Top 10 Best Salt Lake City Restaurants

Salt Lake City is famous for the local favorite fry sauce, pastrami burger, and funeral potatoes. Salt Lake City’s famous food is not defined by complex cooking techniques that originated in the city, but by its distinct, comforting, and community-driven dishes. The fry sauce is a simple condiment made from ketchup and mayonnaise, and it is the most iconic Utah-specific ingredient created in SLC. The pastrami burger is a massive burger topped with thinly sliced pastrami. It was popularized by Greek immigrant families who established a local fast-food scene. Funeral potatoes, a cheesy potato casserole, represent the area's tradition of communal gatherings. 

The average cost of a meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Salt Lake City is between $15 and $25. A three-course meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant costs an average of $80 to $100. Prices for meals at fine-dining establishments start at $75 to $150 per person for tasting menus and vary based on the specific restaurant and menu selections.

The most popular fast food in Salt Lake City includes local chains with deep community roots that are popular for their speed, price, and status as local favorites. These restaurants are listed below:

• Crown Burgers: This is a beloved local fast-food chain famous for popularizing the Pastrami Burger, making it an authentic Salt Lake City meal. One of its key locations is at 377 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
• Arctic Circle: Founded in Salt Lake City, this chain is known for its Black Angus burgers, onion rings, and for being one of the originators of fry sauce. A location is at 135 N 900 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84116.
• Hires Big H: This classic Utah drive-in is famous for its Big H burger, fresh-cut fries, onion rings, and frosty mugs of house-made root beer. The original location is at 425 S 700 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.
• Nielsen's Frozen Custard: A long-standing local favorite, Nielsen's is known for its burgers, fries, and thick frozen custard "concretes" in a nostalgic setting. The location is 3918 S Highland Dr, Millcreek, UT 84124.

New restaurants in Salt Lake City offer fresh concepts and flavors to the city's dining scene. The best new restaurants Salt Lake City are listed below:

• Urban Hill: A modern American steakhouse in the Post District, offering a fine-dining experience with a wood-fired grill at the center of its kitchen. Located at 510 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
• Franklin Avenue Cocktails and Kitchen: A 21+ bar and restaurant in the historic Franklin Avenue Theatre building, serving American food with global influences in a stylish, multi-level space. Located at 231 S Edison St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
• Felt Bar and Eatery: A trendy, 21+ bar and restaurant in the historic Felt Building, offering refined American food with Asian and Latin influences alongside an upscale cocktail menu. Located at 341 S Main St STE 101, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
• Bar Nohm: A Japanese-inspired izakaya, and one of the best new restaurants SLC in the Central 9th neighborhood, providing a lively atmosphere for enjoying small plates, skewers, and an extensive sake list. Located at 165 W 900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.

Yes, there are good restaurants near the Salt Lake City Airport. The airport terminal has its own food options, but there are several local spots within a 10-to-15-minute drive. These restaurants near SLC airport are a convenient stop for travelers and the most famous among them is the Red Iguana which serves authentic SLC food. Proper Burger Co. is another great stop for high-quality food near Salt Lake City, UT.

The best lunch Salt Lake City can be found at spots offering a mix of quick-service, casual, and business-appropriate options. These downtown SLC restaurants are ideal for a midday meal.

• Pretty Bird: This spot is known for its Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches and plates. It is a popular, quick-service choice for a flavorful lunch in Salt Lake City.
• Even Stevens Sandwiches: This sandwich shop offers a menu of craft sandwiches, salads, and bites. It is a great option for a quick, high-quality lunch.
• The Copper Onion: For a more upscale business lunch or a relaxed sit-down meal, The Copper Onion serves refined American food, including a popular paté and a wagyu beef stroganoff.
• Caputo's Market & Deli: This Italian market and deli is a downtown institution. It is an excellent spot for authentic Italian sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie boards.

The best sit down restaurants Salt Lake City range from romantic fine-dining establishments to modern, energetic spots perfect for dinner outings:

• Log Haven: Located in a historic log mansion in Millcreek Canyon, this restaurant offers an upscale, romantic atmosphere with scenic forest views. The food is New American, featuring game and seasonal ingredients.
• Valter's Osteria: This restaurant provides an authentic, upscale Tuscan-Italian dinner experience. The atmosphere is classic and lively.
• Table X: For a modern dinner, Table X offers a cozy and intimate setting with an open kitchen. It is known for its seasonal tasting menus that use ingredients from its on-site garden.
• Takashi: This is the city's premier sushi restaurant. The atmosphere is modern and always bustling. It is known for its exceptionally fresh fish and creative sushi rolls.

Salt Lake City has a selection of restaurants that serve vegan food. Vertical Diner is a 100% vegan restaurant that serves classic diner comfort food like pancakes and tofu scrambles. Zest Kitchen & Bar provides an upscale, plant-based menu with dishes like Stuffed Mushrooms and Zest-chiladas. Buds offers quick, fast-food style vegan sandwiches with fillings like a Barbacoa sub, and Boltcutter is known for its gourmet vegan street tacos with fillings like Sin Carne Asada.

Many restaurants in Salt Lake City serve gluten-free food. These include Zest Kitchen & Bar, which has a menu that is entirely gluten-free and vegan. The Dodo Restaurant, an American bistro, offers a dedicated gluten-free menu with adaptations of its regular items. For a casual meal, Even Stevens Sandwiches provides gluten-free bread as an option for all of its sandwiches. Many Mexican restaurants like Red Iguana have numerous naturally gluten-free options, such as dishes served with corn tortillas.

Many restaurants in Salt Lake City have outdoor or patio seating that takes advantage of the city's mountain views and pleasant weather. The options for patio dining Salt Lake City range from scenic canyon settings to lively urban spaces, listed below:

• Log Haven: This fine-dining restaurant features a multi-level patio in Millcreek Canyon with views of waterfalls and the surrounding forest, creating a scenic and romantic setting for its New American food.
• Emigration Brewing Co.: Located near the mouth of Emigration Canyon, this brewery has a large, casual patio with excellent mountain views. It is a great spot for pub fare and craft beer.
• Caffé Molise: This downtown Italian restaurant is known for its beautiful and secluded garden patio. The space is filled with plants and lights, offering a charming atmosphere for its regional Italian food.
• Ruth's Diner: A classic Salt Lake City establishment located up Emigration Canyon, Ruth's Diner has a famous creekside patio where guests enjoy American comfort food in a rustic, natural setting.

The most famous types of food in Salt Lake City reflect the city's cultural history, including its pioneer roots and the influence of immigrant communities.

• American / New American: This is the most widespread type of food, from the local pastrami burger at fast-food joints to chef-driven, farm-to-table restaurants. It is famous because of the city's history of creating iconic American comfort foods.
• Mexican: Salt Lake City has a large number of authentic Mexican restaurants. This food is popular due to the city's significant Hispanic population and a demand for authentic r
• egional specialties like mole.
• Greek: The influence of Greek immigrants is a defining feature of the city's casual food scene. This food is famous because many local burger joints were started by Greek families, blending American diner food with Greek staples like gyros.
• Japanese / Sushi: The city has a strong reputation for high-quality sushi. It became a popular choice for dinner due to a number of restaurants establishing themselves with exceptionally fresh fish and creative rolls.
• Vegan / Plant-Based: Salt Lake City has a notable and innovative vegan food scene. It is famous for having a high concentration of 100% plant-based restaurants offering everything from diner food to upscale meals.