Ogden may be best known for its breathtaking views and endless outdoor activity options. However, travelers recently have begun noticing something new about Ogden, something that may not have caught their attention before, but now is impossible to ignore.

Wonderful, mysterious aromas permeate the air. Some of the smells seem vaguely familiar, but the majority of them are foreign. Upon further inspection, all the smells seem to be originating from the downtown area. The aromas have been discovered to be emanating from restaurants both new and old.

All kidding aside, the local food scene in Ogden has never been categorized as “lacking” by any means, but it has recently seen a surge of growth. It seems like a new restaurant is being welcomed to the city each week. What was once a modest selection of local fare has expanded into a wide array of options.

Though a mature metro food culture is still in its infancy, foodies have already taken notice and are venturing to Ogden to try the new cuisines. Local restaurants brim with patrons throughout the week, and this trend only appears to be thriving as the number of restaurants grows. With all of the new additions, there should be a menu that satisfies your particular cuisine cravings.

One of the main selling points of local fare is the locally-sourced ingredients. Many area  favorites, as well as some newcomers, source much of their food from local producers. This offers a unique experience by sampling not only the best the restaurant has to offer, but also the best the surrounding area has to offer.

One native restaurant that sources locally whenever possible is Lucky Slice. Everything from milk, butter, and cream (Rosehill Dairy), to honey (The Honey Jar), organic tomatoes (Marvin’s Gardens) and sausage (Stone Meats) are sourced from high quality, local sources. During the summer months they also like to feature local produce from the Ogden farmers market. When asked why they like to keep it local, Lucky Slice owner Nick VanArsdell said, “I like it because we have personal relationships with the vendors and can get a much more custom tailored and responsive experience from them.”

Another downtown restaurant that keeps things local is Tona Sushi. They source seasonal produce (Linda Weiskopf, Zoe’s Garden), and also buy organic whenever possible. Obviously, the seafood items cannot be locally sourced, but Tona does use local trout when in season. “Keep the economy local, support the local farmers, and getting the freshest ingredients possible” said Tony Chen, co-owner of Tona, when asked why he likes to source ingredients locally.

These are two of the many restaurants offering fresh local ingredients whenever possible. Ogden restaurants serve their customers with pride knowing that they are helping the community.

Given the views, the hospitality and the locally-sourced food, a dining trip to Ogden will yield a memorable outing. As the list of restaurants continues to grow, so too will the number of visitors. Ogden’s food culture secret is now out.

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