City Weekly Best of Utah 2020

Best of Utah 2020: Restaurants & Dining

46 reader-voted winners in restaurants & dining, from the City Weekly Best of Utah 2020 poll.

Ask Ave: What won Best of Utah 2020 for Restaurants & Dining

• Best 'Crustacular' PizzaSlackwater Pizzeria and Pub

  These large pizzas carry the most amazing crust that's so irresistible, it's hard to not call this a personal pizza. With a hint of sweetness in every bite, this dough is harmony between…

• Best Affordable BreakfastApollo Burger

  You know them for great burgers, but Apollo Burger dishes up mouthwatering breakfasts, too. The inexpensive breakfast bowl features a pile of hash browns and your choice of protein and…

• Best Anniversary DinnerLog Haven

  Just because COVID has made us nervous about dining out doesn't mean all our special occasions come to a screeching halt. Log Haven hasn't forgotten what it takes to keep the magic alive…

• Best BBQR&R Barbecue

  It didn't take long for this food festival favorite to carve out a sizable piece of barbecue turf along the Wasatch Front. R&R started out as the brainchild of two competitive barbecue… — Runners-up: Pat's Barbecue, SugarHouse BBQ

• Best BreakfastBlue Plate Diner

  Blue Plate Diner is a heavy hitter in the breakfast arena for plenty of reasons. Their chile verde is a wake-up call for the ages—whether it's stuffed inside their gargantuan breakfast… — Runners-up: Roots, Park Cafe

• Best Breakfast DelicaciesBeaumont Bakery

  and Café At Beaumont Bakery, bakers arrive at 3 a.m. to allow the dough to rise for the French pastries pre-laminated with layers of butter before being baked to perfection in the form of…

• Best BrunchPiper Down

  What's your definition of brunch? If your tastes lean toward pub grub and a breakfast that includes $1.50 mimosas, plenty of vegetarian options and Sunday football, then look no further… — Runners-up: Little America, Ruth's Diner

• Best Build-Your-Own BreakfastEggs in

  the City After years spent serving up hearty breakfasts and lunches on 1700 South, Eggs in the City is now nestled in their new location on 2300 East and just off the Interstate 80 exit…

• Best Burgerand Beans

  Rich's Burgers-N-Grub There's not a burger that Rich's doesn't do well. Downtowners migrate to their single (unfortunately) location and agree Rich's unique burgers (100% Angus, all-natural…

• Best BurgersLucky 13

  From the peanut butter-slathered Nut Butter burger to the foot-high Big Benny, Lucky 13 has always had something for everyone. With a killer variety of crowd-pleasing burgers, sandwiches… — Runners-up: Proper Burger, Crown Burger

• Best Chinese RestaurantRed Maple Chinese

  The people have spoken. Red Maple is the readers' choice, even if the doors to the dining room happen to be closed due to COVID. Fear not, you can still order to-go or via delivery. No… — Runners-up: Mandarin, Mom's Kitchen

• Best Double-Date DinnerCafe Trio

  The challenge of any double date is splitting the check with the other couple—just about every time they offer to "go down the middle," they've had two more drinks than you or the other…

• Best Downtown SLC RestaurantCopper Onion

  When Copper Onion first opened its doors, Utah didn't really have a place that combined culinary innovation and trendy concepts with local ingredients. As it grew in popularity, Copper… — Runners-up: Takashi, Current

• Best Food TruckCluck Truck

  What's the secret to winning the award for Best Food Truck? Apparently it involves locally sourced chicken brined for 24 hours then dredged in corn flakes and special spices, which is… — Runners-up: Waffle Love, Fácil

• Best French FriesBruges

  Belgian Bistro For years, french fries have been relegated to the sidelines while burgers and chicken fingers got the main dish treatment, but that was before Bruges. While it's home to a… — Runners-up: Spitz, Crown Burger

• Best French RestaurantLa Caille

  With 23 pastoral acres surrounding a turreted stone French-country chateau, La Caille reopened Sept. 25 following a COVID closure. This elegant eatery boasts a new decorative fire feature… — Runners-up: Eva's Bakery, Franck's

• Best Greek RestaurantThe Other Place

  In addition to The Other Place's buzzy breakfast-joint vibe, its traditional Greek lunch and dinner items are what secured its place as the "Sakis Rouvas" of local Greek food. Their gyros… — Runners-up: Manoli's, Greek Souvlaki

• Best GyrosGreek Souvlaki

  When you advertise the best gyros in Utah, it's nice to have the cred to back your claim, and readers agreed that Greek Souvlaki is the real deal. Maybe it's the warm, fluffy pita bread and… — Runners-up: Local Greek, Yanni's

• Best Healthy MediterraneanCouscous Mediterranean Grill

  With nearly nothing unhealthy about Mediterranean food to start with, it's hard to make it even healthier. Enter Couscous. Besides all the vegetarian, lean meats and seafood options…

• Best Indian RestaurantBombay House

  Given the caliber of truly great Indian food available across our state, it's no small feat for Bombay House to be such a consistent presence at the top of this list. Perhaps that's because… — Runners-up: Saffron Valley, Kathmandu

• Best Italian RestaurantSicilia Mia

  After a brief closure, Sicilia Mia diners are happy to be wowed once again by the tableside preparation of carbonara inside a warmed grana padano cheese wheel that's two feet wide. Grana… — Runners-up: Caffe Molise, Carmine's Italian Restaurant

• Best Middle-Eastern RestaurantMazza

  Fans of Mazza bemoaned the recent closures of their 9th and 9th and Sandy locations, but the original Mazza at 15th and 15th is alive and well. It'll be worth whatever drive is needed to… — Runners-up: Laziz Kitchen, Afghan Kitchen

• Best Mini French VacationThe French Spot

  International travel not in the cards? Simply head south to Cedar City and drop by The French Spot. Owned by Lyonese chef Michael Attali and managed by his daughter Leah, their walk-up…

• Best New Food TrendGhost Kitchens

  Ghost kitchens began trending even before COVID restaurant closures—among Utah's first was the Greek Tyrant. The pandemic, however, has helped the concept skyrocket as a way to provide… — Runners-up: Takeout, Banana Bread

• Best New RestaurantArlo

  Marmalade darling Arlo recently arrived on the SLC dining scene with a global contemporary menu created by renowned chef Milo Carrier. Look for standouts such as lamb ravioli with roasted… — Runners-up: Cultivate Craft Kitchen, Carson Kitchen

• Best Ogden PizzaLucky Slice

  Historic 25th Street in Ogden is home to Lucky Slice, a welcoming pizzeria with gourmet sauces and ingredients, with pies sold whole or by the slice. Since opening, Lucky Slice has seen a…

• Best Ogden RestaurantTona

  When it comes to Ogden, we're always amazed at two things: 1. the sheer number of great restaurants and clubs to be enjoyed there; and 2. why more Salt Lakers don't make the quick jaunt up… — Runners-up: Rooster's, Slackwater

• Best Park City RestaurantRiverhorse on Main

  Offering a menu of eclectic American dishes, Forbes-rated Riverhorse on Main shines when it comes to spotlighting flavors of the West, like their trio of wild game with North American… — Runners-up: Handle, Grappa

• Best Patio Dining With a Side of EnlightenmentOasis Cafe

  The beautiful courtyard patio and adjacent covered breezeway at Oasis Cafe has long been a favorite of diners in search of al fresco fare, but perhaps even more so this year. Open for…

• Best PizzaThe Pie

  The Pie is the unsung hero of many a Salt Lake student. Anyone who has graduated from the University of Utah, in particular, owes a debt of gratitude to this pizza establishment. How many… — Runners-up: Pie Hole, Este Pizza

• Best RamenJinya Ramen Bar

  This Japanese import has been making waves and plans for rapid expansion since it arrived in Sugar House a few years ago. Their black-and-red tonkotsu ramen are the stars of the Jinya menu… — Runners-up: Tosh's Ramen, Yoko Ramen

• Best Restaurant PatioRuth's Diner

  Few dining areas convey Utah's natural beauty as effectively as the patio at Ruth's Diner. It's lovely no matter when you visit, but if you're lucky enough to enjoy some of Ruth's homemade… — Runners-up: Tuscany, The Cliff Dining Pub

• Best Restaurant PersonalityValter's Osteria

  Ciao bella! Valter Nassi, the proprietor of Valter's Osteria, is often seen going table to table, welcoming new diners into his establishment as if they were lifelong friends. The…

• Best Restaurant toImpress Newcomers /

  Best Mexican Restaurant Red Iguana Local foodies have long been impressed with Red Iguana's spectacular menu, bulwarked by its selection of primo moles, so it's a no-brainer to stop there… — Runners-up: Copper Onion, Table X

• Best Rock-Solid DiningRed Rock Brewery

  Red Rock, now with three brewpubs—two in Salt Lake, one in Park City—plus a beer store in the Marmalade District, has been a rock-solid force in the Utah brewing scene since the mid-1990s…

• Best SaladsSpitz

  How do you win the Best of Utah award for Best Salads when you really only have one salad on the menu? You make sure it's the doner salad from Spitz: to-die-for balsamic or lemon herb… — Runners-up: Cafe Zupas, Cafe Rio

• Best Salt Lake Valley RestaurantSLC Eatery

  With its rustic-industrial interior and the constant motion of servers pushing dim sum-style food carts among its tables, SLC Eatery is in a league of its own. It's one of those places that… — Runners-up: Oquirrh, Provisions

• Best SandwichesMoochie's Meatballs & More

  In a world of excellent sandwiches, it's tough to find something better than a meatball and provolone or a Philly cheesesteak. Our local sandwich heroes at Moochie's have found a way to… — Runners-up: Caputo's Market and Deli, Feldman's Deli

• Best SeafoodCurrent

  With a focus on sustainability, chef Alan Brines offers up some of Salt Lake's finest seafood, including oysters on the half shell, grilled halibut with saffron cream and quite possibly the… — Runners-up: Market Street, Harbor

• Best Sushi /Takashi

  As a precautionary measure, Takashi has been take-out only since the summer. That hasn't stopped customers from naming them Best Sushi and Best Japanese Restaurant for the umpteenth time… — Runners-up: Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill, Tona Sushi Bar & Grill

• Best TacosTaqueria 27

  Before Taqueria 27 arrived on the scene, the idea of a taco and tequila bar was relatively unknown to most locals. Now that it's expanded its reach and demonstrated the true, unifying… — Runners-up: Taco Taco, Lone Star Taqueria

• Best Take-Home Italian DinnersStoneground Italian Kitchen Carbonara Weekend Supper

  One of the greatest things to come out of COVID is the emergence of weekend suppers at Stoneground Italian Kitchen. Created by head chef Justin Shifflet, these rotating Italian meal…

• Best Thai RestaurantChabaar

  Beyond Thai If you like your Thai food extra spicy, Chabaar Beyond Thai is the place to be. In fact, first-time diners and takeout orders can't go beyond spice level 3. (The restaurant… — Runners-up: Sawadee, Chanon Thai

• Best Utah County RestaurantCommunal

  Communal might just be the best thing to happen to Provo since Steve Young. With crave-worthy dishes like the funeral potato croquette, Clifford Farms pork loin (big enough to share) and… — Runners-up: Black Sheep Cafe, Station 22

• Best VietnameseWeekend Specials

  Saigon Sandwiches There's much more to Vietnamese cuisine than pho and banh mi. Treat yourself to a delicious Vietnamese special each weekend, one you've probably not tried in Salt Lake…

• Best Vietnamese RestaurantOh Mai Sandwich Kitchen

  As far as consistently delicious pho and banh mi goes, Oh Mai rarely disappoints. Their curry chicken banh mi next to a big bowl of meatball pho are essential cold-weather fare in Utah… — Runners-up: Little Saigon, All Chay