What Utah’s food writers have been checking out over the past weeks

Time for our first look back over the past few weeks, and what’s caused local food writers to put finger to keypress to. First up, SL Mag’s Lydia Martinez getting hands-on with the impeccable wings at SOMI (Sugar House). Some of the best in the city, especially (as Martinez recommends) ordering with extra flurries of crisped basil, jalapeno, and basil. She also checks out Le Depot (Park City), and speaks to tupelo chef Matt Harris. Meawhile, colleague Darby Doyle talks about the current Veneto (SLC) tasting menu.

Alex Springer in the Weekly hits up plenty of places including Big Mango (Riverton), Woodbine Food Hall (SLC), Beast From The East (SLC), Noodle & Dumpling (Millcreek), Halalepenos (Riverton), Mad For Chicken (South Salt Lake), Burger Fusion (Trolley Square), Java Jo’s (various), and Sol and Sabor (Murray). Whew. He also details several healthy hot spots (various) for those trying to atone for the holidays.

In Utah stories, Ted Scheffler hits up Junah (Central 9th), Weller’s Bistro (Ogden), Central by Saffron (Downtown SLC), while talking about popups (various). Richard Markosian recaps the aftermath of the downtown fire.

Over to Slug and Joni Bianca writes about Two-Bit Bistro (Ogden), and Baek Ri Hyang (South Salt Lake), while James Orme writes up the Aker (Downtown SLC) tuna fight club experience. Lastly, Christian Ledek dines at the venerable Lone Star Taqueria (Midvale)

For those in Summit County, Park Record’s Katy Sine details several lunches with a view (various), and Heather L. King sips along the Wasatch back (various), and talks about Park City fondue. Aimee Cook gets to grips with several Summit County menu updates, writes about the excellent Whistling Springs trout farm (Brigham City), and talks to Red Banjo Pizza owner Tana Toly. Katie Hatzfeld also details forty years of Stein‘s (Deer Valley) elaborate Sunday brunch.

Rounding things up, Valerie Phillips has a piece on Smokin’ Boxcar (Morgan), Nicole Anderson details European Tastees (Murray), Eric Frandsen writes about the new Vessel Kitchen (Logan), and Sarah Gambles has a roundup (various) of various eats from the year that was.

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.