Multi-decade neighborhood bar returns to Sugar House

Fiddler’s

A name synonymous with Sugar House is now back in action, continuing the story for the more than three-decades-old bar at this site (1063 E 2100 S). New owner Jimmy Brown has dropped the Elbow element, with the newly rebranded business known simply known as Fiddler’s. Brown, a Sugar House resident and former CANarchy manager (according to Brown’s LinkedIn profile), has already made his imprint on the space. Updated new TV’s dot the room, while the bar area has been refreshed and opened up.

A newly retooled menu has plenty of nods to former iterations (think burgers, nachos, pizza, fish and chips). The updates are promising. In the past few weeks, we called the business hoping to catch a game on one of the TVs. Unsure if the channel was carried, Brown himself personally called back a few minutes later to assure us, we could watch the game.

Brothers +62

I’m uncertain how long this delivery/take-out option has been operating, only recently came across my radar, so here we are for reasons of completionism. Brothers operates out of the Salt Lake City Eats facility, a commissary kitchen/food hall combo. The menu is a mix of Indonesian and Japanese, Nasi Goreng sits happily alongside Agedashi Tofu.

Cluck Truck

After years spent whizzing around the streets of SLC, this long-lived food truck is taking up permanent digs. Posting a June 14th opening on social media, the Cluck Truck will make the former Yoko Taco spot (285 W 800 S) its home. The core of the Cluck Truck menu is built around 24-hour brined, fried chicken. Wraps are the main delivery mechanism therein.

Galeano’s Ristorante Italiano

New for downtown Salt Lake City, this Italian eatery. I believe the location (170 S Main) was previously occupied briefly by an outpost of the Senor Pollo group. The space is expansive wrapped by ground-to-ceiling windows. The restaurant’s website and social media have yet to detail what to expect, but I managed to uncover the following menus (apps, mains) over on their Resy profile.

Mensho

Now open in soft opening mode in the Post District. Mensho is the famous name that was kick-started in Japan by Tomaharu Shono. Growing operations across the globe saw the first U.S. outpost land in San Francisco, which in turn has been Michelin-rated since 2017. The company touts a “farm to bowl” approach to its ramen, leaning on local farms and seasonal updates. Their Utah location taps Utah-grown grains for the ramen noodles, for example – expect more local infusions such as honey to follow. Here’s a quick look at what to expect.

PoPIE 1929

Meat pies. Pizza, chicken, and curry are the three main flavors of the hand pies offered by this American Fork (541 S 500 E) arrival. According to the company’s social media profiles, “PoPIE1929 is a business founded by Moon, a Korean immigrant who moved to Utah after operating a pizza and pasta restaurant in Korea for 10 years. Inspired by the cartoon character Popeye, PoPIE1929 aims to empower customers through their pies, just as Popeye gains strength from spinach.”

Rusty Birds

Now open in South Salt Lake’s Square Kitchen (2435 State St). The menu’s muse is rotisserie chicken that, in turn is found in a variety of compositions – wraps, salads, and sandwiches. RB’s also offers a near dozen selections of ala carte parts and sides, thighs through whole birds. Square Kitchen has been busy this year; the facility signed on the Dominican cuisine of Hispaniola Bistro back in February.

Rio Acai

Holladay (1920 E Rodeo Walk Dr) is the latest location for this Brazilian-informed acai bowl business.

Vertical Deli

Kolbie Peterson in the Trib, has the scoop on this one. Moving into the South Salt Lake location (3245 S. State St), home to myriad names prior, the restaurant offers a 100% vegan-friendly menu. Peterson notes the business intends to secure a liquor license in due course, as well as eventually offering a drive-thru window.

Coming soon

Eats Bakery

Via press release

Mountain West Commercial Real Estate (MWCRE), a full-service commercial real estate brokerage, is pleased to announce that Eats Bakery has signed a lease for 2,500 square feet at 248 East 100 South in Salt Lake City, taking over the former Nostalgia Café location. MWCRE’s Matt Nordell represented Eats Bakery and helped facilitate the transaction. Husband-and-wife Kandi and Bryon Tesen locally own Eats Bakery.

“We’ve always wanted to create a space that feels warm, playful, and welcoming to everyone—where you can grab a donut, feel seen, and know you’re supporting something local and intentional,” said Kandi Tesen, Eats co-owner. “Opening our first brick-and-mortar downtown is a dream come true.”

Eats Bakery is known for its bold approach to baking: “A place for everyone’s taste buds, serving up delicious eats. The fact that it’s vegan is just a bonus.” The bakery earned a devoted following through its pre-orders, creative drops, farmers’ markets, and focus on high-quality, plant-based ingredients.

“What sets this Eats apart is the team behind it — passionate, hardworking, and genuinely committed to creating something special,” said Matt Nordell. “Activating this well-loved downtown space with such an inclusive and exciting brand is a meaningful addition to the neighborhood.”

Eats Bakery is planning to open its doors in May 2025.

First Watch

Mile High Food Fairy was the first I saw spot this impending opening; it seems that Utah County will soon be welcoming this national name that focuses on breakfast, brunch, and lunch.

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

Expected to fill the location home to Spahetti By The Bucket (701 E 2100 S) is Sidecar.

Strada by Matteo

The latest effort from the team behind the well-regarded Matteo. Strada is expected to be a more casual affair, and if I recall correctly, it was the original business idea for Matteo’s impresario Matteo Sogne. In this interview with Sogne back in 2024, the owner gave a nod to a future pasta/sandwich shop venture in his near future.

West Coast Sourdough

Via press release

Mountain West Commercial Real Estate (MWCRE), a full-service commercial real estate brokerage, is proud to announce that West Coast Sourdough has signed a lease at Towne Ridge Retail Center in Sandy, marking the brand’s first location in Utah.

The popular quick-service restaurant, known for its handcrafted sandwiches on fresh-baked sourdough bread, continues its expansion with this new site in one of Sandy’s most active retail corridors. West Coast Sourdough is planning to open 20+ locations throughout Utah as part of its broader growth strategy.

MWCRE’s Andy Moffitt and Skye Galley represented the Landlord, while MWCRE’s Tyler Jones represented West Coast Sourdough in the transaction.

“We’re thrilled to help bring West Coast Sourdough’s first Utah location to life,” said Tyler Jones. “Towne Ridge offers the visibility and energy ideal for a strong market entry, and we’re excited to see the brand grow here.”

West Coast Sourdough will join a dynamic tenant mix at Towne Ridge, further enhancing the center’s draw as a food and beverage destination.

Maybes

These are purely speculative on my part, but not without reason. The Savory Fund has recently invested in two new names, notably, Hawkers Asian Street Food and Bonrue Bakery. Given the Fund’s past track record of bringing their stable of businesses to Utah cities (e.g., Hash Kitchen most recently), it’s a semi-safe bet that we might see the duo expand here in due course.

Other useful links

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• 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.