Cosmica is another jewel in the culinary crown of the Central 9th neighborhood

I first started tracking Cosmica (945 S 300 W) more than a year ago. The news that local restaurateur Ryan Lowder (Copper Onion, Copper Common) was to venture out again, had me more than a little intrigued. For those grey enough, Lowder’s opening of Copper Onion over a decade ago, was largely recognized as a gear shift in the SLC dining scene at the time.

All that said, from the very first meeting with Lowder he was anxious to underplay his own direct involvement (and that of operating partner Zak Pelaccio, whose CV is also stacked with awards). Instead Lowder would point to the talents of the team on the ground – notably chef and owner Zach Wade.

Wade arrives in Utah by way of Hudson Valley’s Hotel Kinsley and Lola, another gig alongside the James Beard winning Pelaccio. To say there’s talent behind the scenes here would be a slight understatement. It’s worth noting Wade spent time spent under the tutelage of Gianni Scappin, considered by a certain A. Bourdain as one of the “stand-​​up guys” in the biz.

It’s impossible to tell the tale of Cosmica without first touching on the exuberant design; the core of which pays homage to the classic American diner, leather backed booths, cafe-curtains, and amber hued glassware. There are pops of color everywhere and a playful vibe – a hand painted pic of Wade’s pup Leo looks down approvingly from the bar. Every inch is eminently photographable, with nary an Instagram grass wall in sight. It’s a singular composition which instantly feels authentic.

As the setting sun retreats the restaurant’s warm golden glow is relit by custom strips of pink neon that flash off chrome plated fixtures. If Sergio Leone had picked color swatches over clapperboards, one might imagine Cosmica would be his culinary Spaghetti Western. Conceptual credit however goes to Ryan Manning and Madelon Juliano – most notably the designers behind Bar Nohm’s equally arresting revamp, a neighbor just down the road.

Onto the food then, which is unapologetically simple, Italian classics presented without re-invention. For those jaded with giddy globe trotting chefs (we get it chef, you just discovered Berbere) the approach is alluring. There are no smoked cocktails lurking in wooden chests to hide behind. The menu lives and dies on quality ingredients – most dishes feature no more than three or four core elements – executed deftly.

The concise pizza list is a good as any place to dive in and experience this directness. Smaller pies, crafted in the Neapolitan style, which is to say baked quickly and furiously – leading to that unmistakable exterior ridge, blackened and bubbled. I wolf down an herbaceously-spiked clam pie, replete with garlic, white wine, and lemon. Simple. Perfect. I’m far too long in the tooth to suggest who might have the best pie in town, there lies madness, and a flurry of angry comments. What I will say, this is very good pizza indeed.

That particular pie recently replaced a Cantabrian anchovy effort, prompting me to quiz the team on the fluidity of the menu. As GM Austin Wright tells me, “Once we settle in, we don’t expect too much change. Just like footsteps of the classic diner we’re following in, we hope Cosmica becomes a regular and reliable goto. One where you return months later to enjoy the same satisfying dish.” For now, expect a few chops and changes, as the lineup is finessed

For those technical geeks out there, you might enjoy knowing that the pies in question rely on a dough that begins life with flour from Utah’s own Central Milling – a 150 year old Utah company that’s tapped by chefs country wide as top tier. From there, an ambient yeast starter (which first bubbled to life a few months back at Cosmica) is deployed to power a four day fermentation process. The last step is a brief four or five minute visit to the gas-assisted Woodstone oven; which is also retooled across the menu when appropriate – finishing off the chicken cacciatore for example.

Other items guests should seek out include a range of pasta, all made in house, and all egg-free, extruded via a fancy pants Emiliomiti machine. While I start my visit with a plate of thinly sliced Tuscan Finnochiona (paired with a vibrant house made mostarda) Wright points to the Puffy Bread app as a favorite of guests so far; made from the same carefully crafted dough as the pizza – served simply again with good quality olive oil, herbs and grana padano.

On the drinks side, the wine lists mirrors that of the pizza – leaning into native fermentation. The all-Italian roster of pours are low intervention, natural wines. Wright notes that they might be joined in time by regionally appropriate bottles too, think former Utah-winemaker Evan Lewandowski for example.

It’s worth pointing to Wright’s past experience in the Beehive at this point, which started back in 2015; ultimately managing The Rose’s beverage program a few years later. Stints at a number of applauded names with strong beverage programs would follow, the likes of Finca, and Current. Wright went on to star as a constant knowledgeable presence at one of my favorite spots the past few years – Copper Common. As you’d expect then, cocktails are also thematically and technically on point – a Black Manhattan is given hefty depth with warming Averna.

Now, who wants a banana split? Yes. Yes they have one…

Here’s the launch menu from a couple of weeks back, expect a few changes as mentioned above as the Central 9th newcomer settles into its groove

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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.