Salt Lake City Travel Diary

Hi loves! For those of you just tuning in, I just came off of a month long motorcycle trek where I ventured northwest from Oklahoma with my love. We are about a week into the trip at this point. I have highlighted Taos, Santa Fe, Ouray,  and Moab  thus far so be sure to check those out when you have time so you can plan your very own adventure. 

I only had less than 24 hours here and was pretty beat but I definitely made the most of my time and enjoyed the places I experienced. I also visited with a few locals during my blo-out and loved their suggestions for my guide! 

The capitol of a desert state with some of the best outdoor attractions in the world (skiing, Zion’s National Park, Arches, Moab and more), Salt Lake is continually developing culturally as well. It’s being helped by a growing art and film scene (fostered in part by the Sundance Film Festival), and a huge local scene. They have some intense random strict liquor laws which reminded me a lot of where I live in The Heartland. There’s a lot to like about Salt Lake City!!!  The city itself is bordered by the gorgeous Wasatch mountain range on one end and by the Great Salt Lake on the other. 

EAT & SIP

The Copper Onion--   They are committed to finding the best locally and regionally sourced ingredients. The menus change seasonally with product availability. The pastas are homemade and exquisite and the wine list is exceptional. 

Squatters Brewery Downtown: Great burgers, craft beers, and love the natural light! Perfect location to walk to from The Peery Hotel or The Kimpton too. 

Zest Kitchen & Bar: Zest is making it's mark in Salt Lake, not only as a healthy organic vegetarian restaurant, but an innovative cocktail bar utilizing fresh ingredients from the kitchen, making stand out drinks like the beet sangria, fresh berry lavender lemonade cocktails and the spring fling with organic green juice mixed with gin and green chartreuse.

The Pie Pizzeria: The Pie Pizzeria's old brick walls, a valley landmark since 1980, continues to reign atop the "Best Pizza" lists because of the business philosophy that consistency, quality, equitable pricing and great service are the keys to success.The Pie has been affectionately referred to as "the best hidden secret in Salt Lake City". This small restaurant, located in the basement underneath the University Pharmacy, is out of sight with only one sign hidden behind a wall on 200 South 1320 East. But with good food and prices, "word of mouth" keeps THE PIE one of the busiest restaurants in the university area. Tourists and locals have found it for over 35 years, but few know its history. They have vegan and gluten free options too!  And can we just talk about the Bacon-Berry Pie ?! Thin crust brushed with a sweet Strawberry-Balsamic sauce with Oven Roasted Chicken, Mozzarella, Crisp Bacon, Sweet Red Onions and Feta Cheese baked to perfection and topped with chopped Cilantro and fresh Strawberries. OMG!! 

Carnegie's: Highly recommend this gem for breakfast! The pancakes are unreal!! 

O'Falafel: Don't let the ambience fool you ! This is Lin's fave place in the world for healthy Mediterranean cuisine . Owner Osama Khader hails from Jerusalem and also a family with exceptional culinary taste. O’Falafel Etc. prides itself in using only the freshest ingredients and baking its own pita bread daily. Everything on the menu is delicious! Save room for the ice cream! 

Whiskey Street Cocktail & Dining:The name harkens back to Salt Lake history. Before it was changed to Main Street in 1906, this stretch of road had been designated “Whiskey Street” by Brigham Young himself. It was a place where gentiles were able to quench their thirst. Even Mr. Young purchased his spirits from the numerous bars and the liquor store for which the street was named.As legend has it, during the late 1800’s, Salt Lake City was so inundated with prospectors, soldiers, ladies of the night and other people of ill -repute, the blocks between 200 South and 400 South, on what would later be called Main Street (officially designated Main St. in 1906), was given to these gentiles to house the saloons, breweries, billiards clubs and parlor houses. Distilleries were also numerous in the city. Before 1870, there were an estimated 37 distilleries operated in Salt Lake City, all of them run by Mormons, including Brigham Young. As a matter of fact, Brigham Young has 235 charges on record over 10 years from the liquor store located near the intersection of 200 South and Main Street. That’s two purchases a month for 10 years straight for the Prophet. This area between 200 South and 400 South was given the moniker by none other than Brigham Young himself, and was known as Whiskey Street. Have cocktails here and dinner! 

Publik: This classically hipster coffee spot roasts its beans in house—locals love that you can actually smell the process throughout the neighborhood. 

SHOP

The Green Ant:  The Green Ant buys and sells vintage mid-century modern furniture. Because new pieces come through the door all the time, you never know when the next Eames lounge, Platner coffee table or Saarinen Womb chair is going to appear in their store. The inventory is constantly changing. 

UTah Artist Hands:  UTah Artist Hands was the brainchild of local “grandma” Pam O’Mara. After her 6 energetic children had grown to be amazing adults, while having had careers in interior design and graphic arts, Pam was looking for something special to do for herself and for her community.In her design work Pam tried to use local art – and, over the years, became familiar with the vibrant local art scene. While on a river trip with her daughter, Molly through the Grand Canyon in 2001, Pam had a vision of a place that could showcase some of the amazing artists that she had come across. So, in February of 2002 she opened a store front, a gallery that specialized, exclusively in local art and artisans.Beyond the wonderful painters, she found potters; sculptors; photographers; glass, wood, metal workers; jewelers and more. Pam turned a run-down, abandoned space on 100 south into a warm and welcoming “home” for scores of local artists. In 2009 she added a coffee shop, The Artful Cup where people could get a cup of locally roasted coffee served in a locally made pottery mug. In hopes of attracting more locals, three years ago she tried her luck with moving her shop to Broadway. It's now an online shop only but so worth checking out!

Gypsy Soul Gallery: They bring the beach vibes to the mountain! Everything is super cute and affordable and just pulls at my gypsy boho heart. 

Cake Boutique: Opening in the summer of 2008, Cake Boutique sought to fill an unmet need in Park City, Utah, by offering women contemporary clothing that was modern and wearable without being overly trendy. Cozy sweaters, soft tees, perfect boots and premium denim are Cake's proverbial bread and butter, and it is all topped off with a fabulous staff that is trained to deliver superior customer service. Cake is owned by Katie Hammond (or Aunt Cake, for those who are curious how the store name originated), who moved from San Diego to Park City when she was 10. As a result of her divided time between sea and snow, Cake's offerings are a blend of west coast styling with casual mountain town living. Hammond is very choosy about which brands ultimately end up in Cake, and furthermore, she always strives to buy the best of what each brand has to offer in order to ensure that Cake remains a cut above the rest. 

STAY

Peery Hotel:  A historic boutique hotel located in the heart of Downtown Salt Lake City. Walking distance to the Salt Palace Convention Center, LDS Temple and more. I loved it here! Best cozy room of the whole trip! 

PLAY

Love Christine Balaz! Check out her guide here to SLC's great outdoors. 

I would love to spend a week here in the Winter!! What are your fave places in SLC! Tell me in the comments!!!!

Next up--Jackson Hole!

XOOXOXO

SAM