When it comes to restaurants, it's really what's on the inside that counts. In fact, some of the most unassuming little restaurants have the most incredible food! That's certainly the case with the following roundup of the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Utah. They may not look like much on the outside, but inside -- get ready for some seriously crave-worthy fare!
1. Amber Restaurant - Salt Lake City
This diner looks like it hasn’t been updated for quite awhile, but it’s clean and friendly and it offers some of the best breakfast you’ll ever eat - at a great price! Try the scones.
2. Chunga’s - Salt Lake City
You will not find better Mexican food anywhere in Utah - period. Don’t be too quick to judge this restaurant from its exterior -- we know, it looks like a tire discount store -- but inside, the food is to die for! It’s hard to recommend just one thing (everything is amazing!), but the nachos al pastor might just be a favorite. Definitely check out this hidden gem!
3. El Mexicano Restaurant - Salina
As is true of so many unassuming little gems, the outside of El Mexicano is nothing fancy, but you certainly won’t care once they put that plate of enchiladas in front of you! The next time you find yourself in Salina, check out this amazing restaurant.
4. Nemo's Drive Thru - Escalante
Nemo's Drive Thru is everything you could ever hope for in a small-town drive-thru -- and more! Think delicious burgers, crispy-fresh fries, and cold, creamy shakes. The Adventure Burger is the specialty; it’s a half-pound bacon burger, topped with an onion ring. Definitely check this one out!
5. Pizza Plus - Tremonton
This little hole-in-the-wall serves up some delicious pizza and wings. The cheesy breadsticks from Pizza Plus are legendary, and you'll want to enjoy them out out of the oven, with lots of their sweet marinara dipping sauce.
6. Ray’s Tavern - Green River
Ray's Tavern bills itself as, "The Place for Everyone," and that’s certainly true. It kind of feels like a hole-in-the-wall version of Cheers (you know, where everyone knows your name!), but it’s really a restaurant that’s open to kids, too. You could certainly get one of their crazy-good burgers... but why would you do that when the steak is so utterly divine? (And we're in Utah, where steak reigns supreme... but truly, Ray's grills up some of the very best steak in the state!)
7. Rodger’s Dairy Freeze - Mount Pleasant
You know that most small town Dairy Freeze-type places have great burgers, fries, and shakes -- but how about pie? Rodger’s Dairy Freeze in Mount Pleasant has some of the best homemade pie around, and some seriously crave-worthy ice cream sundaes. They take the whole dairy whip game to another level.
8. Top Hat Diner - Sunset
Don’t pass up this little gem of a diner just because its exterior is a bit plain; Top Hat serves up some of the best chili verde you'll ever have! And if you're into breakfast, Top Hat Diner delivers with both the sweet and the savory: their pancakes are incredible, and the omelettes here will convert anyone into a morning person. Top Hat Diner truly is one of the very best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Utah!
Do you agree that some of the very best food comes from the least suspecting places? What are your picks for best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Utah? Do you have any we missed that you'd like to see in the future? Be sure to nominate them for a chance to be featured!
And for more amazing little unassuming restaurants in The Beehive State, definitely check out Joe’s Cafe in Orem. This itty bitty cafe is so small, that if you blink you could miss it. But you don't want to miss it. Joe's Cafe dishes up *the best* biscuits and gravy in Utah, and once you give it a try, you will be a lifelong customer!
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