City Weekly Best of Utah 2021

Best of Utah 2021: General

155 reader-voted winners in general, from the City Weekly Best of Utah 2021 poll.

Ask Ave: What won Best of Utah 2021 for General

• Best Advent CalendarLes Madeleines

  Renowned for her kouign amanns, Les Madeleines owner Romina Rasmussen pulls another tasty treat from up her floured sleeve every holiday season—the advent calendar. Filled with pâtes de…

• Best Alternative SoulGorgeous Jared Gomez

  Many readers recall Gorgeous Jared's previous BOU wins as hair stylist extraordinaire. His 22 years in the biz have garnered him loyal clients that flock to him for his color and styling…

• Best Angel WingsTin Angel Reopening at the Eccles Theater

  In 1967 a nondescript State Street bar named the Tin Angel hired a fashion show to boost business realizing too late that it was a drag fashion show, launching Utah's drag scene. That era…

• Best AnticipationFlanker Kitchen

  & Sporting Club We've been hearing the buzz for a while, and at long last, Flanker is set to open on Dec. 8. This latest addition to the downtown nightlife scene fills the space left behind…

• Best Apocalyptic Flock SupportWildlife Rehabilitation Center of

  Northern Utah Just when you thought 2020's reign of terror had ended, along came 2021 with its extreme winds, flooding and simultaneously record droughts. This year's brand of climate…

• Best at Blooming Where They're PlantedLincoln Street Farms

  Nico and Nat Dicou transformed their backyard into an urban farm where they grow flowers and plants and make candles and soap—all on 0.2 acres in downtown Salt Lake City. This company is…

• Best at Fighting forFairness on the Hill

  The ACLU of Utah and Equality Utah Even though it was her freshman year, Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, made herself known as someone who would come after the LGBTQ community. After the…

• Best at Illustrating Utah's True ColorsPat Bagley

  The Salt Lake Tribune's editorial cartoonist and author Pat Bagley has been ruffling feathers since 1979. Syndicated in U.S. newspapers and abroad, Bagley won the Herblock Prize for…

• Best AtmosphereLog Haven

  The thought of eating dinner in a century-old log cabin might not conjure up images of plates like grilled octopus, pan seared ahi with lobster sauce or a glass of Pascal Jolivet… — Runners-up: Carmine's Italian Restaurant, La Caille

• Best Bank for Small BusinessesMountain America

  With over $9.5 billion in assets, this locally grown credit union has won the race against big national banks for many of its customers. Residents of Salt Lake, Duchesne, Wasatch and Uintah… — Runners-up: America First Credit Union, Utah First Credit Unio

• Best BeastV & R Baking Co.

  From perfectly textured, slightly chewy ginger snaps to a ham, tomato and jalapeno-laden signature croissant nicknamed "the beast," to fudgy brownies in flavors such as mint, chocolate…

• Best Bellwether TownsHenefer and Oakley

  No doubt Oakley's town fathers took notice when a drinking-water shortage caused neighboring Henefer to suspend new home construction in 2019. Now Oakley, finding itself in similar straits…

• Best Big Bad BaptistsEpic Brewing

  Over 10 years ago, Epic Brewing released their Big Bad Baptist Stout, an imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels and a knock-you-to-the-ground 11.7% ABV. It grew in popularity among the beer…

• Best BIPOCWomen Networking

  Melanin Squad The professional and workplace experience of women of color comes with its own unique challenges and often a sense of wondering where you belong. Sarah Vaughn recognized a…

• Best Blues NewsOpen Blues Jam

  If rainy days and Mondays always get you down, the Open Blues Jam at The Green Pig Pub will shore up your spirits. Gary Tada, Kevin Gardner and Ray Rosales kick things off on Monday nights…

• Best Boundary PushersDecarcerate Utah

  Do prisons deter crime or rehabilitate offenders? Does a police presence keep society safe? Those are the tough questions local abolitionist group Decarcerate Utah wants local citizens to…

• Best Bread to GetOut of Bed for

  Bread Riot Bakehouse On Saturday mornings, there are usually two wolves inside me: one who wants to sleep in and nurse Friday night's hangover, and one that hungers for Bread Riot. The…

• Best Bridge BuilderBilly Palmer

  You've likely heard of Billy Palmer if you live in Salt Lake City. He's known for his more than 20 years of empowering the community, building bridges and amplifying west-side voices. A…

• Best Build-Your-Own MealVessel Kitchen

  The term "fast casual" evokes assembly line preparations that might be convenient, but don't generally scream "healthy" or "interesting." Locally launched in 2016, Vessel Kitchen made a…

• Best BurritoBeto's Mexican Food

  Whether it's a tried-and-true Texano (chicken, potatoes, sour cream and cheese) or a hulking ham, egg and cheese breakfast burrito, Beto's has provided burrito therapy for us all when we're… — Runners-up: Red Iguana, Lone Star Taqueria

• Best Busting Out of a COVID CocoonSLC Busker Fest

  Being cooped up for over a year left the majority of us feeling more socially awkward than ever. When and how to re-enter society feels somehow daunting. Then came the all-ages, fun and…

• Best ButcherComfort Food

  Chop Shop Owners John and Paige Courtney know a thing or two about good eats, both having been in the biz for years. Finding a new niche in Park City was no small feat, but the couple found…

• Best Carb DeliveryThe Carb Dealer

  Each week the carb dealer releases her menu on Instagram with a selection of sourdough focaccia breads, cream puffs and meringues in a plethora of flavors. Having grown up in Fiji, tea time…

• Best CBD ProductHemplucid

  Provo's Hemplucid is on a steady climb to becoming one of the biggest CBD companies in America. Just this year, they achieved a coveted USDA status that only a select few hemp and CBD… — Runners-up: Farmer & Chemist, Koodegras

• Best Charcuterie in a BoxHarvest & Honey

  You gotta love meats and cheeses in a pretty box. Honestly, Harvest & Honey's packaging is so pretty, you don't want to disturb the contents. That is, until you do, and then you are even…

• Best ChilaquilesTradition

  Nothing beats weekend brunch in Salt Lake City, especially when you can dine across from Liberty Park and then walk off your full belly while strolling under the trees. Tradition is just…

• Best Common-Sense Champion

  Rep. Carol Spackman Moss They say a woman's place is in the House. Too bad there aren't more of her. Moss has been in the House of Representatives since 2001, a Democratic Don Quixote as…

• Best Company That Gives BackStubbs Dental

  Many of us dread going to the dentist. There are scary noises, instruments you can't see being stuck into your mouth and sometimes there's pain. It's such a common fear that patients will… — Runners-up: Cotopaxi, Qualtrics

• Best COVID-Conscious PivotThe State Room

  By choosing to stay closed during the entire pandemic—until this fall—we can say that The State Room played it the safest of any venue in town. But they (along with sister venue The…

• Best Craft CheeseBeehive Cheese

  When brothers-in-law Tim Welsh and Pat Ford filled their vat for the first time in 2005, they had a combined eight days of cheese-making experience. However, they turned their vision of a…

• Best Cynical 'Locals'The Salt Lake Tribune

  After Spencer Cox defeated Jon Huntsman Jr. in the 2020 Republican primary for governor—to the embarrassment of Salt Lake Tribune publisher Paul Huntsman (brother of Jon)—heads rolled…

• Best DaylightingThree Creeks Confluence Park

  Salt Lake City is a community "founded by faith and nourished by irrigation," wrote Wallace Stegner. The Mormon pioneers' irrigation scheme relied on the seven canyon streams flowing out of…

• Best Deli DelightFeldman's Deli's

  Sloppy Joe Many a Salt Lake transplant longs for a 24-hour Jewish deli. But the fact that Salt Lake has at least one authentic Jewish deli (albeit only open until 8 p.m.) is cause for…

• Best Dog ConnectionRancho Luna Lobos

  This family owned and operated local dog-sledding business is much more than a pack of dogs that run, and win, races. Fernando and Dana Ramirez, along with their five children, have…

• Best Dog HousePorky's Kauai

  Some folks dismiss hot dogs as classless, but we'll bet they've never been to Porky's Kauai. When you see one of these monstrous hot dogs topped with pulled pork, grilled onions and fresh…

• Best Dog ParadiseTanner Park

  Tanner Park is Salt Lake's official unofficial best off-leash dog park. Located at the mouth of Parleys Canyon where Interstates 80 and 215 intersect, the 13 acres of off-leash area and two…

• Best Drag EntertainerJason CoZmo

  The host of one of SLC's finest drag traditions, Viva La DIVA, brings home the gold again in this category, and is rightly deserving! The celebrity impersonation performances CoZmo hosts at… — Runners-up: Gia Bianca Stephens, Sister Molly Mormo

• Best East-SideMorning Skillets

  Eggs in the City Eggs in the City moved out of their 1300 South and 1700 East location and into their new Millcreek digs, and it's been a happy marriage in the community ever since. The…

• Best Elected OfficialSalt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall

  It can be hard to understand the logic of state leaders who insist the best way to fight the coronavirus is to prevent any and all decision-makers from fighting the coronavirus. So, it's… — Runners-up: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney

• Best Enduring Pandemic TrendOutdoor Roller

  Disco Parties What at first seemed like a frenzied, cabin-fever inspired trend at the beginning of 2020 has turned into an enduring lifestyle hobby for many in 2021. With skating came…

• Best EthiopianMahider Ethiopian Restaurant & Market

  Ethiopian cuisine is characterized by thick stews, vegetables and spicy meat dishes placed in piles atop injera, a thin layer of elastic textured bread. Ethiopians eat their…

• Best Excuse to Stop DrivingGREENbike's Electric Fleet

  Biking is great exercise and good for the environment, but the prospect of showing up to your destination drenched in sweat can be a tough sell. That cost/benefit equation gets a welcome…

• Best Exercise of TruthinessUtah Legislature

  In the exercise of truthiness, a feeling trumps all. Facts are superfluous. If something feels true—or if you want something to be true—that's good enough. No need for empirical evidence…

• Best FlamingCheese Wheel

  Sicilia Mia Spaghetti carbonara, a traditional Roman meal, gets a creative spin at Sicilia Mia. The family-run Italian restaurant's signature dish is prepared tableside with a heap of…

• Best for a Get-To-Know-You DateThe Ruin

  Work is a curse of the drinking class, and dating is the curse of the single class. If you fall into both categories, the Ruin's super-comfy leather lounge chairs are the perfect spot for a…

• Best Forest forYour Griswald Christmas

  Fishlake National Forest Trekking into the woods to cut your very own Christmas tree is the ultimate holiday DIY activity, and Fishlake National Forest in Sevier and Wayne counties is the…

• Best Front Yard HopeLittle Free Library

  The city's residential neighborhoods are fast being retrofitted with what look to be pedestal-mounted dollhouses. However, the miniature houses are actually weatherproof book exchanges…

• Best Garden SupplyMillcreek Gardens

  You shouldn't take an institution for granted, just because it's been around longer than you've been alive. Millcreek Gardens' beautiful grounds provide a haven even if you're just… — Runners-up: Glover Nursery, Cactus & Tropicals

• Best Gin JointBeehive Distilling

  Beehive Distilling has become synonymous with great gin, and for good reason—the bread and butter for the distillery is their Jack Rabbit Gin. Its floral and juniper blend make it a…

• Best Gluten-Free NostalgiaGood Food Bakery

  Remember those pink-and-white circus animal cookies covered in sprinkles you loved as a child? Do you miss fluffy, gooey, delicious cinnamon rolls? Good Food Bakery has you covered with…

• Best Grab-and-Go BurritoCafe Noir

  Breakfast burritos may as well be one of the five food groups if you're a college student, and no one knows this better than Cafe Noir. This walk-up coffee shop three blocks from the U…

• Best Happy EndingFall and Rise of the Tavernacle

  It was gutting to hear about the Tavernacle closing when the team made the announcement last summer but hearing about their reopening only a few months later was enough to give me emotional…

• Best Happy ValleyWatering Hole

  Strap Tank Brewery It says something that this local brewery and gastropub occupies two pieces of high-visibility Utah County real estate. The brewery's…

• Best Hike PathLake Blanche

  Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to one of the more popular hikes around, Lake Blanche. The heavily trafficked trail has limited parking and the shoulder of the road piles up with parked cars… — Runners-up: Living Room, Dog Lake

• Best Holy UnionTandoori Taqueria

  Combining the savory flavor aesthetic of Indian cuisine with the convenience and cultural clout of tacos is a tricky beast to pull off—but Tandoori Taqueria has cracked the code. This…

• Best Home and Lifestyle TreasuresO. C. Tanner Jewelers

  You may be under the impression that O.C. Tanner Jewelers just sell (stunning) jewelry. But their Home and Lifestyle collection will overwhelm you with a vast array of luxury, from handmade…

• Best Home Car DetailingSunny

  This mobile car detailing service really lives up to its name, leaving your vehicle and your mood with Sunny vibes. No need to purge items, the detailer carefully places all your Chapsticks…

• Best Hybrid ShowsExcellence

  Concert Series The downtown tradition that opened up the Gallivan Center stage for free entertainment and swing dancing on warm summer nights faced challenges during the pandemic, which…

• Best InnovatorsSocial Antidote

  Another disciple of the hybrid model, Social Antidote, started bringing music back to fans early in the pandemic, pioneering a model of professional, high-quality productions for…

• Best Inspiration for Waterwise PlantsRed Butte's Water Conservation Garden

  Want to free yourself from the water-sucking green grass but unsure where to start? Red Butte's Water Conservation Garden provides plenty of water-wise inspiration—complete with plant…

• Best Irresistible TapasKimistyle Tapas

  Kimi Eklund, the driving force behind her one-of-a-kind Sugar House eatery, leaves no stone unturned in bringing a European dining experience to Salt Lake diners. Her restaurant's…

• Best Joie de VivreMasuda Medcalf

  By day, she's an administrative law judge with the Utah Department of Commerce, and by evening, she's a well-known and much-beloved fitness instructor at various rec centers. Whether she's…

• Best KaraokeHighlander Pub

  Karaoke is a Japanese term that means "empty orchestra." Japanese karaoke, with its plush private rooms and bar service, is a far different beast than our rowdier version in the USA… — Runners-up: Piper Down, Club 90

• Best Kicking Against the PricksU.S. Sen.

  Mitt Romney When Utah's Mitt Romney joined Democrats in the Senate voting to convict Donald Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors, he became the first senator in U.S. history to support the…

• Best Laid PlantainsPapito Moe's

  There are few sorrows that can't be alleviated with a perfectly cooked plantain. Luckily, the team at Papito Moe's specializes in mofongo, a versatile Puerto Rican dish that can be served…

• Best Lake ViewsThe Lakehouse on Deer Creek Reservoir

  The panoramic lake views from both the deck and inside the restaurant might be enough to get you there, but when coupled with the impressive offerings created by chef Tamara Stanger, all…

• Best Late-Night GrubArempa's

  Arepas and late-night grub have gone hand in hand forever, but it just took the opening of Arempa's to help us locals see the light. Giant, overstuffed corn tortillas filled with rice… — Runners-up: Pie Hole, Beto's Mexican Food

• Best Liquor SelectionWhiskey Street

  Holding steady in the top position, Whiskey Street is where the liquor is. When you have a wall lined with more than one hundred whiskeys from around the world and are situated on a road… — Runners-up: Lake Effect, Water Witch

• Best LoadedTater Tots

  Bomb Dilla The food truck craze has cultivated a unique dining experience in Utah. The Bomb Dilla food truck, owned and operated by Ruben Sauyun, brought a Los Angeles flair to the Beehive…

• Best Local BankFirst Utah Bank

  Founded in 1978, this local bank never sold out when the economy was good or bad. They grew from a tiny one-stop bank to be one of the largest community-focused banks in the state, with… — Runners-up: Cyprus Credit Union, University of Utah Credit Unio

• Best Local Company to Work ForYoung Automotive Group

  City Weekly ace investigators interviewed employees at Young Automotive Group (YAG) to learn why they liked working for the company. The adjectives just rolled off their tongues...Fun!… — Runners-up: Utah Jazz, O.C. Tanner

• Best Local Gear BrandBlack Diamond

  Black Diamond has made such a name for itself in the outdoor recreation world that you'd be forgiven if you forgot it's based in Holladay. Since making the Wasatch Front its home more than… — Runners-up: Cotopaxi, Kuhl

• Best Local ManufacturerLifetime Products

  Not everyone knows this company is based here in Utah, but most of us use and love their products. What started as an idea in a garage in Riverdale, Utah, the Lifetime Products founder… — Runners-up: Kuhl, Black Diamond

• Best Local SpiritFive Wives Vodka

  The Ogden distillery's flagship spirit quickly endeared itself to Utah's adult drinkers buy concocting a personality-driven vodka that's full of depth. For a spirit that essentially has no… — Runners-up: High West Rendezvous Rye, Dented Brick Gi

• Best Made-in-Utah ProductHemplucid

  A top 10 mention in Forbes' "20 Best CBD Oils to Try This Year," Hemplucid is a CBD juggernaut found in Provo. Provo! Chase Hudson founded the company with the vision of creating quality… — Runners-up: Beehive Cheese, Utah Truffles

• Best Made-Up ControversyCritical Race Theory

  The modern-day Republican Party has made an artform out of fabricating faux controversies out of thin air. First, they tried to protect us from the transgender bathroom predators and…

• Best Marmalade MiracleArlo Restaurant

  Opening in the midst of a pandemic (and surviving) is a bit of a miracle. And the offerings themselves are miraculous. The freshest ingredients come together in each picture-perfect dish…

• Best Menu UpdateThe Rose Establishment Teams Up With Pallet's Buzz Willey

  If ever there were a silver lining to Pallet closing its doors, it's the expansion of The Rose Establishment and its menu collaboration with Pallet chef Buzz Willey. While nothing quite…

• Best MenudoLa Puente

  Few Mexican restaurants these days serve that tasty stew (and noted hangover cure) of oregano, spices, hominy and tripe called menudo. Nearly everyone loves a zesty bowl of pozole, which is…

• Best MezeManoli's

  Meze, Greek for taste or bite (think Spanish tapas), is how Greeks tend to enjoy their meals instead of individual plates. The shared eating style encourages intimacy and community among…

• Best Microenterprise Spin-OffUtah Refugee Goats

  After eight years collaborating with the International Rescue Committee to develop a stockyard microenterprise, Utah's East African refugee community has launched a nonprofit corporation…

• Best Minority-Owned BusinessFillings & Emulsions

  This "Latin and eclectic patisserie" may not have been around Salt Lake for very long, but they've risen to the top of Utah desserts and pastries. Owner Adalberto Diaz has been slapping… — Runners-up: Icy Mountain, Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill

• Best New Mixer for the MassesDrupe Fruit

  Bartenders know all about the beauty of the fruit shrub. Derived from a 15th-century English fruit preservation method, shrubs are a syrupy combination of fruit-infused vinegar and sugar or…

• Best New Social CelebrationAfro Paradigm

  After a year or more of canceled events, Afro Paradigm seemed to sweep in at the perfect time. In August, Afro Paradigm introduced "The Interlude," a social celebration held on the rooftop…

• Best New Vegan CheeseSeasons Plant Based Bistro

  Vegans these days have it so good. Not only are supermarkets ever expanding their vegan meats and cheeses (with ones that actually taste good), but we have local options, too. In 2019, the…

• Best NIMBYsADU opponents in the Avenues

  Whether or not you like the look of Ivory Homes' planned Capitol Park project, objecting to its incorporating built-in mother-in-law apartments is among the shorter-sighted reactions to…

• Best Not-ChoBewilder Brewing

  Bewilder Brewing opened up shop in December 2019—not the best time to launch in light of COVID-19, but they burst onto the scene once people began heading downtown again. Bewilder's…

• Best NPS Hidden GemCapitol Reef

  National Park Utah boasts five national parks, and although Capitol Reef isn't the least visited (that award goes to Canyonlands) it is relatively off the beaten path as the unofficial…

• Best Ode to Utah's PastEight Settlers Distillery

  Eight Settlers Distillery and their products are named after iconic and historic places from Utah's rich history. The newish Cottonwood Heights distillery name honors the first eight people…

• Best Ogden ClassicRoosters Brewing

  Every great city has great pioneers. Ogden—too often ignored in the past—has had its ups and downs but is certainly on the upswing these days. A good part of that credit goes to Roosters…

• Best Ogden Cultural PollinatorThe Monarch

  Why does Ogden get to have all the fun? Not only does their nightlife boast historic 25th Street but now their arts scene can lay claim to the Monarch arts center, housed in an industrial…

• Best Old-TimeyCafé

  Sill's Café They just don't make 'em like this any longer. From the busy counter to tables that are packed with patrons sipping their morning coffee, you know you've gone back in time. From…

• Best Overdue Reality CheckCity Newspapers Ceasing Their Daily Print Editions

  Some problems simply can't be fixed, and anyone who has worked in media—or who has a basic understanding of supply and demand—has long known that the act of printing a comprehensive…

• Best Pandemic RechargeOasis Café

  Due to the pandemic, 2021 was the year of dining al fresco. The patio scene in Salt Lake City remains competitive these days. Still, there is no question that the Oasis Café's serene…

• Best Panko-Encrusted Corn DogsYummy's Korean BBQ

  It's tough to improve upon the classic corn-dog formula, but thanks to a Korean trend that recently made its way to our neck of the woods, we're witnessing history in the making. Yummy's…

• Best PapusaEl Viroleño

  El Salvadoran cuisine isn't as widely known as it deserves to be, and one trip to El Viroleño is enough to make a culinary convert out of anyone. The menu features a different take on…

• Best Paranormal WeirdnessSkinwalker Ranch

  Skinwalker Ranch—located in Ballard, Utah, roughly a 2 ½ hour drive from Salt Lake—has reportedly been a hot spot for UFO and unexplained paranormal activity for nearly 50 years. More…

• Best Pay It ForwardRedemption Bar & Grill

  This south Salt Lake Valley club wears its patriotic fervor proudly. But it especially hits the right buttons when it comes to supporting veterans and first responders. Top-drawer kudos for…

• Best PerseveranceWill Bourne

  In 2019, the Dick N' Dixie's family tragically lost one of their staff members when a vehicle struck him at the adjacent intersection at closing time. D&D's popular owner, Will Bourne, was…

• Best Pit BossCameron Treu, Bam Bams BBQ

  Bam Bams BBQ has racked up numerous competition awards for their delicious, barbecued meats that include all the Texas classics—brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, turkey and chopped beef…

• Best Political Scandal/ControversySen. Mike Lee Compares Trump to Captain Moroni

  Utah Sen. Mike Lee's true nadir came two months before the Jan. 6 insurrection, when he appeared at a rally in Arizona. Speaking before a crowd, Lee likened Donald Trump—whose vulgarities… — Runners-up: AG Sean Reyes travels outside Utah to question other state elections and kiss Trump butt, Utah Legislature bans mask mandates

• Best Portion SizesVenezuela Mia

  For those proudly proclaiming to be in the Clean Plate Club, those who seldom leave a restaurant with leftovers packed in a box, you may have met your match. Each time we've visited…

• Best PuddingHandle

  When The New York Times (or a City Weekly foodie, for that matter) comes to town just to try your dessert, you know it's has to be delicious. The Times visited Park City and named Handle's…

• Best Pup CupBjorn's Brew

  Coffee and animals—does anything bring more joy at the start of the day? Bjorn's Brew sniffed out the opportunity and now serves its java while donating $1 for every punch card redeemed to…

• Best RacksBig Willies Sports Bar & Grill

  In the epic years of Utah bar crawling, there wasn't a tavern in town that didn't have a pool table or three. Those days are gone for now in favor of lavender scented cocktails, but at Big…

• Best Real Housewives CameoValter Nassi

  One of the best things about having a Real Housewives show set in Salt Lake is trying to guess the local set piece. The best instance of this visual scavenger hunt came in Season 1, Episode…

• Best Real Housewives ofSalt Lake City Member

  Heather Gay Bravo's Real Housewives of Salt Lake City definitely turned some Utah stereotypes upside-down, and like all reality shows, brought with it a cast that some viewers love and some… — Runners-up: Whitney Rose, Jen Shah

• Best Reason to take Frontrunner to OgdenOgden River Brewing

  Ogden River Brewing's Pat Winslow has been an avid homebrewer and a part of the Utah beer community for ages. A former train conductor, he retired from his day job and started his dream of…

• Best Reasonably PricedAnger Management

  Smash It Thanks to the trauma of 2020, virtually all of us have a little extra pent-up rage these days. Smash It Rage Rooms offer patrons the opportunity to pay a modest fee to smash dainty…

• Best RebrandingGaetano's Sub Shop

  Need your hero fix? Gaetano's is your place. Curtis deLagerheim has been stacking sandwiches since 1996 at the State Street location of Grinders 13, which even dates back decades prior…

• Best Reggae NightsThe Royal

  The Royal is the place for music lovers. Thursdays through Saturdays, The Royal hosts bands from a variety of genres. Local bands such as Ginger and the Gents and Royal Bliss are regulars…

• Best Rim-Defying MilkshakesLa Crepe OG

  It doesn't take much talent to make a milkshake taste good, but making one look good? Yeah, that's a gift. The team at La Crepe OG celebrates the humble milkshake by topping their offerings…

• Best RoshamboRoHa's Shambo Juicy IPA

  RoHa Brewing Project is home to iconic ales like the Back Porch, Maltese Cross and Steady Edge Imperial Red. How do the three partners come to agree on names of their creations? Well, with…

• Best RotoloPago

  Any true pasta lover has a soft spot for rotolo, fresh pasta rolled out into a large paper-thin sheet, filled with any variety of cheese, meat or veg and formed into a roulade. And if you…

• Best Scenic DriveAlpine Loop

  There is nothing quite like driving the Alpine Loop at the height of fall, when gold, orange and red leaves create an airy tunnel. The arresting beauty of American Fork Canyon, Mount… — Runners-up: Mirror Lake Highway, Guardsman Pass

• Best Scrambled EggsFinn's Cafe

  When it comes to cooking eggs, "over easy" is to "over hard" as "soft-scrambled" is to "scrambled." Ordering "soft-scrambled eggs" in a restaurant is an act of hope. Something invariably…

• Best Seasonal MenuWildwood

  There's comfort in visiting a restaurant and keeping it safe by ordering favorite dishes you know you enjoy. At Wildwood, executive chef and owner Michael Richey keeps customers on their…

• Best Shameless MarchSLUTWALK (The Walk of No Shame)

  SLUTWALK is celebrating its 10th year. Originating in Toronto, Canada, and now spread worldwide, we're lucky to have a Salt Lake City SLUTWALK chapter. Focusing on fostering a consent…

• Best Slam PoetAshley Finley

  She's a lauded birth keeper, a published writer, a keynote speaker, a certified yoga instructor and an educator. Finley's favorite work involves creating a sacred space where collaborators…

• Best Smutty CornLa Casa del Tamal

  Adventurous eaters of Latin American food will have no doubt heard of huitlacoche, loosely translated as corn smut. It's a fungus that grows on corn cobs, and it's delicious. While hard to…

• Best Social CauseBlack Lives Matter

  How do Black Lives not matter? The fledgling activist group burst onto the Utah scene in 2014 after the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The 2020 killing of George Floyd gave BLM… — Runners-up: Clean air/climate change, Ending homelessness

• Best SoupsPorcupine

  Pub & Grille Here's what you need to know about soup at Porcupine: Chicken noodle (yes, that creamy chicken noodle) is available every Wednesday and every day during ski season, starting… — Runners-up: Soup Kitchen, Café Zupa's

• Best Southern BiscuitsSweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade

  Few restaurants dare to perfect a Southern dish, and fewer still dedicate their entire operations to pumping out biscuits and gravy, but Sweet Lake—with three locations in Salt Lake, Draper…

• Best Southern Utah SurpriseCapitol Burger

  Food Truck The Capitol Burger food truck burgers—all of them—are arguably the finest in the state, and given the truck's station astride Capitol Reef National Park, their reputation extends…

• Best Sports ReporterDavid James

  Next year, David James will celebrate his 30th anniversary covering sports in Utah, and his longevity is no fluke. Whether as host of his long-running Talkin' Sports program on KUTV2, or as… — Runners-up: Wesley Ruff, ABC4, Dave Fox, KUTV2

• Best SugarHouse Shooters

  Tap Room Where else are you going to find Yamazaki 12-year for under $15 a shot? This is another Sugar House hidden gem. If you love whiskey, you need to know about the Tap Room, a low-key…

• Best Surf and Turf on a BunThe Garage Grill

  It takes courage to add seafood of any kind to a gastropub menu, but the team at The Garage Grill is pulling it off nicely. Consider the Crabby Patty Wagon, a textbook pub burger stacked…

• Best Taste of PhillyVito's

  Vito's, aptly dubbed "the Philly King of Bountiful," is a must-try for Philly cheesesteak lovers. Vito's is a simple crew of Vito himself cooking behind the counter and a roaming busser…

• Best Taste of TuesdayFranck's Tuesday

  Tasting Menu Think tasting menus are only for restaurant critics and foodies with trust funds? Not so at Franck's, where the Tuesday Tasting Menu serves up three artful courses, including…

• Best Tasteful NoodsHong Kong Banjum

  When West Valley welcomed Hong Kong Banjum, an extension of the Paik's Noodle empire, Utahns got their first taste of Korean staple jajangmyeon, homemade noodles topped with a savory black…

• Best Tattoo OilOlio Skin & Beard Co.

  If you give a damn about what goes on your skin, these are the products for you. Their Tattoo Oil, which we found at the Downtown Farmers Market, will get you hooked. We also love their…

• Best Tech CompanyQualtrics

  How many surveys do you get each week? From the moment you leave your doctor's appointment to the concert you attended last night, surveys are as common as tomato on a BLT. Qualtrics… — Runners-up: BambooHR, Domo

• Best Texas RibsKaiser's

  Bar-B-Q & General Store No matter the rib joint you find in Texas, you always find very nearly the same items: brisket, ribs, pork sausage and pulled pork, most often mesquite smoked. What…

• Best Theme NightGays of '47

  Each July, the Days of '47 celebrates the arrival of Utah pioneers in 1847. There are the usual parades, dances, rodeos, races and assorted festivities offered statewide. In recent times… — Runners-up: Viva la Diva, Drag Karaoke at Why Kiki

• Best Threat to DemocracyUtah Legislative Redistricting Committee

  The dark cloud of redistricting has again descended on The Beehive State, and lawmakers are adamant they did nothing untoward in scattering the Wasatch Front to the four winds. Never mind…

• Best Tiramisuto Your Door

  Twisted Tiramisu Yes, you can have tiramisu delivered! Paula Williams has been making the delicious treat for years and sharing it with friends in need of a pick-me-up. Searching for a new…

• Best Trip DownMemory Lane

  Rachel Quist on Instagram From posts on visits from Hawaiian royalty in 1875 to the racist ways of the Salt Lake Hot Springs Sanitarium at 52 W. 300 South in 1893, Rachel Quist tackles both…

• Best Upcoming Hot SpotTailgate Tavern

  Dive of the gods. Centrally located in South Salt Lake, it's brand new, and they already featured all the hottest local acts playing here. Opening weekend they had Bad Brad Wheeler, Carl…

• Best Upscale DeliveryHive Eats

  The COVID-19 pandemic forced a lot of folks to think creatively about how to get their food, from grocery deliveries to more outdoor dining locations. Hive Eats launched as a way to get the…

• Best Urban RenewalGreen Phoenix Farm

  The mythical phoenix was reborn in the ashes of a funeral pyre. Similarly, the aptly named Green Phoenix Farm has risen from the ashes of a blighted, 1.4-acre lot, six blocks west of…

• Best UtahnAngela Dunn, MD

  In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a priestess whose unfailing prophesies were unfailingly ignored. Nowadays, a Cassandra is typically a physician or scientist. Some of them track hurricanes… — Runners-up: Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz, Gail Miller, Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundatio

• Best VeganZest Kitchen

  & Bar Casey Staker really has created something special in this city. Zest is an over-21 restaurant featuring the city's best vegetarian and vegan fare, cocktails, DJ-mixed tunes and even… — Runners-up: Vertical Diner, Buds

• Best Vegas ImportCarson Kitchen

  Las Vegas has given us a lot of new restaurants over the past few years, but Carson Kitchen seems to be the only one that brought a bit of Vegas along for the ride. It's an ideal medley of…

• Best Voice of an AngelMichelle Moonshine

  It only takes hearing Michelle Moonshine's voice one time to be won over. She's a local must-see. You may have heard her on The Voice or have seen her opening for Mason Jennings, Lake…

• Best Way to Enda Camping Trip

  Ray's Tavern Stop me if you've heard this one: A girl walks into a bar... but make that bar a tavern and said girl has been camping in the desert for several nights. The punchline isn't as…

• Best Way to Learn About Beehive Boss LadiesThis Is Her

  Place Podcast This well-researched podcast covering Utah's badass boss ladies is an absolute must-listen. Each episode uncovers fascinating tidbits about the lives of women past and present…

• Best WeathercasterAllison Croghan

  It's not often that you get a chance to watch somebody grow into their passion on-air, but Fox 13's Croghan didn't come to Utah as a meteorologist. Instead, she spent seven years in… — Runners-up: Kevin Eubank, KSL5, Alana Brophy, ABC4

• Best Weekly Bicycle SocialThe 999 Ride

  Around 9 p.m. each Thursday, the intersection of 900 East and 900 South begins to fill with cyclists. Hundreds infiltrate from all directions, creating a convivial scene that is more flash…

• Best WestJordan Thai

  Thai Delight Family matriarch Lae Tranngoc oversees every entrée and roasts peppers to make her garlic chili oil for the flavorful and refreshing tom kha gai, a creamy, coconut chicken…

• Best Wetting Your Whistle With WildlifeZoo Brews

  Utah's Hogle Zoo knows that even the most kid-friendly activities are often more enjoyable without kids. Case in point, the adults-only Zoo Brews fundraisers. Clear your evening and spend…

• Best Whale Watching"Out of the Blue" by Stephen Kesler

  Not since the relocation of Coffee Garden has Salt Lake's 9th and 9th neighborhood been so divided, but whether you're a whale watcher or whale whiner, Stephen Kesler's whale statue is…

• Best WingsTrolley Wing Co.

  There are those among us who think that Buffalo wings are all created equal—which is how we know they've never been to Trolley Wing Co. From the pre-game prep and fry to the end-game… — Runners-up: The Wing Coop, Tie: Wingers/ Legends Pub & Grill

• Best Wood-Fired Molten WonderPizza Nono's

  Rocket Man Pizza Nono, a mom-and-pop pizzeria in the 9th & 9th neighborhood (note: "nono" is Italian for "ninth") lays claim to the Rocket Man pizza, a pièce de résistance that brings…

• Best Xeriscape IncentiveThe 'Flip Your Strip' Program

  As Utah suffers through a historic drought, many of us are looking for ways to address the new realities in a state where a lush green lawn might not be the best landscaping choice. For…

• Best Youthful CreativitySalt Lake Arts Academy

  Salt Lake Arts Academy is a diverse free public charter school in downtown SLC dedicated to "Building Creative Minds." Kids come to SLArts from 29 different ZIP codes to have daily arts…