Best restaurants in SLC?

Interesting tidbits about KFC: Shortly after Harland Sanders teamed up with Pete Harman to start KFC Sanders went up to Alberta to meet up with an old friend, a guy by the name of Sven Erickson. Sven was a local restauranteur and all around interesting character who ran a couple of hotel kitchens at the time. Sanders and Erickson set up the first KFC in Canada and eventually Sven ran all of the franchises in Southern Alberta. Sometime in the 1960’s Sven opened a fine-ish dining restaurant called Erickson’s Family Restaurant. A unique feature was that he had the license to serve KFC recipe chicken in the restaurant. If you ate in his restaurant it was common for Sven to stop by each table to chat with the customers. I remember him stopping by our table when I was a young kid. One of the other things that KFC in the area was known for was their catering menu. It was popular to get KFC chicken for large events and our family would often order enough for the 100 people or so that would attend our reunions. When I later went to university in Edmonton I discovered that the menu for the Sven Erickson KFCs was quite different from other KFCs. Sven focused on meals for the large farm families that were common at the time around Lethbridge due to heavy Catholic, Mormon and Dutch reformed religious influence. For a long time dinner rolls, french fries, pies from an onsite bakery and other items were only available at the KFC locations run by Erickson. My grandmother liked to send my brother and I down the street to the closest KFC to pick up a bucket of chicken, dinner rolls and a banana cream pie when we came to visit.

(although I do love me a Papa Murphy’s cowboy pizza)

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Itto sushi is pretty good.

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That fiery cheese wheel is amazing!!!

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Would think some of the downtown motels would have some sort of rooftop restaurants.

If you’re looking for something scenic Panda Express on second south has some great views of the homeless shelter. You can also get a pretty decent view of the I-80 from Olive Garden off of 21st. Very romantic for a date.

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No.

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It is odd that there are not any nice restaurants with a nice view in SLC. There used to be one:

Nino’s

Not sure how long ago it closed, but used to be one of my favorites. We often went there for my birthday (at the end of April), only downside being that the place would be filled with teenagers having dinner before the prom.

There are also GREAT views to the west from the meeting space on the upper floors of the tower at Rice-Eccles. I’ve been there for a few Catholic Church events and fund raisers. Too bad there is not a high quality restaurant in that location.

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Bohemian was fantastic when I went last year.

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What you do is pack yourself a nice lunch and plenty of liquid. Hike to the top of Mount Olympus, and settle down for a picnic. Great views of the valley. Grandeur Peak is a bit easier climb. Of course admittedly this isn’t for everyone.

This is good news.

I posted this in the wrong thread, when the thread veered into a discussion of burger places.


No love for Hires? Not a gourmet burger place by any definition, but still – what I like about it:

  • The Big H and its variations. Tasty, never disappoints.

  • You always know what you’ll get, and it will always be the same quality.

  • The root beer freeze. One of my Achilles heels when trying to watch what I eat.

  • Friendly people — feels like family there.

I have been to Hires a few times but was never overly impressed. Crown is just as good and closer to my house. Our go to for a better burger has been Tony Burger lately.

We like Crown too. I don’t think I’d go to any one place – including Hires – every time. Too boring. I’ll have to try Tony’s sometime.

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Cliff Dining Pub in Draper

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Tacos: Taqueria 27 :raised_hands:

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This is my wife’s favorite taco restaurant, but she always orders to go, cause their margaritas can’t compare to mine :grinning:

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I agree on the Cliff in Draper for views/food. The Ridge Cafe in Suncrest is really good too with nice views.
Oak Wood in Draper for the south valley trifecta.

Any thoughts on the Cotton Bottom? I’ve had a garlic burger or two there. They were ok.

What about Log Haven?

Porcupine Grill has good views of the valley, good food too.