As is often the case this time of year, it’s been a few quiet weeks on the general dining scene. With the current lull, it makes for the perfect time to look back over some general newsworthy bits and bobs. First up, the reconstruction of Whiskey Street, the uber-popular downtown bar that was destroyed in August this time last year.
Neighboring sister-business White Horse bounced back earlier this February, by way of suffering substantially less damage. The French-influenced bar has been bustling ever since, returning to Main Street as essentially a restoration of what came before.
As you can see from the picture above (the gutted shell of Whiskey Street back in November last year), the WS rebuild was always going to be a substantially larger project; indeed, Axios pegs the project at a cool four million bucks. News out this month sees Salt Lake City’s Community Reinvestment Agency board kick in a million, by way of a loan.
Everything I’ve seen suggests the team is still ambitiously plotting an end-of-2026 launch window – which seems gargantuan to my mind – but hey, I change a lightbulb and act like I’m Ron Swanson, so what do I know. When Whiskey Street does open the doors again, it looks certain now to include a new rooftop patio that will no doubt be a buzzing central hub along the city’s main drag.
Whiskey Street 2.0 will be more than a reimagined seating arrangement, though. When I interviewed exec-chef Matt Crandall last year he quipped about the space’s cramped legacy kitchen; the reboot will allow the business to redesign and deploy a streamlined setup – not least to introduce a new, refreshed menu. Watch this space.
Pretty Bird flies to coop for L.A.
Here’s an interesting turn of events. In recent years, the Utah landscape has been littered with out-of-state fried chicken interlopers. Dave’s Hot Chicken, Chicken Shack, Houston Hot Chicken, Mad For Chicken, BB.Q Chicken, to name just a few. This month saw news that the Utah-born Pretty Bird will next be expanding to… California.
The move isn’t completely without a backstory: owners Viet and Alexis Pham were both raised in the Golden State, and one would imagine Viet has a few SkyMiles to the West Coast, with his extensive TV work.
The expansion to Cali comes after nearly a decade of honing the Pretty Bird brand in Utah. The four local outposts (Downtown SLC, SugarHouse, Midvale, and Park City) will be joined by the new CA location in Westwood Village in Los Angeles. It’s slated to open next month.
Le Méridien taps new chef
Via press release
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Méridien & Element Salt Lake City’s signature restaurant Adelaide and rooftop bar Van Ryder have both launched new menus, under the direction of new Executive Chef Daniel Horn.
Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, Adelaide has unveiled an elevated breakfast, weekend brunch, and all-day menu, calling new guests and regulars alike to sample the dishes. Guests can enjoy a hearty start to their day with dishes like the Bayou Biscuits and Gravy featuring a house-made Old Cheddar Biscuit topped with country sausage gravy; or the Adelaide Eggs Benedict with Creole-spiced maple-glazed ham steak with two poached eggs stacked high on an English muffin and Champagne hollandaise sauce. New specialty drinks include the Lavender Matcha, featuring a hint of vanilla syrup and topped with a fluffy lavender cold foam; and the Coconut Ube Latte made with Illy Espresso with signature Ube flavor and coconut milk.
Weekend brunch introduces shareable starters like the Cornmeal Cauliflower Poppers drizzled in Buffalo-inspired gastrique. New sandwiches and salads include the Bayou Bánh Mì with andouille sausage, spicy pickled vegetable slaw, chipotle aioli, and cilantro on a brioche bun alongside a Cajun Shrimp & Avocado Wedge Salad with chilled Cajun-spiced shrimp, fresh avocado, crisp Iceberg, bacon, bleu cheese, and pickled red onion. Larger entrées include Surf & Turf, featuring apple cider-glazed pork belly and scallops with corn maque choux and roasted pepper gastrique; Sweet Potato Jambalaya featuring a Creole-spiced stew of sweet potato simmered with long-grain rice, red beans, bell peppers, onion, celery and tomato; and Tasso Ham Carbonara featuring fettuccini folded into a cream egg yolk sauce with smoky Tasso ham, sweet English peas, and smoked parmesan cheese.
A refreshed lunch and dinner menu includes a File-Crusted Half Chicken atop a creamy garlicky stew on fingerling potatoes and spinach, and a wood-grilled Prime Ribeye 12-oz Steak alongside creamy Yukon gold mashed potatoes, broccolini, and au poivre sauce and herb butter. Exclusively after 5:00 PM, guests can also enjoy the Adelaide Seafood Boil for Two featuring shrimp, mussels, clams, catch of the day, corn on the cob, and potatoes in a Pho-inspired broth.
To finish, Adelaide offers indulgent new desserts like Bread Pudding with whisky-soaked raisin-caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Cocktails include Golden Rebellion crafted with High West Bourbon, peach liqueur, honey syrup, and lemon juice.
Breakfast is available from 6:30 AM to 11:00 AM daily. Weekend Brunch is served from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The All-Day Menus are served from 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM daily. High-res images can be found here. The full menu can be found here. Reservations can be made here.
Van Ryder, Salt Lake City’s cowboy-chic rooftop bar, welcomes guests to savor a refreshed menu featuring elevated, Western-inspired bites crafted with bold flavors. The new menu introduces a selection of new dishes designed for sharing, from trail starters and hearty provisions to indulgent sweets. Guests can indulge in the Cast Iron Baked Cornbread Muffins made with roasted corn and cheddar cheese; served with Cholula honey butter; the Roasted Shishito Peppers are tossed in a trail-ready blend of Tajin aioli and queso fresco; the Parisa a.k.a. Cowboy Ceviche features high-quality raw beef, pickled jalapenos, and grated cheddar cheese with onion, garlic and lime all served with saltine crackers; and Smoked Trout Rillettes made with brown sugar-cured trout, crème fraîche, and crispy oven-baked crackers. Other shareables include the Beer-battered Tempura Mushrooms paired with a trio of sauces inspired by the crossroads of the west including: chili garlic oil, smoky soy aioli, and cilantro lime dressing; the Albondigas Meatballs feature an oversized pork meatball stuffed with a grain-and-herb filling with braised mezcal gravy topped with Pico de Gallo and cilantro and served with flour tortillas; and lastly the Wagyu Beef Sliders served with 3 premium Wagyu beef patties on mini brioche buns, topped with house-made pimento cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Guests can finish their visit with new Sundown Sweets, including the Tres Leches Cake, a decadent vanilla sponge cake soaked in cream, evaporated milk, and condensed milk, topped with shaved strawberries, or the Caramel S’more Tartlet featuring dulce de leche, open-flame toasted marshmallow fluff, lime zest, in a sweet pastry crust.
Stein Lodge’s Zane Holmquist passes the baton on
Via press release
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Zane Holmquist, VP of Food & Beverage Operations and Corporate Chef of Stein Collection, will retire at the end of this year. Holmquist, who has garnered numerous accolades and has been synonymous with the legendary reputation of Stein’s for more than two decades, leaves the esteemed culinary operations to Jason Berrett, the new VP of Food & Beverage, and Chef Jonathon Miller, the new Director of Culinary Operations & Corporate Chef.
“It has been an absolute privilege to have Chef Zane’s vision, leadership, and culinary expertise shape the unrivaled culinary experiences for which Stein Collection is renowned,” said Russ Olsen, President & CEO of Stein Collection. “We wish him the very best in retirement and want to congratulate Jason and Chef Miller for their recent promotions to build on the enduring legacy created by Chef Zane.”
During his 48+ years in the food and beverage industry, Holmquist has showcased his work at the renowned James Beard House in Greenwich Village, and his cuisine has been featured in SKI, Bon Appétit, Sunset, Salt Lake Magazine, and Triathlete. He was named Utah Restaurant Association Chef of the Year, and under his leadership, The Glitretind restaurant has maintained the Forbes Four-Star award and earned the SantéAward, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and DiRONA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award), among other accolades. Upon retirement at the end of the year, Holmquist plans to relocate to the South of France with his wife where he will continue to enjoy cooking, road biking, and racing triathlons.
Raised in Utah and Wyoming, Jason Berrett joined Stein Collection in 2001 as Restaurant Manager and advanced to the Director of Food & Beverage in 2016. Jason’s promotion to VP of Food & Beverage recognizes more than two decades of leadership, innovation, and dedication to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences at Stein Collection. Outside of the kitchen, he is an avid outdoorsman, dedicated farmer and gardener, an accomplished home brewer, and crafter of hard cider.
Born in Indiana and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Chef Jonathon Miller joined Stein Collection in 2005 as Kitchen Manager and was promoted to Executive Chef in 2016. His new appointment to Director of Culinary Operations & Corporate Chef is a direct result of his leadership, consistency, and passion for culinary excellence. Aside from cooking, Chef Miller enjoys spending time with his wife and children, golfing, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For more information about the culinary team or dining experiences at Stein Collection properties, please contact Jeannie Lambert at (435) 604-2793 or jlambert@steinlodge.com. Additional information about Stein Collection can be found at www.steincollection.com.
Overlook Restaurant hires new exec chef
Via press info
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Chef Ernesto Rocha is the new Executive Chef of Overlook Restaurant at Black Rock Mountain Resort in Heber City, Utah. Chef Ernesto Rocha came to Park City from Mexico City in 1991 at 17 years old, planning to wash dishes for a season before heading home. Thirty-four years later, he’s still there.
Entirely self-taught, he’s spent the past three decades cooking through the evolution of Park City itself, working in more than 20 restaurants and hotels, including Grappa, Chimayo, Washington School House, Powder at Waldorf Astoria Park City. His first promotion came after an entire kitchen staff walked out mid-service and he stepped onto the line because he couldn’t afford to lose the job.
Today, that same mentality shapes how he runs the culinary program at Overlook. His sourcing leans on local relationships (Ballerina Farm, Heber Valley Cheese, Gold Creek Farms), and experience-driven dining for both visitors and locals. That philosophy also shows up in playful moments like the Birthday Waffle – a stacked, over-the-top shareable dessert with birthday cake waffles, frosting, ice cream, and candy – alongside tableside touches like guest sabering experiences designed to make dining feel celebratory rather than routine.
Dos Olas scoops Mountain Mixer cocktail contest
Via press release
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Saturday’s live finale of the Mountain Mixer Park City cocktail contest, presented by the Park City Area Restaurant Association (PCARA), named Adriel Danan of Dos Olas Cantina this year’s champion for his cocktail, “Crimson Smoked.”
“This year’s live competition was one for the books as the Park City community toasted, tasted, and cheered on our Top Ten finalists as they battled for the title of the summer’s best cocktail,” said Park City Area Restaurant Association Executive Director Ginger Wicks. “Huge congratulations to Adriel Danan for being named this year’s Mountain Mixer Park City champion and earning some well-deserved bragging rights among his fellow competitors. We also want to congratulate all of our finalists for bringing such creativity and talent to the competition.”
The Top Ten finalists took the stage at Deer Valley Resort’s Silver Lake Lodge to showcase their cocktail craft in front of an enthusiastic audience and three distinguished judges: Charles Joly, global cocktail champion, James Beard Award winner, and creative force behind some of the world’s most celebrated drinks; Ben Usen, Regional Sales Director of La Colombe and Founder of Installation Coffee; and Casey Metzger, owner of Top Shelf Professional Bar Services.
Alpine Distilling debuts new Single Malt Experience
Via press release:
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As American Single Malt Whiskey enters a new era of national recognition, Alpine Distilling is inviting whiskey enthusiasts to experience the category firsthand through a limited-time Single Malt Experience at the Park City Social Aid & Pleasure Club on Main Street in Park City. Designed for both seasoned whiskey enthusiasts and curious newcomers, the tasting explores two distinctive expressions of Alpine Distilling’s award-winning American Single Malt Whiskey through an immersive educational and culinary experience.
Available exclusively at the Alpine Distilling Social Aid & Pleasure Club on Historic Main Street in Park City, the experience includes a side-by-side tasting of two distinct single malt expressions from separate barrels, a handcrafted Park City Old Fashioned paired with maple bourbon jerky, and two bottles of Alpine Distilling Single Malt Whiskey to take home. Only 25 experience packages are available, making this one of Alpine Distilling’s most exclusive whiskey experiences.
“Our goal has always been to help people better understand what they’re tasting and why,” said Sara Sergent, CEO and Master Botanical Distiller of Alpine Distilling. “This experience invites guests to explore how grain, barrel selection, aging, and proof come together to shape the character of American Single Malt Whiskey while celebrating one of the fastest-growing categories in American whiskey.”
The experience comes as American Single Malt Whiskey continues to gain national attention following the establishment of the TTB’s official American Single Malt Whiskey standard of identity, which took effect in January 2025. Alpine Distilling’s Single Malt Whiskey, formerly released as Traveler’s Rest and awarded a Double Gold Medal at The Fifty Best American Malt Whiskey Awards, is crafted from 100% North American malted barley, aged first in used Missouri oak barrels before finishing in charred French oak, and distilled, aged, and bottled entirely in Park City, Utah.
Guests will compare Alpine Distilling’s flagship Single Malt Whiskey with its limited-edition Barrel Proof Single Malt, a collector’s-edition expression produced entirely in Utah. The side-by-side tasting highlights how barrel selection, proof, and maturation influence aroma, texture, and flavor while offering a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship behind each whiskey.
The experience takes place at Alpine Distilling on Main Street, inspired by the century-old tradition of New Orleans social aid and pleasure clubs, where community, hospitality, and exceptional food and drink come together. The intimate setting provides an ideal environment for whiskey education and conversation.
The Single Malt Experience reflects Alpine Distilling’s commitment to creating immersive hospitality experiences that connect education, craftsmanship, and flavor. Reservations are now available through the Park City Social Aid & Pleasure Club. With only 25 experience packages offered, availability is limited.
Dented Brick celebrates a decade of distilling
Via press release:
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Dented Brick® Distillery, Salt Lake City’s premier grain-to-glass distillery, is proud to announce its 10th anniversary. To commemorate a decade of “Craft, Grit, and Growth,” the distillery is unveiling a striking new look across its award-winning spirits line, featuring premium labels that reflect its commitment to quality and authentic Utah heritage.
Since opening its doors in 2016, Dented Brick® has stood by a singular philosophy: “It starts with the water”. Located on a historic site once owned by Utah’s first distiller of record, Hugh Moon, the distillery draws its water from a proprietary artesian well. This limestone-filtered Rocky Mountain snowmelt provides the chemical-free, mineral-rich foundation for every bottle of Dented Brick® vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey.
“Ten years ago, we set out to create exceptional spirits without compromise,” said Marc Christensen, CEO and Founder of Dented Brick Distillery. “Reaching this milestone is a testament to our team’s dedication and the support of our community. Our new premium labels represent the next chapter of our story—elevating the visual experience to match the world-class quality of what’s inside the bottle.”
The 10th-anniversary label redesign celebrates the distillery’s distinctive history, including the iconic “dented bricks” from the legendary gunfight, while presenting a contemporary look for today’s spirits fans. These new designs will be featured across the entire product range. In this milestone year, Dented Brick® is also expanding through a new private securities offering for accredited investors, reinforcing its position in the competitive craft spirits market.
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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”.
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