Even the most adventurous gourmand might work up an appetite locating these restaurants, but just like diamonds in the rough, they are worth the effort. Not surprisingly, Utah's hidden hideaways offer all the best choices, from French to Italian to Southwestern.
THE PARIS BISTRO 1500 South (Emerson) 1500 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 (801) 486-5585 Hours: (Mon-Thurs) 6 pm; (Fri-Sun) 5 pm An intriguing mixture of French and Italian, The Paris Bistro offers one of the best wine lists in Salt Lake City. No matter you preference, you will be able to find the perfect wine to suit your meal. And what a meal it will be. If you are in the mood for pasta, try the gnocchi alla Norma; the light dumplings are perfectly complimented by the tomato, basil, and garlic sauce. If you are looking for something heavier, try the grilled Australian rack of lamb in an olive and mustard veal jus. For dessert try one of The Paris Bistro’s many homemade gelatos, with flavors ranging from orange blossom to basil, you will definitely find something new to love.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $16-$35
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-open, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-open, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas-open, New Year's Eve-open
EM’S RESTAURANT 271 North Center Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84103 (801) 596-0566 Hours: Lunch (Tue-Fri) 11 am – 3 pm; Dinner (Wed-Sun) 5:30 pm – 9 pm Em’s Restaurant is quickly becoming the place to dine, if you are in the know. The easy atmosphere and delicious food keep the locals coming back for more. The focus at Em’s Restaurant is on simple, fresh, and often organic ingredients and expertly crafted flavor combinations. For dinner try a perfectly cooked Ribeye with bleu cheese and caramelized onions; free-range chicken breast stuffed with goat’s cheese and pine nuts; or potato lasagna layered with parmesan, ricotta, and whole milk mozzarella; and finish with a creamy raspberry crème brulee.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $15-$21
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-closed, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-closed
CUCINA TOSCANA 307 West Pierpont Avenue Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 (801) 328-DINE (3463) Hours: (Mon-Thurs) 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5:30 pm – 10 pm; (Sun) Closed Often called the best Italian restaurant in Salt Lake City, Cucina Toscana offers diners the chance to escape to Tuscany without ever leaving the city. The traditional Italian menu offers many delectable choices arranged to be savored in four distinct courses. When eating at Cucina Toscana it is best to have plenty of time to work your way through antipasti, such as spinaci al salto con calmaretti, gamberi e cappe sante (shrimp and scallops); pasta, a fresh sampling of handmade specialties; a secondi piatti of, perhaps, salmon with mustard cognac sauce, and a tempting freshly made dessert of tira misu.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $15-$35
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-closed, Memorial day-closed, Labor day-closed, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-open
RUSTED SUN PIZZERIA 2010 South State Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (801) 483-2120 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 10:30am-10pm; (Sat) 11:30pm-10pm; (Sun) 4pm – 9 pm Rusted Sun Pizzeria is truly one of the most unique establishments in Salt Lake City. Even though parking is at a premium, Rusted Sun Pizzeria pizza and calzones are worth the extra effort. The pizza is often referred to as New York style because of its thin crust and large slices. This small pizza joint showcases traditional pizzas such as a meat extravaganza with pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, and salami, as well as more creative pizzas such as the Mediterranean topped with salami, red onion, red pepper, artichoke hearts, green olives, and feta cheese.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $9-$18
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-closed, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-closed, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-closed
CITRIS GRILL 2991 East 3300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84109 (801) 466-1202 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11am-10pm; (Sat) 8am-10pm; (Sun) 8am-9pm Tucked away amidst a bevy of uninteresting restaurants, Citris Grill is worthy of the hunt for parking. One thing of note is that Citris Grill offers petite portions for those days you don’t want to gorge yourself silly. Or it can be handy if you simply want to try a little of everything, and Citris Grill is definitely an eclectic place with much to choose from. Many of the items on the menu are simply numbered, but don’t expect fast food fare. Choose a number “Two” pizza and receive a wood-fired pizza piled with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and gorgonzola. Or opt for butternut squash fettuccini with a light cream sauce.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $10-$20
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-open, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-open
THAI GARDEN 4410 South 900 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 (801) 266-7899 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-9pm; (Sat) 5pm-10pm; (Sun) closed Perhaps the best hidden gem in Salt Lake City, Thai Garden is located in a tiny supermarket strip mall. Authentic Thai cuisine is prepared while you wait at your table or booth surrounded by romantic lighting, soft, not garish, music, and delicious aromas. The extremely helpful staff will guide you in your menu choices if you are new to Thai food. Always delicious is the Pad Thai with its slightly sweet sauce and peanut aftertaste and the variety of curries from mild to very spicy are definitely tempting. Be sure to follow up with a light dessert of coconut ice cream and the best fried bananas in the state.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $10-$15
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-open, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-closed, Thanksgiving-open, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas-open, New Year's Eve-open
CAFÉ MADRID 2080 East 3900 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84124 (801) 273-0837 Hours: (Mon-Sat) 5:30 pm; (Sun) closed Café Madrid takes tapas to the next level by providing traditional flavors such as Spanish sausage with fig sauce and unique combinations of shitake mushrooms sautéed in cream and served with bacon. Chef Nacho Basurto provides diners with his award wining dishes served with European flare. Try the beef tenderloin topped with a delicious and creamy Roquefort cheese sauce. If you can manage to save room for dessert the traditional flan is soft and buttery, or opt for the lemon mouse topped with walnuts and honey.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $18-$26
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-closed, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-closed, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-closed
WAHSO 577 Main Street Park City, UT 84060 (435) 615-0300 Hours: (Sun-Thur) 5-9:30 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5-10 pm Wahso serves fine Asian cuisine and offers a birds-eye view of Park City's bustling Main Street from its second-floor hideaway. Start the meal with a lemon drop "saketini" or something from the extensive sake selection. Then, try the pot stickers or seafood dim sum with pineapple dipping sauce. For the entrée, the crispy Peking smoked duck with passion fruit demi-glace or the Szechwan grilled filet mignon are excellent choices. Finish with the coconut crème brulee served in a chilled coconut shell or the molten chocolate cake with ginger ice cream and white chocolate shavings.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $35-40
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-open, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-open, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas-open, New Year's Eve-open
RINO'S ITALIAN RISTORANTE 2302 E. Parleys Way Salt Lake City, UT 84109 (801) 484-0901 Hours: (Mon-Thur) 6-9:30 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5:30-10 pm; (Sun) 5-9 pm After serving fine Italian food to Utahns for 21 years, Rino's old world charm is an east bench favorite. Steamed clams, tuna del Oscar, veal picotta, or capellini ala Sophia (scallops and lobster meat in a tomato cream seafood stock in honor of Sophia Lauren), round out the menu. Savor the evening by tasting the bread pudding with rum sauce, tiramisu, or chocolate mousse cake. The moderately priced wine list selections are the perfect complement to any meal.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $30-35
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-open
URBAN BISTRO MARKET 216 E. 500 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 322-4101 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11 am-4 pm; (Sat-Sun) closed Just a block from the City and Country Building, Urban does a thriving lunch business. The modern, friendly atmosphere compliments the fresh food. The chicken tamales; spinach and three-cheese quiche; blackened salmon sandwich with red onions and homemade pesto aioli; or fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and roasted peppers on foccacia bread are all fine choices. Top off lunch with a piece of homemade tiramisu or various flavored cheesecakes.
Estimated cost per person for lunch: $10-15
Holiday Schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-closed, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-closed, Christmas-closed, New Year's Eve-open
The Top List of Delicious Hideaways - Salt Lake City, UT