Do Yourself A Favor And Visit These Unique Restaurants in Utah
Sometimes you need to go beyond fabulous food and seek out an experience to go with it. Utah has hundreds of truly wonderful restaurants, cafés, diners, and bistros. Today, we’ve focused on a select few that offer something truly different – a dining experience that goes beyond the norm – offering not only great food, but also unique ambiance, excellent service, or anything else that puts these spots above the rest. Do yourself a favor and visit these unique restaurants in Utah:
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Here you'll find a highly unique yurt-based restaurant. Your dining adventure at The Viking Yurt begins with a star-lit sleigh ride up the mountain. Then you’ll snuggle into the toasty yurt to enjoy four hours of dining. Yes, FOUR hours. No wolfing down your food here - it’s the European style of dining! The restaurant has only one seating of 40 people each night, so it's intimate and personal as well.
Check out their website for the most up-to-date hours, schedule and menu.
Saucy, audacious and tough, Ruth was undoubtedly one of the most fearless women in Utah’s history. She began as a cabaret singer in 1912, then opened a downtown burger joint where she fed working girls, customers and johns who wandered over from the brothel across the street. Unlike the sweet, demure women of the time, Ruth could swear like a sailor and smoke like a chimney. And wow - could she COOK! When her building was bought and demolished, Ruth just dragged a trolley car up into the mouth of Emigration Canyon, where the restaurant still stands. Ruth’s gone on to the cabaret in the sky, but diners can still sit in the trolley car and enjoy Ruth’s recipes -- try her famous mile-high biscuits and gravy for dinner and don’t miss the meatloaf and macaroni and cheese for lunch, or whenever the fancy strikes.
Address: 4160 Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108
Go back to the Renaissance era, but without any of those pesky plagues and commonplace beheadings. Five Alls’ costumed waitstaff serves you like a king from pewter dishes. Dinners are five-course, European style, and tastier than any meal King Henry VIII ever enjoyed (difficult to confirm, but we’re pretty confident). Open for dinner only; reservations highly recommended.
Address: 1458 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108
Communal is dedicated to creating its delicious dishes using locally-sourced ingredients. As a result, the food is fresh and tasty. But Communal’s philosophy goes deeper than the food -- they believe that good food should be part of a great community. When you arrive, you’ll be seated at a long table, with a bunch of strangers. No worries - they won’t be strangers for long, because Communal also offers locally-brewed beers from Wasatch, Squatter’s, Epic and Uinta breweries (yes! You CAN get a beer in Utah County!). Raise a beer to your new dining neighbor and maybe even make a new friend or two!
Address: 102 North University Avenue, Provo, UT, 84601
Vineyards are in short supply in Utah, but La Caille has its own. The restaurant, at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, sits on 20 acres of property, including a 3-acre vineyard. Patio dining during the warmer months is cooled by the breezes from the canyon. This is one of the few Utah restaurants where you can enjoy caviar and escargot! And, of course, you’ll find a comprehensive wine menu. Bring your wallet - this is the most expensive restaurant on the list, but it’s well-suited for a romantic or elegant occasion.
If you didn’t know that Utah was settled by Mormon pioneers, you’ve been living under a rock. Pioneers and covered wagons are kind of a big deal in this state. Nowadays, we travel in minivans, Suburbans, Subarus and occasionally even a Prius, but you can still get a romanticized version of the wagon trail at Prairie Schooner Steak House. You’ll sit inside a covered wagon, under the “stars,” next to a campfire. Enjoy a juicy steak with all the trimmings, then go home to your air-conditioned abode and sleep on your cozy mattress that isn't in a covered wagon. This place is all the best parts of prairie schooner dining with none of the hassle!
Whether you’ve already driven across Hell’s Backbone, or you’re just gearing up for the white-knuckle experience, Hell’s Backbone Grill is a good place to find your inner peace, chill with a beer, and relax. The owners, Jen Castle and Blake Spalding, follow Buddhist principles of sustainability, social responsibility and community. The grill is located on their organic farm (they’d like to remind you that they have a tractor and goats - it’s clearly legit). They grow the organic food, they cook the organic food, they serve you the organic food - and it’s amazing. They’ve won so many awards we can’t even begin to list them all, but they were definitely well-deserved. Make sure to check their website or Facebook page for most recent hours of operation.
Any kid growing up in Utah knows how to make tinfoil dinners - you cut up some onions, carrots and potatoes and throw in some ground beef. Throw it on a campfire, dig it out an hour later and try not to burn your tongue on the deliciousness. The owners of Campfire Lounge clearly remember this Utah tradition, and they’ve made it better. The adult version of the Utah classic dinners come with your choice of ground sirloin, shrimp, chicken, bratwurst, or tofu. Sit around one of three outdoor fire pits and enjoy your "hobo dinner" (or a burger, sandwich or tater-tots). Afterwards, try some S’mores (original, peanut butter or Nutella/banana). Enjoy the patio with your dog (but not your kids -- Campfire is a bar, so only 21 and over are permitted inside).
Address: 837 East 2100 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84106
Of course, this list is nowhere near exhaustive – there are hundreds more that we couldn’t include. Here’s an article featuring 13 famous restaurants here in Utah that you should definitely try at least once! What are your favorite places to dine in Utah? Tell us your picks in the comments!
Address: 1345 Lowell Ave, Park City, UT 84060, USA
Address: 4160 Emigration Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
Address: 1458 Foothill Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
Address: 102 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84606, USA
Address: 9565 Wasatch Blvd, Sandy, UT 84092, USA
Address: 445 Park Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401, USA
Address: 20 UT-12, Boulder, UT 84716, USA
Address: 837 E 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84106, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Unique Restaurants in Utah
February 20, 2021
Tori Jane
What are the best restaurants in Utah?
Utah is a hub of excellent dining in the American southwest. Some of the highest-rated restaurants in Utah include Vegan Sun in Provo, Canyon Pizza Company in Nephi, and Aragosta Restaurant (which is commonly referred to as “the best restaurant in Utah” by MANY reviews). Obviously, “best” is subjective, however, when a restaurant has a nearly-perfect rating with hundreds of reviews, it’s definitely worth a closer look.
What are some must-visit restaurants in Utah?
Utah has literally hundreds of restaurants that are a must-do for everyone who visits (or lives here). Takashi in Salt Lake City is among the top restaurants in the state in terms of excellent, above and beyond reviews. It’s a must-go for Japanese cuisine enthusiasts. Tiburon is a restaurant in Sandy that literally grow their herbs and veggies in-house, which is something that there just aren’t a lot of places that are able to say.
Is Utah a state with good food?
Absolutely! There are TONS of excellent and highly-rated restaurants, be they rated by food magazines or simply patrons. The best part is that the good stuff is scattered around the state, so no matter where you end up, you’ll probably be able to find something delectable. This roundup of must-visit Utah restaurants features the very best in the state, and is a great place to start your foodie tour de force!
Address: 1345 Lowell Ave, Park City, UT 84060, USA
Address: 4160 Emigration Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
Address: 1458 Foothill Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
Address: 102 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84606, USA
Address: 9565 Wasatch Blvd, Sandy, UT 84092, USA
Address: 445 Park Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401, USA
Address: 20 UT-12, Boulder, UT 84716, USA
Address: 837 E 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84106, USA
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Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
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