It’s always the way. No sooner had I completed penning this monster compendium of all Utah’s latest restaurant openings last week, and here come a bunch more.
First up, some news that I know will tickle quite a few…
SLC Eatery
Yep, they’re back in business, folks. Albeit with a retooled and streamlined operation. Currently, the business is open for lunch and dinner, Friday through Sunday, by reservation only. The hours are currently evolving so be sure to check out their Tock reservation page, and Instagram, as they feel their way back.
One big change is that restaurant now features communal seating only – a long counter style format. An early launch menu is pleasingly concise and packed with SE Asian flavor. A recent example shared by SLC Eatery included:
- Smoked Salmon Rillette, scallion bing bread, crema, dill, chili crunch, $13
- Pork Belly, poached egg, chili sweet soy sauce, crispy parsnips, scallion, $13
- Soy Marinated Salmon, white wine miso lemon, cabbage, butter sauce, shallot, ginger, aloea salt, $24
- Shio Koji Marinated Beef Teres Major, fried Yukon potato, Chinese long bean, chili red wine demi, parsley, parsnip cream, $26
- Sweet Chili Fried Chicken, chili marinated chicken thigh, miso songee, enoki mushrooms, scallion, ginger, pine nuts, smoked paprika oil, rosemary powder, $23
- Shrimp and Grits, creamy grits, pickled sweet peppers, house kimchi, pork belly, Thai basil, $24
Owner/chef Paul Chamberlain tells me, “The menu currently has a lot of Japanese/French influence, but it will change regularly. I will soon add one or two pasta dishes. I will keep it relatively small. Also, I will hopefully start testing a tasting menu within the next week or so.”
Bep Viet Kitchen
Open now in Riverton, Monday through Saturday, a new Vietnamese option. The menu has all the favorites, pho, rice, and noodle dishes. Notable are the banh mi prices which are (almost) reminiscent of a different era. Hands up who remembers banh mi changing hands for less than $5. Anyway, Bep’s run $7.95 – $9.95, which frankly seems like a steal.
Big Tortas
The West Jordan opening of BT makes it three for the torta-focused restaurant group. And when I say focused, I mean it. There are more than three dozen different constructions on offer. They range the gamut from a simple al pastor sandwich through to the whopping Sur 39, which features steak, ham, chorizo, bacon, peppers, onions, pork chop, and cheese.
Coffee & Chai
A new coffee shop for West Jordanites, and well, anyone looking for a hangout spot open into the late hours. The business hours are an impressive 7.00 a.m. to midnight daily. Indeed, the shop welcomes people to swing by and use the space as needed, writing:
“We’re a locally owned, family-run coffee and chai shop right here in Utah, built with a simple but heartfelt vision. to create an elevated yet cozy space where people can slow down, connect, and enjoy exceptional coffee and chai. especially later in the day.
From the beginning, we wanted to build something different. A place that feels upscale but never unapproachable. Somewhere you can settle in with your laptop, meet a friend, hold a casual meeting, or discover your new favorite late-night hangout. Staying open late was intentional. Because the community doesn’t shut down early, and neither should a great coffee shop./”
Desi Kitchen
I haven’t seen much about this new Draper South Asian restaurant yet. You can find their menu over on the delivery apps though, if you want to dig a little deeper; that in turn throws up a few lesser-seen dishes, such as fish pulusu and chicken gongura – both specialties from the state of Andhra Pradesh. I love Gongura. For the uninitiated, it’s a jade green sauce relying on sorrel (gongura) to power proceedings, the leaves imparting a tongue-arresting sourness to the curry. The flavor profile is in stark contrast to the creamier curries that many are more familiar with.
Di Napoli
I believe this is a third outlet for the group which specialises in pasta and panini. The latest expansion in Sandy joins existing locations in Orem and Saratoga Springs. Prices are certainly on the more reasonable side of the spectrum, with most dishes landing under the $20 mark.
Frankie’s Pizza and Pasta
Over in Midvale, the latest effort from chef Chad Pritchard, the name behind the popular Fat Daddy’s Pizzeria and Oregano Italian Kitchen. The business writes, “At Frankie’s Pizza and Pasta, we take pride in hand stretching all the dough for our pizzas. We make the effort to make and cook as much in house as possible, be it slicing and sauteing onions and peppers, roasting tomatoes and mushrooms, forming all of our dough balls by hand, or brushing garlic oil on every crust, because giving our best is more important than giving the cheapest. You can be assured that when you order a Frankie’s pie, you are getting thin crust perfection every single time.”
Hometown Dumpling
Bao-lovers should head right down to South Salt Lake’s Chinatown complex to check this one out. The menu features three different types of xiao long bao, not least several fried and steamed dumplings to boot. Ten bucks will secure you a six-piece order of the famously popular pork soup dumplings.
Good Kitchen
Also new to Chinatown, with plenty of Northern Chinese dishes. The business writes, “Good Kitchen excels at bringing Northern Chinese comfort food to the table. Highlights include the crispy, tangy Guo Bao Rou (Northeastern Sweet and Sour Pork) and the pillowy Tianjin Stuffed Buns. These dishes offer a satisfying blend of textures and savory profiles that feel like a warm embrace.”
There’s also a strong Sichuan presence on the menu. Dishes such as cumin lamb, mapo tofu, and twice-cooked pork belly, to name just three.
Noemi’s Express
It was particularly sad to write about the closure of Noemi’s Cafe back in the Summer of 2024. The Midvale Chilean cafe location grew from an excellent food truck operation and served up top-class sweet and savory pastries galore. It gives me great pleasure then to write that the team is back under a new name – hopefully, with the same great empanadas and alfajores as before.
Tacos 801
The signature dish at this new SLC spot is al pastor (yes, there’s a trompo), which features across tacos, burritos, bowls, almbres, and loaded fries. There’s more: carne asada, tripa, suadero, lengua, chorizo, and cabeza, too.
Viva Mexico Carnitas
It looks like early days for this one. A quick peek at their Google profile reveals a menu that, as you’d expect, features plenty of porcine goodness. Prices start at $12.99 for a personal combo, all the way up to a heaving combo which comes with 2lbs carnitas, a dozen tortillas, 16 ounces rice, 16 ounces beans, plus four ounces of red, and green salsa. All for the handsome price of $39.99. Now that’s what I myself call a personal combo.
Coming soon
Jammy
Signs have gone up at the old Chubby Baker; there have been a few planning permits filed, too.
Subs & Soda
I love a name that gets right to the point. And you things don’t get any more succinct than this one coming to Midvale. Hungry? Thirsty? They’ll sound like they’ve got you covered.
Taste Of Red Iguana
After shuttering their City Creek location in recent months, the fast casual arm of the legendary Red Iguana should be back any day now – reopening in Riverton, to be precise.
Vintage House Cafe
Coming to 1592 S 1100 E, according to this planning permit.
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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.
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