Best Restaurants in Salt Lake City

We live in Salt Lake City, Utah and often get asked for restaurant recommendations. Today, we are sharing the BEST restaurants in SLC. These are our personal favorite restaurants in the city, all of the best spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert!

These restaurants are our tried and true places to go when we want a break from cooking in our own kitchen. If you live in Utah or if you are visiting, check these restaurants out! We love them and hope you do too!

Breakfast & Brunch

• Roots Cafe– our VERY favorite! Josh gets the classic “roots of your day” and I love their omelets. They also have the BEST pancakes! The entire menu is fantastic!
• Trolley Cottage Cafe– a cute little spot that serves simple French-inspired food that is always fresh and delicious.
• Ruth's Diner– a classic place to go in Utah. The Mile High biscuits are famous.
• The Rose Establishment– coffee, tea, healthy options, and even some sweets. Love this charming place!
• Protein Foundry– protein shakes, avocado toast, and açaí bowls! Perfect for a quick, healthy breakfast.
• Banbury Cross– the BEST donuts in the world. Get the cinnamon crumb, blueberry, maple bar, and buttermilk bar!

Lunch & Dinner

• Laziz Kitchen– my favorite! Everything is so good! The very best hummus and dips, fries, cauliflower, salads, wraps, skewers, etc. I love it all!
• Arlo– elevated casual restaurant that is perfect for date night. They also offer a nice Sunday brunch. The menu changes often because they use local seasonal produce. Sit outside on the patio when the weather is nice.
• Laurel– located at the beautiful Grand America hotel in downtown SLC. I love the decor and atmosphere and the menu is wonderful. I recommend sitting on their lovely patio when it's nice outside.
• Nomad East– the family salad is my favorite! They also have fun pizzas and a great burger! Their vegetable starters are always good too, they change with the season. Pro tip-Jolley's is across the street, one of my favorite local stores. Shop after you eat:)
• Valter's Osteria (Dinner only)- my favorite spot for a special occasion or fancy dinner. The best Italian! Get the pasta sampler, you get a sampling of the best homemade pasta. Save room for the lemon gelato and biscotti!
• Takashi– hands down the best sushi. Sit at the bar and let them make you all kinds of fun rolls, everything is so fresh! I also love the seaweed salad and green papaya salad.
• Caputo's– great sandwiches and the downtown store has an amazing selection of cheese, olive oil, chocolate, and more! They also make a really good chocolate chip cookie.
• Hires Big H– my boys love Hires! Great burgers, fries, and shakes! They do have a house made veggie burger too.
• Mazza– I love all of the starters, sides, and salads! Great for sharing! The falafel is also really tasty and I love a cup of their lentil soup on a cold day.
• Beaumont Bakery– really a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They serve breakfast all day. The avocado toast, breakfast burrito, chopped salad, burger/fries, grain bowl are all good options. Save room for their pastries and the peanut butter oatmeal cookie.
• HSL– a solid menu and a great place for date night.
• Lonestar Taqueria– our favorite place to go after hiking or skiing! The tacos and guacamole are great!
• Urban Hill– the restaurant is beautiful and spacious, they can host large parties, but it's also a great spot for date night or girls night out. They have great shareable starters and sides and Josh recommends the black angus filet. Fantastic service too!
• Nona Bistro– a rustic backyard restaurant that is tucked away behind an old brick house. The food is simple, but delicious! .
• Feldman's Deli– massive sandwiches, the reuben is the most popular.
• Cubby's– a Utah favorite. It's good for a fast casual meal. I like the kale and wild rice salad, I even recreated it. They also have burgers, sandwiches, and make sure you get an order of sweet potato fries!

Bakeries & Dessert

• Tuile Bakery– the morning bun and olive oil cake with brown butter frosting are incredible. We also love the croissants, cookies, and tarts. You can't go wrong!
• Normal Ice Cream– so many fun ice cream flavors and they change monthly!
• Sweetaly– our favorite gelato!
• Hatch's Family Chocolate– if you have a sweet tooth, this is the place for you! So many decadent chocolates to choose from and they make homemade ice cream. Their hot chocolate is also amazing!
• Iceberg Drive Inn– the most massive shakes ever, perfect for sharing! Our boys also love their ice cream cones!
• Neilsen's Frozen Custard- delicious frozen custard! Lots of flavors and mix-ins!
• The Store– this local grocery store has treats and products from LOTS of Utah spots. If you want to sample a little bit of everything, stop in and they will help you find the very best of Utah! And they make their own candied jalapeños that are life changing, grab a jar!

What are your favorite restaurants in Salt Lake City? Leave a comment and let us know! We are always looking for new places to try!