One of the perks to living on campus is being so close to downtown Salt Lake City. I have never lived so close to a city before, so it’s been fun exploring different parts of Salt Lake during the week to catch a break in between studying. I’m from Utah and would frequently go to Salt Lake to meet with family or friends just to eat here. I’m a big foodie and living here has made it all more convenient! Before moving here, I created a list of places that I wanted to try or eat at. What’s great about all of these locations is that they are all accessible by the UTA system, so you don’t need a car to get there! Here are some of Salt Lake’s must try restaurants:
Location: 250 South 300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Gourmandise is an absolute favorite—who doesn’t love a bakery? Ever since I returned from my Spring Break trip from France, I have visited this place every week. I’m a sucker for pastries, so every now and then, I’ll order a box full of goodies to take home and share with family. They make a great, hefty oatmeal for breakfast which will leave you highly satisfied. I highly recommend trying the Saumon en Croute for dinner and finishing it off with literally any of their desserts. I like to rotate between the marzipan and chocolate mousse. Also, what’s a French restaurant without the classic croissant? Be sure to grab one of those, too.
Location: 248 S Edison St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
If you’re going for a street food vibe, you should pay ROCTACO a visit. They have a variety of creative tacos you can pick from depending on what type of meat you are craving: cow, bird, hog, sea and earth— that’s actually how they categorize their tacos. On the side, make sure to grab some of their chips and guac. I really enjoy their guac because they top it off with pomegranate seeds and sunflower seeds. It’s a flavorful touch.
Location: 146 Regent St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
If you like Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich, you need to try Pretty Bird. Their chicken sandwich features a buttered bun, Pretty Bird Sauce, slaw, pickles, and a fat chunk of meat with—in my opinion—the perfect balance between breading and actual meat. You also get to choose the level of spiciness that they season the chicken. I’m not much of a person who likes spice, so I opted for the mild option. It was enough to add extra flavor but not leave me in tears. While it is all delicious, the only downside is the price. It’s $17 for the sandwich combo, which comes with a drink and side. I guess you get what you pay for!
Location: 1438 State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
K-bbq, anyone? It’s an all you care to eat experience, except you have to cook your own food. It sounds interesting, but it’s both an experience and a dinner date all at once! You pick what type of meat/seafood/vegetables you want to cook and they’ll bring it to you. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to cook, they’ll help you out. There are also other dishes that you can order that are already cooked like fried rice, grilled fish or hot soup. My favorite thing about Korean BBQ though are the side dishes which includes bean sprouts, fish cakes, kimchi, sweet potatoes, pickled radish and more.
Location: 159 S Rio Grande St, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
It gets cold in Utah sometimes, right? What’s good to eat on a cold day? Soup. Mr. Shabu is an Asian hotpot place with a variety of broths that you can choose from like tonkotsu, sukiyaki, galbi beef bone or beef bone. Then, from your table, you order what type of meat you want. They will bring the broth and meat to your table for you to boil. I know, another “cook for yourself” type of situation, but they’re fun. There’s also an island at the center of the restaurant where you can go and pick additional foods to add to your soup like vegetables, sauces or seafood items.
Location: 473 E 300 S Salt Lake City, UT 84111
More soup! Their menu is simple, choose from three types of ramen: pork, chicken or vegetarian. You get to pick your toppings and any other appetizers like gyoza or hot wings. I am someone who eats ramen quite frequently, and I will say this is on the top of the list, especially their gyoza. So, if the Top Ramen isn’t cutting it, try some authentic ramen from this place. It’s right off the UTA Trax Redline!
I could go on about all the eateries in the area but this blog would probably go on forever. Here are some other places that I recommend as well:
This still isn’t everything but my list is going to continue to grow. Also, if you ever see me on campus, feel free to give me some of your recommendations! If there’s one thing that binds us all together, it has to be food.
Reann Flores