Stanza
Stanza Italian Bistro is the newest restaurant in the Main Course Media family and recently opened its doors in the renovated space that used to be known as Faustina. The space is beautiful and modern, but the food and cocktails shine on their own. What is most exciting to me about Stanza is its unique cocktail menu, focused on Amaro (Amari) and Negronis. Amari spirits are Italian bitters, and the Utah imbiber is becoming more educated about these wonderful aperitifs and digestifs. Try anyone of the Negroni variations, or enjoy a great selection of Amari to wet your appetite. Along with a great cocktail menu, the beautiful dishes created by Phelix Gardner are some of my favorites in the city. Try the Carrot Torchi, with milk braised rabbit, pickled fennel, shaved carrot – it is unlike any other dish you will find in Salt Lake; creamy, flavorful, and dreamy.
454 East 300 South, SLC
Naked Fish
Naked Fish is one of the best places in Salt Lake to get traditional Japanese fare and top notch, fresh, interesting sushi. Not to mention, some of the best ramen and kimchi you can imagine (served at lunch). The fish is fresh daily and the selection usually includes something special. It is obvious from any dish that you order, that Naked Fish creates all of their menu items with a love of food, presentation, and honor for the purity of flavors. Ingredients used are at the highest level, which makes it easy for Naked Fish to showcase and enhance what is pure to an ingredient, rather than cover it up. Naked Fish presents food in its purest, and most beautiful form. The cocktail menu also showcases this same philosophy, with both eye catching craft cocktails and sake cocktails that will pair perfectly with your food and that you won’t soon forget.
67 West 100 South, SLC
Pago
Pago Restaurant is one of the pioneers of the farm to table, organic, sustainable food movement here in Salt Lake City. When Pago opened in 2009, Salt Lake was extremely ready for more options in regards to restaurants with seasonal, rotating menus that featured products from purveyors in our own backyard. Pago answered that call in a big way and has been a Salt Lake City favorite ever since—winning many esteemed local and national awards, including Best Restaurant and the Green Fork Award in 2012 from Salt Lake magazine. Pago even grows quite a few ingredients on site and strives to make sure that EVERY ingredient is locally sourced, not just a few here and there. When items go out of season, new ingredients replace them. While lunch and dinner showcase many amazing options, my favorite dishes are on Pago’s brunch menu.
878 South 900 East, SLC
