A Food Lover's Guide to Salt Lake City: 7 Must-Try Dishes

It’s been 7 years since I moved from Salt Lake City, but I find myself constantly craving the best dishes in Salt Lake City that I haven’t quite found a Midwestern equivalent for yet. Over the past decade, Salt Lake has become a legitimate destination for food lovers, with award-winning restaurants, minimalist cafés, and trendy bars. From avant-garde cuisine to comfort classics, savor local ingredients and find your next favorite meal in the city.

Here are seven dishes that stand out as must-tries for anyone exploring Salt Lake's culinary scene:

1. Spicy Mole

This spicy mole is tingly hot but so tasty that I’ll risk the burn just to keep eating it. Available served with shredded chicken, with pork carnitas and topped with poached eggs and bacon (Huevos Motulenos is an excellent choice for brunch) or, my favorite, smothering pork enchiladas. And the same goes for the remainder of the menu.

2. Copper Onion’s Wagyu Beef Stroganoff

If you haven’t had Copper Onion’s Wagyu Beef Stroganoff, you’re probably thinking Seriously?! You miss beef stroganoff? But if you have tried it, you’re probably nodding in agreement right now. If stroganoff’s not your thing, the rest of Copper Onion’s New American menu is full of classic favorites done in not-so-classic ways. And I don’t mean in a molecular gastronomy unrecognizable way, I mean in a simply amazing way, letting the classic characters of the dishes shine through.

3. Lucky 13’s Stinky Bacon Cheese Burger

Before trying it, I was doubtful it could beat any burger at Lucky 13. And even still, I find myself dreaming about Lucky 13’s Stinky Bacon Cheese burger and the way its salty peppered bacon contrasts with the rich blue cheese paired perfectly with the oh-so-lovely garlic fries and it seriously makes my mouth water. Like right now.

Finding the Best Burger in Salt Lake City

4. Chabaar Beyond Thai’s Eggplant Stir-fry

Thai food is a cuisine of contrasts, with dangerously spicy elements intertwined with delicate sweetness in dishes that are a medley of flavors, textures and tastes. Chabaar Beyond Thai is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant outside of Salt Lake City (in Midvale) serving up Thai perfection. Though technically not on the menu, the eggplant stirfry is always available. It’s a wonderful mix of crunchy chicken, sliced eggplant and vegetables in a savory sauce. It may sound weird, but it works.

5. Kouign Amann

This incredible French pastry is crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and full of buttery flavors. Yet somehow it’s made with only five ingredients: butter, water, flour, sugar and salt. If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is!

6. Caputo’s Hot Pastrami Sandwich

I find myself thinking about Caputo’s quite often. Sometimes it’s me wishing the adorable cheese shop with the knowledgeable staff is down the street, other times I want to attend one of their awesome classes. (Seriously, check out their classes on cheese, chocolate, wine, and everything in between!) But lately I’ve been thinking about the Hot Pastrami Sandwich. What should be a simple sandwich of pastrami, mustard, and cheese, is somehow mind-blowingly good.

7. Mazza’s Middle Eastern Cuisine

No matter how good my memories are of Mazza, every time I eat there, I’m pleasantly surprised. The adorable restaurant on 15th & 15th is not only welcoming and relaxing, but serving consistently fantastic Middle Eastern food. It’s hard to pick a favorite here, since everything on the menu is delicious. If someone can point me to a Middle Eastern restaurant in Chicago on par with Mazza, I’d be a happy camper! I mean Chicagoan.

Even though Chicago is packed with more Italian restaurants than I can count, the Lasagna at Caffe Molise (not to mention their unbelievable chocolate cake) crosses my mind a lot. So does General Tso’s Cauliflower at HSL that might be better than the chicken version.

In my opinion, these are easily the best dishes in Salt Lake City. I’m gearing up for another trip home for the holidays and the tough part is picking which of these places I’m going to go while I’m in town.

Salt Lake City - Useful Information for Tourists

Yes, you can get a drink in Salt Lake. Salt Lake is known to be a family-friendly place and our restaurants are no different. Smoked or saucy, Salt Lake has a variety of BBQ options to meet your expectations. Elevate your evening on Salt Lake's sky-high rooftop bars. Get answers to some of Salt Lake City's frequently asked questions below.

Liquor, wine, and beer are available at licensed restaurants and bars seven days a week.
Beer may be also purchased in establishments that have a "beer only" type license. These include taverns, beer bars, some restaurants or cafes, snack bars, etc. Beer service in a tavern or bar does not require that you order food.
Yes. State law prohibits consuming liquor in public places.
A person may not be intoxicated in a public place to a degree as to endanger himself or another, or unreasonably disturb others.
Consuming or having an open container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is prohibited.
As a general rule, alcoholic beverage may not be brought into an establishment that’s open to the general public if it is to be consumed on the premises. Wine may be brought into a restaurant that is licensed to sell wine. Corkage fees vary by restaurant.

Where to buy alcohol:

State Liquor Stores: All packaged liquor, wine, and heavy beer (more than 5% ABV) must be purchased from a Utah state liquor store.
Grocery and Convenience Stores: Beer and similar products like hard seltzers may be purchased at most grocery and convenience stores in Utah.