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More than twenty new restaurants to add to your dining list

Deadpan Sandwich - merguez, egg, cheese breakfast sandwich

After the last few weeks’ slew of seemingly never-ending closures, here’s something happier to report on – the latest bars, cafes, bakers, and restaurants to open up shop around Utah. Looking for somewhere new to sample this weekend, here you go…including an exceptional new breakfast sandwich…

Atlantis Burgers

After a swift change of paintwork and signage, the former Porky’s (Cantina/Tacos) has been replaced on the corner of 3500 South and Redwood. In its place, a second location for Atlantis, doubling its charbroiled footprint from the original North Salt Lake location. I’m not going to weigh in on the debate of Crown vs Apollo vs Astro vs Atlantis vs the rest of the Greek-informed burger stops in the city – but if you’ve yet to try theirs – here’s one more pastrami burger to check out.

The Bros Cuisine

There’s something to be said for singular focus. A laser-like beam of direction often brings precision and unwavering execution – especially so when it comes to food. Enter stage right this new commissary-based business that presently cranks out just one dish. That solitary dish is currently only available one day each week too – Wednesdays. The dish in question – pares beef – a Filipino dish of braised beef served with garlic fried rice. I’m going to be at the front of the line, as soon as our respective schedules line up.

Coterie

After the Summer closure of Good Grammar – the cocktail-forward bar on Gallivan Avenue (69 East) – the redeveloped concept is now open as Coterie. The retooled business retains what looks like a quality bar program, albeit now backed by a daytime coffee shop vibe, and a much larger culinary offering than its predecessor. Options include an all-day breakfast menu bolstered by tacos, sandwiches, and salads.

Deadpan Sandwich at Woodbine - BLOT
Deadpan Sandwich at Woodbine – BLOT

Deadpan Sandwich

A second location of this stellar sandwich shop is now open on the edge of Sugar House in the Izzy Apartment building (556 E 2100 S). I’ll bring you the full scoop next week but suffice it to say it’s the same deal as the Woodbine Food Hall original, with one key difference – breakfast sandwiches every day all day, until their 3.00 p.m. close. I sampled the (pictured top) merguez sausage sandwich today repleted with runny egg – and it’s one you’re going to want to get your hands on. More details coming next week.

Dunked Cookies

The Daily Herald has the complete scoop on this new Saratoga Springs cookie shop.

Early Owl

Ninth South continues to become a thoroughly intriguing thoroughfare, adding yet another option (155 E 900 S) with this coffee/cafe spot. The Owl opens daily 8.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

Earth & Stones

Taking over the reins of the former Heavy Metal Shop in downtown SLC (63 E. Exchange Place) is this new 21+ bar. According to Kolbie Peterson in the Trib, the new business is the work of “Vanessa Notini and Erick Pernia, who is one of the founders of the Arempa’s restaurant franchise.” Arempas then – the popular Venezuelan spot just around the corner.

Ebony And Ivory BBQ

A new food truck, based out of the Spice Kitchen Incubator “offers a variety of BBQ such as smoked chicken, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, fried fish and smoked hot dogs along with side dishes. Ebony & Ivory BBQ Food Truck is parked at the Smith’s Marketplace parking lot 5710 West 7800 South, West Jordan.”

Gary’s Asian Bistro

This new Chinese restaurant on the East side of town is the latest tenant for the building vacated by the long-standing Citris Grill (3977 Wasatch Blvd) – and with it the return of popular chef/operator Gary Lee (formerly Asian Star). The menu features dishes such as foo young, moo shu, and walnut shrimp. Lee’s fans are already flocking to social media by the looks of it, eager for his return.

Guayoyo Cafe

This Latin coffee shop in Pleasant Grove (19 S Main) has more in the pastry case than that day-old blueberry muffin for you. At Guayoyo you can pair your cortado alongside a half dozen varieties of stuffed empanadas, both veggie and meat-friendly.

Pho Hao

Possibly an update to West Valley’s Pho Hoa – but it’s not entirely clear, any ideas out there?

Hide & Seek

This new speakeasy space can be found behind a push-aside bookcase at Bonnie & Clyde’s (611 South Main Street) in downtown SLC. As is par for the course with these things, details are mysteriously sparse from the business itself, so check out this Instagram reel from Cindy England (UT Foodie) which shows the whole razzamatazz in action – everything from cocktails surrounded by billowing smoke through to that “chef throws dessert on your table” thing. It’s here in Utah folks.

Kiki’s Plate Lunch

A new Hawaiian food truck loosely located in Bountiful. Signatures on the menu include loco moco, katsu, kalua pork, and more. Prices are noteworthy, with nothing managing to reach the ten-dollar mark. Almost hallucinatory in this day and age.

Kuchu Shabu

Making their way down Parley’s Canyon to Sugar House (2121 McClelland), this new Southeast Asian spot, hoping to build on the success of their Park City location. Despite the shabu moniker, the SH location menu offers up composed dishes – ramen, pho, and rice plates. The dishes therein have a few interesting options – elk pho anyone?

Loma

New for lower Main Street in Park City is this new “modern Italian” restaurant by Adam and Meisha Ross – also the names behind another Summit County name – Twisted Fern. The menu certainly reads well – roasted cockles with nduja, and lobster mafaldine, just two that leap off the page instantly to me.

Lupessa

Now open in the former Italian Graffiti space at The Gateway. The best I can tell this is more rebranding than a complete overhaul. While there’s been no formal presser on this one that I know about, the restaurant’s website still lists Nice Hospitality (the former Italian Graffiti operators, as well as the nearby HallPass food hall). Gone, however, seems to be mention of chef Marc Marrone; the banner name toque for the preceding Italian eatery, and also HallPass’s Graffiti Bao – which too seems to be no longer listed on the HallPass site.

Maura’s Cafe

Spotted over on the Logan Foodie’s FB group – this casual cafe is now open in Logan (255 Main St).

Mi Buena Vida

After landing in the 15th and 15th area of Salt Lake City – roughly two years ago – the business has been on an expansion kick of late. Mi Buena Vida Express is slated to come to downtown SLC any day, while Springville (533 S 1750) just saw this opening in their midst too.

Studio @ Soundwell

Pizza, lettuce-wrapped skewers, salads, and sandwiches are the core of this new downtown spot, attached to live music venue Soundwell (149 W 200 S). The new space is open daily from 5.00 p.m. – through midnight, opening later till 2.00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Other Side Donuts

I love reader tips, so here’s one direct from the mailbox, “The Other Side Donuts” is open now at 760 S Redwood Road, and it is really good.   The fun outdoor treatments on the building really are eye-catching in a pretty dull neighborhood, but now we have something to go with the excellent tacos from the stand in the parking lot of the Tear-A-Part.” Email me anytime folks.

Bobby Flay and Bobby's Burgers
Bobby Flay and Bobby’s Burgers

Coming soon

Bar Martine

Receiving their liquor license at last month’s DABS meeting, the former Martine space in downtown SLC is set to be reborn as an all-new bar. No concrete details yet, but watch this space.

Bobby’s Burgers

After teasing their arrival for a while, the official announcement for the first location of the Bobby Flay-backed burger brand was recently announced. Orem, this one is for you. Here’s the full presser from the company:

. . .

Bobby’s Burgers By Bobby Flay, the unbeatable burger experience concept co-founded by renowned chef Bobby Flay, is opening its first Utah location at University Place in Orem in November, just in time for the busy holiday season. This will be the first restaurant in a multi-unit, statewide franchise agreement with industry veteran Joe Sample announced earlier this month.

“Our commitment to the brand is to open nine new sites across the state within the next five years,” said Sample. “The enthusiasm we’ve experienced from guests at the recent flagship opening in Charlotte has only encouraged us to accelerate our expansion plans. Even as we prepare for our Utah debut in Orem, we are well underway with three additional locations in the state. We’re excited to build upon this momentum and introduce Bobby’s unbeatable burger experience to even more communities in Utah.”

Strategically situated between two universities –Utah Valley and Brigham Young – Bobby’s Burgers will be at the front entrance of the bustling University Place mall in Orem, located on the main south entrance across from Sephora. The restaurant will be approximately 2,000 square feet with 30 seats inside, plus an outdoor patio with another 10 seats, offering a convenient and welcoming space for students, residents and visitors alike.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to open at University Place, which we think is the perfect location to introduce the first Bobby’s Burgers in Utah,” said Michael McGill, President of Bobby’s Burgers. “We’re looking forward to serving the Orem community and establishing Bobby’s Burgers as a favorite dining destination with our premium handcrafted burgers, cooked-to-order fries and spoon-bending milkshakes.”

University Place, a 120-acre property currently undergoing a $500 million revitalization, offers premier retail, upscale residential and first-class office spaces, all surrounded by lush green areas.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay to University Place as part of our continued expansion,” said Danny Woodbury, Sr Vice President of Leasing at Woodbury Corporation. “The unbeatable offerings and loyal built-in fan base align perfectly with our mission to create a vibrant, community-focused environment where residents and visitors can enjoy a diverse mix of shopping, dining and entertainment options.”

For more information about Bobby’s Burgers, visit bobbysburgers.com. To learn about franchise opportunities, visit bobbysburgers.com/franchising.

Halgatteok

Fans of tteokbokki will want to file this one away. Multiple versions of the Koreach rice cake lead the menu, for this upcoming addition to South Salt Lake’s Chinatown complex (3390 S State St). Halgatteok offers fans of the dense treat a build-it-your-way approach, allowing guests a multistage ordering process that involves selecting your type of tteok, saucing style, and spice level – before hitting up a toppings bar.

Wisteria

If you missed this story back in August, here’s your instruction to swot up. You’re going to want to remember the details and the name for 2025. Ben Steigers’s planned omakase experience for Salt Lake City will likely be one of the hottest tickets in town. You heard it here first.

Xiao Bao Bao

Romina Rasmussen’s bao shop is set to spread its wings, following its 2023 debut. XBB will be one of the new tenants for the newly reimagined Milk Block – the facility set to replace the footprint of the now defunct Southeast Asian Market. Rasmussen will be joined by Manoli Katsanevas’s Parea, Mozz Pizza, and the long-awaited Wasatch food co-op.

Permit watch

A quick look at the various permits filed within Salt Lake City is always a good window into what you can expect coming down the turnpike:

9th and 9th birria – 1037 E 900 S, birria incoming along 9th South.

Beijing Chinese Restaurant – 777 E 2100 S, opposite the DI, I’m unclear yet if this is simply the business name, or more reflective of the menu we might expect to see.

Eats Bakery, 592 W 200 S.

Good Pie, 1207 S State Street, Brooklyn-style pizza chain.

Hash Kitchen, 1313 S Foothill, the Savory Fund-backed business by chef Joey Maggiore, first opened in the Beehive in Draper.

JJ Coffee Co, 330 E 400 S.

Neptune’s Palace, 152 S 400 W, the long awaited club/bar concept headed to The Gateway.

Popeye’s, 50 S Main Street.

Shake Shack, 1314 S Foothill.

SLX Coffee Shop, 470 W 200N.

Repeal one, two, three, 19 E 200 S, the 21+ bar working to revamp the old Bourbon House space in the basement of the Walker Center.

Previously mentioned with no further update

We’ve previously written about the following restaurants in posts tracking new restaurants around Utah. We’ve heard no further news on these at this time – but that’s not to say they didn’t open! If you know of any business opening that eluded our gaze, please do get in touch.

Opening a new restaurant in Utah? Be sure to read our restaurant resource section which includes info on everything from marketing to POS systems.

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