Newcomer Arlo is changing up the restaurant scene. Located in the charming Marmalade District—a short walk from downtown Salt Lake—Arlo operates simultaneously as a residential “local spot” and as a destination for special occasions. This unpretentious eatery manages to accomplish multitudes and consistently exceed expectations.

Squash Risotto at Arlo Restaurant

Arlo’s kitchen incorporates flavors, techniques, and presentations from a broad palette of global influences, which they blend to create eclectic, creative, and transcendent cuisine. Arlo shirks being defined by any one cuisine tradition, avoiding stylistic comparisons with the intention of never being simply one thing, or everything all of the time. The menu mutates easily to respond to the Chef’s creative whims and the bounty of each season.

Milo Carrier serves as the chef and owner/operator of Arlo. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and with the better part of a decade spent as sous chef for one of San Francisco’s crown jewel restaurants, Carrier returned to his home state with the sole intention of creating his own space.

Upon opening in July, 2020, Carrier wasted no time in establishing relationships and calling on old friends to take advantage of Utah’s oft-overlooked, yet hardy, small farms industry. With a network of nimble produce purveyor’s, the plates at Arlo are always brimming with superior vegetables that were often picked from fields within walking distance. This practice supports Carrier’s desire to create a smaller carbon footprint while helping to bolster the local community of growers and purveyors.

Carrier notes that his approach to sustainability and local sources is not only aligned with his own moral compass, but it is also a reflection of the modern patron’s priorities and interests, “Diners today are interested in where their food comes from, and the story behind how it got there. They are excited by familiar items presented in new and creative ways and are ready to prioritize sources over scarcity.”


Pork Chop at Arlo Restaurant

Another manifestation of this philosophy is Arlo’s approach to animal protein. Highly unique amongst Utah restaurants of its size, Chef Carrier’s restaurant practices whole animal butchery. The process of collecting a whole pig or lamb from a nearby farm is an enormous undertaking, one that requires multiple days of physical labor and determined expertise. However, Carrier is dedicated to the practice as it allows for more thoughtful consumption of animals and significantly reduces waste.

While the offerings are driven primarily by the practice of sustainability and responsible consumption, the transformation of ingredients is where the restaurant earns its reputation for artistic excellence. Carrier’s term, a ‘confluence of influences’ is exactly the experience of one’s taste buds while dining at Arlo. Expect ingredient combinations you’d never considered—horseradish on lamb ravioli, green coriander seeds on ceviche, watermelon radish floating in spiced pumpkin soup—the list is long and the daring alliances always pay off. It can’t be overstated that delicious creativity is what this hidden gem excels at. The menu ranges from shareable plates to indulgent entrees and while each dish is uniquely gratifying, the menu offers enough range to scale up or down in accordance with a diner’s appetite or wallet.

Beyond the food, Arlo’s interior is itself a delightful experience that feels both chic and inviting. It is intentionally minimalist with wood and stone textures woven throughout. A massive kitchen backsplash of deep blue provides a calming contrast to the coordinated frenzy happening over the stoves and prep stations. Diners are treated to an expansive view of the fully-remodeled kitchen, which Carrier helped design and build, and provides visual entertainment for guests until the food arrives to demand attention.

In addition to the modern dining room, Arlo owes much of its early success to its spacious, pergola-adorned patio. The restaurant’s outdoor dining capacity allowed it to open in the heat of the pandemic summer and build a steady stream of fans and regulars. For the winter months, they have erected a large tent with airflow and heaters to keep COVID-conscious diners safe and warm.

Expect this restaurant to emerge from pandemic-restrictions with a bright future as it continues to push the envelope on Salt Lake’s dining scene. As global health conditions improve, we anticipate much more to come. Arlo is a must-try for food-lovers and local enthusiasts. Browse their dine-in and to-go menus here.