City Weekly Best of Utah 2018

Best of Utah 2018: Restaurants & Dining

31 reader-voted winners in restaurants & dining, from the City Weekly Best of Utah 2018 poll.

Ask Ave: What won Best of Utah 2018 for Restaurants & Dining

• Best BreakfastThe Park Café

  On any particular morning at The Park Café, you might spot superstar athletes from the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake or the University of Utah. Or, you'll recognize the familiar faces of… — Runners-up: Ruth's Diner, Roots Café

• Best BrunchRye

  Rye always has a homey feel to it. Are you brunching with your mom and pop? Got a business meeting? Out with friends? All feel acceptable here. Stick with the traditional two-egg breakfast… — Runners-up: La Caille, Ruth's Diner

• Best BurgersLucky 13

  Talk about a no-brainer. Whether you're on your way to a Salt Lake Bees game or making a special trip, this is the place for killer burgers. Seven ounces of fresh, 100 percent local ground… — Runners-up: Proper Burger, Burly Burger

• Best ChineseMandarin

  How does any restaurant survive four decades like Mandarin? Family atmosphere, excellent staff and, of course, a phenomenal menu. That culture is what the son of Greek immigrant Gregory… — Runners-up: Asian Star, Little World

• Best Cruelty-Free SteakTable X

  Meatless substitutes are, more often than not, unholy abominations. Not that there's anything wrong with trying to recreate steak, burgers or bacon in a way that keeps our animal brethren…

• Best Downhome BreakfastSweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade

  According to a 1980s advertising campaign, the best part of waking up is a cup of instant coffee. Those in the know, know it's a bellyful of Sweet Lake's signature Hoss. Leave your McMuffin…

• Best Downtown SLC RestaurantThe Copper Onion

  Copper Onion owner Ryan Lowder found the secret ingredient when it comes to restauranteuring. The native Utahn traveled the globe—from Colombia to Barcelona to New York—for inspiration for… — Runners-up: Takashi, Blue Iguana

• Best Fancy Fast-Food Dining ExperienceCrown Burgers by The Gateway

  A Salt Lake institution since 1978, the décor and setting can vary between Crown Burger locations, but the one on 300 West is truly something to be in awe of—stained glass windows, oak…

• Best Food TruckWaffle Love

  "There are a lot of myths that people buy into, like food trucks are a trend—they're not," TV personality Andrew Zimmern told City Weekly in September. "As long as human beings have been… — Runners-up: Cupbop, Freshies Lobster Co.

• Best GyrosGreek Souvlaki

  Given this publication's ownership, discussions have erupted, strong words have been exchanged and grudges have formed at City Weekly HQ when the debate on what is the region's best Greek… — Runners-up: Greek City Grill, Crown Burgers

• Best IndianBombay House

  The early bird gets the worm, or in Bombay House's case, a seat at the table. If you are indeed late to the dinner rush, no need to worry—you can simply call in your order (though even the… — Runners-up: Saffron Valley, Kathmandu

• Best ItalianSicilia Mia

  It didn't take long for the family-run Sicilia Mia to exert a strong presence on the local Italian dining scene, quickly opening up three more iterations around the valley. For starters… — Runners-up: Cucina Toscana, Caffé Molise

• Best JapaneseTakashi

  It's surreal to think that Takashi is now more than 13 years old, a testament to its service and the care Takashi and Tamara Gibo give their pristine cuisine. This summer, they've taken on… — Runners-up: Kyoto, Jinya Ramen Bar

• Best MexicanRed Iguana

  Why would you build a second restaurant two blocks from the first? That's what Red Iguana did with Red Iguana 2 to alleviate the seemingly endless out-the-door line of customers wanting to… — Runners-up: Blue Iguana, Salsa Leedos

• Best Month for FoodiesSeptember

  Forget about the usual gluttony associated with the winter holiday season. Utah foodies were treated to one helluva month in September 2018. To recap a few of the highlights: the month saw…

• Best New RestaurantTradition

  Passion for cooking fabulous food is what inspired owners Ashton Aragon and Max Shrives to open their up-and-coming restaurant. For a starter that is sure to swarm your brain with a flood… — Runners-up: Boltcutter, Seasons Plant-based Bistro

• Best Ogden RestaurantTona Sushi

  A perennial Best Of winner, Tona Sushi plates its dishes so masterfully and artistically, you'll wonder if it's permitted to deconstruct the food. The dining area offers seating at the bar… — Runners-up: Slackwater, Roosters Brewing

• Best Park City RestaurantRiverhorse on Main

  With such a unique ambiance and menu, it's no surprise that Riverhorse on Main is Park City's Best Restaurant yet again. Thanks to its ever-changing menu—seasonally as well as demand… — Runners-up: Blue Iguana, Handle

• Best PizzaThe Pie

  Established in 1980 in a nondescript basement location near the University of Utah, and later across a multitude of locations throughout the valley, The Pie has established itself as a true… — Runners-up: Este Pizza Co., Pie Hole

• Best Restaurant Dessert ComboCopper Kitchen's brown sugar cake

  Maybe for some, dessert is just a chance for a burst of sugar at the end of a great meal. At Copper Kitchen, the signature dessert delivers a variety of flavors and textures that makes it…

• Best SaladsCafé Trio

  Think salads are but bland side dishes? Horse food you promised your doctor you'd start infusing your diet with (accompanied by a hearty steak, of course)? Well, think again. No longer a… — Runners-up: Cubby's, Aubergine

• Best Salt Lake Valley RestaurantCliff Dining Pub

  "From Draper, for Draper." That's the motto Cliff Dining Pub has lived by since its inception, creating an eclectic, globally inspired menu. In 2017, it took home honors for Best New… — Runners-up: La Caille, Log Have

• Best Sandwich for FiveThe Big John at Grove Market and Deli

  My track record for eating—and finishing—freakishly huge sandwiches is pretty solid. I figured that tackling Grove Market and Deli's Big John ($11.49) on a day when I was equal parts hungry…

• Best SandwichesMoochies Meatballs and More

  Sandwiches as art? If you've tried any of Moochies' bad boys, you'll realize it's not that much of a stretch. Perhaps it's the fresh ingredients in its mouth-watering Atomic Meatball… — Runners-up: Even Stevens, Buds

• Best SeafoodCurrent Fish & Oyster

  Step into the realm where swank and freshness collide in beautiful harmony. Housed in a former auto repair shop, the closest things to engine revving you'll hear in the building now are… — Runners-up: Harbor Seafood & Steak, Takashi

• Best Seafood SubscriptionSeaforth Fish

  Community-supported agriculture has been a successful way to promote seasonable, sustainable eating—but apparently plant products aren't the only way to make the system work. Seaforth Fish…

• Best SushiTakashi

  Last year around this time, our publisher selected the fist class of Best of Utah Hall of Fame inductees—businesses and individuals who are perennial favorites—and not surprisingly, Takashi… — Runners-up: Tsunami, Sapa

• Best TacoTaquería 27

  Brace yourself for the best three words you'll hear all day: tacos for breakfast. That's right, son. Sure, T27 has changed the game with Mexican street-food-inspired dishes like grilled… — Runners-up: Blue Iguana, Taco Taco

• Best ThaiSawadee

  Sawadee takes its reputation as the most authentic Thai restaurant in the state to heart. The family-run establishment is widely known for preparing spectacular Thai dishes such as nam… — Runners-up: Skewered Thai, Chabaar Beyond Thai

• Best Utah County RestaurantCommunal

  Communal offers guests a family-style, farm-to-table experience like no other in Provo, priding itself on its reputation as a home away from home. Next time you cross the Point of the… — Runners-up: Black Sheep Café, Bombay House

• Best VietnameseOh Mai

  With three locations around the valley, Oh Mai has got Utahns covered with delicious Vietnamese cuisine. Their banh mi sandwiches have garnered the most notoriety, but you'd be remiss if… — Runners-up: Somi Vietnamese Bistro, Pho 33