Page 14 of 20

Essential Burgers

Apollo Burgers
Try the Athenian, a quarter-pound flame-broiled monster layered with roasted red peppers, feta cheese and housemade tzatziki.
Multiple locations,
apolloburgers.com

Chedda Burger
The no-frills "Dirt Bag" and cheese-curd-and-pulled-pork-topped "Harlot" deliver on their "burgers with attitude" promise.
26 E. 600 South, Salt Lake City,
801-448-6116,
cheddawasted.com

Cotton Bottom Inn
Best. Garlic. Burgers. Around. 'Nuff said.
6200 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay,
801-273-9830,
cottonbottominn.com

Crown Burgers
Grub at this homegrown chain always satisfies. Go for the chilli burger and throw in some cheese fries to boot.
Multiple locations,
crown-burgers.com

Lucky 13
The blue-cheese-loaded "Bacon Stinky Cheeseburger," the PB-slathered "Nut Burger"—yep there's a reason why this is a Best of Utah perennial.
135 W. 1300 South,
801-487-4418,
lucky13slc.com

Millie's Burgers
Come for the tasty burgers, stay for the more than 30 different sky-high shakes.
2092 S. 1000 East, Salt Lake City,
801-466-6043

Porcupine Pub & Grille
Try scarfing down a "Big Cottonwood Burger" in one sitting. We dare you.
3698 Fort Union Blvd., Salt Lake City, 801-942-5555;
258 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City, 801-582-5555,
porcupinepub.com

Proper Burger Co.
Even no-fruit-on-savory-food snobs agree their housemade ham-and-pineapple-enhanced "Flyin' Hawaiian" is a thing of beauty.
865 S. Main, Salt Lake City,
801-906-8604,
properburgerslc.com

Rich's Burgers 'n' Grub
Since 2007, Rich's has been the destination for hand-crafted burger goodness.
30 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
801-355-0667,
richsburgersngrub.com

Sage's Café
Think a non-beef patty is the stuff of sacrilege? The fine folks at Sage's are eager to change your mind.
368 E. 100 South, Salt Lake City,
801-322-3790,
sagescafe.com

Essential Comfort

Britton's Restaurant
Meatloaf, chicken-fried steak, chile verde burritos and all-day breakfast can be found here.
694 E. Union Square, Sandy,
801-572-5148,
brittonsrestaurant.com

Cytybyrd
Treat yourself to a Monte Cristo, Reuben or grilled-cheese sandwich made from scratch.
450 S. 200 East, Salt Lake City,
801-535-6102,
cytybyrd.com

Dee's Family Restaurant
A down-home menu and prime people-watching after the bars close make each visit to Dee's a unique experience.
Multiple Locations

Italian Village
Lasagna, veal Parm, chicken cacciatore. Need we say more?
5370 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City,
801-266-4182

Landmark Grill
Here they promise "home cooking at its best," and with a standout Philly cheesesteak and roundhouse breakfasts, it easy to see why.
760 Fort Union Blvd., Salt Lake City,
801-566-3664,
landmarkgrill.org

Penny Ann's Café
Though it may seem impossible, if you don't leave room for pie here, you're doing it all wrong.
Multiple locations,
pennyannscafe.com

Pig & a Jelly Jar
Pork belly Benedict, chicken and waffles, fries and gravy, fish 'n' chips ... the delectable list goes on and on.
401 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City,
385-202-7366,
pigandajellyjar.com

R&R BBQ
Daily specials like brisket tacos on Tuesdays and smoked, spicy sausage on Fridays will happily fill your calendar (and your belly).
307 W. 600 South, Salt Lake City,
801-364-0443,
randrbbq.net

Ruth's Diner
Restaurants don't get to boast a nearly 90-year legacy unless they're damn good; and Ruth's is.
4160 Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City,
801-582-5807,
ruthsdiner.com

Siegfried's Delicatessen
A smörgåsbord of unique dishes like deep-fried wiener schnitzel and finger-licking macaroni salad await you here.
20 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City,
801-355-3891,
siegfriedsdelicatessen.com

Essential Date Night

Bodega
Set the date's tone at Bodega, and seal the deal with cocktails downstairs at The Rest. You're welcome.
331 S. Main, Salt Lake City,
801-532-4042,
bodega331.com

The Copper Onion
Brave enough for a day-date? Their brunch menu loaded with items such as Turkish eggs is second to none.
111 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
801-355-3282,
thecopperonion.com

Encore Bistro
Located inside the new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Encore redefines "dinner and a show."
131 S. Main, Salt Lake City,
801-509-7871,
cuisineunlimited.com

Epic Casual Dining
Class it up with their ahi tuna, chicken marsala and sautéed pork medallion entrées.
707 Fort Union Blvd., Salt Lake City,
801-748-1300,
epiccasualdining.com

Eva
Small plates like crispy polenta and sautéed Brussels sprouts that are huge on flavor, and an intimate setting make Eva a date-night must.
317 S. Main, Salt Lake City,
801-359-8447,
evaslc.com

HSL
Locally sourced dishes from the hearth, the pantry and the plancha are sure to wow.
418 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City,
801-539-9999,
hslrestaurant.com

Kimi's Chop & Oyster House
Nothing on the extensive seafood bar catch your eye? Give the chop house mac and cheese a go.
2155 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City,
801-946-2079,
kimishouse.com

Tiburon Fine Dining
From seared scallops and Mediterranean mussels to braised kurobuta pork and New Zealand elk, this place is sure to impress.
8256 S. 700 East, Sandy,
801-255-1200,
tiburonfinedining.com

Tin Angel
Uh ... it won "Best First-Date Restaurant" in the Best of Utah readers' poll for a reason.
365 W. 400 South, Salt Lake City,
801-328-4155,
tinangel.com

Veneto Ristorante Italiano
A stunning selection of northern-Italian dishes that are almost eclipsed by the impressive wine list. Almost.
370 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City,
801-359-0708,
venetoslc.com

Essential Greek

Andy's Lounge
Head to Ogden for some of the best Greek selection this side of Thessaloniki.
501 N. Washington Blvd., Ogden,
801-782-9972

Aristo's Greek Restaurant
Fifty small-plate selections make for a truly unforgettable dining experience.
244 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City,
801-581-0888

Greek Souvlaki
Founded by Lee and Mary Paulos, Greek Souvlaki has been serving up goods like lamb-and-beef gyros and bifteki since 1972.
Multiple locations,
greeksouvlaki.com

Jim's Family Restaurant
Dishes like "Jim's famous marinated pork" and chicken souvlaki—along with a kid-friendly menu—shine bright here.
Multiple Locations,
jimsfamilyrestaurant.com

Mad Greek
Try the chicken Parm gyro, tasty falafel salad or the perfectly portable dolmathes. You mad, αδερφέ
Multiple Locations

Manoli's
A hearty vegetarian meze loaded with items like yemista (smoked-feta-and-scallion-stuffed piquillo peppers) delight even non-meat eaters.
402 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City,
801-532-3760,
manolison9th.com

The Other Place Restaurant
Breakfast classics get a Greek spin in dishes like gyro meat and eggs and the marinated pork and eggs.
469 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
801-521-6567

The Olympian Restaurant
The Zeus-sized four dishes in their "Olympian platter" (Greek salad, two souvlaki skewers, three meatballs and three dolmathes) plus dessert are enough to feed a small army.
2181 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City,
801-487-1407

Padeli's Street Greek
Classic and authentic Greek meets Chipotle at this lively build-your-own-meal spot.
30 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
801-322-1111,
padelisstreetgreek.com

Yanni's Greek Express
Nosh on any of their impressive staples, and make sure to leave room for some galaktoboureko.
2761 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City,
801-466-6525

Essential Gastropubs

Bohemian Brewery & Grill
Wash down those roasted garlic bulbs or towering Bohemian club with any of their European-style craft-brew lagers.
94 Fort Union Blvd., Midvale,
801-566-5474,
bohemianbrewery.com

Copper Common
The menu here changes regularly. Luckily, the top-notch service doesn't.
111 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
801-355-0543,
coppercommon.com

Copper Creek Pub & Grub
A dozen beers on tap complement the varied and down-home menu. "Copper bomb" hoagie, anyone?
3451 S. 5600 West, Salt Lake City,
801-417-0052,
coppercreekpub.com

The Garage
Head down Beck Street for some of the most amazing Mormon funeral potatoes. Try fiery for a zippy kick in the pants.
1199 Beck St., Salt Lake City,
801-521-3904,
garageonbeck.com

Gracie's
Sit at a table or pony up at the bar for signature dishes like the BBQ bison burger, Ballard Hog Farm pork chop or red-eye-gravy-smothered poutine.
326 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City,
801-819-7565,
graciesslc.com

The Green Pig Pub
Whether you opt for some chile verde nachos, avocado rolls, potato sliders or a dozen killer chicken wings, you can't go wrong here.
31 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City,
801-532-7441,
thegreenpigpub.com

Lake Effect
Salt Lake City's newest kid on the pubgrub block.
155 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City,
801-532-2068

Poplar Street Pub
Three sitting areas inside 6,000 square feet, plus a mouth-watering line of "championship series" burgers get the job done. Did we mention the 30 beers?
242 S. 200 West, Salt Lake City,
801-532-2715,
poplarstreetpug.com

Squatters Pub Brewery
Their Salt Lake City International Airport location is rumored to be the reason why so many tourists keep coming back for more.
Multiple locations,
squatters.com

Whiskey Street
Come here for new takes on old classics, like bourbon-bacon caramel popcorn, pork belly corndogs, hazelnut-dusted calamari and grilled shrimp BLT.
323 S. Main, Salt Lake City,
801-433-1371,
whiskeystreet.com

Essential Mexican

Alamexo
Molcajetes, tortas and calabacitas all live at this chic and comfortable cantina.
268 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-779-4747,
alamexo.com

Beto's Mexican Food
One taste of any of their combination plates (enchiladas, machaca, filete ranchero, etc.) and it's easy to see why this is a local favorite.
Multiple locations

Blue Iguana
All the staples, plus a killer margarita list make this downtown eatery a Mexi-must.
165 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City,
801-533-8900,
blueiguanarestaurant.net

Chile-Tepín
Between their parrilladas, alambres and carnitas selections, get ready for a truly authentic meal.
307 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City,
801-883-9255,
facebook.com/chiletepin

La Oaxaqueña
Loaded tlayudas, mole negro and nopal Zapoteco bring a true taste of Oaxaca to your taste buds.
499 E. 2700 South, Salt Lake City,
801-484-6584

Red Iguana
Get ready for a wait during peak hours. Your patience will be rewarded with sensational moles, finger-licking chile colorado and cochinita pibíl.
Multiple locations,
rediguana.com

Salsa Leedos Mexican Grill
Fine Mexican in the heart of Riverton. Pick your top favorites and create your own two- or three-item combo.
3956 W. Innovation Drive, Riverton,
801-565-8818,
salsaleedos.net

Sears Tacos
Otherwise known as Tacos El Toro; one bite of their street tacos, burritos or quesadillas, and it's easy to see why folks gather at this mighty roadside cart.
800 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-667-4663

Taquería 27
Standards get new life with offerings like a duck confit quesadilla, the jícama-topped Cobb salad and grilled-pear and roasted-beet tacos.
Multiple locations,
taqueria27.com

Taquería El Paisa
Dine-in or drive-thru, El Paisa delights with appetizers like choriqueso and mains like filete Mazatleco or camarones al tamarindo.
919 W. 2100 South, Salt Lake City,
801-908-5320,
taqueriaelpaisautah.com

Essential Middle-Eastern + Indian

Cedars of Lebanon
For more than three decades, Cedars has served up exceptional fattoush, muhammara, kibbeh and more.
152 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City,
801-364-4096,
cedarsoflebanonrestaurant.com

Curry Fried Chicken
Their CFC plate puts the Colonel's to shame.
660 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-924-9188

Curry 'n' Kabobs
You'll find this Afghan and Indian gem tucked behind Market on Main.
268 S. Main, Salt Lake City,
801-363-0300

Himalayan Kitchen
Nepali cuisine elevated.
360 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-328-2077,
himalayankitchen.com

Laziz Kitchen
Your destination for kafta, shish tawook and solid mana'oushe sandwiches.
912 S. Jefferson St., Salt Lake City,
801-441-1288,
laziz-foods.com

Mazza Middle Eastern Cuisine
While the food is extraordinary, house cocktails like the refreshingly sweet "Desert Rose" and the "Whiskey White," garnished with cardamom pods, steal the show.
1515 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City, 801-484-9259;
912 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City, 801-521-4572,
mazzacafe.com

O'Falafel Middle Eastern Cuisine
Soups, salads, sandwiches, pita quiches—this place has all the delicious bases covered.
790 E. 2100 South, Salt Lake City,
801-487-7747,
ofalafeletc.com

Shahrazad Restaurant
Longing to prep some of their foods almost as good as the pros do? Check out their adjoining market, which carries locally sourced produce and rare spices.
1615 W. 2100, Salt Lake City,
801-218-2777,
shahrazadrestaurantslc.com

Shawarma King
Shawarma, kebabs, falafel and hummus all wrapped up in an inviting setting.
725 E. 3300 South, Salt Lake City, 801-803-9434;
2223 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 385-415-2100,
slcshawarmaking.com

Star of India
A shiny beacon for lamb and goat curries or those of the vegetarian kind.
1659 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City,
801-363-7555,
starofindiaonline.com

Essential Pizza

Big Daddy's Pizza
Offering all-night delivery, Big D's is the place to call to fill those late-night hunger pangs.
Multiple locations,
bigdaddyspizza.com

Este Pizzeria
Create your own New York-style pizza—thin-crust with a crisp edge and pliable inside—or try one of their daily specials. Gluten-free crust also is available.
Multiple locations,
estepizzaco.com

Johnny Slice
Downtown's newest pizzeria is open till 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. You read right.
12 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
385-415-2924,
johnnyslice.com

Litza's Pizza
A local staple since 1965, all dough, sauce, garlic butter and salad dressings are made from scratch here.
Multiple locations,
litzaspizza.com

Mellow Mushroom
MM uses Appalachian spring water for their crust and high-quality ingredients to create a distinct and flavorful pie.
1080 E. 2100 South, Salt Lake City,
801-844-1444,
mellowmushroom.com

Pie Hole
Thin-crust pizza here is cheap, sold by the slice and damned good. Don't miss out on their SLC-famous potato bacon option.
344 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-359-4653,
pieholeutah.com

The Pie Pizzeria
Wherever you land on the vegan-to-carnivore spectrum, your pizza cravings will be satisfied with The Pie's all-inclusive topping options.
Multiple locations,
thepie.com

Rusted Sun Pizzeria
People flock to the ovens to get the Mediterranean—a Rusted Sun fan-favorite—dished up with tangy marinara, fresh mozzarella, salami, artichoke hearts, green olives and a taste of feta cheese.
2010 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-483-2120

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana
Take a trip around the world at this authentically Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria that boasts prosciutto from Parma, cheese from Modena and salumi from Seattle.
260 S. 200 West, Salt Lake City,
801-322-3556,
settebello.net

Sicilia Pizza & Kitchen
Bite into the "Meat Amori," which is capped with pepperoni, fresh Italian sausage, seasoned beef and ham.
35 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City,
801-961-7077,
siciliapizza.net

Essential World

Café Machu Picchu
A bona fide Peruvian rotisserie serving up finger-licking pollo a la brasa.
3018 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-466-4908

Chabaar Beyond Thai
True Thai flavors, along with excellent cooking classes. Check out their website for full schedule.
87 W. 7200 South, Salt Lake City,
801-566-5100,
amystakeonthai.com

Cucina Toscana
Home of fresh fish, perfect pasta and terrific tiramisu.
282 S. 300 West, Salt Lake City,
801-328-3463,
toscanaslc.com

Curry in a Hurry
Service might be fast here, but the mindfulness and time members of the Nisar family took to perfect their recipes is evident in every bite.
2020 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-467-4137,
ilovecurryinahurry.com

El Viroleno
At just around 2 bucks a pop, treat yourself to every pupusa on the menu.
471 W. 800 South, Salt Lake City,
801-595-7021

Feldman's Deli
A superb delicatessen offering mile-high sandwiches and Old World specialties.
2005 E. 2700 South, Salt Lake City,
801-906-0369,
feldmansdeli.com

Mandarin Chinese
Kids eat free, and the whole family can enjoy succulent dishes and jazzy drinks like the plum wine spritzer.
348 E. 900 North, Bountiful,
801-298-2406,
mandarinutah.com

Mom's Kitchen
Traditional Taiwanese and Chinese dishes prepared with love.
2233 S. State, Salt Lake City,
801-486-0092,
momskitchenrestaurantsaltlakecity.com

Oh Mai
SLC's best bánh mì, hands down.
Multiple locations,
ohmaisandwich.com

Yoshi's Japanese Grill
Asian-inspired fare that's been been making loyal patrons flock to Murray for more than 15 years.
5692 S. 900 East, Murray,
801-713-9423,
japanesegrill.com