Salt Lake's food scene is having its best moment in recent history. New restaurants are opening at a pace this area has never seen before. We're witnessing big names choose Salt Lake, with chefs taking real creative risks and the result is delicious. Salt Lake even landed its first MICHELIN Guide star, BIB Gourmand and Recommended as well as multiple James Beard semifinalist nods in 2026 with two of them advancing to the finalist round, proof that the food world is taking notice.
The range here is hard to categorize. You can move from a fast-casual spot that's had a line since day one, to a chef’s table experience that could hold its own against most spots in the U.S., sometimes within the same block. That's what makes eating here memorable, and that's what this list is about.
This blog will update regularly to showcase recent openings, rising newcomers, and the evolving food scene that Salt Lake has to offer.
Nettle sources close to home wherever it can. The croutons start as focaccia from Central Ninth Market, the hot sauce on the table is Heat Street's Dave's, and the kombucha on tap comes from Cru, brewed just off 2700 South. It's a small-touches approach to a fast-casual salad spot, and it shows in a menu that feels more considered than the format usually calls for.
Insider tip: The patio is dog-friendly from May through October, so bring the leash if you're headed out for a mountain day.
765 South 400 West, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Utah's first Culinary Dropout opened this month in the Granary District, inside the restored Pickle and Hide building that once housed the Utah Pickle Company. The space keeps the salvaged brick and the original rooftop sign, and it leans into scratch cooking, craft cocktails, and live music most nights. Expect soft pretzels with provolone fondue, spicy tuna crispy rice, and 36-hour braised pork ribs on the menu.
Insider tip: Go for happy hour if you want the pretzels without the wait. Live music picks up later in the evening, so it gets loud.
Hours: Mon - Thurs, 11:00 am-11:00 pm, Fri 11:00 am-12:00 am, Sun 10:00 am-12:00 am
2188 Highland Drive, Suite 103, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
The salad chain's first Utah location has landed in Sugar House. The menu runs through chef-crafted salads, warm bowls, protein-forward plates, and a newer lineup of wraps, all built around produce-forward, made-to-order ingredients. Expect the Crispy Rice Bowl and Miso Glazed Salmon alongside a limited-time Fall Harvest menu.
Insider tip: Order ahead through the app during the lunch rush. The Sugar House TRAX stop is a block away if you're skipping the parking lot.
Bricks Corner's second location has opened in West Valley City, a five-thousand-square-foot expansion of the Detroit-style pizza spot that built a following out of its original Sugar House location. Chef Josh's dough is still the draw: double-proofed over 24 hours with organic flour and reverse-osmosis water, baked into a pan pizza with a crust that rises nearly three inches.
Insider tip: There's an arcade if you (or your kids) are into that, and a great patio that will get lots of play on cooler fall nights.
Hours: Sun - Thurs, 11:00 am–10:00 pm, Fri - Sat, 11:00 am-12:00 am
Monti is proof that a drive-thru can still serve a real meal. Everything on the menu, coffee, juice, smoothies, breakfast, salads, bowls, sandwiches, is scratch-made, with house-made dressings and a focus on real ingredients over shortcuts. Grab it on the way through, or stay a while in the modern, warm dining room.
Insider tip: The chicken Caesar wrap and the smash burger both get called out repeatedly as go-to orders. Good options either way you're ordering.
The UK's Knoops chose Salt Lake City's 9th and 9th neighborhood for its first U.S. store. Founded in 2013 by Jens Knoop, the brand has built a following across 30-plus locations worldwide on a simple idea: drinking chocolate made to order, with 21 chocolate percentages ranging from a mellow 28% white to a bold 100% extra dark, served hot, iced, or blended into a milkshake.
Insider tip: This is the only U.S. Knoops location right now, so it's worth the trip. Ask about the Utah-exclusive PBFit peanut butter powder mix-in.
