Once underestimated, Salt Lake City now boasts one of the West’s most progressive and diverse dining scenes—mountain modern, deeply local, and always ready to surprise.
1. Forage
If there’s one can’t-miss high-end experience in the state, it’s Forage: a place where New American tasting menus showcase wild-foraged mountain greens, Utah lamb, spring roots, and trout prepared with Nordic technique.
In a minimalist setting, the staff orchestrates one of the city’s most detail-obsessed meals.
It’s special-occasion territory and a showcase for Salt Lake’s evolving sophistication.
2. Red Iguana
This family-owned Mexican legend is a rite of passage. The glowing “neon lizard” sign points the way to the city’s most complex moles (seven varieties!), tangy carnitas, chile verde, and mango enchiladas.
The lines are legendary—and the salsas legendary, too. Warm, bustling, and colorful, Red Iguana is as much a social institution as a restaurant.
3. Current Fish & Oyster
Salt Lake changes your mind about “landlocked seafood” at Current. Imagine plump oysters shucked to order, trendsetting crudos, King Salmon with mustard jus, and fun house cocktails.
The light-and-glass-filled dining room feels like a cosmopolitan treat. Service is polished, and the fish flown in fresh daily.
4. Pago
This independent bistro was early to Utah’s farm-to-table movement, and it still leads with locally sourced lamb, ricotta gnocchi, roasted carrots with harissa, and a top-tier wine program.
The intimate 9th & 9th location bustles with guests, and brunch is ideal after a morning hike or museum trip.
5. Takashi
Voted repeatedly as the state’s best sushi, Takashi offers pristine nigiri, creative rolls (try the “Tiger Roll”), and cunning small plates in an urban-cool setting.
The Sapporo flows, the service moves briskly, and regulars know to get there early for a coveted seat at the bar.
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