massive potential for us, and our team finds ways to unlock these huge human hearts.”
HELPING INDIVIDUALS GET OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE, AND LEAVE WITH CONFIDENCE, INSPIRATION AND SELFESTEEM, PROUD OF WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED. THAT’S JUST PART OF IT...”
Willie Ford and his dog Rudy at The Hub Recreation Center at the National Ability Center in Park City.
TRAVEL
Whistler Blackcomb is an iconic, worldfamous ski destination. And for Utahns with an Epic Pass, it is well within reach for an international ski adventure.
GETTING THERE
Ride the Sea-To-Sky Highway
Whistler Blackcomb is about a two-hour drive north from Vancouver. While renting a car is an option, take a shuttle: You’ll want to sightsee along the well-named Sea-to-Sky Highway. Whistler Connection (whistlerconnectiontravel. com) offers airport transfers to stops in both Creekside and Whistler villages, meet-and-greet services, and more. Make like James Bond and book a helicopter (blackcombhelicopters.com)
This will have you in Whistler in a mere 30 minutes (with some detours for the scenery) but, ouch, it’s about $4,500 (one-way). However you get to Whistler, it’s easy to get around here. Go old school and utilize the area’s reliable cab services. Bonus: The local drivers are a colorful lot who speak the Queen’s English with a thick Canadian brogue. Nice one, eh?
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB (ON
THE DOWN LOW)
For Epic pass holders, the temptation of Whistler is hard to resist
BY JEREMY PUGH
WITH SOME OF THE
WORLD’S GREATEST SKI
RESORTS right here in the Wasatch Range, Utahns can be forgiven for a lack of curiosity about skiing elsewhere. Why would we think about other resorts? But let’s not pretend that we don’t have a wandering eye from time to time. Be honest, you’ve said the word, maybe over beers at the Corner Store after a day on Park City side, leaning in, whispering across the table: “Whistler.” Just saying it feels like you’re cheating, right?
Nevertheless, you find yourself dreaming of Canadian ridgelines, poutine and ice-cold Molsons. And this is OK. Go ahead and leave that Snowbird season pass dangling on the key peg, grab your Epic pass and slip away to Vancouver for a rendezvous with the mighty mountains of British Columbia. After landing in Vancouver, it’s only a two-hour drive on the Sea-to-Sky Highway (see sidebar) into the Fitzsimmons Range, where you’ll quickly be sitting in front of a roaring fire in your
pied-à-terre in one of Whistler’s two base villages, a trail map spread out before you. Whistler is really Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, and all the space between its two massive, namesake peaks. All told, it’s the largest ski area in North America (sorry, Park City). From the lowest base area at the resort, Creekside Village, the ascent to the top is dramatic: A gondola and lift take you from 2,140 feet above sea level to Whistler Mountain’s 7,156foot summit. (Blackcomb Peak’s summit is even higher, nearly 8,000 feet, but isn’t served by a lift.)
From Whistler Mountain’s summit, you’ll have the entirety of the Fitzsimmons Range laid out at your feet. Most of what you’re looking at is Garibaldi Provincial Park, a wilderness area unsullied by the development and luxury cabins that increasingly junk up alpine scenery in the United States. Where you go from here is up to you, but, with 200 marked
runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls and three glaciers to explore, there’s no shortage of options.
Don’t worry, Utah never needs to know.
GET YOUR ART AND ARCHITECTURE ON
Apart from the quad-burning ski days that are the center of this visit, you’ll want to make sure you don’t miss the Audain Art Museum (audainartmuseum.com). Home of a fascinating collection of First Nation artworks, as well as contemporary works by Canadian artists, the 56,000-square-foot building designed by architect John Patkau is itself a work of art. The Audain is a mustsee along Whistler’s Cultural Connector (whistler.ca), a scenic path that links six of the ski village’s major cultural institutions. On your stroll, also stop into the Maury Young Arts Centre (artswhistler.com), the home of Arts Whistler, a gallery and hub of local artistic and cultural activity. Check the center’s calendar before you visit to find activities for all ages. The Whistler Museum (whistlermuseum.org ) gives a funky, fun rundown of the timeline from Whistler’s start as a tiny fishing village to its Olympic glory days. Also along the Cultural Connector, you’ll find two notable works of public art—Susan Point’s
bronze sculpture, A Timeless Circle, and James Stewart’s Jeri, a compelling figure study of a Brazilian Capoeira fighter ready to spring into action.
BRING IT HOME
Amid the usual resort suspects—gear and T-shirt shops—are some one-off gems, literally in the case of Keir Fine Jewellery (keirfinejewellery.com). The boutique jewelry store specializes in inspired settings for Canadian diamonds and other stones. If you do find yourself with a hankering for gear, pop into the Whistler Blackcomb Outlet Store in the main village; it requires digging through its racks but finding a deal on something Gortex is part of the fun. Plaza Galleries (plazagalleries.com) is that ski town gallery that offers an eclectically curated selection of work by international artists that you won’t find in Utah.
PLAY
Most of your time will surely be spent exploring the vast resort you came to Canada to ski, and there is a lot to explore. Break it down into smaller chunks by joining one of the free mountain tours given daily on each of the two peaks. The colorful volunteers who lead the tours are Whistler lifers who will ensure that you see the best each mountain offers (whistlerblackcomb.com). For a break from downhill skiing, book a self-guided snowshoeing or cross-country ski excursion with Cross Country Connection (crosscountryconnection.ca). Or join a guided zip line, snowmobile or snowshoe tour with The Adventure Group (tagwhistler.com). Finally, ditch the gear and the cold completely and book (in advance) an afternoon or evening at Scandinave Spa (scandinave.com). This place is no joke—very hot and very cold pools sit in a beautiful garden dotted with cozy chill-out rooms where you can catch your breath.
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is part of Whislter’s Cultural Connector trail.
(TOP DOWN) PHOTO BY YANIK88/ADOBESTOCK, COURESY OF MIKE CRANE/TOURISM WHISTLER, COURTESY OF SCANDINAVE SPA.
Scandinave Spa is a wonderful respite from winter temperatures.
EAT & DRINK
Let’s talk waffles—gorgeously decorated with blueberries and frothy whipped cream—served next to a steaming cup of coffee. On a gondola ride, “Have you had the waffles?” is the answer to our question, “Where should we eat?” So, make sure at least one of your ski days includes a mid-morning or mid-afternoon break at Crystal Hut on Blackcomb’s Crystal Ridge. The après scene at Whistler truly is a scene. Garibaldi Lift Company Bar & Grill ( garibaldiliftco.com) is the big show with the see-and-be-seen crowd. For a quieter wind down, try Bar Oso (baroso.ca), a tapas joint with an interesting and extensive wine list of Spanish varietals. Wherever you après, try a Bloody Caesar, a Canadian variant on the Bloody Mary made with Clamato juice. The bartenders
around Whistler attempt to outdo each other with both classic and ridiculously adorned Bloody Caesars. For the former, stop into Dusty’s Bar & BBQ in Creekside Village (dustyswhistler.com). For the latter, clomp those ski boots into Merlin’s Bar & Grill (merlinsbarwhistler.com) and, with a straight face, ask for “The Jester.” Chances are you won’t be able to keep that straight face: The Jester comes garnished with chicken wings, onion rings, cured bacon and beef jerky.
The premier dining destination in the Whistler area is Rimrock Café (rimrockcafe.com). Here the servers are lifer ski bums who are not only hospitality pros but also offer great beta on tomorrow’s ski plans. For something more casual, try Creekbread Pizza (creekbread.com), a convivial wood-fired pizza joint near Creekside Village. Craft beer lovers who like hipster menus will love Hunter Gather (huntergatherwhistler.com). Take in the views over lunch at Christine’s on Blackcomb, a beautifully designed nouvelle cuisine restaurant in the Rendezvous Lodge perched high on Blackcomb Peak (whistlerblackcomb.com).
REST UP
Whistler is a sprawling ski area with many options for places to stay, including a wide-ranging selection of vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts and a solid lineup of full-service
hotels. As you consider the options, know that where you stay is a big factor in determining the kind of trip you’ll have. Creekside Village, which links to the Creekside Gondola, is a quiet(ish) residential community, with a smaller selection of restaurants and bars than Whistler Village.
Whistler Village has easy access to both the Blackcomb Excalibur and Whistler Village gondolas and is the heart of the resort’s activity and action. There’s a well-run bus system between and around both areas. In Creekside Village, Nita Lake Lodge (nitalakelodge.com) is perched on the shore of (frozen) Nita Lake. A scenic boutique hotel, it’s a getaway from your getaway, designed in “mountain modern” chic style (yes, there are stag heads on the wall). Whistler Village’s counterpart to Nita Lake is Fairmont Chateau Whistler ( fairmont.com/whistler). Looming over the village like something out of a Disney fairy tale, it’s basically a castle, with turndown service.
The Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside ( panpacific.com) has rooms with views of the gondola lines. Listel Hotel Whistler (listelhotel.com) is a business-class property with a groovy modern lobby. It’s also home to the Bearfoot Bistro (bearfootbistro.com), which has an Ice Room experience, where you can drink ice cold vodka (or whatever) out of, yep, tumblers made of ice. The Blackcomb Lodge has that rough-hewn log vibe and (blackcomblodgedirect.com) offers reasonably priced rooms right in the center of Whistler Village.
Crystal Hut’s famous buttermilk waffles are a must for an on-mountain ski break.
Rimrock Cafe
Après ski in the Whistler village at dusk.
WINTER’S BEST WORKOUT
Tired of sweating it out in the gym? Time to learn
BY MELISSA FIELDS
AFTER RELOCATING TO UTAH from the Upper Midwest flatlands to Utah in my mid-20s, I let my classic-style cross-country skis gather dust for about a decade while I rode chairlifts and searched for face shots. But then one February, during an unusually extended period of high pressure, I got an invite to attend the Bryce Canyon Winter Festival (rubysinn.com/bryce-canyonwinter-festival ), a weekend of mostly free activities held on the edge of Bryce Canyon National Park. There I took my first skate-skiing lesson and was hooked. While classic cross-country skiing is similar to going for a stroll along a flat sidewalk, skate skiing is as exhilarating as going for a trail run. Skate-skiing’s simultaneous upper-and lower-body workout checks both the
cardiovascular- and muscle-building boxes while torching a whopping 600 to 800 calories per hour. And because most of Utah’s state-skiing tracks are in superscenic wooded or rolling hills locations, the experience is much more mentally rejuvenating than spending an hour indoors in the stuffy gym.
The only downside: learning proper skate skiing techniques takes time and practice. I had, misguidedly, tried to figure it out on my own before my first lesson at Bryce Canyon. But each time I went, I’d shuffle along awkwardly, bathed in sweat, trying to move my arms and legs in the effortless rhythm I’d see other skiers on the track demonstrate seemingly effortlessly while they passed me on the track, greeting me with an always cheerful, “good morning!”
to skate ski.
Taking a lesson, especially for beginners, affirmed Don DeBlieux, a PSIA Level 3 Nordic instructor with 30-plus years of experience and who teaches at White Pine Touring Nordic Center in Park City, will “save you a lot of frustration and you won’t develop movement patterns that are inefficient and hard to break,” he says. “And I’m not just saying this to get more business. I’d much rather have a blank canvas than someone who tried to figure it out on their own.”
While there are several factors in mastering a skate-skiing’s V-shaped stance, solid technique boils down to getting comfortable with balancing on one leg. “Make sure you commit completely to one ski before pushing off onto the other ski,” DeBlieux says. “And keep that head up and eyes down the
Skate skiing offers a much more mentally rejuvenating workout than spending an hour indoors in a stuffy gym.
Start in a basic athletic body position: Feet shoulder width apart, slight bend in your knees, hips are directly over your feet.
Next, lift your left leg and center your body weight over your right leg. Focus on maintaining a straight line from your armpit down to your toes. Now return back to your basic athletic position. Repeat by raising your right leg and balancing on your left, maintaining that straight line.
trail, you don’t have to keep an eye on your skis, if they fall off you will know.”
There are boatloads of drills new skate skiers can do to get accustomed to balancing on one ski, but one of the simplest, DeBlieux says, is this: when on a slight downhill, attempt to hold a glide on one ski a bit farther with each stride. “When we coach kids, we do contests to see who can go the farthest on one ski,” he says. “Hopping on one ski is also a good one. Some skiers practice by always standing on one leg when they brush their teeth.”
For what it’s worth, mastering one-leg balance is beneficial to classic skiing techniques, too. “[In classic skiing] the ski is moving down the track and we want to be over it and moving with it,” she says. “The most efficient classic skiers are moving from leg to leg just like we do when we walk and run.”
Where the pros are
Avoid the inevitable frustration of trying to learn how to skate-ski on your own by taking a lesson or clinic from one of the following Nordic schools or learn-to organizations.
UTAH NORDIC
ALLIANCE (TUNA)
Learn-to-ski programs for kids, juniors and adults are held at TUNA’s Parleys Canyon home base at the Mountain Dell Golf Course. utahnordic.org
Learning proper skate-skiing techniques takes time and practice. Lessons can help lower the learning curve.
WHITE PINE TOURING NORDIC CENTER
Located at the Park City Golf Course, they offer separate men’s and ladies’ learn-toskate-ski-lesson series, weekly in January and February. whitepinetouring.com
PARK CITY NORDIC BETTIES
This group offers an eight-week skateskiing series for beginners/never-evers starting January 8. Each lesson in the series is held at a different location around Park City, based on weather and conditions. parkcitynordicbetties.com
OGDEN NORDIC (ON)
ON offers skate and classic ski lessons at North Fork Park in Ogden. Classic and skate-skiing group lessons for beginners are offered on Saturdays; private lessons are available with reservations seven days a week. ogdennordic.com/ski-school
SOLITUDE NORDIC CENTER
Skate and classic group and private lessons, equipment rentals and track passes are taught on 20K of groomed trails adjacent to Solitude Mountain Resort. The Center also hosts a four-session women’s beginner skate-skiing clinic that includes equipment rental and a track pass. solitudemountain.com
SOLDIER HOLLOW NORDIC CENTER
Offering skate-skiing newbies a onehour classic ski lesson that includes a Nordic track pass and equipment rental. utaholympiclegacy.org
SUNDANCE RESORT’S NORDIC CENTER
Offering weekly Ladies’ Day classic and skateskiing clinics in January that include equipment rentals and a pass to the resort’s gorgeous 15K track. sundanceresort.com
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WILLARD BAY IS HOT
A new feature to Willard Bay State Park helps make the perfect winter day
BY CHRISTIE PORTER
Willard Bay Family Events
Big events at Willard Bay State Park include the family-favorite annual holiday light display, Fantasy at the Bay Light Show, as well as the New Year’s Day Hike on the Linda C. Higley Nature Trail and the upcoming annual Easter Egg Hunt. This year will be the first that the annual egg hunt is held at the relatively new Willard Peak Pond area. Willard Bay State Park Manager Benjamin Meraz says, “It’s a big-time event. Last year, we hid over 10,000 eggs,” and hundreds of children hunted for them. For more information, visit willardbay.utah.gov.
ANEW ADDITION to Willard Bay State Park will elevate any winter visit to Northern Utah. While the reservoir itself already attracts visitors to the area, even when the weather turns nippy and the sky to icy gray, there is now a place for a warm and relaxing reprieve—a sauna—that makes the perfect ending to the perfect winter day.
WILDLIFE ON THE WATER
Willard Bay is a freshwater reservoir quartered off from the Great Salt Lake. Boating and fishing are popular year-round, but nature and wildlife viewing in Willard Bay peaks in the cold months
Anglers braving the chilly waters of the reservoir have been known to catch channel catfish and yellow perch. They can also take a non-motorized boat out onto Willow Peak Pond, which is stocked with bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass. Boat rentals are available at nearby Club Rec. They also offer ATV rentals to sight-see around the park.
February is the best time to spot Bald Eagles in the wild at Willard Bay. In winter, bald eagles descend from frigid Alaska to Utah and often nest in Willard Bay State Park. By February, hundreds of eagles are typically in the state, and they stay until March.
THE SAUNA
The new softwood structure stands close to the shores of Willard Bay, facing the water and sweeping views of the Wasatch Range. The Willard Bay Sauna (willardbaysauna.com) is modeled after the ancient Finnish tradition.
In that tradition, there is a bit of a ritual to the sauna: Shower in advance (there is an outdoor shower on site if needed); strip down and enter the sauna, typically heated between 50–195° Fahrenheit; breathe deep and stay as long as you are comfortable; when you need a break, cool down with a dip in the snow or water…then repeat.
After booking a session in the sauna online, visitors can access the sauna via a keyless entry system. On a practical note, be sure to drink plenty of water and bring a towel.
AFTER-SAUNA TRADITION
To spot nesting eagles at Willard Bay, top viewing spots include the mile-long hike on the Linda C. Higley Nature Trail and the dike near Pelican Beach. Be sureto bring binoculars and a camera.
Keeping with tradition, after the sauna it is customary to lounge and enjoy a sausage, along with beer. The Willard Bay Sauna has both a dressing room and lounge on-site. Afterward, continue the custom at Maddox Ranch House (maddoxfinefood.com) in nearby Perry. Sit in the classic log cabin’s dining room and order up a classic burger, famous fried chicken or steak and potatoes with all the “fixins.” Don’t forget to try the house-brewed birch root beer—a fine, American-style alternative, we feel, to the Finnish sauna tradition of beating oneself with a birch tree frond (called a Viht), but why not both?
During the winter months, Willard Bay is a wildlife-watching area for nesting eagles.
The Sauna at Willard Bay State Park overlooks the Wasatch Range.
Discover the remarkable diversity of bird life in and around beautiful, wild Jackson, Wyoming at the first annual Jackson Hole Birding Festival. Experience adventure birding in the American West amidst the breathtaking Grand Tetons.
It will be one of the funnest and best festivals of the year!
Whether you’re new to birding or your eagle eyes have seen it all, we have something special for you!
VISIBILITY NETWORK
Leverage thecommunication andmarketingchannels of theChambertohighlightthe
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LEARNING
Access high-quality trainingandeducational opportunitiestoenhance yourskills and knowledge
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IMPACT
Get involvedinValley Visioninginitiativesto uphold the quality of lifeinUtahValley
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Elevate your brandby becomingamember of theChamber, asthe communityvalues and respects credible partnerships.
WRITTEN BY AUSTIN FACER
Helping Hands Across Utah.
We know Utahns love making a di erence, so this issue we’re spotlighting some of the most impactful philanthropic endeavors from around our state. These are the folks that strengthen our communities, tackle tough issues and create lasting change. They’ve shared their mission, successes and plans for the year ahead, along with ways you can get involved. Whether you’re looking to give back or get inspired, this section is for you!
and their
ADIBS RUG GALLERY
DR. HAMID ADIB | OWNER
3092 Highland Dr., SLC 801.484.6364 | Adibs.com
A LIFE FULFILLED: DR. ADIB’S PHILANTHROPIC WORK EXTENDS AROUND THE GLOBE
Dr. Hamid Adib, who owns Adib’s Rug Gallery on Highland Drive in Salt Lake City, believes that a life lived with purpose, compassion, and service to others is a life ful lled. For him, happiness is not found in material success alone but in the quiet impact, he leaves in the hearts of those he touches. He is a rm believer in the principle of “live and let live” and practices a philosophy rooted in balance, humanity, and empathy. Dr. Adib seeks to leave a footprint in the lives of others that speaks to kindness, honor, and a genuine desire to help those in need.
Salt Lake City, his home for over 37 years, is where Dr. Adib has built his family, businesses, and closest relationships. He feels a profound connection to this community, which has supported and shaped him. His commitment to giving back always starts locally, through partnerships with organizations that address pressing needs in Utah. From there, his humanitarian work expands globally, embodying his belief in our shared human responsibility to care for each other, wherever we may be.
For Dr. Adib, philanthropy is far more than a duty; it is an expression of compassion. He sees true compassion as not only understanding others’ struggles but also being moved to ease their burdens. His work in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation is fueled by this empathy, as well as his desire to leave a legacy that will upli others long a er he’s gone.
He believes philanthropy rewards in unexpected ways. It brings a sense of purpose, personal growth, and connection with like-minded individuals who share his vision. Dr. Adib hopes that through his life’s work, he can inspire others to embrace compassion, reach out to those in need, and make the world a kinder place for all.
BY ADAM FINKLE
PHOTO
AMERICA FIRST CREDIT UNION
AMBER GREENWELL | AFCU CHARITABLE FOUNDATION & COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR
AMERICA FIRST CHARITABLE FOUNDATION: BRINGING HOPE TO FAMILIES IN NEED
“People helping people.”
at core philosophy drives America First Credit Union’s mantra toward its members and employees.
e credit union’s philanthropic arm, the America First Charitable Foundation, is much the same way.
Built upon four core pillars; Community First, Kids First, Education First and Service First, the America First Charitable Foundation delivers on its mission in meaningful ways. Donating diapers to disadvantaged families, providing weekend meal kits for children, distributing coats and shoes to kids in need and o ering support to shelters and food banks through an annual food drive.
e goal is simple: to ensure that no one is le without the basics to survive. e America First Charitable Foundation brings hope to families that may be struggling within the community.
“Our foundation has provided hope and support to countless individuals, and we remain dedicated to continuing this meaningful change,” says Amber Greenwell, America First’s Charitable Foundation and Community Outreach Director. “Empowering positive change by providing essential resources to those in need will always be a top priority for us.”
ousands of local families have experienced the impact of “people helping people,” through the America First Charitable Foundation, thanks to a shared commitment by America First Credit Union and its many long-standing partnerships with likeminded local organizations.
“Building strong communities is done by ensuring everyone has access to basic human needs, such as food, clothing, shelter and education and the belief that no child should ever go hungry,” Greenwell says. “People helping people is a direct representation of who our members and employees are.”
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY LOOKING TO MAKE NO-KILL 2025 A REALITY.
is year is a big one for Best Friends Animal Society. Julie Castle, the organization’s CEO, calls 2025 the group’s “Super Bowl year.”
Having made incredible progress over the last 20plus years, Castle and Best Friends believe they’re right on the doorstep of a monumental milestone.
ey’re aiming to achieve no-kill status at animal shelters nationwide in 2025.
“We’re at a tipping point,” Castle says. “When you think about non-pro ts, they have a lot of great causes but they don’t always have a cure. We have a solution. We know exactly how to do this and we can do it in our lifetime.”
Over the last four decades, Best Friends and its in uence has grown tremendously. Castle has had a front-row seat for a while now, coming on board as Best Friends’ 17th employee in 1996, a er deciding to join the organization on a whim. Nearly 30 years later, Best Friends has become a national leader in its mission to “save them all” — making the United States and its many animal shelters no-kill, meaning that 90% of cats and dogs coming into a shelter must be saved or placed in their forever homes.
Even Castle can’t believe how far they’ve come.
“In 2000, we declared to take Utah no-kill, and when we did that, 45,000 animals were dying each year. Now it’s down to 1,600,” she says, adding that 48 of the 59 animal shelters in the state are no-kill. “If you had told me that 20 years ago, I would have laughed at you.”“People helping people.”
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
CORBIN CHILD | STUDENT
201 Presidents’ Cir., SLC 801.581.6825 | utah.edu
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH’S MERIT AND NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS MAKE AN IMPACT FOR HARDWORKING STUDENTS.
The gift of a college education can make a world of difference for many students in our state.
Just ask Corbin Child, a freshman studying computer science at the University of Utah. After graduating from Weber Innovations High School, Corbin earned the For Utah Scholarship, a merit and need-based scholarship backed by a donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation.
For Corbin, it was the ultimate reward for righting the ship on his academic journey.
Previously a 2.4 GPA student as a ninth grader, he buckled down and started taking his studies seriously. It paid o . As a senior, he scored a 3.98 GPA to bring his overall grade point average up to 3.2.
at, and his federal student aid quali cation, made him a perfect t for the For Utah Scholarship.
“It was really amazing,” he says of earning his scholarship. “I felt like all my work, studying, focusing on homework, had all paid o .”
Corbin works a part-time job, just to have a little bit of extra spending money, but is grateful for the boost he’s gotten from the scholarship. Not having to take out loans has been a huge relief. He says had it not been for the scholarship, he likely wouldn’t be attending the University of Utah, which was his number one choice a er high school due to its best-of-state Data Science and Computer Science programs.
Scholarship opportunities like the For Utah Scholarship Corbin received are made possible by the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations who direct their philanthropy to help students in their pursuit of higher education at the University of Utah.
Donors may establish a named scholarship at the University of Utah a er themselves, a family member, or even their company. Scholarships may be endowed, which create a lasting legacy supporting students for years to come. Or, donors may provide annual scholarships that are awarded immediately to deserving students.
Contact Maria Mullahi at maria.mullahi@admin.utah.edu to discuss scholarship-giving opportunities.
BY ADAM
PHOTO
FINKLE
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
NOAH MITERKO | GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR
230 S. 500 East, Ste. 465, SLC 801.702.4423 | heart.org/utah
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION TEAMS UP TO TACKLE UTAH’S $3M SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT
A healthy heart needs a nutritious diet, especially at a young age. at’s why the American Heart Association in Utah has partnered with Utahns Against Hunger and the School Nutrition Association of Utah to work on Healthy School Meals for All to help all children get a good lunch at school. is is especially important in underserved communities where parents might not be able to a ord school lunches. According to Utahns Against Hunger (UAH) and the School Nutrition Association of Utah (SNAU), the current student lunch school debt now exceeds $3 million.
To the American Heart Association in Utah, getting involved in this cause can have a rippling e ect on an entire generation’s health and well-being. It establishes a foundation for lifelong health, helping reduce the risks of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Nutritious school meals are essential in promoting and supporting both physical and cognitive development.
“All children deserve access to healthy school meals,” says Noah Miterko, Government Relations Director, American Heart Association in Utah. “Let’s make sure schools can provide them with all the tools they need to be successful in class.”
A healthy lunch can make a world of di erence for a young student. Making nutritious meals available to all students, particularly in underserved areas, improves academic performance and mental well-being while addressing health disparities across socioeconomic di erences.
Working on Healthy School Meals for All, the Association joins UAH and SNAU to reduce school meal debt and foster healthier, more resilient communities all over the state, particularly where it’s needed the most.
It’s a cause with heart, tting for the American Heart Association in Utah.
Photo by Adam Finkle.
Left to Right: Neil Rickard, Utahns Against Hunger; Candace Parr, School Nutrition Association of Utah; Noah Miterko, American Heart Association
EXPERIENCE THE NEW
Phase 3 of The New SLC Airport is complete, which means The River Tunnel that connects Concourses A and B is now open. Not only does the tunnel provide a more direct route between concourses, it’s the gateway to more restaurants, more shops, more artwork, and more gates to more destinations. On your next trip through the airport, show up a little early to experience and enjoy even more of your new SLC!
slcairport.com THE RIVER TUNNEL IS NOW OPEN!
The Northern Light by Gordon Huether
The River Tunnel by Gordon Huether
BUILDING AN OLYMPIC LEGACY
The 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics changed the game. Now Utah prepares to host the world for a second time, but Utah’s Olympic legacy began long before 2002.
BY CHRISTIE PORTER
IT’S OFFICIAL. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH WILL HOST THE 2034 WINTER OLYMPICS, with a staggering 80% of Utahns in favor of hosting another Winter Games. Much of the success of 2002 still lingers, quietly permeating everyday life with reminders that look like everything from shining steel arenas and monuments to our light rail public transportation. But, there is more to the legacy of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. The seeds of Utah’s love for the Olympics date back to 1912 and a young man from the town of Parowan.
UTAH’S FIRST OLYMPIAN
In May 1912, a gangly, 22-year-old from Parowan, Utah rode the train from Provo to Chicago—his first time leaving the Beehive State—to compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team. Two years prior, at BYU, Alma Richards had told his soon-to-be coach Eugene Roberts that he hadn’t even a concept of what the Olympics were, but Roberts saw potential in young Richards and put him on the path to competing in the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games.
Utah olympic medalists throughout history
technique, he was underestimated. Still, Richards told anyone who asked that he would win the gold medal and clear 6-feet-4-inches. When a teammate challenged him, pointing out that he’d never jumped that high, Alma agreed. “But I will,” he said.
In his book, Alma Richards: Olympian, former University of Utah professor, Dr. Larry Gerlach, describes the meteoric ascension of Richards as an athlete. The local press called Richards “the Mormon Giant.” Gerlach says, “After only a year of collegiate competition, Coach Roberts ranked Alma as one of the seven best high jumpers in the United States and among the 15 best in the world.”
At the Central Olympic tryouts in Illinois, the athlete from Parowan was a virtual unknown, competing against high jumpers from major collegiate programs and prominent amateur athletic clubs. Richards ignored officials when they told him he could not compete in what would become his signature floppy hat (which Richards dubbed his “mascot”). He cleared 6-feet-3-inches, the highest he had ever jumped, to qualify.
With his large physique, “farmer boy” appearance and unconventional
/
The world expected Americans to dominate in “Athletics” (the original name for the track and field events), but Stanford University’s George Horine was the favorite to win the high jump, with his record jump of 6-feet-8½-inches.
On July 7, 1912, crowds gathered to watch the 23 athletes competing in the high jump. Richards amused them by wearing his old hat, atop his crisp, white Olympic uniform. He struggled to clear the qualifying height, 6-feet-2-inches, missing his first two attempts before narrowly succeeding on the third. He earned a spot among the 11 finalists, six of them Americans, including Jim Thorpe—a Native American track star and All-American football player who would go on to win gold medals in pentathlon and decathlon.
MUNICH / SUMMER: Silver
/
As one high jumper after another faltered, only fellow American George Horine, Richards and Germany’s Hans Liesche remained. Horine failed to break 6-feet-2½-inches, earning him a bronze medal. Liesche “sailed” over a bar at 6-feet-3-inches (a new Olympic record) while Richards struggled, again needing all three attempts before clearing the bar. With the bar then set to 6-feet-4-inches, Richards jumped first and shocked the world, clearing the height with ease. Liesche missed all three of his attempts.
Alma Richards, the “farmer boy” from Parowan, had won an Olympic gold medal in high jump.
His Olympic success marked an early moment of triumph in a life filled with athletic achievement, both as a competitor at BYU and Cornell University and later as an educator. “Alma Richards was more than an Olympic hero. He was a public relations ambassador for his state
and church...that had previously received little sports recognition in the national press.” But, according to Gerlach, “What cemented Alma’s celebrity, primarily to Mormons,” was the portrayal of him in the LDS Church’s cultural contribution to the 2002 Winter Games, a 90-minute dance, musical and theatrical spectacular called “Light of the World: A Celebration of Life.” Alma was not the only Olympian portrayed in the massive show, but he took center stage. As to why, Gerlach quotes BYU’s Richard Kimball: “Whether it was 1912 or 2002, recreation and athletics remained viable ways for the church to inculcate values and model proper social behavior.” The show took liberties and perpetuated inaccuracies, but why would they let the truth get in the way of a good story?
THE IMPACT OF THE 2002 WINTER GAMES
Before 2002, cross-country skier Luke Bodensteiner, who competed at the University of Utah and in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Games, remembers, “Utah had a strong sports community,” but, he says, “I wouldn’t say that, aside from Alpine skiing, that Utah was necessarily a ski town,” and sports like freestyle, cross-country and ski jumping didn’t meaningfully exist here before 2002.
Utah medalists Throughout History
JOE PACK FREESTYLE SKIING
SALT LAKE CITY / WINTER: Silver, Aerials
DEREK PARRA SPEEDSKATING
SALT LAKE CITY / WINTER: Gold, 1,500 meters; Silver, 5,000 meters
CAEL SANDERSON WRESTLING
ATHENS / SUMMER: Gold, Freestyle wrestling
SHAUNA ROHBOCK VALERIE FLEMING BOBSLED
TORINO / WINTER: Silver, Two-person
Bodensteiner worked for U.S. Ski and Nordic Team at the time, while they were pushing for the inclusion of new sports and events, like slopestyle and big air, that were oftentimes pioneered in the U.S., and they knew Americans could field good teams in those areas. It was an evolution of winter sports that started before 2002 but took off around the Salt Lake City Winter Games. “That was sort of the first big expansion in my mind, when places like the Utah Olympic Park were developed,” he says. “Just having those facilities provided the opportunity for people to participate, and that stimulated the growth of clubs around those sports.”
TED LIGETY ALPINE SKIING
TORINO / WINTER: Gold, Combined event
BILLY DEMONG NORDIC SKIING
VANCOUVER / WINTER: Gold, 10-km large hill; Silver, team
STEVEN HOLCOMB BOBSLED
VANCOUVER / WINTER: Gold, Four-person
Luke Bodensteiner with his ski coach Pat Miller, 1993.
Ski jumper of the Flying Ace All-Stars Freestyle Show at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City.
BY THE NUMBERS 2002 SALT LAKE WINTER GAMES
2,300 ATHLETES
11 VENUES
20k volunteers
20 Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies DEPLOYED
12k law enforcement and military personnel
78 EVENTS Provided
Received a combined television audience of 2.1 BILLION VIEWERS in 160 COUNTRIES
Spent $4 BILLION on construction projects preceding the games.
$300 MILLION on security
$100 MILLION on fireworks SOLD 90% OF 1.65 MILLION TICKETS
Making it the best-selling of any prior winter games
$40 MILLION to run the Utah Olympic Oval and Utah Olympic Park.
$3.6 MILLION for the University of Utah’s Olympic Cauldron Park
$6.6 MILLION for the downtown plaza featuring the 45-foot Hoberman Arch Fielded one Bribery Scandal
Utah medalists Throughout History
STEVEN HOLCOMB BOBSLED
SOCHI / WINTER: Silver, Two-person; Silver, Fourperson (with Chris Fogt)
TED LIGETY ALPINE SKIING
SOCHI / WINTER: Gold, Giant Slalom
CHRIS FOGT BOBSLED
SOCHI / WINTER: Silver, Two-person (with Steven Holcomb)
Now, Bodensteiner works as the Sport Development Director and General Manager of Soldier Hollow with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation (UOLF), which maintains Olympic facilities, including Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, the Utah Olympic Oval and Utah Olympic Park. “The [2002] organizing committee was pretty visionary in their desire to make sure that there was a lasting legacy after the Games,” he says, which was something that set Salt Lake City apart from many other Olympic host cities. “Before that, other Olympics, obviously, were really focused on making the Games happen, but there wasn’t a lot of forethought in terms of what’s going to happen to the facilities after.” The financially successful games left behind a legacy fund that kept Utah’s Olympic venues in “world-class” shape, where Olympians would train and compete.
Even then, the Olympic venues’ full potential had not yet been realized.
BRITTANY BOWE SPEED SKATING
PYEONGCHANG / WINTER: Bronze, Team pursuit
JESSIE DIGGINS CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
PYEONGCHANG / WINTER: Gold, Team sprint
NATHAN CHEN FIGURE SKATING
PYEONGCHANG / WINTER: Bronze, Team
“After the games, people were coming in and seeing the building [the Oval] but then leaving because there weren’t any real programs that were being run here,” says Derek Parra, a U.S. speedskater who won gold in the 2002 Games. He started doing youth outreach at UOLF after the Vancouver Games and is now the Director of Sports at the Utah Olympic Oval, but Parra gives credit for envisioning the venues as a place for youth sports to Colin Hilton, the president of the foundation. They hired coaches and created programs to engage kids and “teach them about life through sport” in hopes of creating long-term athletes. “If you look at every other Olympic venue in the world, there aren’t many that are doing this,” Parra says. “I think we are the best example of that.”
At Soldier Hollow alone, Bodensteiner says they have some 500 kids participating in their programs.
Hundreds of children participate in sports programs at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, in Midway, including cross-country skiing.
With all of the UOLF programs combined, nearly 3,000 kids participate.
“The gravitational pull of the Legacy foundation and its ability to bring clubs together under one roof has just really allowed that whole thing to explode,” says Bodensteiner. And it doesn’t hurt to have elite athletes, and former Olympians like Bodensteiner and Parra, running the programs.
“When you have experience as an athlete, you have a certain level of intuition about what the next generation of athletes needs or what the programs need,” says Bodensteiner.
“It was easy for me to kind of pay that forward,” says Parra about his experience coaching. “I was bringing in kids who were kind of following my footsteps.”
Utah medalists Throughout History
MYKAYLA SKINNER GYMNASTICS
TOKYO / SUMMER: Silver, Vault 2020
GRACE MCCALLUM GYMNASTICS
TOKYO / SUMMER: Silver, Team
AMELIE MORGAN GYMNASTICS
TOKYO / SUMMER: Bronze, Team (Great Britain)
ALEX HALL
FREESTYLE SKIING
BEIJING / WINTER: Gold, Slopestyle
Emily Fisher, Executive Director of Youth Sports Alliance (ysausa.org)
Utah boasts dozens of former Olympians and Olympic athletes who claim Utah as their home because multiple U.S. Olympic teams have headquarters and train here. We saw a class of athletes, inspired by watching the 2002 Winter Games, compete in Turin, Vancouver, Sochi and Pyeongchang. Now, we have begun to see more Olympians, too young to remember 2002, emerge from Utah with the support of Utah’s enduring Olympic legacy.
The Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) was founded as a result of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games and has become a way to inspire future Olympians. Its goal is getting as many kids as possible—from all different backgrounds—out, active and using the Olympic venues, without the typical barriers to entry (like lots and lots of disposable income).
“Our afterschool programs are unique because we provide transportation, proper gear and proper clothing so all kids can participate,” says Emily Fisher, Executive Director of
Families enjoy Public Skate sesions at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah.
the Youth Sports Alliance, but no one group is singled out. “We don’t run programs just for specific parts of our community. All the kids get on the same bus. They have the same experience, share the same snacks, and talk about wipeouts together,” she says.
Last year, more than 2,500 kids from 23 local schools participated in more than 150 after-school programs. YSA also supports seven local winter sports teams in the Wasatch Back. If the young athletes can’t afford team participation, they can apply for a YSA scholarship to pay for fees, camps and competitions.
The YSA has a reciprocal relationship with the Legacy foundation, using the Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow for after-school programs. The UOLF provides the coaching staff and at the end of the program, Fisher says, “[The UOLF] can reach out and say, ‘Hey, you just tried four weeks of biathlon. If you’d like to join our club, come try out for one night for free.’”
Utah medalists Throughout History
COLBY STEVENSON FREESTYLE SKIING
BEIJING / WINTER:
ASHLEY CALDWELL FREESTYLE SKIING
BEIJING / WINTER: Gold, Mixed team aerials
CHRISTOPHER LILLIS FREESTYLE SKIING
BEIJING / WINTER: Gold, Mixed team aerials
after-school program. She competed in luge at the 2022 Winter Games. Nordic combined skier 25-year-old Jared Shumate started in the YSA afterschool program as well. He had the strongest finish of any American in the large hill event in the Beijing Winter Games. Speedskater Casey Dawson, 25, has set a world record and won a bronze medal in team pursuit at the 2022 Winter Games.
And YSA alumni certainly have high hopes for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy. “We’ve had really great success with the Nordic jumping program,” says Fisher. Josie Johnson, 17, was an alpine skier in the after-school ski jumping program. Last year, she won a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games.
From the ranks of the YSA, the young careers of multiple Olympians and Olympic hopefuls have emerged. In 2022, three after-school program alumni qualified for the Olympics.
Among them, 25-year-old Ashley Farquharson first rode a sled down an Olympic track as part of a YSA
MEGAN NICK FREESTYLE SKIING
BEIJING / WINTER: Bronze, Aerials
JAELIN KAUF FREESTYLE SKIING
BEIJING / WINTER: Silver, Moguls
BRITTANY BOWE SPEED SKATING
BEIJING / WINTER: Bronze, 1,000 meter
NATHAN CHEN FIGURE SKATING
BEIJING / WINTER: Gold, Singles; Gold, Team
The chance to “sample” activities, beyond Olympic dreams, is important, Fisher says. As a lifelong athlete and cross-country ski racer, she can speak personally to the difference it makes. “To be able to provide that for the community I’ve been in for 26 years, it’s definitely my dream job,” she says.
Bodensteiner adds, “It’s about offering people opportunities to engage in sports. The more people we can get involved, the more we are building up that culture in our communities.”
And those communities built around sport can become lifelines.
Parra says, “Everything I learned in my life—the lessons that I learned through the people around me, the communities I was in, the sport that I was participating in, and all the failures and successes that I had, whether it’s budgeting, accountability, teamwork, treating people nice—all that came from my time in sports.”
COUNTDOWN TO 2034
When the International Olympic Committee visited Utah in April, they met with the Youth Sports Alliance, sharing the impact they have had with local kids since 2002. “And they just— they love that,” says Fisher. With the 2034 Winter Games returning to Utah,
Photo Byline_White Photo
Byline_White Photo Byline_ White Photo Byline_White
Soldier Hollow Nordic Center’s cross-country trails are open to pass holders year-round.
she hopes to see the YSA model spread to more communities across Utah, beyond the Wasatch Back. “When I look ahead at the next nine years, I think about how many lives we can change,” she says.
Bodensteiner expects excitement about the Games will only grow the closer we get to 2034. “Now we can really kind of take that to the next level, modernize what we’re doing at these facilities.” At Soldier Hollow, for example, they hope to invest in more efficient snowmaking that will allow for a longer ski season.
Just as the 2002 Winter Games helped grow new skiing events, Parra sees an opportunity for growth in other sports here in Utah. “I don’t feel like we are in a skating state just yet.” In Milwaukee, where he learned to ice skate, at the rink “everybody comes with their own skates,” he says. Utahns pass down skis and snowboards but, “There isn’t that generational passing on of the skates or the love of skating…But we have nine more years until the Games.”
ON LEGACY
When Alma Richards competed in the 1912 Olympics, he was an oddity among the East Coast-bred, Ivy League members of the U.S. Olympic Team. Amateur sport competition was a game for the aristocracy. Richards’ Native American and Hawaiian teammates were also considered “exotic” by the press. The U.S. did not send a single woman to compete that year, even though
women could participate. When Richards’ hopes for another Olympics dwindled, he turned his focus to the next generation, perhaps unknowingly establishing an Olympic tradition. Biographer Larry Gerlach observes, “As an athlete, he gained enduring recognition…[but] clearly, as an educator he made his most important and lasting contributions to his fellow humans.” By 2002, 90 years later, the demographics of the Games had changed. Derek Parra became the first Mexican-American to win an Olympic gold medal, but, in Parra’s own words, he spent every coin he had to make the Olympic team. Former Olympians, like Parra, Bodensteiner and many others, turn their focus to the next generation and make these once restricted spaces—expensive club sports, elite competition, world-class venues—as accessible as possible.
If there is an Olympic legacy that Utah could carry into the best version of the 2034 Games, it would be the tradition of becoming more inclusive, more accessible, and leaving things better than we found them for the next generation.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF UTAH OLYMPIC LEGACY FOUNDATION/SOLDIER HOLLOW NORDIC CENTER/UTAH OLYMPIC PARK/UTAH OLYMPIC OVAL; UNIVERSITY OF UTAH/MARRIOT DIGITAL LIBRARY; ALF ENGEN SKI MUSEUM; U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD; WIKIMEDIA; YOUTH SPORTS ALLIANCE; INSTAGRAM/@JUMPINJOSIEJ; SALT LAKE MAGAZINE 2002/2006/2010
In 2034, the Utah Olympic Park is slated to host events like ski jumping, luge, skeleton and bobsled.
Speedskaters Casey Dawson, Ethan Cepuran and Emery Lehman
U.S. Ski jumper Josie Johnson
Olympic Ski jumper Jared Shumate
Olympic luger Ashley Farquharson
LANE HAMMONS
SOUL NEBULA
Astrophotography lets me capture the grandeur of the cosmos, connecting the infinite universe to our earthly existence. Using a dedicated astronomy camera with a 250mm telescope on an automated equatorial mount, I take hundreds of photos over multiple nights, stacking them to create a single image. Exposure times range from 30 seconds to five minutes. After stacking, I use various software to unveil the hidden beauty of our Utah skies. Each photo reveals intricate details and breathtaking expanses of the universe, inspiring awe and curiosity.
WINTER
EXPOSURE
We asked some local professional and amateur photographers, “What inspires them during the darkest, coldest part of the year?” And, “When you think of winter in Utah, what does that look like to you?” We asked for photographs of memorable adventures, travel, family, food, fashion, community or, even, abstract representations.
What we received was an eclectic array of these artists’ views from behind the lens.
AUSTEN DIAMOND
MIDWAY ICE CASTLES
austendiamond.com @ austendiamondphoto
Starry skies, sagebrush and endless red rock trails pulled me to the West 15 years ago. After earning accolades in journalism, I picked up a camera to enrich my storytelling, blending image and word to craft evocative narratives. The transition felt inevitable. This photo was created for a Ski Utah campaign to highlight off-mountain family activities. This image taken at the Midway Ice Castles, which Salt Lake magazine chose, is interesting. It showcases a feeling of awe. It is what drew me to Utah. It is imbued with the season if we step out of our cozy homespaces and into the winter. The hope is that it inspires folks to get out into the snow globe and enjoy the season.
KEVIN TAYLOR
BARBADOS BLACK
BELLY RAM
kevintaylorphoto.com @kevtayphoto
On stormy days I often leave the house with a camera bag in tow because I love how a storm can transform the landscape into something much more magical and mysterious. This image of a Barbados Black Belly Ram was captured in Heber in December 2022. I had driven by this pasture quite a bit and always noticed this tough fella proudly holding court with his harem of sheep. I was always captivated by his stoic pride, beautiful coat, crazy eyes and impressive horns. This image almost feels more like a painting. The outof-focus flakes between my lens and the ram add to that feeling, almost like spattered paint. The snow piling up on his coat and horns gives him a stalwart presence. To me he is a symbol of strength, patience, perseverance and maybe a little stubbornness, too.
ADAM ELLIOT
SNOW CANYON
adamelliottphotography.com
@adam_elliott_photography
I’m an architectural and nature photographer living in Ivins, Utah. Winter in the corner of the Mojave Desert, for me, means enjoying areas that are too hot to visit most of the year. It rarely snows, so that is of course a worthwhile event. More often it rains, and when it does it’s a real thrill to visit places usually bone dry, to smell the plants, to see waterfalls and water pockets.
Winter is also a chance for me to venture farther out, into the more inhospitable parts of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts to pursue personal projects of photographing remote dunes, or abstract architecture.
CHELSEA RUSHTON — SPRUCES
There is a quiet magic to Utah winter—one that calls to me in ways I can’t fully explain but feel deeply in my bones. Winters are an open invitation to play, to make lasting memories with good friends, and find a sense of freedom that only snowy winter brings.
This photo captures that feeling: When our mountains are covered in fresh snow waiting to be explored. Our Wasatch winter landscape, with its vast, snow-covered peaks and tranquil valleys, is an inspiration and a refuge—a place where I find wonder, and a reminder there is warmth in the beauty and people that surround us.
ADAM FINKLE
SHADOWS & SALT
ajfphoto.com @ajfphotoslc
Adam Finkle has been a working professional photographer for over 30 years. A recurring subject in his work is the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding area in Utah. The western dessert, The Great Basin and its terminal bodies of water are a unique landscape giving rise to interesting interplays between earth, water and sky that keep bringing him back.
“Shadows & Salt” was created in March 2020 at Antelope Island on a very windy day that kept the bugs away but almost blew the tripod over.
RYLEE MARRON
BRYCE CANYON ARCH
ryleesfotos.com
@ryleesfotos
Photography has allowed me to reflect on both somber and joyful moments in my life: old photos of loved ones who have passed and new ones filled with cherished memories of family and friends. This passion for capturing moments fuels my work.
This image was captured during my first visit to Bryce Canyon National Park, using my ‘new-to-me’ 1970s Yashica Mat-124G medium format film camera with Kodak Gold film. The reds, greens and whites came alive on that sunny November day in 2023, just after Thanksgiving with my parents, my boyfriend and our two dogs. The moment embodies the spirit of discovery and gratitude, preserved forever on film.
JUSTIN HACKWORTH
CONTRASTS
justinhackworth.com
@justinhackworth
Though I dread being chilly all winter and feel like my feet are cold from October to April, I love the quiet of winter—the fresh beauty of this place covered in white, the incomparable stillness of falling snow. For me, winter is very much about contrasts—the warmth and comfort inside a moving car versus the biting cold outside, the darkness of winter mornings versus the intense shine off the snow on a sunny day, the landscape transformed from summer’s vibrant colors to winter’s subdued tones. The contrast happens internally, too. It’s a natural time for reflection and reset, possibility and planning. This theme resonates with me, as I try to convey a sense of hope and renewal through my work. What a gift to live in a place with variety in the seasons. And plus, I look real good in sweaters.
TURNING THE TABLES Restaurants that Thrive Through Grit and Great Food
BY LYDIA MARTINEZ PHOTOS BY ADAM FINKLE
Recipes for success in a cruel culinary land
We’ve all seen the sad news, peppered throughout our social media feeds. A rumor about a favorite restaurant suddenly closing its doors or an official announcement from a local eatery shutting down after years in business. Restaurants are hard. And if you think it’s hard to watch your favorite spot close its doors, it’s that much harder for the owners, managers and staff.
To combat the bad news, we wanted to take a moment and share the stories of several local restaurants that have adapted, moved, transformed or doubled down on staying the same to stay in business.
Kimi Eklund
KIMI’S CHOP & OYSTER HOUSE
A NEW LOCATION FOR A LOCAL INSTITUTION
After 10 years, Kimi Eklund decamped her namesake restaurant, Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House, from the historic Sugar House post office to the former site of Primo’s Restaurant in Holladay. The new location is a good fit for Kimi’s brand of service, but before the move, her Chop & Oyster House came within inches of closing forever. Constant construction in Sugar House had severely impacted the business. “When Jan. 2 came and they closed the road [1100 East], our sales dropped 85% overnight,” she says. “Sugar House was a ghost town.” But Kimi hoped that when construction ended, things would improve. So, she prepared to renew her lease for another 10 years.
Then, the universe intervened one evening in July. “I seem to always have these fateful things happen,” Kimi laughs. “That night, one of my guests told me ‘It’s such a pity that we can’t sit out on your patio [due to construction]. It’s too bad you don’t have Primo’s patio. It’s one of the best patios in town, and they’re closed.’”
That same night, she learned about a new Sugar House development that would bring even more long-term construction to her block. One of the servers had waited on a developer. “The server told me that he [the developer] was talking about plans to put a 26-story building in the area behind us.”
Oh and, to top it off, “there will be a high-end restaurant at the top overlooking the whole valley.”
The development might be a few years out, but it would definitely mean more chaos, more construction. Kimi knew she either had to close or move. She drove over to Primo’s location and peeked in the windows. Then she started dreaming.
KIMI’S CHOP & OYSTER HOUSE
4699 S. Highland Dr., Holladay kimishouse.com
Open seven days a week, with private dining for groups of 10–58 guests, live music and seasonal cocktails.
Kimi and the owners of the Primo building came to an agreement. They wanted Kimi’s in the space and were willing to hold out for almost a year until Kimi was ready to move. “I got cold feet,” Kimi admits. “I didn’t want to start over again.” But the fact that her potential landlords were willing to work with her was heartening. She says, “It was telling me that I should trust my instincts.”
To make the old Primo building move-in ready, Kimi brought in some trusted advisors and fellow restaurant owners. The pad was segmented, with some walls blocking the energy and flow in the center of the restaurant. “We Tauruses are sensitive people,” Kimi says. “We are in tune and very sensory. Once I got those walls down, I knew it was going to be a success.”
The new decor is just so “Kimi.” Lush, vibrant, Scandinavian-cozy, with bright art and dramatic lighting, “a combination of white sherpa and velvet, illuminated with tear-drop chandeliers.” Each room and each nook is different, with private dining options and a beautiful lounge area, stone fireplaces and views of Mt. Olympus.
The kitchen is more spacious and modern, which means there are more options for the classic menu, more specials and more small-plate dishes, as per Kimi’s customer requests. “We’re turning into a neighborhood restaurant. People are sharing plates, doing a lot of tapas and trying everything on the menu.”
Kimi Eklund moved her namesake restaurant from Sugar House to a new location in Holladay that she says saved her business from the constant construction in her former location.
Anny Sooksri
TEA ROSE DINER
A NEW MOVE AND A NEW FLAVOR OF HISTORY
When Anny Sooksri quit her job with the post office in 2007, she decided to take over a little burger bar tucked in Murray. Anny did what she has always done.“I jumped right in,” she says. “I didn’t know what I was doing.” Tea Rose Diner was named because when she opened, she carried 82 varieties of tea and had a rose house next door. “It’s hilarious that I never had a sign,” she says. “Not until I had been open for 10 years.” Anny built her customer base the old-fashioned way, over 18 years—by serving delicious Thai food with her unique, spicy twist.
Anny could never find food that was spicy enough for her taste buds in the U.S. “I eat super spicy, but I couldn’t make food as spicy as I want because of the risk factor. So we started giving customers a choice of zero to 10 for spice,” she says. To be clear, going from a “one” to a “two” is doubling the spice. “We add a spoon of chili on each level,” she says. Tea Rose Diner guests were also shocked at the quality (and quantity) of food coming out of the tiny kitchen. Anny even managed to impress her future husband when he came in for lunch with friends.
IN TRIBUTE ( We hope to meet again.)
Tea Rose Diner has lived and thrived for nearly two decades. Anny went on to open four other restaurants: Chabaar Beyond Thai, Fav Bistro, Tea Rose Thai Express and Uncle Jeffi’s Place. Tea Rose will always be her figurative firstborn, but it’s starting to show its age. The kitchen is so small that you can’t have two people in there without feeling cramped. The building is grandfathered in for code, so, “I could never sell it,” Anny says. “The permit would not transfer.”
“We were keeping an eye out for a new location,” she says, but they didn’t want to go far. When the option to bid on the city-owned, historic Murray Chapel (kitty corner from the original) came up, Anny jumped. She won the bid in late fall 2024 and has big plans to renovate the space. The new Tea Rose Diner will be a fullservice restaurant with a tea/coffee shop and a small event space on the lower level.
Anny won the bid because of her dedication to keeping history alive in the building. “I come from a country that has a lot of history,” she says. “And to keep something historical is something to feel honored about. We lose our history and then we don’t have anything to look forward to as a new generation.”
With thin margins, rising costs, staffing challenges and construction woes, the challenges for some local restaurants proved insurmountable in 2024. Here are a few (of many) that we are still mourning.
SLC Eatery Taco Taco
CLOSED SEPT. 2024
CLOSED SUMMER 2024
Downtown Salt Lake City’s first L.A.-style taco counter, Taco Taco was serving squash blossom tacos with a full salsa bar amidst Mexican luchador masks starting in 2014. The original owner sold the restaurant in early 2024, and the concept quietly closed down soon after.
Anny Sooksri’s original Tea Rose Diner has been a Murray gem for years. She recently got approval to move her restaurant to a larger space in the city-owned, historic Murray Chapel.
One of the most innovative restaurants in town, Chef Logen Crew led a creative team with beautiful service and plating like a piece of modern art, local ingredients and a distinct flair. With true class, they stayed open for an extra 30 days to give their staff a chance to find new jobs. They hope to continue with private parties, supper clubs and pop-ups.
The Murray Chapel will take at least a year and $900,000 to bring it up to code and build it out. She can’t alter the historical facade but wants to extend the back of the building with an all-glass structure and upper deck. “It’s going to be a lot of work, but it is going to be so cool,” she says, getting animated.
TEA ROSE DINER (THE ORIGINAL)
65 E. 5th Ave., Murray bestthaifoodinutah.com
“I think every success comes with hard work. And we are a ‘hardwork’ people, you know? For us to fail, it’s not an option. I was the first generation and I’m here by myself and I came here with nothing. I wish I could be an example to a lot of people. If I can do it, why can’t you?”
Stanza
CLOSED OCT. 2024
I lived next door to Stanza from the day they opened in 2016. Their housemade pasta was revelatory, and their affogato with house-made gelato was worth the trip alone.
Beehive Distilling Bar
CLOSED MARCH 2024
While the distillery remains open, the lovely bar is sadly closed to the public. We are still mourning this beautiful watering hole/meeting spot.
Margo Provost LOG HAVEN
LOG HAVEN’S LASTING LEGACY
Delicious values and a great team behind every meal
Log Haven is a Utah institution. For nearly 30 years, it is the quintessential place for proposals, weddings and family gatherings. Couples who got married there have watched their kids get married there.
As the name suggests, it is both rustic and a retreat, romantic and renowned. But at one point, it was more ramshackle than anything. That is when Margo Provost came to own the property in Millcreek Canyon. At first, she planned to remodel it as a private residence, but soon it became clear it needed to be more. “I was attempting to sort through the detritus. It was really in terrible shape.” As Margo recalls, she struck up a friendship with Jean Rains, whose father had built it as an anniversary present for her mother. Jean had photos from when she was a child, and her family would come out from Philadelphia every
IN TRIBUTE ( We hope to meet again.)
Tradition
CLOSED SPRING 2024
Known for its pies, Southernleaning fare and herbal cocktails, Tradition transformed a former eyesore garage into a vibrant neighborhood dining spot across the street from Liberty Park. They shuttered their doors suddenly and without notice, even to their employees—a tasteless ending to a formerly delicious spot.
summer. “As we talked and I learned more about its history, I decided to restore it, add on to it and make it into a restaurant,” says Margo.
The idea of Log Haven was born. But, “It was a much bigger project than I expected,” says Margo. “We encountered problems. We had to jack the building up to meet earthquake code, remove asbestos and remove an underground heating oil tank. But eventually, we got up and running.”
On top of all the challenges, Margo was not native to the restaurant business. “I was a Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Operations for a multi-billion dollar healthcare company,” she says. “I found that things weren’t really right in line with my passions. So I took a leap to retire and was looking for a project that would fulfill what I wanted to offer to the universe.” Log Haven fit the bill. “And so when we opened, my intention was nature, nurture and nourish.”
That is one of the reasons Log Haven has stayed close to their mountain sanctuary. “You can’t be ‘nature, nurture, nourish’ if all you’re trying to do is build a brand and spread it out everywhere,” Margo says. “You put your stamp on something special, show where your values are and hope that others respond to it. We’ve been fortunate to pull that off at Log Haven.”
“Nature, nurture and nourish” have been the guiding values for Log Haven’s team, which has been there almost since the beginning. All are co-owners: Ian Campbell, the General Manager; Faith Scheffler, the Sales and Event Manager, and David Jones, the Executive Chef. “When big things occur, like
The Local
CLOSED SEPT. 2024
As a food hall, The Local struggled to gain traction, with many of the local vendors leaving and receiving backfill from brand-owned venues. They hope to reopen as an event venue down the road.
Margot Provost opened Log Haven 30 years ago and credits her success to building a consistent team.
LOG HAVEN 6451 Mill Creek Canyon Rd., SLC log-haven.com
recessions, significant legislative changes, or, heaven forbid, COVID, we tend to take a longer view,” she says. “We’ve been through these things.”
And so, Log Haven, like with any true haven, stays the course and is known for its team, values and amazing food. Chef Jones was a James Beard semifinalist for the best chef in the mountain region this past year and Log Haven has consistently been lauded by this very magazine’s Dining Awards. But Margo sees a bigger mission.
“We’re so darnn lucky,” she says. “We have so many people who’ve gotten engaged, celebrated promotions, recruited people to move to Salt Lake. We give them a place, a beautiful, almost sacred space to celebrate the desire for connection.”
The general manager, Ian, always says, “We have a soul.” And Margo sees that as what really sets Log Haven up as the special place it is. “We see it as more than just a business. I believe we do have soul, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.”
Good Grammar
CLOSED JUNE 2024
One of our gems of a downtown cocktail bar, was always on the cutting edge of pushing the cocktail envelope during its eight years in business. The space closed and flipped quickly, and we are excited to see what’s new.
Pig & A Jelly Jar
CLOSED AUGUST 2024
After closing their Holladay location in 2023, the Ogden and Salt Lake City locations closed a year later. They made us all love chicken and waffles, with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and real maple syrup on top.
FOLLOW THE 2025 UTAH LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON
PLUS, IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS & ANALYSIS ON:
Access Utah.............Mon.-Thurs. 9-10 a.m.
Behind the Headlines............Fri. 9-10 a.m.
Both Sides of the Aisle........Thurs. 10 a.m.
Amish made live edge tables with leaves
Solid wood Amish crafted bedroom sets
Over 25 Amish made sets on display
RED CLIFFS LODGE ZION INTRODUCING
A TRIBUTE PORTFOLIO HOTEL
Create a new perspective and experience a magnetic setting at the newest hotel in the heart of Springdale, Utah, less than a mile to Zion National Park. Whatever exploration is to you - whether it’s sparking new connections in a plush lobby, sharing imaginative plates at Scout Bar and Grill, or scoping out Zion’s far-reaching canyonsenjoy the only full-service Marriott property in Springdale. This place has spirit.
Courtesy of Zion Guru
Schnitzel, Beer and Celebration at Hof Germanfest
Utah’s untamed city and its sister by the Saale River are quite a pair, like bratwurst and sauerkraut
WHEN YOU GO
HOF GERMANFEST
Jan. 17 and 18, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ogden Eccles Conference Center Tickets available at ogdenpet.com
OBY JAIME WINSTON
GDEN’S SISTER-CITY
RELATIONSHIP with Hof (rhymes with loaf), Germany, started in 1954 when then-Mayor Raymond Wright sponsored August Brand from Hof to work at Bank of Utah’s Ogden branch. Wright’s backing, prompted by bank founder Frank Browning of the Browning gun family, led to further connections. Two years later, when President Eisenhower launched Sister Cities International to
rebuild relationships after World War II, the two cities were primed for membership.
Say “Prost!” to the historical bond at this year’s Hof Germanfest, Weber County’s annual celebration for the cities at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center.
Highlights include hand-made goods for sale, music, dancing and, like any good German party, an abundance of beer and food. “Our chef has done a really good job of keeping it as authentic as
Sit back and listen to the music, or join the party on the dance floor at Hof Germanfest.
Golden Spike Event Center. Organizers later discovered the conference center as the perfect spot for the gathering.
“You need to come and join us,” said Kassi Bybee, conference center general manager. “It’s just a really fun festival honoring our sister city.”
Now, if only we could convince Hof dignitaries to host a fry sauce fest.
Get your bratwurst (grilled pork sausage) for $13 and a side of sauerkraut for $4.
FOODS YOU’LL WANT TO TRY
• Schnitzel
• Knackwurstl
• Frankfurtersl
possible,” said Tayler Savage, conference center sales manager.
• Jägerschnitzel
• Bratwurst
• Spätzlel
In addition to the conference center’s offerings, Layton restaurant Weller’s Bistro and bakeries Petra’s Backstabchen and Jack’s Bread Truck offer enough grub to fill out your lederhosen.
Kids are welcome. The Germanfest’s Kinder Corner gives them a chance to make crafts and learn about Hof and German culture. Utah schools with German language programs often host field trips to the festival, and raffles help raise funds for Utah students to study in Germany.
A prior festival launched in the late 1980s and ran for about a decade until it lost funding. Former Ogden Mayor Scott Sneddon, who died in 2005, didn’t want the celebration to go away. To honor his wishes, Weber County brought the festival to the
OUR CHEF HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING IT AS AUTHENTIC AS POSSIBLE.
—TAYLER SAVAGE, CONFERENCE CENTER SALES MANAGER
• Beer cheddar potato soup
• Rotkohl
• German Beer (duh)
Hear the traditional alphorns blow live at the Hof Germanfest.
Sure, it’s a party with beer flowing, but Hof Germanfest offers soft drinks for kids and non-drinkers to say “Prost!” as well.
AROUND THE STATE PARK CITY
This year’s Sundance Film Festival
JAN. 23–FEB. 2, 2025
The Festival will kick off in person in Park City at noon with a full day of premieres. Premieres of new films continue through Tuesday, January 28, followed by additional screenings and events through Sunday, February 2. Voting will be open throughout the festival, and the awards announced on Friday, January 31. festival.sundance.org
Surviving Sundance
If you know the ins and outs, the Sundance Film Festival in Park City is a good time for locals and visitors alike
BY TONY GILL
UNLESS YOU ARE TIGHT WITH SOME INFLUENTIAL KEY
GRIP’S NEPHEW, navigating the Sundance Film Festival can be difficult. Without those sweet, sweet insider hookups, you’ll likely be stuck in line outside the exclusive screenings and hot, popup clubs Sundance is famous for. By following these tips, even those of us outside the Hollywood power vacuum can enjoy the spoils of Park City’s Biggest Little Film Festival.
WHAT DO I EAT?
Let’s be blunt: Stay away from Main Street! Many restaurants in the center of the whirlwind are commandeered for private events or have waiting lines measured in eons. Many great nearby options won’t be inundated, like Twisted Fern’s chic natural cuisine in the Snow Creek Shopping Center or Sammy’s Bistro’s high-class comfort food in Prospector. Even easier is to pick up some Italian food at Bartolos in Kimball Junction or elevated Mexican fare at Billy Blanco’s in Pinebrook before you head to the center of town.
WHERE DO I DRINK?
Twenty-dollar cover charges at dive bars are borderline offensive, especially when you can waltz in for free the other 50 weeks a year. The Boneyard on S.R. 248 has the same idealized local/visitor melting pot vibe as its Main Street analog, No Name Saloon, and there’s a mirror image of O’Shucks Bar and Grill—schooners, peanuts and all—in Pinebrook.
HOW DO I GET THERE?
Do not drive into the heart of Sundance. The roads are a madhouse. Parking is rare and expensive. Park City’s already robust bus system transforms into a well-oiled mass transit machine that leaves major metropolitan areas envious. Park at the new Ecker Hill Park & Ride, and catch High Valley Transit from Kimball Junction and enjoy the ride. The army of patient Sundance volunteers will help you get to where you’re going.
WHAT MOVIES DO I WATCH?
Unless you bought a ticket package long before reading this article, you’re going to have to use the Sundance Film Festival app to get on the waitlist for a screening. It can still be difficult to get into high-demand screenings, but the app is a must for anyone planning on catching a film at Sundance. Shoot for late-night screenings—you’d be shocked how many people might no-show after a few cocktails—or catch a film at the Festival’s excellent venues in Salt Lake City, like the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center or the Broadway Centre Cinema.
When in doubt, track down a Sundance Film Festival volunteer for help.
The Forest Gump roll at Takashi uses habanero masago for added heat.
BY
Spice up the Winter
Our top spicy dishes to warm your bones in Salt Lake City
BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY are when the cold sets in, and we start craving cozy comfort foods with a punch of heat to chase away the winter. A good spicy dish will make your lips tingle and might just clear your sinuses, but it should still be balanced beyond pure heat. Here are our top five spicy dishes, guaranteed to shake off the chill, from Salt Lake magazine’s food writer Lydia Martinez (a dedicated cold-weather wimp).
PRETTY BIRD’S HOT CHICKEN SANDO
Chef Viet Pham introduced Salt Lake City to the Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich. As the local original, it is still the best in town. Order a “hot behind” sandwich if you are serious about heat. The breaded chicken is a boneless chicken thigh rather than a breast, so it is extra moist and flavorful. Topped with a red cabbage slaw, pickles and a special sauce, it is spicy enough to make lips tingle. I always order it
with the crisp crinkle-cut fries and a bonus side of house-made pickles to cut the heat with starch and vinegar. I take a bite of a sandwich, then eat a pickle or two to counterbalance. If you don’t want an (ahem) hot behind, you can always order a spice level based on your comfort level.
WHEN YOU GO: See multiple locations at prettybirdchicken.com
PHOTO
LYDIA MARTINEZ
Pretty Bird’s Hot Chicken Sandwich is topped with red cabbage slaw, pickles and special sauce.
WHERE TO EAT
A select list of the best restaurants in Utah, curated and edited by Salt Lake magazine
Listings
SALT LAKE CITY & THE WASATCH FRONT
Arempa’s–350 S. State St., SLC; 575 E. University Pkwy, Orem. 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.
Avenues Proper–376 8th Ave., SLC. properbrewingco.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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Bambara–202 S. Main St., SLC. 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, they turn out dishes with a community-minded sensibility.
La Barba–155 E. 900 South, SLC; 9 S. Rio Grande, SLC; 13811 Sprague Ln., Draper. 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.
Biscotts Bakery & Cafe–1098 W. Jordan Pkwy. #110, South Jordan; 6172 W. Lake Ave., South Jordan. biscotts.com. An Anglo-Indian teahouse, Lavanya Mahate’s (Saffron Valley) eatery draws from intertwined cultures, serving tea and chai, English treats and French pastries with a hint of subcontinental spice.
Bonne Vie–555 S. Main St., SLC. 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.
Bruges Waffle and Frites–336 W. Broadway, SLC; 2314 S. Highland Dr. 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.
Cafe Niche–779 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-4333380. caffeniche.com. The food comes from farms all over northern Utah, and the patio is a local favorite when the weather is fine.
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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Caffé Molise & BTG
Wine Bar–404 S. West Temple, SLC. 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.
AREMPA’S
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 the menu at Arempa’s.
—LYDIA MARTINEZ
Caputo’s Market & Deli–314 W. Broadway, SLC; 1516 S. 1500 East, SLC; 4670 Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay. 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.
DIN I NG AWARD
2024
La Casa Del Tamal–2843 S. 5600 West #140, West Valley City. lacasadeltamalutah.com.This West Valley Mexican restaurant is one Utah spot serving crispy, tender birria tacos, as well as perfect tamales. Their version is simple and effective—juicy beef, cilantro, onion, lots of gooey cheese and of course the stew for dipping, which is packed with flavor.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD
La Cevicheria–123 E. 200 South, SLC. @lacevicheriautah. It’s all about the ceviche. La Cevicheria has 11 unique varieties of ceviche (with seasonal flavors weaving in and out). You’ll find ceviche made with shrimp, tuna, whitefish, salmon and octopus. There is even a vegetarian ceviche.
Chabaar Beyond Thai–87 W. 7200 South, Midvale. bestthaifoodinutah.com. One of Annie Sooksri’s parade of restaurants, this one features what the name implies: a solid menu of Thai favorites plus some inventions based on Thai flavors.
The Charleston–1229 E. Pioneer Rd., Draper. thecharlestondraper.com 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: No kids under 12 during evening hours and an indoor dress code.
Chile Tepin–307 W. 200 South, SLC. 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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Copper Onion – 111 E. Broadway, Ste. 170, SLC. 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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Cucina–1026 E. 2nd Ave., SLC. 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 wine-by-the-glass lists.
Current Fish & Oyster House–279 E. 300 South, SLC. currentfishandoyster.com An all-star team made this cool downtown restaurant an instant hit. Excellent and inventive seafood dishes plenty of non-fishy options.
RED IGUANA’S MOLE AMARILLO
Nothing like a bright yellow spice-studded mole with habanero and garlic to counteract the winter blues. One of seven moles at Red Iguana, this particular mole is the hottest. It starts out tomato-y and sweet from the yellow raisins and then ends with a heat that builds as you polish off the dish. Honestly, I always make sure to bring leftovers home as they are delicious in an omelet or quesadilla on day two.
WHEN YOU GO:
RED IGUANA “OG” LOCATION
736 W. North Temple, SLC, 801-322-1489. rediguana.com
PHOTO BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
Feldman’s Deli–2005 E. 2700
South, SLC. 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.
Fillings & Emulsions–1475 S. Main St., SLC. fillingsandemulsions.com. This little West side bakery is worth finding; its unusual pastries find their way into many of Salt Lake’s fine restaurants. The pastry chef combines classical French training with the tropical flavors. The results are startlingly good and different.
Finn’s Cafe–1624 S. 1100 East, SLC. 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 Benedicts in town), served until the doors close at 2:30 p.m.
Five Alls 1458 Foothill Dr., SLC. fivealls.com
Five Alls offers a unique dining experience in a romantic, Old English-inspired location that overlooks the valley. The name is in part a reference to the menu’s five courses.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Franklin Avenue–231 S. Edison St., SLC., franklinaveslc.com.
The menu offers intelligent, well-executed plates. There is a burger (a Wagyu burger, actually) but Dungeness crab, as well, and a rotating menu of specials that will delight. The stellar bar program (it is a bar, after all) must certainly be mentioned and experienced.
Franck’s–6263 S. Holladay Blvd., SLC. 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.
Harbor Seafood & Steak Co.–2302 E. Parleys Way, SLC. 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.
HSL–418 E. 200 South, SLC. 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.
Hub & Spoke Diner–1291 S. 1100 East, SLC. 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.
A MOLE FOR EVERY PALATE AT RED IGUANA
Red Iguana has a veritable paint palette of moles. These complex blended sauces can be anything from spicy and chile-forward to sweet with mild heat. They range from dark, almost black, across the spectrum of greens, reds and oranges.
Mole recipes vary from region to region and family to family. Ingredients might include dried or fresh chilies, a plethora of spices, bananas, fruit, nuts or seeds and even chocolate. Mole recipes are assembled with layers of flavor, and the nuance tiptoes up on you as you eat each bite.
Unsure what will tempt the taste buds? Ask, and your Red Iguana server will bring you a flower-shaped plate of the eight/nine different sauces for sampling so you can pick your favorite. (Pictured in order, clockwise, starting with the darkest.)
MOLE NEGRO (BLACK)
“The King of Moles” and the one the most people think of if they have tried mole before. This is the dark Mexican chocolate savory-sweet mole is has dried mulato and negro pasilla chilies which contribute to the dark color. But with raisins, peanuts, walnuts and bananas, this rich mole has a lovely and complex sweet heat. Get it with the turkey.
MOLE AMARILLO (YELLOW)
This mole is the spiciest of the moles at Red Iguana due to fresh habanero chilies. It also tastes the most vibrant, with fresh, yellow vegetables tempering the heat as they cook down. You might not find them all on your palate, but they include golden raisins, yellow tomatoes, yellow zucchini, garlic and chilies. You can’t hide from the heat in this one. Served with chicken. Flour tortillas help temper the fiery flavors.
MOLE POBLANO
A recipe straight from the Pueblo region of Mexico, the burnished orange color hides more Mexican chocolate, with guajillo and ancho dried chiles, peanuts, sesame seeds, walnuts, raisins and bananas. The wealth of nuts makes for a smooth mole with a mid-range heat without being too sweet. Served tossed with turkey.
MOLE VERDE (GREEN)
Herbaceous and light on the tongue, the mole verde is made with all fresh chiles (compared to the dried chilies found in most recipes). Fresh chile poblano and fresh jalapeño blend with pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds, common in Mexican cooking) and sesame seeds, along with onions, zucchini and avocados. Fresh basil and lettuce are pureed and added for vibrancy and a bright finish. But don’t be fooled—it is the second spiciest mole in the house. It is typically served with chicken or turkey, but an off-menu secret is to ask for it with carnitas. The braised and griddled pork makes for a rich contrast to this spicy and light mole.
RED PIPIAN MOLE
A pumpkin seed sauce rounded out with peanuts has spicy undertones that creep up on you with each bite. The red color comes from dried chile guajillo and tomatoes. It tastes almost peanut buttery, in a good way, thickly coats the dish and is midrange heat-wise.
Red Iguana’s mole is world famous and gluten free.
and seeds, including pine nuts, almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds. The heat comes from a mix of dried and fresh chilies, including dried ancho and guajillo chiles. Fresh chile poblano adds heat, and Mexican chocolate brings some sweetness.
SEASONAL AND SPECIAL MOLES:
Red Iguana often has seasonal or weekly specials of sweeter moles. From mango to pumpkin, it is worth checking the special board to see what is on tap for the week.
TIP: Order family-style and enjoy a couple of moles and some fresh fajitas, along with rice, beans and lots of tortillas for making mini-tacos.
YAKUZA RAMEN’S CURRY RAMEN
Nothing warms in the winter like slurping up piping hot ramen. Yakuza Ramen (found inside Woodbine Food Hall) serves up a spicy Japanesecurry ramen that takes traditional silky Tonkotsu broth and mixes it with a curry roux that thickens the broth into tongue-coating warmth. The entire dish is topped with a piping hot and crispy breaded katsu pork cutlet, with bok choy and a half soft-boiled egg. The Japanese curry warms from within, and the heat is subtle. It won’t punch you in the face but light a little toasty fire in your belly. I get it with an additional egg and mix the yolk into the broth for extra creaminess.
“Yakuza” are members of the organized crime syndicates in Japan, and it is criminal not to polish off a bowl of this ramen on the regular.
WHEN YOU GO:
545 W. 700 South instagram @yakuza.ramen
Yakuza Ramen’s Japanese Curry, topped with katsu pork, bok choy and a soft-boiled egg.
Look for Yakuza Ramen’s colorful stall inside Woodbine Food Hall.
J. Wong’s Bistro–163 W. 200 South, SLC. 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.
King’s Peak Coffee–412 S. 700 West,, SLC; 592 W. 200 South. 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.
Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House–4699 S. Highland Dr., SLC. kimishouse.com A high-style, multi-purpose restaurant with new digs: It’s an oyster bar, it’s a steakhouse, it’s a lounge.
Kyoto–1080 E. 1300 South, SLC. 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.
Laziz Kitchen – 912 S. Jefferson St., SLC; 152 E. 200 South, SLC; 1076 Fort Union Blvd, Midvale. lazizkitchen.com There are so many reasons to love Laziz
Little America Coffee Shop – 500 S. Main St., SLC. 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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Log Haven–6451 E. Mill Creek Canyon Road, SLC. log-haven.com Certainly Salt Lake’s most picturesque restaurant, the old log cabin is pretty in every season. Chef David 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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Manoli’s–402 E. 900 South, SLC. manolison9th.com
Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas have created a fresh modern approach to Greek food. Stylish small plates full of Greek flavors include Butternut-squashfilled tyropita, smoked feta in piquillo peppers and a stellar roast chicken.
BRUNCH AT MANOLI’S
Mar | Muntanya–170 S. West Temple, SLC. mar-muntanya.com. The rooftop restaurant, atop the downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, has a menu of Spanishinspired cuisine with an emphasis on shareable tapas, Spanish gin and tonic cocktails and regional specialties with a little Utah twist.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD Market Street Grill–48 W. Market St., SLC; 2985 E. Cottonwood Pkwy., SLC; 10702 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan. marketstreetgrill.com SLC’s fave fish restaurants: Fish is flown in daily and the breakfast is an institution.
DIN I NG AWARD
2024
Matteo – 77 W. 200 South, SLC. matteoslc.com. This family-run Italian restaurant comes with a mission statement: “Food. Wine. Togetherness.” The menu is Inspired by the rustic and comforting recipes and techniques passed down through generations of Matteo’s family and perfected by Chef Damiano Carlotto.
Do not sleep on Manoli’s brunch and their take on classic brunch plates with a mediterranean twist.
Mazza–1515 S. 1500 East, SLC. 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
ON THE TABLE
MARIA’S MEXICAN GRILL’S MOLCAJETE
A molcajete is a fine-grained lava rock basin on legs often used to make guacamole or grind spices with a pestle. At Maria’s, it is heated to lava-hot levels and used to simmer a tomatillo sauce. It arrives at the table bubbling and studded with flame-grilled carne asada, chicken and shrimp, and soft strips of nopalito cactus, onions and jalapeño peppers. The stone is so hot that it softens and chars the vegetables. You’ll simultaneously warm up in the way sitting around a roaring fire warms you up. Hold your hands out campfire-style, but don’t touch. The stone will still be piping hot 30 minutes later. I always say you can control the amount of spicy heat by breaking up all the jalapenos into the sauce. The best part? It easily serves two to three people.
WHEN YOU GO: 3336 S. 2300 East and 781 W. 10600 South mariasmexicangrillslc.com
Flame-grilled carne asada, chicken and shrimp, served on a hot tortilla, with soft strips of nopalito cactus, onions and jalapeño peppers.
Mi La-Cai Noodle House–961 S. State St., SLC. lacaislc.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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Mint Sushi–8391 S. 700 East, Sandy; 3158 E. 6200 South, Cottonwood Heights; 4640 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay. mintsushiutah.com. Owner Chef Soy wanted to bring in a new thing to 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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Oquirrh–368 E. 100 South, SLC. oquirrhslc.com Little and original chefowned bistro offers a menu of inventive and delicious dishes—whole curried lamb leg, chicken confit pot pie, milk-braised potatoes—it’s all excellent.
2024 DIN I NG
AWARD Pago–878 S. 900 East, SLC. 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
The Park Cafe–604 E. 1300 South, SLC. 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.
Pat’s Barbecue–155 W. Commonwealth Ave., SLC, 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.”
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Pho 777–3585 S. Redwood Rd., West Valley City. pho777utah.com. Pho 777 stands out among other Pho joints. The broth is made from bones. It is made every day. The ingredients are fresh and it all comes together to allow the soup sipper to improvise, as is required.
The Pie Pizzeria–1320 E. 200 South, SLC; 3321 S. 200 East, South Salt Lake; 7186 Union Park Ave, Midvale; 10627 Redwood Rd., South Jordan; 4300 Harrison Blvd., Ogden. 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 institution, more locations have popped up around the valley.
Pizza Nono–925 E. 900 South, SLC. nonopizza.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.
Molcajete at Maria’s Mexican Grill arrives to the table bubbling hot.
PHOTOS BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
Pleiku–264 S. Main St., SLC. 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.
Porch–11274 S. Kestrel Rise Rd., South Jordan. 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.
Pretty Bird Chicken–146 S. Regent St., SLC; 675 E. 2100 South, SLC; 7169 Bingham Junction Blvd, Midvale; 1775 Prospector Ave., Park City. 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.
Publik– 931 E. 900 South, SLC; 502 E. 3rd Ave., SLC; 975 S. West Temple, SLC; 210 S. University St., SLC. publikcoffee.com Serving the latest in great coffee; the old-school java joint made for long conversations; a neo-cafe where you can park with your laptop and get some solo work done.
Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2 –736 W. North Temple, SLC; 866 W. South Temple, SLC. 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.
Rodizio Grill–600 S. 700 East, SLC. 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.”
2024 DIN I NG
AWARD
Saffron Valley–1098 W. South Jordan Pkwy., South Jordan; 479 E. 2100 South, SLC; 26 E Street, SLC; 4594 W. Partridgehill Lane, Riverton. 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. The SLC location combines the best of her others: Indian street food, classics and the Indian-Anglo bakery.
Sake Ramen & Sushi Bar–8657 Highland Drive, Sandy. 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.”
The Salt Republic–170 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-433-6650. 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.
TAKASHI’S SPICY SUSHI ROLLS
Takashi is the king of slipping delightfully surprising heat into his signature sushi rolls. There are several rolls on the menu that have fresh spicy chilies or a hot dipping sauce sneakily hiding in plain sight. There are five hot-to-trot rolls, and I will always order a couple every time I go.
CEVICHE ROLL: This roll itself isn’t super spicy—but it is served with Takashi’s signature ceviche dipping sauce that is a mix of tart and hot. The roll itself has cooling avocado, cucumber and cilantro inside with salmon, sea bream and octopus on top.
RAMON’S ROLL: The menu itself warns you, “it’s hot” for this Mexican-ish inspired roll. With tuna, fresh cilantro, avocado and spicy mayo, it’s the fresh chile peppers on top that make it extra spicy. Similarly, the Caribbean Roll is topped with fresh chiles, but the mango and yellowtail temper the heat.
FORREST GUMP ROLL: I’m not 100% clear on the relationship between this roll and the movie character, but it has crispy shrimp tempura, cucumber and spicy mayo on the inside and split shrimp ebi, escolar and eel sauce on top. Spicy habanero masago (the delightfully small burst-in-the-mouth fish egg gems) liberally garnish the roll for pops of heat.
T&T ROLL: This roll takes the cake for the spiciest roll on the menu, again not for the roll itself, but for the “hotter than hell” sauce that comes along with it. The yellowtail, albacore and salmon roll is flash-fried, and the sauce will make you catch your breath a little... and then breathe fire.
WHEN YOU GO:
18 W. Market Street takashisushi.com
The Forrest Gump Roll features tempura shrimp and colorful masago on top.
The T&T roll at Takashi is fried and served with “hotter than hell” sauce.
PHOTOS BY ADAM FINKLE
Takashi’s signature Ramon Roll receives inspiration from spicy Mexican flavors.
Slackwater Pizza–684 S. 500 West, SLC. 209 24th St., Ogden. slackwaterpizzeria.com The pies here are as good as any food in SLC. Selection ranges from traditional to Thai (try it), and there’s an excellent selection of wine and beer.
Spencer’s–255 S. West Temple, SLC. 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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Table X–1457 E. 3350 South, SLC. 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 made inhouse and ingredients are the best (Solstice chocolate cake). Ex pect surprises.
Takashi–18 W. Market St., SLC. 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
Tea Rose Diner – 65 E. 5th Ave., Murray. bestthaifoodinutah.com Annie Sooksri has a miniempire 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.
Tiburon–8256 S. 700 East, Sandy. 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.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD Urban Hill–510 S. 300 West, SLC. urban-hill.com. The menu is seafood forward and takes inspiration from Southwest cuisine. Its wood-burning flame grill is unique, and the ember-roasted carrots with salty feta and a New Mexico red chili sauce are a winner. Be sure to save room for dessert.
DIN I NG AWARD
2024
Valter’s Osteria –173 W. Broadway, SLC. valtersosteria.com
Although the restaurant’s namesake, Valter Nassi, passed away in 2022, the restaurant remains a living monument to his effervescent personality. His legacy of service and quality continues to inspire and delight.
DIN I NG AWARD
2024
Veneto Ristorante–370 E. 900 South, SLC. 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.
Homegrown Flavors With Mountain Views
Dinner at Deer Valley’s RIME | Seafood + Steak
BY LYDIA MARTINEZ
THE ST. REGIS AT DEER VALLEY has always been a destination spot for out-oftowners. The restaurants are exquisite, and the ambiance is sublime. I’ve always thought of the restaurants primarily as vacationers/winter destinations. In the dining room, it was clear that Rime is expanding the image of its clientele. To our left was a group of teenage girls celebrating a sweet 16 birthday with flatbread, mocktails and giggles. To our right was a couple who looked to have enjoyed each other’s company for at least 40 years of meals and were sharing bites and holding hands. On the patio, a friend group passed around bottles of wine and shared plates. All local. All out enjoying the perfect mountain weather at this Deer Valley restaurant.
Chef Larry Abrams designed a tasting to showcase the menu’s highlights. Sprinkled throughout were local ingredients, seasonal fresh produce, sustainably farmed/fished proteins and nods to regional culinary traditions.
We started light with a Melon Gazpacho, a dish that was not only a feast for the taste buds but also a visual delight. The arrangement of circles and spirals, with balls of Utah-local watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe along with a ball of coconut sorbet, was a sight to
behold. The gazpacho itself was poured tableside, adding an element of theater to the dining experience. It had a hint of secret heat and a herbaceous kick with local
The warm glow of the dining room at RIME
The incredible views of the Wasatch Back from St. Regis Deer Valley.
Vertical Diner–234 W. 900 South, SLC. verticaldiner.com. Vertical Diner boasts an animal-free menu of burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts. Plus cocktails, organic wines and coffees.
DIN I NG AWARD
2024
Wildwood Restaurant –564 E. 3rd Ave., SLC. wildwoodslc.com. Wildwood is a sure thing on any given night and those of you who can remember Chef Ritchey’s early days at Pago will see some of that heritage on the menu, including those beautiful little pillows of golden potatoes topped with a decadent clutch of sturgeon roe.
Woodbine Food Hall & Cocktail Bar–545 W. 700 South, SLC. woodbineslc.com. A cornerstone of the Granary District, Woodbine has a full liquor license with a 21-and-over bar up front and on the roof. Inside the hall beer and wine is available. The Hall has spaces for up to nine establishments.
Zest Kitchen & Bar–275 S. 200 West, SLC. 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 is all vegan and changes frequently.
PARK CITY & THE WASATCH BACK
Apex–9100 Marsac Ave., Park City. 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.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD Back 40 Ranchhouse–1223 US Highway 40, Heber City. back40utah.com For the meat-andpotatoes-lovin’ cowboy in all of us. You will find a lot of meat on the menu, beef in particular, but there is an art to fixin’s and these guys are serving them up right, with little concession to the vegan in your family.
Big Dipper–227 Main St., Park City. bigdipperpc.com. Located in the historical Star Hotel, the Big Dipper brings in a little old world and a little new, serving up old-world inspired French dip sandwiches that have a modern spin.
Blind Dog Grill –1251 Kearns Blvd., Park City. 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.
Romantic Wi{derness Vining
ON THE TABLE
microgreens. The sorbet gradually melted into the already cold gazpacho, transforming it from refreshing and summery to icy and tropical. The gradual change in texture and flavor was a journey in itself, enhancing the overall dining experience.
The Elk Carpaccio is sliced thin and then flash frozen to enhance the texture of the meat. Summer peas bring out a vegetal ‘green’ flavor to counteract the mineral tones of the uncooked meat. Contrasting with the carpaccio was the Tuna Belly (fresh off a day boat), served with house-smoked olive oil, micro mint, and micro orchids. The tuna was thinly sliced and topped with bonus minced poke-style tuna.
Speaking of the seafood (all thoughtfully and sustainably sourced), both the Scallops (served with compound butter, braised fennel, succotash, mushrooms, tarragon and pea puree) and the Campbell River Salmon with a corn veloute (Chef’s version of street corn with a Utah twist) and locally grown red pepper, were on the lighter side. The scallops were perfectly seared with the citrusy succotash. And the crisp salmon skin stole the show when contrasted with creamy sweet corn.
Harkening back to Utah’s flavors, the carnivore will be well satisfied at Rime. The aged NY Strip was served in carne-asada style with truffled mash. The Utah lamb arrived tableside with a pine nut risotto— which felt luxurious and so, so right. The lamb was anything but gamey and served with native peppers in a red harissa.
At this point, we were delightfully full, but, somehow, we made room for a beautiful dessert board. I was in a food-blissed-out state by now and forgot to take notes, but let the photos speak for themselves and save room for dessert.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautiful view at Rime. You ride up and down via a funicular and if you time the ride at sunset, you have a stunning view of Summit County and the blues and purples of dusk as the real dessert at the end of the night.
Whole fish Branzino is an example of fresh-from-the-ocean delivery at Rime.
St. Regis Deer Valley rotates signature cocktails onto its menus in the winter season.
Take hot drinks out onto the Mountain Terrace at the St. Regis.
Burgers & Bourbon–9100 Marsac Ave., Park City. 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.
Butcher’s Chop House & Bar–751 Lower Main St., Park City. butcherschophouse. com The draws are prime rib, New York strip and pork chops—and the ladies’ night specials in the popular bar downstairs.
Café Terigo–424 Main St., Park City. 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.
El Chubasco–1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City. 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.
Edge Steakhouse–3000 Canyon Resort Dr., Park City. 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.
Firewood–306 Main St., Park City. 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.
Fletcher’s on Main Street–562 Main St., Park City. 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.
Fuego–2001 Sidewinder Dr., Park City. 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.
Glitretind–7700 Stein Way, Deer Valley, Park City. 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 DINING
Goldener Hirsch–7520 Royal St., Park City. 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.
Grappa–151 Main St., Park City. 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.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD Handle–136 Heber Ave., Park City,. 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., (Newpark), Park City. hearth-hill.com. This all-purposse cafe serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, focusing on bright, approachable American dishes with a kick.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD KITA at the Pendry–2417 W. High Mountain Rd., Park City. pendry.com. This hotel resturant pulls off its moniker of a “Japanese-Inspired Steakhouse and Mountain Grill.” Here, Japanese flavors mingle with comforting classics made for the mountains in a beautiful, modern setting.
350 Main–350 Main St., Park City. 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.
Rime Seafood & Steak–2300 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, St. Regis, Deer Valley. 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.
Rime Seafood & Raw Bar – 9850 Summit 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.
Shabu–442 Main St., Park City. 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 prize-winning mixologists adds to the freestyle feel.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD Silver Star Cafe–1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City. 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.
Tarahumara–1300 Snow Creek Dr., Park City. 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.
2024
DIN I NG AWARD Tupelo–1500 Kearns Blvd., Park City. tupeloparkcity.com. Tupelo is a homegrown dining experience that deserves a visit. The menu features some favorites carried over from Tupelo’s inception, like the Idaho Trout and the famed buttermilk biscuits with butter honey, as well as newer dishes such as the vegan-friendly grilled cauliflower steak with herb-chili pesto.
NORTHERN UTAH
The Beehive Pub & Grill–255 S. Main St., Logan. thebeehivegrill.com An indirect offshoot of Moab Brewery, the Grill focuses as much on housebrewed root beer as alcoholic suds, but the generally hefty food suits either.
Caffe Ibis – 52 Federal Ave., Logan. caffeibis. com Exchange news, enjoy sandwiches and salads and linger over a cuppa conscientiously grown coffee.
Hearth on 25th–195 Historic 25th St. (2nd Floor), Ogden. 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.
Maddox Ranch House –1900 S. Highway 89, Perry. 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.
Mandarin – 348 E. 900 North, Bountiful. 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.
Ramen Haus–2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden. 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.
Rovali’s Ristorante – 174 E. 25th St., Ogden. 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.
Sonora Grill–2310 Kiesel Ave., Ogden. 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.
Tona Sushi–210 25th St., Ogden. 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.
Union Grill–315 24th St., Ogden. uniongrillogden.com The cross-over cooking offers sandwiches, seafood and pastas with American, Greek, Italian or Mexican spices.
PROVO & CENTRAL UTAH
Bombay House–463 N. University Ave., Provo. bombayhouse.com This biryani mainstay is sublimely satisfying, from the wise-cracking Sikh host to the friendly server, from the vegetarian entrees to the tandoor-grilled delights.
Chom Burger–45 W. 300 North, Provo; 496 N. 990 West, American Fork. chomburger.com Colton Soelberg’s (Communal, etc.) low-key high-end burger place has an eye towards infusing highquality 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.
Communal–102 N. University Ave., Provo. 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.
The Foundry Grill–8841 Alpine Loop Dr., Sundance Resort, Sundance. 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.
Màstra Italian Bakery Bistro –
476
N. 900 West, Ste. D, American Fork. 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. 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.
Station 22–22 W. Center St., Provo. 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.
Strap Tank Brewery–596 S. 1750 West, Springville; 3661 Outlet Parkway, Lehi, straptankbrewery.com. With locations in Lehi and Springville (and soon St. George), Strap Tank provides a much-needed watering hole to the people in Utah County and points south. Reliable American fare and plenty of beers on tap.
The Tree Room – 8841 Alpine Loop Dr., Sundance Resort, Sundance. 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.
SOUTHERN UTAH
Anasazi Steakhouse–1234 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George. 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.
Angelica’s Mexican Grill–101 E. St. George Blvd., St. George. angelicasmexicangrill.com A bright Mexican eatery serving up traditional street food in a cozy space.
Banana Blossom Thai
Cuisine – 430 E. St. George Blvd., St. George. bananablossomstgeorge.com A homey Thai restaurant that has a menu full of the classics and also offers tasty takeaway.
Bear Paw Café–75 N. Main St., St. George. bearpawcafe.com St. George’s favorite breakfast and lunch cafe for more than 25 years! Bear Paw Cafe serves breakfast at anytime of the day. Don’t forget to try the guest favorites, including belgian waffles, hand-crafted pancakes, world-class french toast and fresh crepes.
The Bit and Spur–1212 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale. 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.
Café Sabor–290 E. St. George Blvd, St. George. 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.
Canyon Breeze Restaurant— 1275 E. Red Mountain Cir., Ivins. redmountainresort.com. Red Mountain’s Canyon Breeze Restaurant has spectacular views and outdoor patio seating. The menu focuses on whole foods, local meats, homemade baked goods and desserts made from scratch.
Cappeletti’s Restaurant–36 E. Tabernacle St., St. George. cappelettisrestaurantstgeorge. com. A family owned Italian restaurant. With fresh homemade salami, handmade mozzarella, beef empanadas, seafood linguini and more, Cappeletti’s has been serving St. George for more than a decade.
Chef Alfredo’s–1110 S. Bluff St., St. George. chefalfredos.com. Authentic Italian cuisine in the heart of Southern Utah. With incredible food and outstanding service, Chef Alfredo’s is a must for a date night or special occasion.
George’s Corner Restaurant & Pub–2 W. St. George Blvd., St. George. georgescornerrestaurant.com This comfy neighborhood hangout spot serves burgers and pub grub, along with regional beers.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Hell’s Backbone Grill–20 N. Highway 12, Boulder 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.
Rib & Chop House – 1676 S. Convention Center Dr., St. George. ribandchophouse.com/st-georgeutah Rib & 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. 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 chile-dusted scallops.
Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen – 233 W. Center St., Kanab. peekabookitchen.com Complementing Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, this casual eatery serves vegetarian cuisine—artisanal pizza, local beer, craft cocktails and a rocking patio.
Pica Rica Americana BBQ 25 N. Main St., St. George. picaricabbq.com. In the heart of St. George, Pica Rica’s menu marries the themes of Texas barbecue with the flavor of Mexico City. You’ll find all of the classics, from spare ribs to smoked brisket, along side moles, fresh salsas and street corn.
HELL’S BACKBONE GRILL
Hell’s Backbone is a gastronomic powerhouse. Woman-owned and woman-led, the unique restaurant stands out.
King’s Landing–1515 Zion Park Blvd., Ste. 50-A, Springdale. 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.
Moab Brewery–686 Main St., Moab. themoabbrewery.com A beloved watering hole for riverrunners, 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.
Mom’s Café–10 E. Main St., Salina. 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. 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.
—LYDIA MARTINEZ
Red Rock Grill at Zion Lodge–1 Zion Lodge, Springdale. 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.
Sakura Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi–81 N. 1100 East, St. George. 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.
Spotted Dog Café–428 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale. flanigans.com/dining. Relax, have some vino and enjoy your achiote-braised lamb shank with mint mashed potatoes on top of rosemary spaghetti squash.
Tifiny’s Creperie–567 S. Valley View Dr., St. George. tifinyscreperie.com Enjoy the cozy dining room and the comforting, casual French cuisine, featuring classic sweet and savory crêpes.
Xetava/ The Rusted Cactus–815 Coyote Gulch Court, Ivins. therustedcactus.com Blue corn waffles for breakfast and lunch are good bets. But to truly experience Xetava, dine under the stars in ecoconscious Kayenta. For a full bar and more tasty bites, visit The Rusted Cactus, also on-site.
Downtown Salt Lake City is teeming with nightlife.
120 Wines and Counting
Bar à Vin breaks into the wine bar scene with the city’s largest selection of vino by the glass
BY AVREY EVANS
TAKE A SEAT in the newly-opened Bar à Vin and you’ll be greeted with a welcome glass of Vinho Verde.
The high-acid Portuguese wine opens up the palate and gives you something to sip on while sifting through the bar’s hefty 120 by-the-glass offerings. Of course, the glass isn’t free (we are in Utah after all), but owner Kasey Newman takes full advantage of the state’s Break-Even Bottle program that allows vendors to sell products at their cost—in this case, $1 per glass. Who’s going to turn down a glass of vino for a buck? The affordable and delicious wine offers a glimpse of the unique customer experience and delightful sips to come.
Owner and operator Kasey Newman didn’t come to this business by way of necessity, he’s in it for love of the game (and wine). By day he’s a software company executive, but dreams of opening a place where he could indulge in his love for wine and share it with others have been culminating for 15 years. “Instead of a sommelier telling you what you should taste and smell in a glass, I wanted to create a really approachable and fun environment that focuses on an emotional connection with winemakers.” Newman, a certified sommelier himself, won’t get into the nitty gritty details of tasting notes. Instead, he and his team focus on personal and memorable stories of winemakers,
quirky backstories, and all-around customer-focused wine tasting that never yucks anyone’s yum.
Speaking of yum, there’s a whole lot of it inside Bar à Vin’s menu. Newman has curated 21 fixed wine flights that showcase the diversity of single varietals, or take the sipper on a journey of off-beat bottles. I opted for the ‘Fuggedaboutit’ flight during my visit, which comprises six 1 oz pours of funky Italian wines. Other flights that caught my eye were the “Ryder Cup USA vs France”—a battle of Pinot’s between countries, and the “Netflix and Chill”—four 2 oz wines served with two popcorn flavors. Newman recently created a flight tuned specifically to resident artist Post Malone’s tastes—three pours of big Bordeaux rounded out with a Bud Light.
Each of the bar’s 120 wines is also available by the glass in 1 oz, 3 oz or 5 oz pours, which are metered out from a sleek wine dispensing system from Wine Emotion. The high-tech system utilizes spring-loaded outlets to pump argon gas into each bottle as the wine is siphoned out. The heavy noble gas displaces oxygen in the bottle and doesn’t react with wine, thus staving off oxidation to preserve open bottles for up to six weeks. By extending the shelf life of his product, Newman can let customers try high-end wines at a low-entry price point. “Most people will never spend $270 on a single bottle, but they should still have the opportunity to try it at least once in their life”
Newman dialed in the wine offerings at Bar à Vin and brought in Jerry Liedtke (formerly of Tin Angel) to curate the food menu.
“Everything on the food menu has a connection with wine,” And if there’s one clear star on the menu, it’s the charcuterie sourced entirely from Caputo’s and piled high with mole salami, triple creme brie, fig jam, Marcona almonds and more. At the time of this writing, Newman and Liedtke have plans to expand the menu and continue to lean into the bar’s local-forward dining style.
Bar à Vin is hitting their stride when it comes to a customizable sipping experience—stop by their State Street tasting room when you’re ready to find your next favorite bottle of vino. The bar also hosts themed trivia nights, paint classes, yoga partnerships and more, visit their site and socials for an up-to-date schedule.
WHEN YOU GO: Bar à Vin. 917 S. State St., SLC. baravineslc.com. Instagram: @baravinslc
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.
Back Door On Edison–152 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-267-1161. backdoorslc.com. This watering hole from the owners of Laziz Kitchen serves Lebanese-inspired bar bites and has a promising cocktail menu.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
Bar Nohm–165 W. 900 South, SLC, 385-465-4488. barnohm.com. Bar Nohm is more of a gastropub than a sit-down restaurant, with a cocktail menu and Asian fusion sharing plates.
Bar X–155 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-2287. 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, 385-2590905. beerbarslc.com. Ty Burrell, star of ABC’s 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 and variety of wurst.
The Bayou– 645 S. State St., SLC, 801-9618400. utahbayou.com. This is Beervana, with 200plus bottled beers and even more on draft.
Beerhive Pub –128 S. Main St., SLC, 801364-4268. @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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD
BTG Wine Bar– 404 S. West Temple, 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.
Casot Wine + Work–1508 S. 1500 East, SLC. 801-441-2873. casotwinework.com. In a town with a dearth of neighborhood bars, 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.
DIN I NG
2024
AWARD 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.
Utah’s Bottle Lottery
How does it work, and is it worth it?
BY AVREY EVANS
HAVE YOU MADE a Saturday morning trip to the liquor store and seen a line of shoppers who’ve been camped out overnight? These spirit enthusiasts are clamoring to get their hands on rare bottles the state distributes once a month and the bragging rights that come with them. If the campers are serious collectors, they might also tell you about the highly competitive lottery system that rewards winners the chance to purchase limited edition bottles at an unbeatable price—and it’s all sanctioned by the state of Utah.
CAMPING OUT FOR ALLOCATED BOTTLES
Every third Saturday of the month, select Utah liquor stores receive a limited number of high-demand bottles. These can be collector’s items or just products our control state doesn’t distribute in high frequency (insert extreme eye roll). Think Fortaleza Reposado, Elijah Craig single barrel and Bakery High Rye. The lineup of allocated bottles is released
on the DABS website the Monday before and includes the number of bottles available at each location. Bottles are sold on a first-come-firstserve basis and each customer is limited to one product per transaction. As you can imagine, a limited amount of highly coveted bottles creates some steep competition among collectors. Some even camp out overnight to ensure they get their hands on one of only three bottles of, say, Yamazaki 18 in the state. There’s still skepticism amongst the collectors’ community regarding greasing the hands of liquor store employees, but this new system enforced in March 2024 does generally encourage more transparency and fairness. Plus, it’s cute to picture a bunch of booze nerds trading bottles like Pokemon cards and fangirling over their spirited hobby.
1. Harlan Estate ’20, Third party seller price: $5,613, Utah price: $2,170.74 2. Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon 23 yr, Third party seller price: $4,999.99, Utah price: $449.99 3. Domaine de la Romanée Montrachet ’20, Third party seller price: $11,344, Utah’s Price: $4,839.78 4. Eagle Rare Bourbon 17 yr, Third party seller price: $1,799.99, Utah price: $149.99
AFTER DARK
WAIT, UTAH HAS SOMETHING RIGHT?
The Rare High Demand Products (RHDP) program is a unique case where Utah’s overexerted control may actually be a good thing. Limited edition and small-batch bottles are insanely priced on the private market. But here, state-owned liquor stores sell them at the manufacturer’s retail price. This means bottles like Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, which goes for $1,500 on the private market, sell in Utah for just $199. In October’s rare bottle drawing, a Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon 23-year sold for just $450, priced elsewhere at $5,000.
HOW DO I GET IN THE GAME?
To purchase, you must enter into the DABS’ random drawing system which is only open for five days. There’s no advantage to applying early. Winners have 10 days to purchase the bottle or lose it to the next lucky contestant. Competition for these drawings is much higher than allocated bottles—a recent drawing for only six available bottles of Eagle Rare Bourbon 17-year received over 7,000 entries. Drawings occur semi-regularly with each season, checking the DABS site frequently (abs.utah.gov) and joining a whiskey lovers’ Facebook group would help keep you in the loop.
SO, IS IT WORTH IT?
If you have a Saturday morning off and would like to meet some fellow spirit enthusiasts, spending a few hours in line for an allocated bottle isn’t a terrible use of your time. But you could also travel to certain out-of-state locations and pick up a similar item. Not that I’m suggesting you break the law and smuggle it in. That would be wrong…
In terms of the bottle lottery—serious collectors aren’t interested in the bragging rights that come with a $5,000 bottle of Pappy Van Winkle. But it’s not often Utahns are able to participate in a state-official lottery, and the opportunity to purchase rare bottles at MSRP can hold value for the right buyer. We’re already sinning, might as well throw in a little gambling for good measure.
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.
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.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD Franklin Ave.–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.
Felt Bar & Eatery–341 S. Main St., SLC, feltslc.com. Appropriately named after the building where it resides, Felt’s menu is a wonderful mix of classic and more experimental cocktails, shared plates, filling main dishes and bar bites. The Filet and Marrow Tartare is a must.
Garage–1199 N. Beck St., SLC, 801-5213904. 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.
Gracie’s–326 S. West Temple, SLC, 801819-7565. graciesslc.com. Play pool, throw darts, listen to live music, kill beer and time on the patio and upstairs deck.
Green Pig– 31 E. 400 South, SLC, 801532-7441. 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.
Hive 435 Taphouse– 61 W. St. George Blvd, St. George, 435-619-8435. hive435taphouse.com. Providing a service to the St. George nightlife scene, Hive 435 also serves up live entertainment, gourmet pizza, sandwiches and favorite cocktails.
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-cocktails, local spirits, beer, cider and small bites from their taproom and lounge.
Ice Haus–7 E. 4800 South, Murray, 801-266-2127. icehausbar.com. Ice Haus has everything you need from a neighborhood bar: a wide selection of pub fare, regular entertainment and plenty of seating in the beer-hall inspired location. The menu has great vegan options.
Lake Effect–155 W. 200 South, SLC, 801532-2068. lakeeffectslc.com An eclectic bar and lounge with a fine wine list and full menu. Live music many nights.
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.
Lucky 13 135 W. 1300 South, SLC, lucky13slc.com. Known for their heaping burgers and intriguing shot selection, Lucky 13 also offers classic fried dill pickle spears. Order with secret sauce and pair with a buttery chardonnay, bright prosecco or crisp lager— you’ll thank us later.
2024 DIN I NG AWARD 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.
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.
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.
Prohibition–151 E. 6100 South, Murray. prohibitionutah.com. Located right outside the city, this 1920s-inspired hotspot takes you back in time to the roaring twenties.
Quarters Arcade Bar– 5 E. 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, only one in Utah.
Sayonara – 324 S. State St., SLC. sayonaraslc.com. Neon adorns enclosed booths, scenes from anime project on the walls and the bar serves up high balls and Japanese microbrews. It’s like someone picked up a bar in Tokyo and placed it right here in SLC.
Scion Cider Bar–916 Jefferson 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.
Seabird Bar & Vinyl Room
Rio Grande, The Gateway, SLC, 801-456-1223. seabirdutah.com. Great little locally owned bar in the Gateway with great views, a fun little patio, friendly bartenders and plenty of style.
The Rest and Bodega SLC, 801-532-4452. bodegaslc.com says “Bodega;” drink a beer in the phone booth–sized front or head downstairs to the The Rest. Order a cocktail, settle into the book-lined library, take a booth or sit at the bar.
The Shooting Star
Huntsville, 801-745-2002. shooting-star-saloon. business.site. More than a century old, this is genyou-wine Old West. The walls are adorned with moose heads and a stuffed St. Bernard.
Thieves Guild Cidery
South, SLC, thievesguildcidery.com. 9th neighborhood, this cidery has put in the work to develop experimental cider and meads fit for an adventurer with a period-fantasy aesthetic to match.
Varley– 63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-203-4124. 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, 801-3635454. bambara-slc.com/the-vault 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, 801581-1000. 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, 801462-0967. waterwitchbar.com. Three of Utah’s leading bartenders join forces in this charming tiny bar. Whether you want a classic drink or a cocktail customdesigned to your taste, this is the place to belly up.
Whiskey Street–323 S. Main St., SLC, 801433-1371. 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, 801-6416115. 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 drag shows.
Zest Kitchen & Bar–275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com. Zest offers handcrafted fresh juice cocktails with the same emphasis on local and organic ingredients as the food.
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.
AFTER DARK BAR
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 has house-made sausages and a beer list that skews toward traditional German styles.
Desert Edge Brewery–273 S. Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery.com. The constantly changing variety 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 became Utah’s first brewery since prohibition to exclusively produce high-alcohol brews when it opened in 2018. Enjoy them at the brewery 2 ounces at a time or take some to-go seven days a week.
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,801-906-8390. 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.
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 vibe fits the Sugar House scene with frequent live music.
Kiitos Brewing– 608 W. 700 South, 801-2159165. kiitosbrewing.com. 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; 550 S. 300 West, SLC, 885295-4090. levelcrossingbrewing.com. A welcoming bar and community-minded gathering place for trivia and board game night and, of course, handcrafted beer and wood-fired 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, 435-200-8352. parkcitybrewing.com. Their core beers are brewed in Park City. The brewpub is kidfriendly, making it 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.
Proper Brewing Co.– 857 S. Main St., 801-953-1707. properbrewingco.com 1053 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-242-7186. craftbyproper.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, a variety of draft and high-point beer, cider, wine, canned cocktails and spirits.
Roosters Brewing Co.–253 25th Street, Ogden, 801-627-6171. roostersbrewingco.com. A local favorite in the heart of Historic 25th Street in Ogden, Roosters Brewing Co. offers both a comfortable dining experience in their restaurant and a 21+ tap room.
LOCAL DISTILLERIES
SaltFire Brewing–2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-955-0504. saltfirebrewing.com
Located in a distilling and brewery hub of South Salt Lake, SaltFire brings tongue-in-cheek labels of its tasty craft brews.
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.
Shades Brewing–154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, 435-200-3009. 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, 801783-1127; 1763 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-466-8855. saltlakebrewingco.com. The 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-visited watering holes in Salt Lake.
Talisman Brewing Company–1258 Gibson Ave., Ogden, 385-389-2945. talismanbrewingco.com. At Talisman’s friendly tap room, you can stay and drink or pick up beer to take home. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food or order from a nearby restaurant. Dog friendly.
TF Brewing–936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-2705972. tfbrewing.com. Brewmaster Kevin Templin has a long history in Salt Lake’s beer scene. Enjoy his meticulously made German-style beer and don’t miss game night.
Uinta Brewing Company–1722 S. Fremont Dr., SLC, 801-467-0909. uintabrewing.com Founder Will Hamill says, “We make beer. Period.” Uinta produces certified organic beers and beer in corked bottles.
A selection of Utah-based distilleries. Call ahead to confirm tasting room hours and availability for tours and private tastings.
• Alpine Distilling—7132 N, Silver Creek Rd., 435-200-9537. alpinedistilling.com
• Beehive Distilling—2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-259-0252. beehivedistilling.com.
• Clear Water Distilling Co.—564 W. 700 South, Ste. 401, Pleasant Grove, 801-997-8667. clearwaterdistilling.com.
• Dented Brick Distillery—3100 S. Washington St., South Salt Lake, 801-883-9837. dentedbrick.com
• Eight Settlers Distillery—7321 Canyon Centre Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights, 385-900-4315. eightsettlersdistillery.com.
• High West Distillery—27649 Old Lincoln Hwy, Wanship, 435-649-8300. highwest.com
• Holystone Distilling—207 W. 4860 South, Murray, 385-800-2580. holystonedistilling.com.
• Moab Distillery— 686 S. Main St., Moab, 435-259-6333. moabbrewery.com
• New World Distillery—4795 2600 North, Eden, 385-244-0144. newworlddistillery.com.
• Ogden’s Own Distillery– 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995. ogdensown.com.
• Outlaw Distillery–552 W. 8360 South, Midvale, 801-706-1428. outlawdistillery.com.
• Proverbial Spirits–4175 Fores tdale Dr., Park City, 435-250-4477. proverbialspirits.com.
• Salt Flat Spirits—2020 Industrial Cir., SLC, 801-828-3469. saltflatsspirits.com.
• Simplicity Cocktails—335 W. 1830 South, SLC, 801-210-0868. drinksimplicity.com.
• Sugar House Distillery—2212 S. West Temple, #14, SLC, 801-726-0403 sugarhousedistillery.net
• Waterpocket Distillery—2084 W. 2200 South, West Valley City, 801-382-9921. waterpocket.co.
CELEBRATE THE STATE
Enjoy this sneak peek at the new 2025 issue of our sister publication Utah Bride & Groom magazine. Available on newsstands and online at utahbrideandgroom.com
A JOURNEY OF LOVE
Planning a wedding should be an adventure full of joy and fond memories. Let these pages be your guide, to inspire and educate you on creating a stress-free experience as you prepare for the happiest day of your life. Learn about Utah’s top destinations for celebrating, from majestic mountain peaks to scenic red rock settings. Find inspiration and ideas for your cake and your bridal couture with our must-see features, and discover the magic Utah’s pros can conjure in eight unique real-life weddings. Whether your wedding vision includes rustic air or the ru es and frills of a oral wonderland, this 2025 edition has a story for all.
FROM THE EDITOR
WHAT’S HOT NOW
Country chic is still having its moment. Embrace the Wild West for your Utah wedding by infusing rustic vibes and feminine touches at a luxury venue.
READ ONLINE!
Scan the QR code to read our digital edition, or view individual stories on utahbrideandgroom.com
SWEET DREAMS
Make a menu statement with a show-stopping wedding cake: brilliant white or bursting with blooms, vintage touches or an ode to the modern contemporary. An expertly designed cake is the perfect medium by which to show off your individuality. Start dreaming up your delicacies with a full feature on one-of-a-kind wedding desserts.
If you’re reading this, you are likely recently engaged. Congratulations! We are thrilled to be part of your experience. Within this magazine, you’ll nd a carefully curated collection of wedding inspiration galleries. Some will make the girl’s-girl bride’s dreams come to life, full of delicate colors and princess-gown magic, while others celebrate adventurous couples by drawing on unrivaled views and venues within Utah’s unique and unforgettable landscapes. Whatever stage of planning you’re in, join us as we explore the talent, beauty and expertise that Utah’s wedding industry has to o er.
Megan Bartholomew Editor, Utah Bride & Groom
Be Social
Salt Lake City Department of Airports’ Blue Tie Gala
Sunday, Sept. 14, 2024 • SLC International Airport
by SLC International Airport
The Salt Lake City Department of Airports hosted a “Blue Tie Gala” event four years after opening Phase One of The New SLC. The pandemic prevented the airport from hosting a Black Tie Gala in the fall of 2020, so the event provided an opportunity for staff involved in the Airport Redevelopment Program along with community leaders to celebrate four years later.
The gala took place in the “The River Tunnel,” provided a preview of this large-scale art installation by artist Gordon Huether. The River Tunnel is one of many large-scale art pieces installed at The New SLC Airport that represent the beauty of Utah. Guests heard the music of the tunnel for the first time at the event. More than 100 songs were curated by artist Gordon Huether as part of The River Tunnel art installation and feature music that relates to travel and Utah.
Photos
Salt Lake City Council Members
Make-A-Wish Utah and Burt Brothers Tire and Service Wish Proclamation
Aug. 23, 2024 • Smith’s Ballpark, SLC
It was a magical night at the Aug. 23 Salt Lake Bees Game, where 11-year-old Layton resident Kash, who has been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, threw out the first pitch. Immediately following, Burt Brothers Tire and Service CEO Brian Maciak and Make-A-Wish Utah Development Director Summer Ehrmann led a surprise wish proclamation ceremony to grant Kash’s wish to visit Atlantis in The Bahamas with his family. More than 500 Burt Brothers’ employees and family members attended to support Kash’s Make-A-Wish and fundraising continued through September at Burt Brothers locations. Make-A-Wish Utah creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. Located in its facility in Murray, The Kahlert Foundation Wishing Place, Make-A-Wish Utah offers a life-affirming wish experience at a time of vital need to children throughout Utah. For more information, visit utah.wish.org
1 Kash and Bumble, the Bees Mascot 2 Kash receives his wish proclamation from Burt Brothers Tire and Service CEO Brian Maciak 3 Kash throws the game’s ceremonial first pitch to Bumble the Bee at Smith’s Ballpark. 4 Kash with his parents Clint and Cassie and sister Katie on the field before Kash threw the first pitch at Smith’s Ballpark.
Scion Cider’s Summer Soiree
Aug. 21, 2024 • Scion Cider Bar
Photos by Jeremy Pugh
Scion Cider finished summer strong with its first-ever Summer Soiree. The event featured local cheeses, jams and meats on a 12-foot-long board created by Beehive Charcuterie. The guests mingled and enjoyed specially designed pairings from Scion and other local and regional cider makers. For more information on future events, visit scionciderbar.com
1 Bartenders (from left) Ian Parr and Tyler Zacher and GM and Cider maker Rio Connelly 2 Jessica Barber (left), Kendra Crabbs and Tyler Kofoed of Market Street Grill and Oyster Bar.
Promontory Foundation’s Happiest Hour
Aug. 27, 2024 • Promontory Club, Park City
Park City’s most exclusive, private community foundation, Promontory Foundation, hosted its annual grant reception, The Happiest Hour on Aug. 27, 2024, awarding a record $400,000 in grants to 32 nonprofits that serve the Park City and Summit County area. Promontory Foundation raised the funds through generous donations from Promontory Club members during its annual summer fundraising events. This year’s $50,000 “Promontory Promise Grant” was awarded to PC Tots, a non-profit that provides high-quality early childhood education and care to children and their families regardless of financial barriers. The complete list of non-profit grant recipients can be seen at promontoryclub.com/promontory-foundation
1 The 2024 Promontory Foundation Grant Recipients following the presentation at The Happiest Hour Reception at Promontory Club in Park City 2 Robin Milne (left), Chief Brand Officer, Promontory; Helen Nadel, Executive Director, Summit Community Gardens - EATS; and Melissa Stock, Board President, Summit Community Gardens - EATS.
Utah Clean Energy Unveils the Climate Innovation Center
June 5, 2024 • Climate Innovation Center, SLC
Utah Clean Energy hosted the grand opening of the Climate Innovation Center with a press conference, ribbon-cutting ceremony, and tours. The Climate Innovation Center is one of the most high-performance buildings in the nation and raises the bar for buildings in Utah and beyond. A central goal of the state-of-the-art facility is highlighting the opportunity to modernize our homes and buildings to cut emissions and combat climate change. Find out more at utahcleanenergy.org.
1 Randy Nicklas from Huntsman Building Solutions talking with attendee 2 (Left to right) Cat Rayney-Norman, SLC-UT Committee for the Games; Scott Anderson, Catalyst Committee Honorary Co-chair; and Sarah Wright, Utah Clean Energy CEO 3 Scott Jones, Drake Sulzer and Tom Mills from Creative Energies Solar 4 Event speakers (left to right): Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake City Mayor; Vicki Bennett, Utah Clean Energy Board Chair; Sarah Wright, UCE Director Utah Clean Energy CEO; Scott Anderson, Catalyst Committee Honorary Co-chair; Catherine Raney Norman, OLY, CFRE, SLC-UT Committee for the Games; Joel Ferry, Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director 5 Mayor Erin Mendenhall talking with attendee Drake Sulzer.
Photos by John Aldrich
The Olympic Flame Burns Brighter in Utah
BY CHRISTIE PORTER
SALT LAKE CITY IS AN OUTLIER AMONG
AMERICAN CITIES in that most residents want to host another Olympic Games. Polling shows that 82% of Utah residents were in favor of hosting future games. Meanwhile, those other potential host cities demonstrate disdain via actual demonstrations as citizens rise up in opposition over climate change impact and exorbitant costs. (In 1976, Colorado voters outright rejected Denver’s invitation to host.)
Perhaps other cities raise legitimate concerns about the myriad challenges facing host cities, but Utah has not lost our sense of pride after hosting the successful 2002 Winter Games. (A pride that can only be expressed by having our young, unpaid athletes dominate other countries in televised feats of physical prowess.)
Where other cities ask, “Who will pay for the Olympics? Where will the Olympians live during the games? How will we prepare the infrastructure? How will we address climate issues so we will still have snow in 2034? What about air
quality? What about transportation?
And, oh yeah, the homeless population?”
Utah exclaims, “Bring it on! Here we come, 2034!” We have nine years to put our shoulders to the wheel.
While the honor of hosting the Games twice is truly priceless, we are also prepared to put our money where our mouth is. The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games released a budget proposal that, in true Utah boot-strap fashion, plans to raise the entire operating budget from commercial and private sources, with no use of state or local taxpayer dollars.
Aside from the golden glow of the spotlight, analysis from the University of Utah estimates an infusion of $6.6 billion into Utah’s economy from the 2034 games. Subtract the estimated cost of $4.1 billion, that leaves us with a cool $2.3 billion!
Compare that to the $8 billion Paris spent to have athletes swim in the Seine. It’s the first Games since Sydney to keep costs under $10 billion, and they still went over budget, like most host cities. Five of the past six Olympics had cost overruns of more than 100% (adjusted for inflation).
We’ve planned for $210 million in expense contingency. That should cover it, right?
After all, the Olympic flame burns brighter in Utah. We still have the cauldron to prove it (the University of Utah lights it on game days). We have maintained our Olympic facilities since 2002, where other cities have not. In 2002, the Olympics brought us public transportation expansion, including 100 miles of new track for light rail, and then-state-of-the-art road traffic improvements. And everyone agrees we will get something like that again, probably, maybe, eventually. While we don’t exactly have answers to all the questions, yet, we do know the 2034 Olympics will be bigger and better. Especially bigger.
The 2002 Games were the largest in history. (We also say the best in history.)
Organizers expect the 2034 Winter Games to be 40% bigger. According to our math, that means they’ll also be 40% greater, and we’ve got nine whole years to figure out exactly how.
We got this, right?
PHOTO BY STEVE GREENWOOD,
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