Established in 1879, the Star is the oldest continuously operating saloon west of the Mississippi, and a favorite among wintertime adventurers. Located in the sleepy mountain town of Huntsville, this Old West joint is about an hour’s drive north from Salt Lake City, situated in the valley between the mountain resorts of Snowbasin and Powder Mountain. The ambiance and decor are quirky, with multiple huge pieces of mounted taxidermy confronting guests from the walls (including a large St. Bernard), part of the Star’s particular charm. It’s perfect for a winter pitstop after a day on the slopes nearby for a burger, chips (they have a strict policy against French fries), and a beer. Those in the know come for the off-menu Star Burger: two patties with cheese, Polish knackwurst, and bacon. The staff is curmudgeonly, the service is slow, and the place is cash-only, but the oddball factors add up to one of the best burgers in the entire state.

Voted Utah’s best taco at the SLC Taco Fest in 2019, Wimpy and Fritz specializes in a variety of street tacos and Latin entrees. Owners Lane “Lefty” Montoya and Brian Zinsmann are longtime friends and skaters who share a common love of Mexican food. They named the operation after their grandfathers and built a menu inspired by the food Montoya grew up eating. After starting out with a tent at the Ogden Farmers Market, sharing a space with the Yes Hell bar, and investing in a colorful food truck, they eventually opened a storefront in downtown Ogden (located 40 minutes north of Salt Lake). The space is vibrant, with walls decorated with painted skateboards and a mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Try the Borracho por Vida taco, a riff on birria with smoked carnitas blanketed in Chihuahua cheese and seared until perfectly crispy, served with a consomé for dipping and fideos on the side. They also offer a number of vegan tacos stuffed with jackfruit, hominy, or soy chorizo fillings.

Started by Ramon and Maria Cardenas in 1985, Red Iguana features a wide variety of Mexican recipes, including many utilizing house-made corn tortillas and moles, at three downtown locations. They don’t take reservations so arrive early to ensure you snag a table, or be prepared to wait. Try the standout puntas de filete a la nortena: top sirloin tips sauteed with bacon, jalapeno strips, onions, and fresh tomatoes, served atop almond mole. Another favorite is their take on enchiladas suizas, which outperform your typical tomatillo-smothered enchiladas; two corn tortillas are filled with avocado and chicken cooked in sour cream, topped with a complex mole poblano, and finished with melted jack cheese and an extra dollop of sour cream.

This unassuming restaurant draws inspiration from the food of central and southern Mexico, especially Mexico City, and is known for its tacos al pastor piled high with succulent pork, fresh pineapple, and cilantro. The family-owned restaurant also serves a few vegetarian dishes that highlight ingredients such as cactus and flor de calabaza. Try the famed alambre, a mix of ham, bacon, steak, and onions served with black beans, queso fresco, and a flour tortilla. Then cool off with one of their fresh, tropical fruit shakes in flavors like mango and pineapple, which will have you dreaming of your next beachside getaway.

Located right off Main Street, Siegfried’s is a German deli that has been serving lunch and dinner since 1971. They import specialty ingredients like sauerkraut from Germany, along with beer, but meals are extremely affordable, with a hot entree and two sides running you $8.99. Wiener schnitzel is the top seller, alongside bratwurst and a selection of sandwiches, such as their corned beef Reuben. The sausages are made from scratch every day and the side dishes include hot potato salad, spaetzle with gravy, and red cabbage. The space also doubles as a market where you can buy mustard, spices, pickles, cookies, and old-world gift items, such as Heidel advent calendars during the holiday season.

A sister restaurant to Park City’s Handle, HSL focuses on American cuisine, interesting wines, and thoughtful cocktails. The space was designed by the City Home Collective firm, while chef Briar Handly oversees the rotating, seasonally driven menu. Some outstanding recent items include hamachi crudo tossed in Calabrian chile vinaigrette, fresh market fish sitting atop foie gras veloute with sunchoke and leeks, and perfectly fried chicken served alongside red pepper polenta.

This old-school Italian grocer and deli is headed by Matt Caputo, whose family moved to the U.S. from Greece and Italy. The deli features sandwiches, pastas, salads, and desserts, including from-scratch tiramisu made using Italian mascarpone. They have their own state-of-the-art cheese cave that is used to age a variety of artisanal cheeses, as well as a bimonthly subscription service for curated selections of artisan food products. The Caputo family is passionate about preserving and protecting food items of unique provenance and provides hands-on training, workshops with food artisans, and public classes on chocolate, wine, cheese, spirits, and more.

It can be challenging to find fresh, high-quality seafood in landlocked Utah, but Current Fish & Oyster ensures a steady supply for pescatarians. Chef Ben Steiger’s menu highlights quality seafood with a focus on classic preparations. Situated in a renovated warehouse complete with high ceilings and exposed brick, the space boasts a full-service bar with an extensive wine list, sherry flights, and inventive cocktails. You can’t go wrong with their selection of East and West Coast oysters, grilled calamari with lemon aioli and fingerling potatoes, or wild-caught black cod with tomato Pernod veloute and saffron cream sauce.

You’ll feel like you stepped right into picturesque Tuscany at this rustic Italian restaurant, where the tables are adorned with classic white tablecloths and the servers are dressed sharply. Named after the chef and owner, Valter Nassi, the place serves many dishes inspired by the chef’s mother’s cooking, such as Rigatoni al Sugo Della Mamma and Pasta al Forno Vera (homemade lasagna). You can also order the Nana in Porchetta Savinese, a dish that represents a typical Sunday dinner, featuring fennel-crusted duck breast in a cognac and grape sauce. In true Italian dining style, the meal will be long, but that just gives Nassi a chance to visit you; the extremely friendly chef makes it a point to stop by every table to say hello.

Banbury Cross Donuts opened its doors to Salt Lake City in 1986 and has been providing the community with delicious baked goods ever since. Located just a few steps away from historic Trolley Square, they’re baking cinnamon rolls, apple fritters, cake donuts, pinwheels, and more on a daily basis using fresh, high-quality ingredients. They are most famous for their old-fashioned blueberry cake doughnuts (which are delicious enough to firmly convert you from their yeast-based counterparts), but are constantly coming up with new flavors and spins on classics. If you can’t stop by on foot, head for the drive-through window, but be sure to get there early before the more popular flavors sell out.

Chanon Thai typically draws a line out the door as diners patiently wait to sample the tom yum soup with prawns, som tum salad, and a wide selection of curries. The dining space is familiar and cozy, with a cork board featuring handwritten notes and drawings from loyal customers, and you may find yourself rubbing elbows with the likes of Alex Honnold and other elite athletes that frequent this neighborhood mainstay during training stints. The restaurant is well-known for its liberal application of Thai chilies to create deep layers of flavor and heat. Even a standard Thai restaurant dish like pad kee mao (thick noodles stir fried with broccoli, Thai basil, bell pepper, Thai chili, garlic, and soy) comes with a warning that spice can vary day to day depending on the batch of Thai chilies the restaurant receives. Save room for dessert; the mango with Thai custard and sweet sticky rice is the perfect end to a fiery meal.

In Lebanon, the word “laziz” means tasty or lighthearted, perfect descriptors for the ethos that co-founders Moudi Sbeity and (state Senator) Derek Kitchen bring to their shareable plates. Sbeity immigrated from Lebanon in 2006 and the two began selling homemade hummus to colleagues and friends. They eventually opened a storefront and expanded the menu to include dishes such as za’atar fries (inspired by batata harra) and a kafta burger with tomato tapenade. Sbeity and Kitchen are both proud members of the queer community and were plaintiffs in the landmark case Kitchen v. Herbert, which overturned Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage.

This family-owned restaurant and market specializes in Polynesian food, and has become a beloved gathering place for Polynesian Americans in the community. For decades the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has sent missionaries to the Pacific region, inspiring migration both ways, historical culture ties, and a mutual love of Pacific Islander cuisines. Pacific Seas serves island favorites including Hawaiian musubi, Samoan muli pipi (turkey tails boiled and fried), Tongan lu/luau (taro leaves served with lamb), and whole fried golden pompano. Don’t forget a bag of Bongo baked chips in flavors like cheese or chicken, imported from Fiji. Wash it all down with a refreshing mango ’otai, a blend of fresh mango, pineapple, and coconut.

Situated next to Liberty Park, this neighborhood spot serves homestyle breakfast and lunch in a small but inviting space, whether you grab a seat at the diner-style counter or opt for a table with friends. The crowd is eclectic, from groups of 20-somethings nursing hangovers, to Real Salt Lake players, to hip parents with toddlers who can already ski better than you. The service here is fast and attentive, partly to turn over tables beneath the crush of busy crowds and weekend lines. Notable dishes include the biscuits and gravy as well as the breakfast platter known as French Toast Foolishness, but be sure to check out their whiteboard for daily specials (look out for the huevos rancheros topped with pork chile verde goodness). If you want to order like a local, complete your meal with a chai latte and add cheese to your grilled park potatoes, a side on many of the dishes.

Since 2008, this Ethiopian restaurant has served traditional dishes using cooking methods and recipes passed down in the Tadesse family through multiple generations. The menu is varied and includes plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, and all dishes are served with injera made from scratch daily (rice may be substituted as a gluten-free alternative). Dishes are redolent with mitmita, a spice powder made from African bird’s eye chile peppers, and berbere, a chile spice mix that is foundational to Ethiopian cuisine. They also serve imported Ethiopian beer and wine, as well as tej, made from fermented honey and gesho hops. For special occasions, you can participate in a coffee ceremony for up to four guests using Ethiopian coffee beans.

Part of the highly successful Pago Restaurant Group, Finca is currently in its third location in the 15th & 15th neighborhood. The Spanish restaurant offers tapas and platos made with local and sustainable ingredients, including classics such as croquetas, paella, tortilla espagnole, ceviche, and patatas bravas, with cinnamon churros and chocolate dipping sauce for dessert. Owner and sommelier Scott Evans has curated a wine list featuring unique Spanish and Portuguese options, especially natural wines from small producers.

Like many of the businesses on this list, husband-and-wife duo Hasen (Hoss) Cone and Teri Rosquist started out small, selling their freshly juiced limeade at local farmers markets and county fairs. Over time, they expanded their offerings to include from-scratch food and eventually opened a storefront. The menu is inspired by homestyle Texan cuisine from Cone’s upbringing and features local ingredients, hearty salads, and baked-daily biscuits. This popular brunch spot also offers a selection of cocktails that feature spirits from local Utah distilleries. On your first visit be sure to order the Hoss, the signature sandwich: crispy fried chicken, bacon, egg, sausage gravy, cheddar cheese, and green onion on a fluffy biscuit.

Saffron Valley founder Lavanya Mahate grew up in southern India and later attended school in the western part of the country, where she developed a love of street food. She moved to the U.S. in 2001 and began selling her proprietary spice blends at SLC’s Downtown Farmers Market. She went on to open her first restaurant, Saffron Valley Indian Street Food Cafe, and now has multiple locations, including in the Avenues and Sugarhouse neighborhoods. The mini-chain prides itself on the largest Indian buffet in Salt Lake, with a menu that features dishes such as deconstructed samosas (mashed potatoes, sweet peas, roasted cumin, and ginger), bone-in goat curry (with mustard, fenugreek, curry leaves, and sambhar spice), and gulab jamun soaked in aromatic syrup. Through the restaurant, Mahate works with the Utah Refugee Training and Education Center to provide free culinary training to refugees and disadvantaged youth, including paid internships and job placement assistance.

This family-run business is inspired by partner Sheron Grant’s late grandmother Florence. Born and raised in Mount Salem, Jamaica, Florence passed down a love of Jamaican cuisine to her family, who keep her culinary traditions alive in Park City. All of the food is made to order, with the majority of proteins cooked bone-in to keep all the flavor and marrow. The rest of the menu features traditional island flavors and ingredients, with lots of scotch bonnet peppers, homemade jerk seasoning, conch, and ackee and saltfish. They also turn out homemade roti, lovingly referred to as Jamaican mop, to soak up every last drop of sauce.

At Table X, set in a converted factory, chefs Nick Fahs and Mike Blocher serve new American fare in five- to seven-course traditional and vegetarian tasting menus. While the menu is always shifting, the current iteration features garden sunchokes with smoky nage, delicata squash, and poblano, and the Jones Creek beef bavette steak with garden garlic, radicchio, celery root, and truffle. Blocher is primarily responsible for innovating the dining menu, while Fahs focuses his attention on growing Table X’s new wholesale bakery, Table X Bread, which serves coffee, sourdough bread, and assorted pastries, including croissants, scones, cookies, and spandauer. The restaurant sources fresh produce from its French potager garden, and the kitchen practices a variety of preservation methods including fermentation, pickling, canning, drying, and aging. If you’re looking to host a special occasion, the garden dining room can fit up to 14 guests.

This locally owned and operated restaurant started in Ogden and recently opened its latest outpost in Industry SLC, an adaptive reuse office space in the trendy Granary District. Loyal customers know Slackwater for its live music, large selection of craft beer, and pub-inspired menu. Their wide artisan pizza selection focuses on global flavor combinations, including the California Sunrise (roasted chicken, peppered bacon, green goddess dressing, sliced avocado), Italian Job (pepperoni, salami, capicola, pepperoncinis, creamy herb vinaigrette), and tikka masala pie. The pork chile verde nachos and hearty spinach artichoke dip also deserve a spot at your table. The space includes patio seating, separated from the dining room by glass garage doors, which lift to combine the areas into an open-air dining concept in the warmer months.