Utah Stories

Light Lunch Fare With Local Flair—Cafe Solstice Offers a Healthy Lunch Menu Featuring Local Produce.

The vibe at Cafe Solstice is down-to-earth, comfortable, and friendly.

|


An inviting interior welcomes diners to Cafe Solstice. Photos by Steven Vargo.

The moment you walk into Cafe Solstice inside the hippie emporium, Dancing Crane, you know you’re in for something different. The ceilings are high, decorated with strings of colorful lights to match the funky decor. The feeling is down-to-earth, comfortable, and friendly. There’s a small library of books to read, huge indoor plants, comfy couches to lounge on, and local art displayed on the walls.

The menu features a plethora of coffee and tea beverages and a menu of light lunch options. Expect to find craveable sandwiches, delectable soups, and other veg-friendly dishes with produce from Keep It Real Vegetables and Stagl Organics.There’s also a tempting pastry case with vegan and gluten-free desserts.

Owner Erin Arrigo firmly believes in the power of buying local, and her passion shows in flavorful and fresh dishes. “Using local produce throughout the growing season not only guarantees high quality food, but a bond with the growers and the food they deliver. I get to expand my normal menus and create new things that taste amazing and are intrinsically valuable. I feel that the more we give support to local food growers, we can help guarantee a future with healthy and diverse food sources,” she says.

Stop by Cafe Solstice the next time you’re in the mood for a healthy lunch and a relaxing afternoon of New Age shopping. You can find them inside Dancing Crane at 673 Simpson Avenue in Salt Lake City.

Erin Arrigo, owner of Cafe Solstice.
,

Join our newsletter.
Stay informed.


  • How I Lost 120 Pounds and Changed My Relationship With Food

    Throughout most of my life, I used food to cope with chaos, depression, and pain I did not yet understand. By my early twenties, I weighed over 320 pounds and felt trapped in a body that limited every part of my life. This is the story of how learning about food, mental health, and habit-building helped me lose 120 pounds and rebuild stability.


  • Highway 6 and the Midland Trail: Utah’s Transcontinental Highway History

    From Price Canyon to Delta’s desert stretch, Utah played a central role in building the Midland Trail, one of America’s earliest transcontinental highways and the foundation of today’s Highway 6.


  • When Main Street Burned: The Aftermath of the Salt Lake City Fire That Hit Downtown Bars

    Fire doesn’t respect zoning, property lines, or even the most popular block on Main Street. On the evening of Monday, August 11, 2025, a blaze that began around 8:40 p.m. on Main Street. It moved quickly through a row of aging, interconnected buildings that had become the heart and soul of Salt Lake City’s fledgling bar district. By the time firefighters brought it under control, multiple businesses were damaged, dozens of workers were displaced, and one of the city’s most active stretches went dark.

    The fire started at London Bell and spread into neighboring structures, severely damaging Whiskey Street. White Horse never caught fire, but smoke, water, and a partial roof collapse caused extensive interior damage, forcing a full rebuild. Other nearby businesses were affected as well, including some that had helped turn this part of Main Street into one of its most active and economically stable stretches.


  • Utah Acquires US Magnesium Assets in $30M Deal to Protect the Great Salt Lake

    Utah leaders announced the state has successfully won the bid to acquire key assets of the defunct US Magnesium facility on the Great Salt Lake, including its associated water rights and property.