Every Utah Restaurant Featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives"

Burger Bar

Family-owned and operated since 1956, the Burger Bar in Roy, Utah (near Ogden) is a classic drive-in burger shack loved by locals. It serves classics like burgers, fries, and shakes as well as unique options such as wild boar and elk burgers. And of course, they serve fry sauce.

Moochie's Meatballs and More

Salt Lake pottery artist Don MacDonald and his wife Joanna decided to start making and selling sandwiches when Joanna, who grew up in Philadelphia, couldn't find a decent cheesesteak anywhere in Salt Lake City. The result is a sandwich shop inside a pottery shop, and some of the best homemade food this side of Philly. The cheesesteaks are the star of the show, but the meatball sandwiches are also a must-try.

Oh Mai Sandwich Kitchen

Oh Mai offers Vietnamese favorites like bahn mi sandwiches, pho, vermicelli noodles, and more. The garlic ribeye bahn mi is a showstopper but the fusion items, like a short rib banh mi with kimchi, are also mouthwatering. There are even vegan-friendly options on the menu. Oh Mai has become one of SLC's most popular Asian restaurants and has a passionate following.

Pat's Barbecue

Award-winning barbecue competitor Pat Barber smokes up some of Salt Lake's best brisket, ribs, and other favorites in this simple but appealing South Salt Lake joint. Rotating specials, like smoked brisket chili or a grilled hot link served on a bun with pulled pork, keep customers coming back for more.

The Red Iguana

Opened in 1985 by the Cardenas family, The Red Iguana is one of Salt Lake City's best-loved restaurants. It serves some of the best Mexican food you can find anywhere. The original location near the Utah State Fairpark is so popular that the owners opened The Red Iguana 2 right around the corner. Consider ordering one of six different kinds of mole or perhaps try the chile Colorado, chopped sirloin simmered in sauce of tomatoes and red chile powder and served with tortillas, rice, and refried beans.

Ruth's Diner

Ruth's Diner in Emigration Canyon has been in business since 1930, making it one of the oldest restaurants in the state. The cozy piece of heaven is a nice escape from the city and customers can even enjoy their meal in a vintage trolley car! Serving American comfort food, the biscuits, macaroni and cheese, soups, and sandwiches are especially good.

Sammy's Bistro

Park City native Sam Harris started out as a waiter and line cook in several local restaurants, and in 2011 he opened Sammy's Bistro with the goal of serving creative food that everyone can afford. The menu is heavily inspired by Harris' culinary travels with options like Texas BBQ shrimp, a grilled romaine wedge salad, and mahi mahi tacos.

Silver Star Cafe

The Silver Star Cafe in Park City offers an innovative twist on homestyle cuisine, along with beautiful mountain views. The pork osso bucco was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" but the diverse menu also has innovative pizzas (like shrimp and chorizo), seared elk burgers, and hearty stews.

It's also one of the best small music venues in Park City. Local and touring artists take the stage Thursday through Saturday, playing acoustic bluegrass, jazz, folk, and blues music.

Tin Roof Grill

The Tin Roof Grill in Sandy serves up amazing food in an unpretentious location. Creative combinations and attention to detail make Tin Roof's cuisine memorable. It's a great place to eat before or after a Real Salt Lake game. The pizzas are especially delicious and be sure to save room for some cheesecake.

Purgatory Bar

This irreverent bar and restaurant puts an Asian spins on traditional American pub fare. The menu was inspired by Japanese izakayas and the result is fusion dishes like breakfast bowls with shoyu-butter fried rice or loaded french fries topped with Korean braised beef, kimchi, mozzarella, and gochujang mayonnaise. The bar offers craft cocktail alongside a wide range of beer and wines.

Lone Star Taqueria

Lone Star Taqueria has been serving authentic Mexican fare to the Salt Lake City area since 1994. You'll know you've arrived once you see bright green building and a car covered in old stickers. The fish tacos are especially good, as are the shrimp tacos and marinated pork tacos. Beyond tacos there are burritos, tamales, salads and quesadillas. If you want to bring some Lone Star goodness with you, they sell half-pints, pints, and quarts of their meats and sides.

Finn's Cafe

The original Finn's Cafe first opened in 1952, run by Norwegian immigrant Finn Gurholt. Offering a Norwegian spin on American classics, the restaurant became a city institution before closing in 1992. Luckily, Finn Gurholt Jr. and his wife Vickey stepped up and reopened the family restaurant in 2006. The eggs Benedict are some of the best in the city and the Reuben, served on house-made rye, is a crowd-pleaser. For some Nordic goodness try the pyttipanna, a dish of diced beef, potato, carrots, and onions topped with poached eggs and toast. The sourdough here is especially good.

Hruska's Kolaches

This Provo bakery was started by three Texans who wanted to bring kolaches to the masses, using a secret recipe inherited from their grandmother. Since opening in 2014, the business has expanded to three more Utah locations. All of the kolaches are made in small batches so you know they'll always be fresh. Sweet options include strawberry Nutella and cinnamon while savory options range from bacon, egg, and cheese to chicken cilantro omelet.

Curry Pizza

For some truly unique pizzas, Curry Pizza is the place to be. The eclectic menu combines the owner's Indian heritage with, you guessed it, pizza. Want butter chicken pizza? They've got a pie with chicken tikka, mozzarella, onions, roasted garlic, ginger, and cilantro on top of makhani curry. Or how about a mango korma curry pizza topped with mozzarella, pineapple, scallions, and cilantro. The menu also offers classic pizzas.

Laziz Kitchen

Originated from a humble stall selling hummus at a farmer's market, Laziz Kitchen opened its door in 2016. The restaurant brings new twists on Lebanese cuisine to Salt Lake City. The menu includes classic dishes like tabbouleh salad, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves as well as innovative takes on American favorites like a ground lamb burger with yogurt sauce, lettuce, tomato, crispy beets, and caramelized onions. And of course, you'll need to try the hummus that started it all.

Proper Burger Co.

Founded by the minds behind Proper Brewing Co., this burger spot set up shop right next door to the brewery. In addition to classic cheeseburgers, the menu gets creative like with Pork City USA, a burger with house-made ham, bacon, fries, tomato, lettuce, a fried egg, pickled jalapeño, American cheese and the house-made Proper sauce. The rarebit sauce, made with beer and two types of cheese, is especially drool-worthy. If you want something other than a ground beef patty, all "styles" can be ordered with chicken breast, a black bean and sweet potato burger, or a vegan patty.

Whiskey Street

With a name referencing the many saloons, distilleries, and parlors on Salt Lake City's Main Street, the cocktails here are a big draw. The drinks menu is extensive, with innovative cocktails that suit any and all palates, as well as respectable wine and beer lists. Give the Rotisserie Inn Punch a try. The rum-based cocktail with raspberry liqueur, Prosecco, lemon, and sugar has a 100-year-old history.

The food menu is just as unique with twists on classic bar snacks like an assortment of spiced nuts, tempura-fried cheese curds, and deviled eggs with bourbon smoked paprika, bacon, pimento cheese, chives, and mustard seed. Larger plates include salmon with a Kentucky bourbon soy glaze and a short rib grilled cheese.

MayMoes Cajun Grill

Chef-owner Jason Davis brings over 30 years of Louisiana cooking experience to Utahns at this Cajun restaurant. It's hard to go wrong with this menu but the blackened chicken pasta and marrow butter burger are favorites that were featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." If you've never tried a po' boy before, MayMoes has six different versions, from classic shrimp to smoked chicken. Or try cajun classics like jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and red beans and rice.

El Salvador Los Primos

Los Primos is the place to go for authentic Salvadoran and Mexican cuisine. Chef Dona Mani used recipes passed down for generations to craft a menu featuring gorditas, sopes (a thick tortilla topped with meat, lettuce, salsa, cheese, and your choice of meat), fried yucca, and more. Birria and menudo are on offer each weekend and there are several rotating daily specials. Think pupusas, Michoacan-style enchiladas, red mole with pork, and Salvaordan caldo de pollo (chicken soup)

Tandoori Oven

First opened in 2004, Tandoori Oven quickly became a local favorite for its cozy atmosphere and award-winning food. The menu has the usual suspects: varieties of biryani, korma, and vindaloos, as well as grilled meats and more. Traditional beverages like chai, Indian coffee, and rose lassi pair nicely with your meal. The dessert options are traditional as well, like a house-made cardamom rice pudding topped with golden raisins and cashews.

Sabores

If you've ever had a hard time deciding what kind of cuisine you want, then Sabores is the place for you. The fusion menu has options that span the globe. From Peruvian ceviche to Vietnamese pho the menu is filled with crowd pleasers. There's also tons of American fare including a club sandwich and unconventional cheeseburger with an peanut butter, pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli, bacon, Sriracha, lettuce, onion, and tomato.

Herm's Inn

The original Herm's Inn (called Herman's Inn) was built in the early 1900s as the last chance for travelers into Logan Canyon to rest up and fuel up. More than a century later in 2012, the building got a new life as a restaurant. The menu is chock-full of American comfort food, all made from scratch. On weekends, order the cinnamon roll topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. The inside-out grilled cheese is a favorite also featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." The sandwich has two slices of cheese-covered bread filled with black beans and avocado.

The Pie Dump

This Utah institution and local favorite has been in business for almost 100 years. Despite the name, pie isn't the only draw here, though there is a wide variety of house-made pastries and desserts and the fresh doughnuts are especially good. Diners love the hot rolls and gravy and the French dip on fresh sourdough is Guy Fieri-approved. Once a month, the Pie Dump extends its opening hours to open a steakhouse with options like ribeye steaks, grilled basa fish, and pecan pie for dessert.

Arempas

This award-winning Venezuelan restaurant first opened its doors in 2001. The arepas are the main draw, with 12 filling options including ham and cheese, carne asada, or plantains. The menu has even more drool-worthy street food like empanadas, cachapas (ground corn sought stuffed with meat and cheese), tequeños (deep-fried cheese sticks), and patacons (a sandwich that uses crispy fried plantain instead of bread). There are plenty of vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options available too.

Papito Moe's

This casual restaurant and food truck will be your new go-to for Puerto Rican cuisine. The mofongo, a dish of green plantains mashed with garlic sauce and pork rinds, is quite popular, especially the version served with garlic shrimp, deep fried pork bites, or roast pork. Or opt for a grub bowl, your choice of protein served with rice and fried green or yellow plantains. For something less filling, try the empanadillas.

Santo Taco

Co-founders of Santo Taco, Claudia and Alfonso, spent decades working in kitchens around Salt Lake City before opening one of their own in 2019. The restaurant focuses on homestyle cooking with a variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, mulitas, nacho fries, and flautas. Fillings include crowd-pleasers like al pastor, carne asada, and birria alongside vegetarian options like grilled nopal (which comes highly recommended) or zucchini with corn, queso fresco, and sour cream.

Curry Fried Chicken

Chow down on some of the best fried chicken in Utah at this family-owned Pakistani restaurant. The curry fried chicken plate is a must-order, with the juicy expertly-seasoned chicken served with basmati rice, vegetable curry, a house salad, and warm pita. Or for a slightly lighter option, get the curry fried chicken on a bed of romaine, tomatoes, and cucumber. Shawarma wraps, tandoori chicken, and curry fried fish are also on the menu as well as papadom, hummus, and mango lassi