Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what you need—a recap of some of the very best new openings in town.

Urban Hill

Urban Hill 

The recent opening of this destination dining spot raises the bar once for fine dining in SLC. The restaurant anchors the quickly growing Post District on the city’s South West edge, and chef Nick Zocco’s resume is as impressive as the build out. His backstory includes everything from the mega kitchen of SW Steakhouse in Vegas through to the boutique charm’s of Park City’s Tupelo.

Zocco pairs that breadth of experience with his Southwestern roots to produce a sublime menu. Carrots with New Mexico chile sauce, striped bass with ember roasted yuca, bison ribeye with mole negro—just a few of the canny nods to his past.

It’d be remiss not to mention the space too, a sprawling dining room is made intimate through chic and savvy design touches; take a seat at the crudo counter, or maybe one of the plush sofas overlooking the exhibition kitchen. Expect Urban Hill to be one of the hottest tickets for 2023.

510 South 300 West, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(385) 295-4200

urban-hill.com

 

Adelaide

Another beautifully bedecked space is this new for 2023 spot that serves the attached Le Méridien and Element hotels on the west side of the city. This ground floor restaurant is a soothing oasis of caramels, drapes, and soft lightning. Chef Jacqueline Siao takes French inspiration in crafting a menu that’s available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Dinner is where you’ll find the more complex creations—vichyssoise or charcuterie are solid classics to start—while soubise lacquered short rib or whole fried branzino will tempt for mains.

131 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

adelaidesaltlake.com

 

Van Ryder

Should you visit Adelaide, be sure to take the brief elevator trip upwards to Van Ryder. The rooftop cocktail bar affords stunning views of the Salt Lake valley and Oquirrh mountains. Named after Jack Van Ryder, the American cowboy and western artist, the space similarly takes stylistic inspiration replete with Mountain West vibes.  

The views from the exterior deck are perhaps the best in the city, and should the weather be on the colder side, the all weather fire pits make snuggling up with one of the bar’s craft cocktails a splendid night out.

131 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

vanrydersaltlake.com

 

Kin Sen Noodle Bar

Over on the east benches, Kin Sen is the latest outing from the same family that manage Millcreek’s stellar Kao Thai restaurant. The signature dish at Kin Sen are impeccable boat noodles—mammoth servings of rice noodle swimming in a delicate and deeply flavored broth.  The cinnamon tinged base, which is the effort of some five hours of slow cooking, is available with a range of proteins. The best bet is the combination bowl which comes with rare beef, brisket, oxtail, short rib, meatballs, and a decadent topping of fried pork skin. 

2819 South 2300 East, Millcreek, UT 84109
(801) 935-4024

Kinsennoodlebar.com

 

The Local

The newest food hall in Salt Lake just switched the lights on, and the crowds are already flocking in to check out the opening vendors. The seven food options offer a mix of local and national names and include Lamb & Feta (Greek), Hog & Tradition (BBQ), Green Chile House (Mexican), Crave (breakfast, salads, sandwiches), Luna Pizza Cafe (pizza), The Cereal Killerz Kitchen (milkshakes), and Pop’s Burger (burgers). Good Bar functions as the on site 21+ bar and completes the mix, offering local beer, craft cocktails, and wine.

310 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(813) 413-1360

local-market-and-bar.square.site

 

Libertango

This intriguing Argentinian steakhouse can be found in Sandy, offering up a menu that dares to be more exciting and vibrant than the run of the mill. There are steaks of all sizes and proportions (and some eye watering sizes at that!) but for the more adventurous, dig a little deeper. Lamb chops with saffron rice? Libertango is also one of the very few places in town that offers morcilla.

10395 State Street, Sandy, UT 84070
(801) 448-6449

libertango.us 

 

Homecoming Southern Kitchen & Bar

Seeking to bring a taste of the South to Salt Lake’s downtown, Homecoming is the latest effort from the crew behind neighboring Fat Jack’s. Myriad Southern staples can be found on the menu here, rib-sticking fare such as buttermilk fried chicken or shrimp n' grits—not least a whole section devoted to prime rib. Beyond the traditional, the kitchen isn’t afraid to have a little fun. An order of eggrolls playfully merges BBQ pork and mac n' cheese, while chicken biscuits are given a contemporary flourish of shishito peppers and hot honey sauce.

77 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(385) 485-5777

homecomingslc.com

Frankie & Essl's 

The quirkily named Frankie’s (that’s the owner’s dog by the way) wants to be your goto spot for a tip top start to your day. Open five days a week from 7:00 a.m., locals have been raving about this one since their recent soft opening.

Breakfast sandwiches of distinction are what’s been driving all the praise. The menu is small—but it’s handcrafted with care—going the extra mile with thick cut bacon, free range eggs, as well as house-made salsa and sauces. Want to switch up your regular breakfast sando order? Check out the pork belly breakfast sandwich that comes with pickled serranos, tomato jam, and a brioche bun.

490 East 1300 South, Suite 102, Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Wildfin American Grill

This regional seafood group (OR, WA, ID, and now UT) are the latest name to join the roster at Riverton’s bustling Mountain View Village. The extensive menu name checks both the James Beard Smart Catch Foundation and Monterey Bay Aquarium, serving only the best credentialed seafood. That means when you enjoy the casual eatery’s Alaskan crab stuffed rockfish—you know your choice is backed by sustainable fishing and sourcing.

13333 Tree Sparrow Drive, Riverton, UT 84096
(801) 542-9885

wildfinamericangrill.com

La Cevicheria 

Ceviche is the highlight of this all new Mexican restaurant that breathes fresh life into the former Cancun Cafe in downtown SLC. The menu starts with a dozen preparations of the vibrant seafood dish, before expanding onto tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. As you might expect from a seafood-centric kitchen, there are also plenty of cooked treats too; shrimp in mango habanero sauce, fried snapper, grilled octopus—just to name a few.

123 East 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 906-0016

Mi Buena Vida

Once home to La Trattoria Di Francesco, and The Paris before that, this spacious 15th and 15th spot  is now home to the latest outing from Utah-based restaurateur Alan Galeano (El Chubasco). A handsomely stocked salsa bar greets as you enter, and you’ll want to return here multiple times—whether you choose to sit in the buzzy bar area, or the handsome main dining room. Open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner, the restaurant aims to bring a price point to a location that's been considerably more spendy in recent times; with that in mind, much of the menu clocks in under the $20 mark.

1500 South 15th East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105
(385) 229-4812

mibuenavidaslc.com

 

Further reading

Of course that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s something new and interesting happening every week on our food scene. For more up-to-the-minute news, check out the following local publications:

GastronomicSLC.com
CityWeekly.net
SaltLakeMagazine.com
SLTrib.com

Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception.  If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what you…

  • 7 minute read

Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what you…

  • 7 minute read

Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what you…

Restaurants & Bars

June 2023 Roundup of New and Notable Restaurants

  • 7 minute read

Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what you…

  • 7 minute read

Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what you…

  • 8 minute read

Salt Lake City is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to food and drink, and the last three months have been no exception.  If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out the latest and greatest changes to our foodie scene, we’ve got just what…