Spooktacular food events in Utah this Halloween

Grand America

The popular afternoon tea service at Grand America has now received a seasonal update. Witches are welcome to experience a Halloween high tea through October 31st (noon till 4 p.m.). The annual celebration offers a festive menu and spooky decor; the centerpiece (pictured top) is a tiered display of house-made pastries, savory tea sandwiches, and a host of sweet treats. Prices are $49.50 for adults, and $35 for kids 12 and under.

Francks

October 31st will see the Cottonwood Heights chef-driven spot offer the following “adult trick or treat” menu. The price is $70 per person:

• “Orange” 4-day cured butternut squash tops, squash seed & tostada crumble, warm pepper-brown butter vinaigrette, navel orange pico, smoked trout roe, yogurt
• “Green” shiso battered sablefish, fermented summer pea-green coriander curry, toasted nori-tarter, Tokyo
  turnip, crab and pea salad, nuoc cham turnip greens
• “Black” crispy lamb ribs, Yukon gold potato charcoal, preserved Frog Bench blackberries, burnt onion jam, black onion ring
• “Purple” huckleberry ginger hand pie, five spice purple carrot crumb, ube-coconut gelato
• “Treats” miso chocolate chip cookies, aerated honey brittle, bacon caramel corn

Scion Cider

Stan & Kimo from Beehive Charcuterie will help guests navigate their very own Halloween-themed charcuterie board at this October 16th class. “Unleash your inner ghoul-ourmet and conjure up the ultimate charcuterie masterpiece! The charcuterie wizards from Beehive Charcuterie will cast a spell of flavor, revealing the secrets to pairing blood-curdling meats with to-die-for cheeses and screamingly fresh produce.”

The 90-minute hands-on class includes a charcuterie kit that includes a reusable Halloween skull platter and all of the ingredients and supplies you’ll need to create your board. Tickets are priced $60.

La Caille

October 21st is the date for “Shadows & Secrets”, which so far, well, it’s a mystery. The restaurant hasn’t yet formally announced what’s in store, beyond the following:

“Something truly thrilling is brewing for Halloween night! While we can’t reveal all the spine-tingling details just yet, trust us—you won’t want to miss this enchanting evening filled with mystery and excitement. Gather your friends, mark your calendars, and prepare for an unforgettable night!”

If you want to discover the surprise, you can sign up to be notified on their website.

Little America

During October, the hotel’s Lucky H Bar will be transformed into a haunted wild west pop-up. Named the “Last
Ride of Lucky H,” the themed bar experience runs for the entire month of October from 11 a.m. – 12 a.m., and features eerie western décor and seasonal food and bev specials.

Visitors can sip on hauntingly delicious cocktails such as The Bitter End, the Haunted Saloon and Six Feet Under, and enjoy a menu of festive bites while they search for clues to try and solve the riddle of Lucky H’s last ride. Those who solve the riddle correctly will be entered in a giveaway for a chance to win a stay at the hotel. The event is open to guests 21 or older.

Additionally, a Halloween dessert decorating class will be offered at Little America Hotel on Saturday, October 26th, from 2.00 – 3.30 p.m. The class will be held in the hotel’s Arizona Room and will be led by the hotel’s pastry chef. Participants will be given a collection of festive treats including cookies, cupcakes, and individual Halloween caskets made of gingerbread – to customize with items like frosting and spooky decorations like bats and eyeballs. The event is open to children ages 6 and up. Tickets are $45.

Snowbasin

The Ogden ski resort will present an all-new Halloween-themed experience for 2024, transforming the resort into “Haunted Basin'” during two windows; October 10th through 14th, and October 17th through 21st. Family-friendly activities run 6.00 – 7.00 p.m. before “the haunting festivities commence”, 7.00 – 11.00 p.m. Features include a haunted forest, spooky movie marathon, black light mini golf, and themed food and drinks from the “haunted cinnabar”.

The marketing team at Snowbasin tell me, “noteworthy cocktails include Betelgeuse with an edible June beetle; the Ectoplasm Martini, crafted with an evil elixir made from cucumbers; the Black Widow with its dark color derived from squid ink; or the Pet Cemetery with a scrumptious battered chicken foot.” It’ll be open for two weekends between October 10-12 and 17-19 from 6-9pm. Additionally availability may be opened pending demand.”

Small bites

• Gracie’s – Halloween costume party with multiple cash prizes, entry required by 9.30 p.m.
• Xiao Bao Bao – Romina Rasmussen’s downtown Chinese bun shop is offering a black sesame bao with black dough through October. Details on IG.

Other useful links

• Free newsletter – signup and receive our weekly newsletter for free
• Food talk group – chew the fat with other like-minded Utah foodies over on Facebook.
• Best of SLC 2024 – what you can’t miss in the Beehive right now.

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.