10 restaurants to try in Salt Lake City this weekend
After cooking a big meal on Thanksgiving, the thought of cooking even more food is exhausting. The good news is there are plenty of restaurants in Salt Lake City that you can try this weekend, whether you plan to be out and about shopping Black Friday deals or laying around in pajamas.
Here are 10 restaurants that I’ve eaten at this year that I think would be good places to go during the Thanksgiving weekend, which suit a variety of cravings and budgets.
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Salt & Olive
Address: 270 S. 300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
What to get: This casual restaurant has appetizers, pizza, pastas and salads. My favorite menu item here is the caprese salad. It has burrata cheese instead of the traditional mozzarella, and the heirloom tomato slices, in my experience, are consistently high-quality. If you’re in the mood for something a little more substantial, the pappardelle al tartufo (a creamy mushroom and pea pasta) is also worth trying.
Chile-Tepin
Address: 307 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
What to get: If you want fresh food, Chile-Tepin is the place to go. I’m partial to the restaurant’s fajitas and the taco salad. The peppers here have a bit of char to them, but they’re balanced by the acid and creaminess in the guacamole. What impresses me about Chile-Tepin is the bold seasoning, the quality of the ingredients and the consistency of the food. You may want to try the flan — I split it with a friend this year and it was a great way to end the meal.
Curry Fried Chicken
Address: 660 S. State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
What to get: The curry fried chicken here is expertly seasoned. It’s crispy, so when you bite into it, it has a noticeable crunch. The salad that comes on the side adds some freshness to the dish, and it pairs well with the veggie curry, giving you another highlight of the seasoning that makes this dish so good.
The Copper Onion
Address: 111 E. Broadway Street, Suite 170, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
What to get: It’s best to schedule a reservation here. If you want to start with any appetizers, you can’t go wrong with the ricotta dumplings, patatas bravas and roasted carrots. The carrots have a bit of spice to them, but it’s balanced out with some dairy. In terms of an entree, it’s again hard to go wrong with any choice, but I like the steak frites and the rainbow trout. Be sure to get a side of the crispy cauliflower.
Settebello’s
Address: 260 S. 200 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
What to get: I’m a fan of the panzanella here. Panzanella is a salad that has chunks of bread in it, and, at Settebello’s, they include some of my favorite vegetables, like tomato and fennel. If I’m in the mood for pizza instead of salad, I like to get either the margherita (and sprinkle red pepper flakes on top) or the vico, which has fennel, mascarpone, sausage and red onion.
Kathmandu
Address: 3142 Highland Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84106.
What to get: My favorite dish here is the chana masala. For heat level, I usually get medium or hot (if you get hot and aren’t used to spice, get a lassi on the side for a cooling effect). I like to scoop up the chickpeas with some roti. Another great option here is the aloo kerau, which has potatoes and peas in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce.
Afghan Kitchen
Address: 1465 S. State Street #10, Salt Lake City, UT 84115.
What to get: The chicken qorma here is cooked in a fantastic sauce that has a strong taste of ginger and garlic. When I ate here with a couple of my friends, we split the chicken dashi, which is served in a cast-iron pan (the sauce has a bit of a smoky flavor to it). The next time I visit, I plan on getting the pumpkin mantu, which has a garlicky yogurt sauce.
Nomad East
Address: 1675 E. 1300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84105.
What to get: The smoked salmon salad has a variety of textures, from the breadcrumbs to the pickled golden raisins. It’s a great salad to share with the table as a starter. I also have enjoyed the wedge salad, which has the classic combination of bacon and blue cheese. My favorite pizza here is the pretty in pink, which has a bit of a kick to it from the red pepper flakes and Fresno chili, and I also like a create-your-own with arugula.
Gourmandise
Address: 250 S. 300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
What to get: The Greek grains and greens salad is chock-full of cucumbers, chickpeas, feta, tomatoes and farro. This hearty salad is great with grilled salmon on top. Another one of my favorite dishes here is the pasta with butternut squash and brown butter sage cream sauce. The sauce is perfect for fall and winter, and the squash and Brussels sprouts add some hearty vegetables to the mix.
Sawadee Thai
Address: 754 E. South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.
What to get: My favorite dish on the menu is the stir-fried cashew nut chicken with rice. The mix of vegetables (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, baby corn), along with the sauce and cashews, is the perfect combination of freshness, heartiness and crunch. The satay chicken comes with a delightful peanut sauce, making it also worth a try. Next time I eat here, I’m going to try the lettuce wraps because I saw my friend order them and I was impressed by the herb selection.
