City Weekly November 19, 2020

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

25

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

15 MEDIA & POLITICS

37 53 59 67 GOODS & SERVICE

COMMERCE

OUTDOORS & RECREATION

RESTAURANTS

89

FOOD & DRINK

NIGHTLIFE & MUSIC

WEEKLY CONTENT

129 131 135 137 141 PRIVATE EYE

A&E EVENTS

BEER NERD

MUSIC

COMMUNITY

Salt Lake City Weekly is published every Thursday by Copperfield Publishing Inc. We are an independent publication dedicated to alternative news and news sources, that also serves as a comprehensive entertainment guide. 30,000 copies of Salt Lake City Weekly are available free of charge at more than 1,800 locations along the Wasatch Front. Limit one copy per reader. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased for $1 (Best of Utah and other special issues, $5) payable to Salt Lake City Weekly in advance. No person, without expressed permission of Copperfield Publishing Inc., may take more than one copy of any Salt Lake City Weekly issue. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the written permission of the publisher. Third-class postage paid at Midvale, UT. Delivery might take up to one full week. All rights reserved.

All Contents © 2020

City Weekly is Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Copperfield Publishing Inc. | John Saltas, City Weekly founder

Phone 801-716-1777 | Email comments@cityweekly.net 175 W. 200 South, Ste. 100,Salt Lake City, UT 84101 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

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Introduction

2020, FOLKS … AMIRITE?

I

know, I know: This year, it’s been hard to think about what’s good. Between a global pandemic, the economic damage caused by it, social unrest to address institutional racism and, oh yeah, the ongoing threat of a fascist takeover of the American government, it’s understandable if your mood hasn’t exactly been celebratory.

In some ways, this year’s City Weekly Best of Utah issue is unlike any other we’ve done. There’s a recognition that some of the people and places we’re celebrating have been hit hard by the COVID crisis—some of them hanging on by their fingertips, some of them still figuring out if they can survive. We realize that as we go to press, many of our award-winners don’t know if they’ll still be operating a month or even a week from now, and we send deepest condolences to those who have already had to make heartbreaking choices this year. It’s possible that the information included here might change suddenly, and we apologize to readers if anything rapidly becomes inaccurate or obsolete as the world around us changes by the moment.

Yet in another sense, this is a Best of Utah the way it’s always been. Our goal, even as more and more commerce moved online and benefitted massive corporations, has been to celebrate that which was specific and special to our state—the savvy entrepreneurs, the talented artists, the creative chefs, the dedicated activists and so much more. We support them, in the way so many of them have always supported City Weekly, by reminding readers that these are the people and places that give our communities their distinctive personality beyond chain establishments.

And the fact that readers voted by the thousands in this difficult time shows that you support them, too.

Inside these pages, you’ll find over 300 selections of the best restaurants, nightspots, arts organizations, shops, services and individuals, with 150 of those selections representing our readers’ picks for Utah’s best. For many of you, those picks will simply be a reminder of the great stuff you already know; for others, we hope it’s a chance to discover something new and wonderful to add to your experience of living in Utah. Especially as we head into the holiday season, we ask you to support them financially to the extent that you are able to do so, making sure that come this time next year, we’re still celebrating them as the Best of Utah.

We’re all going to enjoy watching the door hit 2020’s ass on the way out. But in the meantime, let’s raise a cheer to everything in our state that made the experience of living through this year even a little bit easier.

—SCOTT RENSHAW Scott Renshaw (SR) is City Weekly’s longest-tenured editorial staffer, serving as film critic and arts and entertainment editor for the paper since the early aughts.

He’s also author of the book Happy Place: Living the Disney Parks Life.

BEST OF UTAH AUTHORS

Babs De Lay (BDL) founded Urban Utah Homes and Estates in 2001 in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she is principal broker. In addition to serving on multiple boards, she writes a column for City Weekly (Urban Living) about local real estate and city living.

Carolyn Campbell (CC) has written for Copperfield Media since the 1980s, where she’s published numerous cover stories for City Weekly, several of which earned top awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. She is the author of three nationally published books and 800 magazine articles.

Erin Moore (EM) accidentally became a music writer in college after spending too much time at local shows.

She’s been music editor at City Weekly since 2019.

In days past, Jerre Wroble (JW) edited City Weekly as well as Devour Utah and Vamoose Utah magazines.

With the magazines on hiatus due to the pandemic, she is serving as news editor for City Weekly.

John Rasmuson (JR) spends his days trying to put the right words in the right order.

He wrote a column for City Weekly for 12 years that won awards every now and then when he got the words just right.

Lance Gudmundsen (LG) joined City Weekly as proofreader after a long career at The Salt Lake Tribune. When he’s not catching typos or dealing with bad grammar, he can found writing a tall tale or two.

SLC native Megan Wagstaff (MW) has over 16 years’ experience in Utah’s food and beverage industry and loves to write about it. Megan not only wrote about many of this year’s winners but proofread the pages.

Mika Lee & Cait Lee (ML & CL) are food writers known for food binging, test kitchens and food photography. Their adventurous palates have taken them around the world. @crazyfullasians

Mike Riedel (MR) is the scribe behind the Utah Beer Blog.

He’s reported on Utah’s craft beer scene for the past 14 years and writes a beer column for City Weekly.

Former editor of Winners Utah, a local sports monthly magazine, Mikey Saltas (MS) has worn about every hat there is at City Weekly. He’s currently a freelance writer and patron saint of hand sanitizer.

Ray Howze (RH) was City Weekly’s editorial assistant and contributor in recent years. Then he left us to teach kids how to ski in the Wasatch mountains. Talk about a Renaissance man!

STAFF Publisher PETE SALTAS Executive Editor JOHN SALTAS

Cover illustration by Derek Carlisle News Editor JERRE WROBLE Arts & Entertainment Editor SCOTT RENSHAW

Music Editor ERIN MOORE Listings Desk KARA RHODES

Art Director DEREK CARLISLE Graphic Artists SOFIA CIFUENTES, CHELSEA NEIDER

Circulation Manager ERIC GRANATO

Technical Director BRYAN MANNOS Developer BRYAN BALE

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Alex Springer (AS) has been writing about local food and entertainment for the past seven years. His work has appeared in Devour Utah and City Weekly, where he is currently the publication’s resident food dude.

Bountiful

Layton

Ogden

Pleasant View

Dr. Michael Broadbent Dr. Jason Chandler

Extractions

Dr. Adam McCormick Dr. V. Patrick Hall

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Media & Politics

READERS’ PICKS

In the months following the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, the focus on racial injustice and inequality in the U.S. has taken center stage. Protests were a regular staple in downtown Salt Lake City during the summer. Social justice advocates clamored for someone to be held accountable for the killing of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal in downtown Salt Lake. Minorities and allies alike made their voices heard loud and clear that they won’t stand for such abuses of power anymore. (RH) blacklivesmatterutah.com 2. The Other Side Academy 3. COVID Mutual Aid

Best Social Cause

SLCGOV.COM

Black Lives Matter

Best Weathercaster

Best Utahn

Best TV Anchor

Worst Utahn

Whether it’s dunking on strange men who slide into her DMs or sharing photos of her adorable pup, Archie, Fox 13 meteorologist Allison Croghan has a wide—and entertaining— range on social media. But when it comes to the weather, the Ole Miss alumna is an all-pro.

Croghan joined the station in 2012 and moved to prime time as evening meteorologist in August 2020. Catch her reports at 4, 5 and 9 p.m. (RH) allisoncroghan.com 2. Sterling Poulson, KUTV 2 3. Alana Brophy, ABC4

When the NBA season was put on hold in March and later resumed two time zones away in Orlando, Florida, Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell carried the torch for Jazz fans rooting from afar for their squad. Then, when the Black Lives Matter movement took center stage on the American psyche, Mitchell proudly advocated for victims of police brutality and didn’t shy away from the racial-equality conversation. Kudos to Mitchell for showing the world what a leader looks like. (RH) twitter.com/spidadmitchell 2. U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams 3. Dr. Angela Dunn

After receiving a mammogram in 2012 to encourage other women to get screened, KUTV Channel 2’s Mary Nickles learned she had an invasive, malignant tumor. The subsequent stories on her surgery, chemo treatments and even wig shopping won her an Emmy for Best Series. The Washington state native joined the station in 1991 and is an authoritative and accessible source for news.

(RH) facebook.com/mary.nickles 2. Kelly Chapman, Fox 13 3. Bob Evans, Fox 13

There’s a reason Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee is a back-to-back winner of the coveted title “Worst Utahn.”

President Donald Trump’s yes-man and self-proclaimed “constitutional expert” tweeted in October that the U.S. is not a democracy. “Democracy isn’t the objective,” he wrote. “Liberty, peace and prosperity are.” Well, Senator, with all due respect, we hope your “Worst Utahn” title brings you little peace and prosperity as you try to strip health-care coverage from millions in the name of your pocket-book Constitution. (RH) lee.senate.gov 2. Gov. Gary Herbert 3. U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart

Best Radio Show

Best Radio Station

Radio From Hell hosts Kerry Jackson, Bill Allred and Gina Barberi can be penciled into this spot just about any year. The longtime Best of Utah winners from 96.3 FM have amused and entertained Utah audiences in some form since 1986. This year might be some of their most impressive work yet as they’ve continued their show away from the studio because of the COVID pandemic. (RH) 50 W. 300 South, Ste. 200, SLC, 801-524-2600, X96.com 2. Radioactive, KRCL 90.9 FM 3. Bad Brad Wheeler, KUAA 99.9 FM

A perennial inductee, X96 (96.3 FM) is the go-to station for alternative and contemporary rock along the Wasatch Front. Named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the five “awesome radio outlets” in America, the rock station features one of Utah’s most popular radio shows—Radio From Hell. The station has brought all sorts of rock music to Utah’s airwaves since 1995. (RH) 50 W. 300 South, Ste. 200, SLC, 801-524-2600, X96.com 2. KRCL 90.9 FM 3. KUER 90.1 FM

Allison Croghan

Best Nonprofit Organization

Best Friends Animal Society

Best Sports Reporter

David James

KUTV 2’s David James is a long-running title holder for the Best Sports Reporter category, and it’s with good reason. The California native joined the station in 1992 and has become a well-sourced and knowledgeable voice for Utah sports news. James hosts two weekend Talkin’ Sports shows as well as a morning radio show on 1280 The Zone. (RH) facebook.com/ DavidDJJames 2. Dave Fox, KUTV 2 3. Amy Donaldson, Deseret News

Best TV News Station

Fox 13

Going on 42 years strong, Fox 13 is the youngest among Utah’s commercial TV stations. But during its four-plus decades covering all things Utah, it’s built a strong reputation for news coverage with the likes of Bob Evans, Scott McKane and the always Twitter-savvy (and this year, particularly, face-mask fashionable) Ben Winslow. Be sure to tune in for extensive news of the day during their hour-long 9 p.m. newscast plus hours of news programming throughout the day. (RH) fox13now. com 2. KSL-5 3. KUTV-2

Best Local Podcast

I Am Salt Lake For the third year in a row, the I Am Salt Lake podcast reigns supreme. The locally themed podcast, hosted by Chris and Krissie Holifield, offers a glimpse into what makes Utah’s capital city tick. Now at more than 450 episodes, it’s hard to find a place with more insight into Salt Lake City’s personalities. Recent episodes include interviews with a haunted house owner, an entrepreneur who’s produced COVID-19 PPE and local restaurateurs. iamsaltlake.com (RH) 2. Geek Show 3. Radio West

Mary Nickles

Radio From Hell

Best Elected Official

U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams

So how is it that Rep. McAdams easily won this award but then narrowly lost his re-election to Republican challenger Burgess Owens?

Since 2018, the former Salt Lake County mayor served as Utah’s lone congressional Democrat, walking a “moderate” tightrope to keep those in his split District 4 happy. After he contracted COVID-19 in March of this year, he sounded the alarm for mask-wearing caution. Here’s hoping McAdams has the chance to win this title again at some point in the future. (RH) mcadams.house.gov 2. SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall 3. U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney

Sen. Mike Lee

X96

Best Political Scandal

Test Utah

As the COVID pandemic started its brutal course through the country, one group of Utah tech companies engaged in a philanthropic effort to boost the state’s testing abilities. Then, it became a multi-million dollar no-bid state contract for companies such as Nomi, Domo and Qualtrics that made up TestUtah. But something wasn’t right. Thanks in part to a Salt Lake Tribune investigation and concerns voiced by health officials, the group’s testing accuracy was questioned. It turned out Test Utah’s rate of positive results was less than half what it was for patients tested elsewhere in Utah. While there were reasons aplenty for the discrepancy, it became another cautionary tale underscoring the tech industry’s tendency to overpromise and underdeliver. (RH) 2. Gov. Herbert’s weak COVID response 3. Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen’s racist and sexist remarks

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Finding a forever home for Fido or Leo is heartwarming. It’s also reassuring knowing there are people working to find every pet a home.

That’s the mission behind Best Friends Animal Society. In addition to supporting their no-kill rescue work around the globe, Utahns should check out the organization’s Kanab-based animal sanctuary—home to more than 1,600 dogs, cats, horses, birds and other critters. (RH) Multiple locations, bestfriends.org 2. Equality Utah 3. Planned Parenthood Association of Utah

Donovan Mitchell

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Media & Politics

BEST: • Buyer AND seller agents

CW STAFF

• Neighborhood experts

PICKS

• Locally owned real estate firm that doesn’t

Best Investigative Journalism

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The Utah Investigative Journalism Project

REALTORSTM and Brokers:

Angela Carlson | Benny Keele | Catherine O’Neil Cortney Anderson | Hugo Johnson | Jack Rhinehart Jennie Richau | Julie De Lay Lakshmi Johal-Dominquez | Laurie Stauffer Leslye Stratton | Marcela Montemurro Michele Haley | Pat Depaulis | Ryan Eborn Mark Janeway | Shaun Jacobsen | Sheridan Daly Susana Clar | Susannah Seare | Tracy Thomas Trela Bird | Xochitl Medrano | Jon Vieta | Sarah McKenzie

Eric S. Peterson

Best “Count My Vote”

73,000 Dems and Independents Registering as Rs

Best Data Columnist

Andy Larsen

Long before the mendacity of Donald Trump, Mark Twain observed there are lies, damned lies and statistics. The COVID-19 pandemic provided plenty of each, often in bewildering combinations. To sort fact from fiction, falsehood and flim-flam, The Salt Lake Tribune assigned Jazz beat reporter Andy Larsen to “data columnist,” aka “coronavirus stats guy.” Writing in an avuncular, first-person voice, Larsen explained the likes of “seven-day moving averages” and “positivity rates” to those who were stumped by highschool algebra. He challenged such Trump befoggery as: “If we stop testing right now, we’d have fewer cases.” Larsen deserves The Anthony Fauci Award for Service in the Public Health—should there ever be one—and the gratitude of those who disfavor lies and statistics. (JR) alarsen@sltrib.com, @andyblarsen

www.urbanutah.com | 801.585.8824

Best All-Purpose Journo

Amy Donaldson

There was a time when Amy Donaldson was happily ensconced on her regular beat as a sportswriter for the Deseret News where she was regarded as among the best around.

When changes disrupted newsroom coverage, nearly all writers took on new beats and among areas Amy became noted for besides onside kicks were minority, gender and women’s issues. This year, she’s become an expert on COVID-19, adding Utah health needs to her gym bag of tricks. She’s an expert on Led Zeppelin and cats, too, so who knows what comes next. (MS) @adonsports

HOME LOANS MADE BRI-ZAY

Julie Bri-ZAY makes home buying ea-ZAY

Best Wake-up Call

Lex Scott

As the founder and leader of the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, Lex Scott’s work is never done. Not only does she coordinate chapter projects such as organizing a summer camp for Black children, she meets with and advocates on behalf of school kids, inmates and tenants who’ve been evicted. She leads protests throughout the state. She’s written a police reform bill, the Police Accountability and Transparency Act, and met with national and state representatives who’ve sought her input. She’s been interviewed for TV, radio and print stories, helping those interested in the cause understand how best to be allies.

Tune in to her message, and you’ll begin to see where systemic racism lives and how it can be undone. It’s exhausting and exhilarating to have lived through 2020, but Scott is unfazed. Give her your kind regard and get to work. Learn what it takes to get behind the Black Lives Matter movement. (JW) blacklivesmatterutah.com

Julie Brizzee, Loan Officer NMLS #243253 2750 E. Cottonwood Pkwy, Suite 660 Cottonwood Heights, Utah 801-971-2574

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In an April Salt Lake Tribune op-ed, prominent developer Kem Gardner urged Democrats and Independents to temporarily register in the GOP in order to vote in the (closed to all but registered Republicans) primary. That’s where most of the ultimate winners of the election are chosen. Gardner’s modest proposal gained traction with endorsements from Abby Huntsman and Jim Dabakis. But the prospect of a herd of RINOs (Republican in Name Only) had party pooh-bahs crying foul. Meanwhile, more than 73,000 voters joined Republican ranks, a significant increase from past primaries. Will RINOs become a factor in Utah politics? Or will the Legislature, given its arch treatment of initiative petitions, nip RINOism in the bud? Stay tuned! (JR)

Babs De Lay, Broker/Owner COURTESY PHOTO

It falls to journalists to keep government honest. There is enough skullduggery, whether in San Juan County or the White House, to keep a battalion of investigative reporters occupied 24/7. The work is painstaking and costly, however, and most cash-starved news outlets can’t afford it. We are fortunate to have the Utah Investigative Journalism Project. Founded in 2016

by Eric Peterson, who broke stories of pay-to-play corruption charges in the Attorney General’s Office while a City Weekly reporter, it has been shining light into dark places ever since. If you believe in Tinkerbell, clap; if you believe Utah needs a watchdog, donate to the cause. (JR) utahinvestigative.org.

Media & Politics

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Hope for Black Liberation

Daud Mumin

Community organizer, board member for March for Our Lives and college student, Mumin is stepping up on the world stage as an articulate champion of social justice. “My journey is about being Black in America; being Muslim in America; being first generation in America; being low income in America. Those identities alone bring a great deal of consciousness-raising about the world that we live in,” says this wise-beyond-his-years 19-year-old who’s been an activist since he was 13. “When I tell people that Black liberation is the liberation for every group, people think it’s an exaggeration,” he says, “but it’s not. Black people are at the epicenter of violence, patriarchy, whiteness, masculinity, capitalism and colonialism.” As he says, let’s learn from it and “rethink, reimagine and re-create” a more just world. (JW)

Best Homeless Helper

Best Zoom Feature

The following is a verbatim copy of a handwritten letter from a homeless person living in Salt Lake with a deep appreciation for case manager Kim Russo: “I am not good with computers. I saw you were accepting nominations but could not figure out how to put in my case manager. I am sorry, life got in the way of what I wanted to accomplish.

“But please consider my case manager Kim Russo for an award! She works for Utah Community Action. She works downtown with the homeless—always coming out and seeing how we are. I like talking to her. If she can’t find us, she gets in her car and finds us in our camps. She brought me food.

“Please give her one of your awards.

I see many people get them, but nobody like Kim Russo. Do you know she is going to get me housing? Yes, she is. Please, I would like to have her in City Weekly. I read your paper every week and love it.

Did you know I was illiterate until I was 14?

“Please consider Kim as she has shown me love and compassion; she cares about us; she is Superman to me and so many others. I am getting out of this shelter because she found a studio for me. Come and see me anytime. I camp on Rio Grande, or I am in shelter. I want to talk to you about my friend. Many thanks, [Name withheld for privacy]” (MS) utahca.org

In the 1970s, “Zoomers” were 8-year-olds in rugby shirts, singing “C’mon and zoom, zoom, zoom-a-zoom” on a children’s PBS-TV show called Zoom. Those Gen-Xers, now middle-age, find themselves unexpectedly dependent on a new Zoom. Expedient but irritating, the video-conferencing app has allowed businesses, schools and churches to carry on despite COVID. Zoom software offers a Hollywood Squares format, green-screen backgrounds, mellow lighting and, most important of all, a mute button. A feature of the old TV show was “Zoomchat,” which encouraged kids to “turn off the TV and do it!” Mute it and do it remains excellent advice for Zoomers of any age. (JR)

Kim Russo

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COURTESY PHOTO

Daud Mumin

Mute

Best Prophylactic for the Hive

Neighborly Mask Wearing Zorro and Batman’s masks were not prophylactic. They were disguises. The hero’s mouth—the infection-spreading facial feature that signals approval or hostility—was never covered. Mouth-covering masks are a proven prophylactic, and while they do impede human interaction, they aren’t “Luciferian,” “unhealthful” or “unconstitutional,” as some Utahns have asserted. What is constitutional is the social contract philosophy embraced by the founding fathers whereby citizens willingly give up a little freedom in return for security. Similarly, Utah culture has always placed more importance on the hive than the honeybee. The communal hive is sustained by neighborly love, and love in the time of COVID-19 requires a prophylactic mask. (JR)

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Media & Politics CW STAFF

Best Tribal Relief

With Love, From Strangers

Dr. Thuet, front left, founder of With Love, From Strangers, and her crew load PPE headed to Southwest tribal communities.

This past spring, the Navajo Nation, a community of nearly 200,000 residents, reported one of the highest COVID rates in America. A lack of running water and PPE in conjunction with a high number of multi-generational households all contributed to the spread. That’s when With Love, From Strangers, founded by Dr. Christina Thuet, began collecting PPE, sanitizer, masks and other aid for the Four Corners region to help stem the spread. With Love, From Strangers has conducted hundreds of flights and served a dozen health-care facilities, drastically alleviating the strain on the local community. (MS) WithLoveFromStrangers.org

Best Bar Benefactor

Ty Burrell

Best Columnist

Robert Gehrke A columnist has two things going for them when they write about their own institution: 1. The support of his peers and readers, and 2. A whole lotta nerve. No columnist can succeed without both of those and Gehrke has each in bushels.

When Salt Lake Tribune Editor Jennifer NapierPearce left her position, Gehrke was quick to challenge the reasons for her departure, even noting on Twitter he feared it may cost his job. It didn’t, thank goodness. Gehrke, a trained reporter, was thrust into being the outward facing columnist a couple of years ago, albeit nervously. Not to sweat. He’s taken to the role and is one of SLC’s last free voices—and he’s not afraid to use it. (MS) @robertgehrke

Best at Demanding Justice for Victims of Sexual Assault

Rep. Angela Romero

Utah ended a backlog of thousands of unprocessed sexual assault kits recently, thanks in large part to Rep. Angela Romero, who sponsored a 2017 Utah law that mandated testing of the kits used to collect DNA and other evidence from victims of sexual crimes. Turnaround time for processing kits is now under 90 days, with a goal of reducing it to 30.

Processed kits have added 5,025 new DNA profiles to the state’s database, identified 1,979 suspects and provided evidence for charging at least 33 suspects across the state. (JW) angelaromero@le.utah.gov

Best Mask Mandate Rant

State Rep. Phil Lyman You may recall that in 2015 Phil Lyman was convicted of misdemeanor trespassing for leading an ATV protest ride through Recapture Canyon’s archaeologically sensitive lands, closed to offroad vehicles by the BLM. The Blanding state representative only just paid off a $96,000 fine for that act of rebellion. This year, he was also among the first elected leaders to politicize COVID mask mandates by comparing Utahns wearing them to those wearing Hitler’s arm bands. “Hitler didn’t start out killing Jews, Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hungarians, homosexuals, the disabled, political critics, Poles, Soviets, and Gypsies,” Lyman tweeted.

“That was after he asked politely for people to just wear the [damned] arm band.” When an elected leader compares a symbol of anti-Semitism and white supremacy with a face covering intended to reduce the spread of a highly contagious virus, is it any wonder why Utah case counts are spiking at record highs? (JW)

CITYWEEKLY.NET | BEST OF UTAH 2020 | 21

We’re all going to remember the first few weeks of the COVID shutdowns as a time of extreme uncertainty. We collectively didn’t know enough about the virus, we didn’t know if we had it and, as such, we limited interactions with Grandma, and, for whatever reason, there wasn’t enough toilet paper to go around. Amid all that craziness, one industry got slammed more than others: the hospitality sector. Actor Ty Burrell (of Modern Family) and partowner of Beer Bar, Bar X, The Eating Establishment and the Cotton Bottom, led the charge of high-level fundraising and marketing to raise awareness for this group, awarding displaced personnel in $500 chunks. At its final tally, the #TIPYOURSERVER campaign put hundreds of thousands of dollars, including $100,000 from Burrell himself, back into the pockets of good people all around Salt Lake.

Thank you, Ty! (MS)

COURTESY PHOTO

PICKS

Media & Politics

The End of StraightTicket Voting Utah’s Republican barony finally relented: straightticket voting is by the boards thanks to the recent passage of HB70 (a longtime project of Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek). For years, Utah voters (and those in six other states) could cast a vote for every candidate of a particular party with a single stroke of the pen. Never mind if a candidate was unknown.

Party loyalty über alles! Roughly a third of all ballots cast in Utah had used straight-ticket voting. Now, without the option, voters are incentivized to research the down-ballot candidates and select individuals based on qualifications—not party affiliation. There might even be a Democrat worth a surreptitious vote. (JR)

Best Silk Purse from a Sow’s Ear

Urban Indian Center’s Wood Collection for the Navajo Nation

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The hurricane-force winds that lashed the Wasatch Front Sept. 8 left its urban forest badly damaged. Thousands of trees were uprooted, including 255 at Salt Lake City Cemetery alone. In the disaster, the Urban Indian Center recognized opportunity. Rather than dumping tons of

branches and tree trunks in the landfill, the wood could be trucked to the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners Region, where many houses are heated by burning wood. Two collection points— the Urban Indian Center and Esther’s Garden (Congregation Kol Ami)—were established. In a matter of days, three semi-trailer truckloads of salvaged wood were dispatched. Now, if you want to help replace the trees, make a contribution.

(JR) Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, 120 W. 1300 South, SLC, 801-486-4877, uicsl.org

Best Retirement Gig

Jason Chaffetz as Talking Head When Jason Chaffetz left Congress in 2017, six months into his fifth term, politicos speculated he’d jump into this year’s governor’s race. But he opted to pass, saying, “I’m going to get off the crazy train.” Instead, he jumped on the gravy train as he continued his gig as a contributor on Fox News. Salary? “They were very nice to me,” the 53-year-old coyly said after signing with the conservative network. He’s collecting royalties, too, from two books and has signed on with D.C. speakers’ bureaus. One lists his fee as “$15,001 to $20,000.”

And there’s a stipend from Harvard where he’s a visiting fellow. Not bad for a guy who famously and frugally slept on a cot in his Capitol Hill office following his election in 2008. (LG)

CW STAFF

PICKS Best ’Rona Warrior Dr. Angela Dunn

Dr. Angela Dunn

Over the many months since COVID-19 showed its ugly crown in Utah, state epidemiologist Angela Dunn has been the cool voice of reason at the governor’s briefings. Some might call her Utah’s Anthony Fauci, but she brings a fresher face, a less raspy voice, and thus far, is less worn down by politics. That, even after Dunn helped guard the taxpayers’ pocketbook by protesting when overzealous state administrators heeded Trump’s dog whistle to acquire massive doses of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, although its effectiveness was in question. It would have been easy to acquiesce and let the stampeding elephants have their way, but Dunn stood strong.

Utahns appreciate her succinct delivery and the fact she never veers far from the mantra of “wear a mask, social distance, stay home if you’re sick.” That’s the common sense we need right now. (JW) twitter.com/DrAngelaCDunn

UT.GOV

Best Election Reform

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Arts & Entertainment

READERS’

This tumultuous year included public protests around the country drawing attention to police violence against people of color, including right here in Salt Lake City. Among the other efforts to shine a spotlight on those whose lives were lost too soon, anonymous artists crafted a mural at 300 West and 800 South with images of George Floyd, Bernardo PalaciosCarbajal and other victims of police shootings. Though vandals have targeted the murals more than once, they remain a kind of public shrine, where visitors leave flowers, notes and other mementos demonstrating that they won’t be forgotten as the work for social change continues. (SR) 2. Spiral Jetty 3. Atlas - Sril Art

Bad Brad Wheeler Local legends take many forms.

For Bad Brad Wheeler, it’s mainly as a radio DJ and station program director at KUAA, the station he decamped to after his long tenure as a staple host at KRCL. At KUAA, Wheeler leads a multilingual, broad-genre approach to community radio listening, reflective of his love of all music of the folk and roots varieties.

Wheeler is one local music lover who clearly sees the value in all kinds of music and people.

Check out his ever-diverse DJ sets. (EM) KUAA 99.9 FM, 663 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-363-2787, kuaafm.org 2. John Florence 3. DJ Juggy

Best Public Art

ANONYMOUS

300 West Memorial Portraits

Best Dance Company

Ballet West

For many Utahns, their introduction to professional dance came via Ballet West’s annual production of The Nutcracker. But the pandemic has truly demonstrated the company’s creativity beyond that stalwart production. Choreographer Nicolo Fonte— who worked on the company’s 2016 production of The Rite of Spring—worked virtually with dancers from their residences and other remote locations to re-create the piece with special consideration for the small-screen format in which people would be watching. Videographer Andrea Peterson then combined the recorded dancers with the music of the Utah Symphony for a short selection that captured all the spirit of Stravinsky’s bold innovation. See it at youtu.be/_bO0R7SgA6M. (SR) 50 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-869-6900, balletwest.org 2. Ririe-Woodbury Dance Co. 3. Odyssey Dance Theatre

Best Drag Entertainer

Jason CozMo Jason CozMo has graced City Weekly’s cover in his full Dolly Parton regalia, so it’s not surprising that he has become a favorite of our readers. After a pandemic hiatus, CozMo’s delightful Viva La Diva show has returned to Metro Music Hall, providing plenty of bawdy entertainment with CozMo and his crew of performers bringing celebrity impersonation to new heights, and often with a holidaythemed flavor. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that we-e-e will always love yoooooooooou. (SR) thevivaladivashow.com 2. Rose Nylon 3. Sally Cone Slopes

Best All-Ages Venue

Best Museum

Ah, Kilby Court. It’s like the high school of the SLC music scene, especially because, as the premier all-ages venue in town, it’s often home to actual high schoolers. With the booking connections of its big sister venue Urban Lounge, it’s still home to nationally and sometimes even internationally acclaimed acts, and often to up-and-comers who might later graduate to venues much bigger than the drafty shed-and-patio setup that makes Kilby so distinctive—alongside the stone’s throw-away of a bathroom that’s next to a motorcycle shop, and the fire pit that’s sometimes lit. If there’s any venue that at least a few recent generations of SLC music kids have grown up loitering at, it’s Kilby Court. (EM) 748 S. Kilby Court, SLC, 800-513-7540, kilbycourt.com 2. Red Butte Garden Concerts 3. The Complex

A museum isn’t all about its physical space—but a great physical space doesn’t hurt. The beautiful Rio Tinto Center of the Natural History Museum of Utah literally glows above the landscape when the sun hits the copper trim, making it a beacon to those fascinated with the state’s landscape, weather, flora, fauna and human history. The facility is open to the public again, with online reservations required and timed ticketing to insure spacing between visiting parties, and the exhibits remain wonderfully engaging and interactive through touch-free stylus technology. (SR) 301 Wakara Way, SLC, 801-581-6927, nhmu.utah.edu 2. Utah Museum of Fine Arts 3. The Leonardo

Kilby Court

Natural History Museum of Utah

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Best DJ

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Ogden Twilight

Best Visual Artist

SRIL Art

A cousin to the SLC Twilight Concert Series, Ogden Twilight is a fan favorite in the summertime. Although Salt Lakers usually have a full plate of music and entertainment in the summer, it’s a treat to hop a ride on the Frontrunner up to O-Town (it’s free with your concert ticket) and visit the outdoor amphitheater and browse the foreign food trucks (Lucky Slice, so different than The Pie). The summer spread also tends to be the most diverse of any summer indie fest, though they feature repeat acts like The Flaming Lips—basically residents at this point. (EM) Ogden Twilight, 343 E. 25th St., Ogden, ogdentwilight.com 2. Das Energi 3. Reggae Rise Up

Visual artists aren’t often known to those who don’t venture into gallery spaces, but one Utah artist has created work known to people throughout the valley— even if they don’t actually know the artist behind that work. SRIL (the nom de paint of Shae Petersen) has created large-scale murals familiar on buildings from downtown (the 4,000 square foot “Atlas” commission near the North Temple Trax station) to Millcreek (the sea turtle swimming across the Fat Cats building at 3739 S. 900 East). He might not be a famous face himself, but SRIL’s commemorations of other famous faces make him a local treasure. (SR) SRILart.com 2. Cat Palmer 3. Jann Haworth

Best Theater Company

Best Canceled Concert

Salt Lake Acting Co. Many professional theater companies are taking the slowand-cautious approach to bringing patrons back into their conventional theater spaces, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t provide folks with engaging entertainment. Salt Lake Acting Company kicked off what would have been its historic 50th season with a lively series of digital shorts, dropping every Friday beginning in September. They then partnered with a New York-based company for the fascinating streaming production American Dreams, a dark satire in which citizenship is decided by an audience-participation game show. While we all want to be in theater seats again soon, SLAC is turning home into a great alternative for the moment. (SR) 168 W. 500 North, SLC, 801-363-7522, saltlakeactingcompany.org 2. Hale Centre Theatre 3. Pioneer Theatre Co.

Post Malone

For being a much-celebrated Utah transplant, rap star Post Malone is still as elusive as a mountain goat in the Wasatch. Even if you’re running around in the hopes of seeing him, he just won’t show. The one time he was definitely going to take the stage for his Utah fans was at the March 21 Vivint Smart Home Arena show on his Runaway Tour. However, he ended up having to cancel because of—you guessed it—the pandemic. Ah, March, when we thought tours like that could be rescheduled, and we thought we’d see Post Malone in the flesh in his Utah home maybe later in 2020. Big mistake! (EM) 2. Tool 3. Cher

READERS’

PICKS

Best Record Shop

Randy’s Records Well, who can pass on the variety and pure history of Randy’s Records? It has over 40 years of history at its modest 900 South locale, stewarded for most of that time by Randy Stinson himself. Two years ago, it was taken over by his son Sam Stinson, who has since continued to run the shop through the pandemic. No trial could be enough to taint the good reputation of this shop, with their reliably huge collection of vinyl—both vintage and new. With other large-scale operations like Graywhale stepping back to the suburbs, Randy’s is the place of all places to go for pretty much anything you seek. (EM) 157 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-4413, randysrecords.com 2. Graywhale 3. Diabolical Records

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Best Canceled Music Festival

Arts & Entertainment

CITYWEEKLY.NET | BEST OF UTAH 2020 | 27

Arts & Entertainment

READERS’

PICKS

Best Local Band/ Group

Zac Ivie Although it’s obvious that Zac Ivie is in fact one person and not a band or a group, he’s a welcome addition to Best of Utah as an artist who’s been on the local circuit for ages. His win shows that Utah’s rap scene is strong, and he’s one of its main players.

Having opened up for notable rap acts like Ghostface Killah and Talib Kweli, he’s also on the forefront of artists who are figuring out how to navigate shows and livelihoods as the pandemic rages on and the music industry continues to be depressed.

A man with many talents, he’s a music maker we’re proud to call our own.

(EM) facebook.com/IvieMusic801 2. Royal Bliss 3. Pixie and the Partygrass Boys

Best Live Music Venue

Best Friend of the Arts

A classic place to see the classics, The State Room has such a stately name for a reason. With its comfortable layout of church pews-meetsamphitheater style seating, which still allows for standing near the stage, the venue is a timetested place to see tour-worn artists across the genre spectrum, though they’ve got a knack for making their stage home to some of the best Americana, folk and rock ‘n’ roll acts around.

This past year, they supported themselves through the pandemic by creating an auction for posters of shows past, a fitting and valuable memento in today’s sadly show-less world. Long live The State Room and their cheeky marquee.

(EM) 638 S. State, SLC, 801-596-3560, thestateroompresents.com 2. The Depot 3. Metro Music Hall

This local organization has its fingers in so many artistic pies, it’s amazing that it gets everything right as often as it does. In addition to the Urban Arts Gallery as a showcase for local artists’ works, UAA presents the annual Urban Art Festival, operates the new Dreamscapes space and provides a stateof-the-art recording studio in Counterpoint Studios at rates accessible to many more musicians than conventional studios. Executive director Derek Dyer has given the city, and the state, a place that supports countless creative folks. (SR) 663 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-363-2787, utaharts.org 2. Diane Stewart 3. Cat Palmer

The State Room

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GET IT WRITE RECORDS

Zac Ivie

Best Gallery

Urban Arts Gallery The expression “art gallery” doesn’t have to be intimidating—and that’s certainly not the case at this beloved spot in The Gateway. Local artists get a showcase throughout the year doing work that appeals across the spectrum, from pop-culture-themed annual shows to the Skate Deck Challenge that invites artists to decorate skateboards. And as calls for representation increased across the country amidst demands for racial justice, Urban Arts Gallery showcased LGBTQ artists and people of color in separate shows. It truly is a place for art by and for everyone. (SR) 116 S. Rio Grande St., SLC, 801230-0820, urbanartsgallery.org 2. The Leonardo 3. Phillips Gallery

Utah Arts Alliance

Best Canceled Community Event

Utah Pride Festival One of the most colorful community events of the summer, maybe even nipping at the heels of the Days of ’47, is Pride. A huge event in Salt Lake City, just as it is in many other cities, Pride feels especially exciting since Utah as a whole still is quite conservative. Sixty thousand or more show up for the parade each June as it winds through downtown streets that are usually vacant lots on Sunday mornings. While the parade and festival were canceled in June of 2020, the organization sponsored a “Coming Out” road rally in the fall to help raise funds for Pride Center outreach (which is usually funded by the summer events). Pride will surely come roaring back once the pandemic has ended. And the services that the festival funds also must live on. (EM) Utah Pride Center, 1380 S. Main, SLC, 801-539-8800, utahpridecenter.org 2. Utah Arts Festival 3. Salt Lake City Greek Festival

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Arts & Entertainment

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Virtual Festival

Craft Lake City Craft Lake City‘s Angela Brown

NIKI CHAN

Craft Lake City is that summer event where you can find all things local: from food trucks to craft artisans to the performers who soundtrack the weekendlong event. Of course, this year, the IRL event was canceled but was replaced by an ambitious virtual take. The replacement online festival still featured access to vendors and innovative links to food trucks around the valley instead of in-festival dining, and there was also music.

The festival still hosted the usual huge lineup, with 47 artists or bands participating in online performances.

(EM) craftlakecity.com/diyfestival

Best New Local Music Program

As the state locked down in the spring, kids were schooling from home. And our state’s most beloved institutions were closed to the public. Hogle Zoo sought to address both obstacles with the rapid launch of “Facebook Field Trips,” a series of daily virtual livestreams where zoo personnel introduced lessons about their animals to viewers at home. Kids (and their parents) got a chance to learn about how they cut an elephant’s toenails, and how the bears savor honeyslathered windows, all with an opportunity to ask questions and participate remotely. It was a much-needed dose of critter cuteness with an educational twist. (SR) facebook.com/hoglezoo

The Salt Lake Public Library is no stranger to supporting the arts, with recurrent programs like 12 Minutes Max, their rooftop concert shows in the summer and their collection of local music found in the Hearing Utah Music archive.

Now, they’re expanding on the latter work (known as HUM) with a public-access TV-styled program called HUM-TV. The video series was developed as a more permanent kind of approach to the virtual concert, one that could outlast the pandemic. It features prerecorded and edited sets by local artists (who are paid for their time), alongside interviews between those artists and an interviewer chosen from another part of the local music community: music supporters, like those at SLUG Magazine and City Weekly, were already featured in the first “season’s” episodes, which were released in October. (EM) hum.slcpl.org

Hogle Zoo Facebook Field Trips

HUM-TV

Best Repurposed Costumes

Pioneer Theatre Co.’s ‘Costume Collection’ Mask Project On-stage performers weren’t the only people impacted by the shutdown of live performances; many technical, creative and support staff also faced the loss of jobs. Pioneer Theatre Co. sought to address both that problem and the need for masks by turning to its massive storehouse of costumes from previous productions. The company was able to put employees of its costume shop to work, converting these unique pieces of production history into protective masks sold to the public, with new limited-edition designs released weekly. (SR) pioneertheatre.org/masks-toorder

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Best Critter Connection

Arts & Entertainment

S.T.E.A.M.punk Academy’s ‘Adult Science Fair’

We all know how hard it’s been for teachers and students to adjust to the “new normal” of distance learning, as adults got a reminder of what school days were all about. But it wasn’t all grim news: Those who were getting stir-crazy could turn their energy to the kind of project that allowed for some creativity. S.T.E.A.M.punk Academy invited adults to participate in a summer-long project of designing and following through on an experiment that could then be shared with their fellow amateur scientists. Remote options were available throughout the process, and at a time when we all need to believe in the importance of science, we could be part of it. (SR) steampunkacademy.org

Best Astrology Author

Christopher Renstrom

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A previous winner of Utah’s Best Astrologer, Christopher Renstrom just scored another big win: His book, Cosmic Calendar: Using Astrology to Get in Sync With Your Best Life, is hot off the press, published by Penguin Random House imprints, TarcherPerigee. It’s no surprise, given Renstrom’s grasp of traditional astrology and his engaging writing style, the book is already a bestseller on Amazon.com. Renstrom, a Utah resident, is the driving force behind online astrology site RulingPlanets.com.

He also pens daily horoscopes for the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com. Those wishing to learn more can enroll his classes, attend a webinar or lecture, sign up for a private reading or, hey, buy his dang book. It’s a fun (and illuminating) read! (JW) RulingPlanets.com.

Best Throwback Cinema

Salt Lake Film Society and Utah Film Center Pop-up Drive-ins In the heyday of the drive-in movie theater—the premetroplex age—Utah had about 30 big, outdoor screens.

The Motor-Vu at the top of 3300 South was a local favorite. There, you could smuggle a trunk load of friends past the ticket seller; dress your kids in Dr. Denton pajamas for the latest Disney film; or make out with your boyfriend until the credits rolled or the windows fogged.

With indoor theaters shuttered by COVID-19, the Utah Film Society and Salt Lake Film Society responded with pop-up drive-ins in Alta, Sandy, Midvale and Salt Lake City.

It was a brilliant, retro moment, especially for those with memories of the Motor-Vu on a summer night. Many of the films screened for free, so no one had to hide in the trunk.

(JR/SR) utahfilmcenter.org; saltlakefilmsociety.org

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Beer Art

Uinta Brewing

Best Door-to-Door Dance

SB Dance Curbside Theater Pickup Many performing arts organizations shifted during the early months of the pandemic to virtual performances, as people were forced to stay at home. Stephen Brown, however, has never been one to take the obvious creative path, so he decided instead to bring the show to where the viewers were. Beginning in June, Brown’s SB Dance offered pay-what-you-can Curbside Theater, with interested patrons reserving a time for Brown to pull a stage right up to your home and let you watch short dance pieces from a lawn chair. “Artists are cockroaches,” Brown said at the time; “We adapt, man.” And dancelovers were all the better for it. (SR) sbdance.com

Way back before Utah even conceived of a vibrant beer/distillery scene, rocker Rod Stewart sang “Every Picture Tells a Story.” That notion is forever true at Uinta Brewing, where every can is colored with a storytelling scene like no other. Beercan art may be its own genre these days, so many great examples, but the honor of being consistently great, many having distinctly Utah looks, belongs to Uinta Brewing. Our faves: Cutthroat, Golden Spike, Yard Sale, Sea Legs, Croggy and Pit Stop. Suitable for stacking and framing. (MS) 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC, 801-4670909, uintabrewing.com

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Best Educational Flashback

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Arts & Entertainment

CW STAFF

PICKS Best First Return to Live Performance

Best Drive-in Shakespeare

Best Stories From Around the World

We’ve all missed out on a lot this year, and the local arts community certainly missed the annual four-day celebration of the Utah Arts Festival. In an attempt to keep people connected to the festival’s work and the artists it supports, UAF created “Festival Vibes,” a weekly mini-showcase hosted on its website. In addition to a festival marketplace for accepted visual artists, “Festival Vibes” provided a curated selection of short films, music performances, poetry readings and even a virtual “Art Yard” for kids’ craft projects. It was a reminder of everything we’ll be looking forward to again in 2021. (SR) uaf.org

Timpanogos Storytelling Festival director Jennifer Nelson applied all the skills she learned doing customer service for WordPerfect to the unique challenge of connecting storytellers from all over to viewers for the 2020 virtual incarnation of the annual Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. The adaptation allowed gifted raconteurs from all over to bring their gifts to viewers, at a time when many of these storytellers have had no other way to draw income from their skills. For a bargain price, families were able to remain safely at home and enjoy amazing tales on both live-stream and pre-recorded formats. (SR) timpfest.org

UMOCA/ Granary Arts Lawn Gnomes 2020

Best Pandemic Commissions

Best Entertainment District

A gallery isn’t just an indoor physical space; it’s a place where people can encounter art. With those indoor physical spaces shut down, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art and Granary Arts in Ephraim collaborated on a project encouraging local artists to create pieces that they would then put out in their front yards, providing multiple locations in the state for those who were interested to drive by and view safely. Jared Steffensen and Cara Krebs were among those who responded to the call, giving us all a jolt of new visual excitement that didn’t require staring at a screen. (SR) utahmoca.org/lawn-gnomes-2020

Utah Symphony World Premieres Art doesn’t stop in times of crisis; if anything, challenging times inspire creative people to some of their best work.

Utah Symphony maestro Thierry Fischer reached out to composers Andrea Read Thomas and Dai Fujikura in May, inviting them to create new works for a full orchestra to play remotely and bring together via video and audio editing. Thomas’ Fanfare of Hope and Solidarity and Fujikura’s Longing from Afar allowed fans of orchestral music to recall the beauty of symphonic music, and the way it can capture the emotions of the most tumultuous times. (SR) utahsymphony.org

Virtual Timpanogos Storytelling Festival

The Gateway

Just as soon as it seemed the up and down then up again Gateway Mall was gaining steam as Salt Lake’s premier, all-inclusive entertainment center, its legs were cut from underneath their building momentum. Like all businesses, they were forced to pivot. No more mass gatherings on the plaza, but not all was lost—it just meant they had to be more creative. The draw of Goat Yoga, HallPass, Clark Planetarium and a giant footprint to stroll remain. With a renewed focus on the arts, it’s also easy to enjoy the murals, lights and ambiance that make The Gateway a must visit. (MS) 400 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-456-0000, shopthegateway.com

Best Arts Expansion During a Pandemic

Urban Arts Fest Elements It felt inevitable that scheduled arts events would either disappear or contract noticeably throughout the summer; it was a rare bold step for Derek Dyer to make the annual Urban Arts Fest bigger, and even more accessible. The typically single-weekend September event became a month-long celebration of live painting and the creations of artists and artisans, employing outdoor marketplaces and storefront displays at the Gateway. Throw in the annual Skate Deck Challenge, and you have an event that found a creative way to keep the buzz of festival energy going. (SR) utaharts.org

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Best Drive-by Installation

Wiseguys Comedy Clubs

Best Virtual Dose of a Summer Institution

SONDERimmersive’s Through Yonder Window Utah Arts Festival If you’re a theater company, what do you do when ‘Festival Vibes’ you can’t have audiences in a theater? If you’re a film organization, you can show things at a drive-in, but that couldn’t work for a play … could it? Graham Brown and SONDERimmersive proved that the answer is “yes” with their production of Through Yonder Window, a take on Romeo & Juliet offered at The Gateway’s parking structure with patrons remaining in their vehicles. The result was a one-of-a-kind experience that offered a new perspective on a story about people separated through no fault of their own. (SR) sonderimmersive.com

COURTESY PHOTO

It was something of a leap of faith when, in early May, Wiseguys reopened its comedy club venue at The Gateway. We were still figuring out what kinds of gatherings were safe, and many people still weren’t sure about going out to live entertainment. Yet the re-opening— with reduced seating capacity for social distancing and enhanced sanitary protocols— has thus far been without incident, as the Ogden and West Jordan venues have also subsequently re-opened. At a time when we all could use a laugh, Wiseguys was able to deliver it—and safely. (SR) Multiple locations, wiseguyscomedy.com

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Goods & Services

READERS’

PICKS

Best CBD Product

Hemplucid

Best Barbershop

Jed’s Barber Shop

Did an extended quarantine and months without human interaction leave you a little too comfortable with a scraggly beard or unkempt hair? Get back to your confident 2019 self at one of Jed’s Barber Shop’s three Salt Lake locations. 2020 is a wild year, but your luscious locks don’t have to look as crazy. (MS) Multiple locations, jedsbarber.shop 2. Salt Lake Barber Co. 3. City Barbers

Best Salon

Landis Lifestyle Salon Tired of running around town and seeing different hairstylists, nail technicians and estheticians? Landis Lifestyle Salon is your one-stop shop for hair styling, coloring, nails, waxing and other spa services.

Get the treatment you deserve at their Marmalade or Sugar House locations. (MS) 569 N. 300 West, SLC, 801-364-3354; 1298 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-485-5506, landissalon.com 2. Lunatic Fringe 3. Got Beauty

COURTESY PHOTO

Best Tattoo Artist

Best Garden Supply

Millcreek Gardens

Best Thrift/ Consignment Store

Mike Johnson of Studio Elev8 has been tattooing since 2002 and has developed a specialty in illustrative and realism tattoos. Johnson is also masterful in handling scar tissue, a tough component for novice tattoo artists. If you’re looking for some badass ink that’ll last a lifetime, Johnson is your best bet in Utah. (MS) 3752 W. Azara Lane, South Jordan, 385-229-7048, studioelev8.com 2. Buck Harvey 3. Alex Gregory

When stay-at-home orders went into effect and people were at home for extended periods of time, they took to gardening and houseplant care. Many garden supply stores had their hands full with customers coming in droves to service Utahns’ newfound hobbies of shrubbery and gardening.

Millcreek Gardens, in business since the 1960s, rose to the task and kept patrons safe and healthy in their spring shopping.

(MS) 3500 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-487-4131, millcreekgardens.com 2. Glover Nursery 3. Cactus and Tropicals

For over 20 years, Pib’s Exchange has been fitting customers with unique clothes, accessories, Halloween costumes, magical outfits and day-to-day awesomeness. For those selling their gently used items, Pib’s offers 55 percent in in-store credit, or 30 percent cash.

They also have preferred donation services at Big Brothers and Big Sisters, MS of Utah and Odyssey House. (MS) 1147 S. Ashton Ave., SLC, 801-484-7996, pibsexchange.com 2. IconoCLAD 3. The Other Side Thrift Boutique

Mike Johnson

Pib’s Exchange

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Founded in Utah in 2016 by four friends living in Utah County, Hemplucid has quickly become one of the most popular and trusted CBD companies in America, with products now in 3,500 retail locations.

Hemplucid is committed to providing lucid information to help others make educated decisions about their health. New to CBD? Start with a low dose with one of Hemplucid’s products and work your way up to a serving size that’s ideal for you. (MS) Multiple locations, hemplucid.com 2. Muscle MX 3. Beehive Buds

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Goods and Services

READERS’

PICKS Best Smoke/ Vape Shop

Blackhouse Vapor HOME HEALTH CARE

Best Tattoo Shop

27 Tattoo

With two studios in Salt Lake and a third about to open in St. George, 27 Tattoo canvases a wide swath of the state, in geography and in skin. They offer custom, individual artwork in a relaxed, comfortable and clean environment. Their professional artists offer a wide range of skills and styles, so you’re sure to find the design and look you’re looking for. (MS) 535 S. 700 East, SLC, 801906-8116; 1790 S. 1100 East, SLC, 435-708-1999, facebook.com/follow27 2. Yellow Rose 3. Good Times

Dr. Volt’s Comic Connection

Back-to-back winner! Dr. Volt’s is Utah’s Best Comic Book Store over many consecutive years.

Now entering their 30th anniversary year, the Millcreek comic book shop has been giving joy, thrills and entertainment to comic book and graphic novel aficionados for generations. Dive into a new world with ease in their expansive collection. (MS) 2043 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801485-6114, drvolts.com 2. Heebeegeebeez 3. Black Cat Comics

Best Medical Cannabis Dispensary

Dragonfly Wellness Utah’s medical-cannabis program didn’t launch without some kinks. In the spring, medical cannabis patients were often left confused about the process of obtaining a recommendation and

being issued cannabis cards, which left the burden of dealing with their angst on the first dispensary to open, Dragonfly Wellness. Now nearly a year into the program, patients have adapted to legally purchasing and using medical cannabis, and Dragonfly has been a trailblazer from the beginning. (MS) 711 S. State, SLC, 801-413-6945, dragonflyut.com 2. WholesomeCo 3. Perfect Earth

Hospice Care is compassionate care services provided to an individual with chronic life-limiting illness, usually in the final stages.

Hospice care combines the treatment of the body, the mind, and the soul to achieve a holistic model of care.

Palliative Care service promotes comfort and symptom management for patients that are still receiving curative treatments.

Qualifying for this service does not require a terminal prognosis and is most beneficial when started at the diagnosis of serious illness.

Come visit us at our NEW palliative medicine clinic located at: 1250 E. 3900 S. Suite 301 | SLC

Best Piercer

Dustin Robbins If you’re itching to add a new piercing to your collection, look no further than Dustin Robbins of Enso Piercing + Adornment. For nearly 25 years, he’s been making Utahns quirkier, cooler and more pierced. The crazy thing is, he doesn’t have any piercings of his own! Just kidding. He’s super pierced. Get your piercings from people who are super pierced, like Dustin. (MS) Enso Piercing + Adornment, 336 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-9530201, ensopiercing.com 2. Courtney Marriott 3. Patrick Bogdanich

Best Boutique

iconoCLAD With an unabashedly quirky style, iconoCLAD’s wide variety of offerings has become a local favorite for thrifters. Interested in consignment? iconoCLAD will carry your previously rocked stuff and give you 50 percent of the cash. During the era of COVID-19, iconoCLAD has been one of the premier face-mask sellers around, with plenty of sparkles and sequins to keep you safe and fashionable. (MS) 414 E. 300 South, SLC, 801833-2272, iconoclad.com 2. Blue Boutique 3. The Stockist

OUR MISSION People are our passion. Expert health care is our purpose. We love what we do and it shows.

Our mission is to innovate advances in health care while celebrating the human spirit. We take pride in what we do and take pleasure in service. We strive to bring our community the best home health and hospice care available.

SolsticeHC.com 801-485-1035

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Best Comic Book Store

shop is chock-full with vape options, and a knowledgeable staff to help you with your decision. (MS) 2148 S. 900 East, SLC, 801467-6526, blackhousevapor.com 2. Smoke Break 3. Murray Vape

PALLIATIVE CARE

Home Health Care is a team of professionals that work under the direction of your personal physician to improve your health in the comfort of your own home.

COURTESY PHOTO

Owners Mike and Holly Berry have decades of experience in the retail and service industries. They founded Blackhouse Vapor on the premise that customers deserve the best possible care and products. Step into their Sugar House vape shop, and you instantly get the picture—the clean and classy

HOSPICE CARE

Goods and Services

The King’s English Bookshop King’s English Bookshop has been matching books to readers since 1977. When the beloved independent shop closed to foot traffic at the end of summer for the safety of its staff, the store put out a plea to its loyal patrons to make holiday purchases early, since it was possible the business wouldn’t survive until the holidays otherwise. The result was such a wave of orders in September that the staff could barely keep up, proving that a wonderful local business inspires equally wonderful behavior in those who care about it. (MS/SR) 1511 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9100, kingsenglish.com 2. Weller Book Works 3. Ken Sanders Rare Books

Best CBD Retailer

Koodegras

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Opening its doors in 2015 as Utah’s first CBD retailer, Koodegras has blossomed into three Salt Lake Valley locations. The parents of two chemical engineers, owners Mike and Diane Bingham’s family-run operation ensures highquality products fill their shelves. Their THC-free topicals, gels and salves help reduce pain and ailments. (MS) Multiple Locations, koodegras. com 2. Blackhouse Vapor 3. Farmer and Chemist

Best CBD for Pets

Roxy Pets

Skeptics of CBD are quickly turned into advocates when they see the effects whole-plant CBD extracts have on their pets. Does your dog or cat have anxiety, trouble sleeping or is geriatric?

Offering a droplet of Roxy Pets, produced by Provo-based extractor Hemplucid, is a sure way to help your furry friend with an assortment of ailments and keeps them healthy and happy. (MS) Multiple Locations, hemplucid.com 2. Koodegras 3. Proper Hemp Co.

Best Pet Supply Store

The Dog’s Meow

If you have a furry friend in your life, you want suppliers of their pet products to share your concern and dedication to their health and well-being. Motherdaughter duo Alexis and Alyssa have teamed up to provide two Dog’s Meow locations, featuring high-quality products to keep pets happy and healthy for years to come. (MS) 2047 E. 3300 South, Millcreek, 801-468-0700; 866 E. 12300 South, Draper, 801-5010818, dogsmeow.com 2. Rockstar Pets 3. Paw Paws

READERS’

PICKS

Best Piercing Studio

Koi Curt Warren opened Koi’s doors in 1997, and since then, it’s become one of the most trusted and highquality piercing studios in Salt Lake. The skilled staff strives to work by the motto, “Safety, quality and trusted skill.” They follow an abundance of health and safety measures and are currently taking appointments over the phone or on their website.

(MS) 1301 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-463-7070, koipiercingslc.com 2. Enso 3. Abyss

COURTESY PHOTO

Best Bookstore

THANK YOU to those that supported Pressbackers through this rough year!

Truth matters. Character matters. Journalism matters.

To donate today go to pressbackers.com

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KEEP LOCAL, INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM ALIVE

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Goods and Services Best Celebration of a Milestone

AAA Jewelers

More expensive doesn’t always mean better—in the jewelry world, paying more for the same product is just throwing money down the drain, especially when there is a wholesaler on the scale of AAA Jewelers. The family-run store, operated by Mike and Lisa Vardakis with their son, Michael, will beat any price or quote in town for rings, gold and watches. AAA also creates custom jewelry. Before your next milestone celebration, give the iconic store a call for an appointment. (MS) 601 S. State, SLC, 801-359-2035, AAAJewelryUtah.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Bird Boutique

Backyard Birds

Best Rice Cookers Rice cookers are essential to the Asian kitchen, giving you a light, airy texture—possibly even better than a restaurant’s version. All you do is simply measure and rinse the rice, then set it to cook while you focus on the main course.

Asian City has an entire aisle dedicated to rice cookers, and our favorite of the pack is the Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-WTC10), made by Zojirushi. This reputable Japanese brand features advanced cooking technology.

(ML&CL) 1653 W. 9000 South, West Jordan, 801-255-5667, utahasiancity.com.

Even if you don’t make a hobby or habit of feeding your feathered backyard friends, meaning you may have no need for nyjer, black sunflower or safflower seeds, you still should make a visit to this colorful, charming cottage store that sets your senses ablaze from the moment you first walk in. From baths to birdfeeders, from suet to shelters, you will find everything and anything your birds need here. COVID-19 caused so many people to work from home. The ideal pastime for those folks is a watching the busy life that unfolds just feet from our windows and porches. Stop here for starters advice and become master of your own aviary. (MS) 2698 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-467-7222, facebook.com/backyardbirdsslc

DAVID CHRISTENSEN

Asian City

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Goods and Services

Babs De Lay & Julie Brizzée

When you pick up a copy of City Weekly each week, you’ve likely noticed these goofballs on the inside back cover in their weekly ad, dressed up as Wonder Women, teachers and many other costume-themed campaigns.

They’ve done it all. And, in the craziness that is the Salt Lake real-estate market, they’ve seen it all. When looking for a knowledgeable real estate broker and a trusted lender these two have your back just like they have City Weekly’s each and every week. (MS) Babs De Lay, 801-201-8824, urbanutah.com; Julie Brizzée, 801971-2574, intercaplending.com

Best Way to Look Sharp

Bonneville Sharpening Service A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, they say, but dull scissors may only be a danger in the hands of the do-it-yourself barber. “Out of an abundance of caution,” the COVID catchphrase, visits to haircutters and dentists have been curtailed. Many people have taken to self-barbering using scissors so dull that more hair is pulled than cut. Witness the bad haircuts on display: The Army Recruit, The Sheared Sheep, The Dog’s Mange, The Tufted Mongo and The Moe Bowl.

If you’re bent on lowering your own ears and trimming your own bangs, do yourself a favor by sharpening your scissors. Bonneville Sharpening Service is the place to go. Expert service for the inexpert. Bring your knives and they’ll give you loaners. (JR) 2161 E. Browning Ave., SLC, 801-913-5753, bonnevillesharpeningservice.com

Best Idli Cooker

CW STAFF

Cash ‘n’ Carry Indian Groceries and Spices

PICKS Best Treasure Hunter

A less common but widely popular rice cake in India is the savory idli, which can be dipped into sauces or eaten alone. With a texture that’s warm, soft and spongy, like a handheld cake, they soak up flavors from each dish they’re served with. Common pairings include tomato, onion or coconut chutneys, sambar lentil soup or a simple curry sauce. Batter of fermented lentil and rice for idli can be made from scratch but a prepared mix is available for purchase at Cash ’n’ Carry along with the cooker. The idli cooker steams up to 16 bite-size cakes at a time. (ML&CL) 8750 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801-561-0499, indiacashandcarry.com

Ken Sanders, Ken Sanders Rare Books

Best Way to Electrify Your Bike

Electrify Bike Co. Electric bicycles are all the rage. Streets are literally humming with them. While they may not flatten the curve, they damn sure flatten hills as steep as I Street.

Because most e-bikes are built in China, however, the pandemic has caused imbalances in supply and demand. You may not be able to find the new e-bike you want even if you are willing to spend big bucks.

Fortunately, most standard bikes can be retrofitted with a pedal-assist, electric motor by Electrify Bike Co. Efficient, friendly and knowledgeable, the Electrify conversion specialists provide up-front quotes. Get one for your cruiser on the company’s website. (JR) 8060 S. 1300 West, West Jordan, 801-997-0550, electrifybike.com

The literary community’s thirst for knowledge is quenched at Ken Sanders Rare Books. The local treasure is headed by none other than Mr. Sanders, a rarebook collector since his childhood, who has amassed a collection that is nationally acclaimed. When COVID-19 swept through the state, and readers

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shifted their buying tendencies, Salt Lakers stepped up with a campaign to raise KSRB over $120,000 (the campaign is about half funded), helping ensure this gem has a future in our city. (MS) 268 S. 200 East, SLC, 801-521-3819, KenSandersRareBooks.com

AUSTENDIAMONDPHOTOGRAPHY

Best Real Estate Tag Team

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MIND. BODY. SPA. Mention this ad for a complimentary Refresher Facial!

Jordan Landing 7138 Plaza Center Drive West Jordan, Ut 84084

Fort Union 801-255-3655 6981 S. Park Centre Drive www.SoulsticeDaySpa.com Salt Lake City, UT 84121

Goods and Services

Kevin Miller of Freedom Services Those with older homes are always in need of miracle workers to deal with aging plumbing and wiring. But when peeling paint on the home’s exterior becomes the latest emergency (that day will come), contact Kevin Miller for a painting bid.

Miller and his cohort, Casey, are the friendly, hardworking team behind Freedom Painting Services who not only take on any number of handyman repairs as they give your home a new lease on life, but their painting expertise (interior, exterior, residential or commercial) is top notch—perfectionistic, in fact. They take care of the power-washing, prepping and taping in advance, and then the transformation begins. All of a sudden, your neighbors are stopping to tell you how amazing your house looks. (JW) Freedom Painting Services, 5574 W. Poacher Circle, Kearns, 801-755-0079

Best Friend of the Free Press

Glover Nursery This giant, 10-acre nursery in West Jordan has garnered lots of City Weekly awards over the years (their tree and shrub selections are unmatched), but for our hibiscus, none means as much as the staff pick we grant them for this year: Best Friend of the Free Press. The nursery industry was one of the business categories that actually thrived during the coronavirus outbreak. It was not lost on brothers Rod and Bryce Glover that their good fortune was not universal to others, especially to the hospitality industry or this newspaper.

They wanted to give back to our community. In August the two began reaching out to their suppliers to solicit in-kind plant and product donations—annuals, perennials, vegetables, rocks and sod—that were resold with proceeds going to pressbackers.com—the 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that helps support City Weekly and independent journalism. By September, when the paper’s reserves were razor thin, the Glovers had donated $20,000 to the fund, the largest such donation supporting the local free press to date. Glover has sold nursery products in the valley since 1895. With your pay-it-forward support, they’ll do it for another 125 years. Our humble hat’s off to two of the greatest guys to ever graduate from Hillcrest High School—Rod and Bryce Glover. (MS) 9275 S. 1300 West, West Jordan, 801-562-5496, glovernursery.com

The upside to quarantine?

We’ve all learned how to cook more than quesadillas. Time to reward your newfound chef skills with the tools to match at Utah’s premier culinary supply store, Orson Gygi. Yes, silicone baking mats will change your life. Splurge on those Wusthof knives.

Buy an oven thermometer and never burn your banana bread again!

Follow on Instagram @ orsgongygi for virtual classes, promos and cooking tips. (MW) 3500 S. 300 West, South Salt Lake, 801-268-3316, gygi.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Reason to Be a Home Cook

Orson Gygi

Heather Smith, Orson Gygi Brand Developer

JOHN TAYLOR

Best Perfectionistic Painter

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Goods and Services Best Stone Pots

Seoul Market Ceramic stone pots are a fixture in almost every Korean restaurant.

Korean signature rice bowls, called bibimbap, are highly differentiated by the crunchy, fried rice along the outer edge of a stone pot called ddukbaegi. This stone pot acts as a mini Dutch oven, crisping the rice in a heated pot. Top with your favorite veggies, meat and chili gochujang sauce—you’ve got yourself the ultimate rice bowl.

Although these pots require care, they are microwave safe. (ML&CL) 153 E. 4370 South, No. 10, Murray, 801-266-2228

Best Florist

Sweet William Floral & Design If you’re in the market for something fresh and floral, leave it to Sweet William. Sisters Sara and Emily are happy to take on even the wildest ideas and work with clients one-on-one to create perfect petal pairings for every personality, be it for a wedding, event, funeral or just because—all at prices you’ll dig. (MW) 10506 S. Redwood Road, South Jordan, 801-679-5352, sweetwilliamdesign.com

Since 1929, the Weller family has sold books in Salt Lake City. Now located in historic Trolley Square, Weller Book Works continues their successful mantra of being kings of new, used and rare books. Rare books and Weller are like bread and butter. Like other local bookstore survivors, Weller has changed radically in the digital era. Today, one can peruse the shelves or order your favorite books online but also shop for specialty merchandise like mugs, tees and totes. (MS) 607 Trolley Square, SLC, 801-328-2586, wellerbookworks.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Ever-Evolving Indy Bookstore

Weller Book Works

Best Oasis in a Grocery Store Desert west downtown. Lee’s might appear to be a bodega at first, but it’s actually a full-service grocery store with many specialty items, sushi, a hot bar, etc. The produce is fresh, too, often from local growers. Their employees actually remember your names. Locally owned, Lee’s has locations in Logan, Ogden, Smithfield, Heber and North Salt Lake, and is a sight for sore eyes for those living in the high-end apartments that have popped up north of North Temple behind West High. (BDL) 255 N. 400 West, SLC, 801-869-1000, leesmarketplace.com

BRENT GODFREDSEN

Lee’s Market at 4th West Here’s a wonderful addition in what has been a grocery desert in

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Goods and Services

Top Hat Video

Sure, you’re thinking, video rental is as dead as disco. No way, Mr. Gibbs. While it’s true that video rental shops are as nearly as rare as fish in the Great Salt Lake, one very notable exception is the 40-year tenured Top Hat Video in Bountiful.

Yes, they pivoted in part to disc repair and video transfer, but their 40,000 titles of videos march steadily out the door even in this age of ondemand movies. Hard to find and rare movies are actually found at Top Hat. As long as you have a disc player, you might as well use it. A trip to Top Hat will convince you Netflix isn’t the only movie game in town. (MS) 521 W. 2600 South, Bountiful, 801-292-2221, tophatvideo.com

Best Woks

Vinh Long Oriental Food Market When shopping for a wok, consider the next evolution in stove-top cooking: a ceramic marble wok, available—along with a wide variety of kitchenware and cookware—at Vinh Long Oriental Food Market. Unlike traditional Asian woks, this allin-one pan/pot is lightweight, nonstick and cooks just about anything without taking up all the real estate in your cupboard. It can saute, boil, fry and sear kung pao chicken, ham-fried rice, hot and sour soup or even fried vegetable tempura. Best of all, the wok fits other pan lids of the same size.

(ML&CL) 119 W. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-5614380, vinhlongorientalmarket.com

Best Cobbler

Village Cobbler Shoe Repair If your best boots, heels and loafers need a new lease on life, Village Cobbler near Foothill Village is a shoo-in. With 30+ years of experience, cobbler Troy Morgan and staff can repair, resize and resole just about any pair of shoes and make them look brand new again, not to mention deep cleanings and dye jobs to restore leather and suede shoes to their original luster. (MW) 1455 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801582-7784

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Beard Trim and Cut Combo

Salt Lake Barber Co.

Best Survival Mode Collab You Didn’t Know You Needed

Dianormical Drop Days

by Diabolical Records and Normal Ice Cream The pandemic has shifted many of our everyday perceptions, but an unexpected one is this: records and ice cream belong together. Or at least, that’s the conclusion reached by Diabolical Records and Normal Ice Cream—plus all their fans. Diabolical started doing “drop bag” bundles of records and other goodies at the beginning of the pandemic to make up for the loss of foot traffic in-store, collaborating with businesses like lifestyle shop Atelier to start. That quickly led to other collaborations, most notably the “Dianormical” collaboration with Normal, which gave buyers both records and pints of ice cream with every bundle purchased. (EM) 238 S. Edison St., SLC, 801-792-9204, diabolicalrecords.com, normal.club

Isaac Atencio and Eric Stone are longtime friends and co-owners of downtown’s Salt Lake Barber Co. The duo have a staunch following that continues to grow larger, giving cause for Atencio and Stone to annex an adjacent space to add more barber chairs to the mix. Customers enjoy an array of specialty barbers and beard trimmers.

Going to anyone other than your steady barber may feel like cheating, but the inclusive and inviting crew at Salt Lake Barber Co. won’t rat you out. (MS) 10 E. 800 South, SLC, 385-261-2196, SaltLakeBarberCo.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Best Reborn Nostalgia

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Commerce Best Utah Retailer

Best Company that Gives Back

Named after the world’s largest active volcano (in the Andes mountain range in Ecuador), this outdoor gear company is en fuego in sales and popularity for several reasons: 1. they create quality clothing and camping/ outdoor gear; 2. they give back to the community and 3. during the pandemic, they’ve donated over 100,000 face masks made of teca cotton (so soft!), and for every mask we buy, they donate one to charity. They put 1% of annual revenues towards addressing poverty and supporting community development. They have awarded 42 grants in six countries they focus on to help improve our world. May more firms step up and follow Cotopaxi’s good-karma lead. (BDL) Multiple locations, cotopaxi.com 2. Black Diamond 3. Kühl Clothing

Five Wives, Porter’s Fire Liqueur, Porter’s Peach Liqueur, Porter’s Apple Liqueur, Underground, Madam Pattirini booze … and Five Husbands vodka during Pride. How can you not love these people? From using local spring water from Ogden Canyon that must be hiked out five gallons at a time to distilling corn spirits and risking the wrath of the DABC with racy labels of Victorian women in their undergarments, Ogden’s Own is now a force to be reckoned with in the distilling world. Plus, they used their mixology brains and compassion to be the first to turn their plant into producing hand sanitizer and giving it to first responders in Utah as well as shipping truckloads of sanitizer to the Navajo Nation. (BDL) 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995, ogdensown.com 2. Mark Miller Subaru 3. Vivint Smart Home

Best Bank for Small Businesses

Mountain America Credit Union MACU is a federally chartered credit union headquartered in Sandy. With branches in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada, it’s the 12th largest credit union in the country with almost 900,000 members, 95 branches and 5,000 shared branch locations. When a 5% tax from the Utah Legislature was going to be required on the three largest credit unions in the state who were competing with big local banks for members and money, MACU moved from a state charter to a federal charter in 2003 to avoid that tax. (BDL) Multiple locations, macu.com 2. University Credit Union 3. Zions Bank

READERS’

Ogden’s Own Distillery

PICKS

Best MinorityOwned Business

Icy Mountain

Best Company to Work For / Best Tech Company

Qualtrics

When 75% of the Fortune 500 companies rely on a company’s platform, you should pay attention to that company.

Qualtrics’ subscription platform is one of the first employeemanagement platforms to measure employee experiences through metrics powered by “predictive intelligence.” Their leading research software scoops up data on all sorts of industries, and for nearly 20 years, they have served millions of management professionals in more than 100 countries to help them better listen, understand and take action. (BDL) 333 W. River Park Drive, Provo, 801-374-6682, qualtrics.com Best Company to Work for Runners-up 2. Intermountain Healthcare 3. Adobe Best Tech Company Runners-up 2. Pluralsight 3. Domo

Jared Clavell In 2019, Jared Clavell opened a gourmet shaved-ice truck that specializes in what the Black businessman calls his “boujee” shaved ice. According to Clavell, this is not Hawaiian style you may be used to.

Rather, it’s a morph of the island original—soft ice over vanilla ice cream, your pick of syrup flavors, sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, caramel drizzle—and damn it!—fresh

fruit or candy! There are a slew of crazy flavors that you don’t usually find, such as peaches ’n’ cream and strawberry lemonade. Also, look for vegan, glutenfree and dye-free flavors—even “pup cups” of ice just for dogs. (BDL) Find them on Facebook or Instagram (icy. mountain) or via thefoodtruckleague. com 2. Empire Body Waxing 3. Fillings and Emulsions

COURTESY PHOTO

Cotopaxi

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Commerce

Schools

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For more than 30 years, this local real-estate educator has been turning out graduates of a 90-hour course required for a license to sell property in Utah. They almost guarantee that you will pass the state exam and teach you how to take the test. If you’ve been in the business and want to move to broker status, they offer advanced classes as well as continuing education courses that licensees are required to take every two years. They have added a home-inspection course and full instruction on how to become a licensed residential appraiser. The founder of Stringham Schools passed away in 2017, leaving a legacy of thousands of graduates. His wife and family carry on his work with in-person and video classes.

(BDL) 635 W. 5300 South, Ste. 301, SLC, 801-269-8889, stringhamschools.com 2. SLCC 3. Healing Mountain

U of U David Eccles School of Business

Best Myth Shatterer

READERS’

Wells Fargo Center

A popular Salt Lake City urban legend of the’70s, ‘80s and ‘90s was that an ordinance prohibited any building taller than the 420-foot LDS Church Office Building within the city limits. The myth was shattered Founded in 1917, the school in 1998 with the opening of a 422offers 12 institutes and foot skyscraper at the corner of centers, priding itself on Main and 300 South. (The church delivering “academic research edifice appears higher because it’s and support in an ecosystem on an incline). Originally built as of entrepreneurship, headquarters for American Stores, technology and innovation.” later sold to the Wasatch Group, Thousands have graduated the Wells Fargo Center’s large faux from one of nine undergrad “windows” impart a welcoming and four MBA programs, and vibe—compared with the stark, (before COVID-19) students monolithic church structure, which traveled the globe through has more stories: 28 compared Eccles Global to see how with 24. The Wells Fargo high-rise the world does business. was designed by HKS Architects of The DESB helps students Dallas, famous for the cavernous launch companies, offers AT&T Stadium, home of the Texas scholarships and focuses on Rangers. It will soon be joined diversity in a business world or exceeded in height by new needing to innovate. (BDL) downtown construction including eccles.utah.edu the 28-story Salt Palace Convention 2. Westminster College Center Hotel; 24-story Liberty Sky 3. BYU Marriott School of residential tower at 151 S. State; and Business Tower 8, a 28-story high-rise office at 95 S. State. (LG) 299 S. Main, SLC

PICKS

Best Made-in-Utah Product

Beehive Cheese Barely Buzzed Beehive Cheese

The amazing bovines in our state produce some of the creamiest milk this side of the Mississippi. In 2005, Tim Welsh and his brother-in-law, Pat Ford, had an idea in mind for that milk when they opened a creamery in the mountains of Utah. But not just any creamery. Beehive Cheese has taken Utah and the world by storm with their awardwinning cheeses, including Barely Buzzed, Apple Walnut Smoked, Red Butte Hatch

Chili, Seahive, Big John’s Cajun, Promontory, Teahive and Pour Me a Slice. They like to say, “This isn’t the cheese you grew up with.” The Legislature should vote it the official cheddar of the state! (BDL) 2440 E. 6600 South, No. 8, Uintah, 801-476-0900, beehivecheese.com 2. Fivewives Vodka 3. Hemplucid

COURTESY PHOTO

Best Trade School Best Business School Stringham

wHO’S READY TO PLAY? EVERY DOG DESERVES A FUN DAY SOCIALIZING AND PLAYING WHILE YOU’RE AWAY !

YOUR PUP WILL LOVE US!

Boarding

Self-Service Dog Wash

Daycare

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3015 South State St, SLC UT | 385-528-2150 | barkinglotslc.com

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Commerce

CW STAFF

PICKS Best FamilyOwned Business

Young Auto Group

This family-owned company has been in business in Utah since 1924 and now has 18 retail automotive franchises as well as several other companies across the state and in southern Idaho. They’ve understood how important family (and extended family) are during COVID-19, stepping up and sanitizing workplaces throughout the day and offering free pickup and delivery for

sales and service. Through charity work, in partnership with Davis Education Foundation, they’ve helped clothe 475 kids and have helped their communities since they opened shop in Morgan, Utah, just before the Great Depression. (BDL) youngautomotive.com 2. Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli 3. All Hours Plumbing

Best ‘Wanna Talk Tall?’

Rio Tinto Kennecott’s Smelter

Best Subsidized Senior Housing

Taylor Gardens

Salt Lake City’s Housing Authority operates several lowincome housing complexes. Taylor Gardens, for 55-plus seniors, is one of the best. The one- and two-bedroom units are small—650 to 821 square feet—but designed to utilize every square centimeter. You’ll find ample storage, patios, top-of-the-line appliances and granite countertops. The complex includes a community kitchen/pantry and party area, library common areas, TV rooms and exercise spaces. The immaculate landscaping is on par with Temple Square. There are income restrictions but if you fit the criteria, this is the place. (LG) 1790 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-466-9012

Best Local Manufacturer / Best Local Gear Brand

Black Diamond (Clarus Corp) Clarus Corp., which owns the Black Diamond brand, is a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of outdoor equipment and lifestyle products that focus on the climb, ski, mountain, sport and skin-care industries. Their products are sold under the Black Diamond, Sierra (bullets), PIEPS and SKINourishment brand names. Their climbON skin cream bar is one of their newer products that’s never been tested on any mammal other than humans and meets high environmental sustainability standards for our earth and waterways.

They make specific products for runners, skin and general clean hands, as well. (BDL) 2084 E. 3900 South, SLC, 801-278-5552, claruscorp.com Best Local Manufacturer Runners-up 2. Purple 3. Lifetime Best Local Gear Brand Runners-up 2. Cotopaxi 3. Klymit

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You can spot it to the northwest, rising from the base of the Oquirrhs. At 1,215 feet, Kennecott Utah’s Garfield Smelter smokestack is a mere 35 feet shorter than the Empire State Building. The tallest free-standing structure west of the Mississippi, it’s also the fourth tallest smokestack on earth.

After an 84-day continuous concrete pour, it was finished in 1974. Its walls are 12 feet thick at the base and 12 inches thick at the rim, and a Swedish-built gear elevator on the inside takes 20 minutes to travel to the top. Lest environmentalists despair, it’s Utah’s last operating smelter chimney. (LG) Along Interstate 80 west of Magna

COURTESY PHOTO

Spencer Young Sr.

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No Pet Should Have Just One Best Friend

• Webcams • Cageless Cat, Dog Daycare & Boarding • Exotics & Pocket Pets • Dog Wash

1977 W. North Temple SLC, Ut. 84116 (801)683-3647

596 W. 1500 So. Woods Cross 84087 (801)683-3647

UTAHDOGPARK.COM

Creating a

Life Changing Chiropractic Care in Salt Lake City.

Outdoors & Recreation

READERS’

PICKS Best Local

community where Utah families are empowered to live life, not just endure it.

Thanks for those who voted for us in BEST OF UTAH!

Recreational Sports Store

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Recreation Outlet

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Love the outdoors, but don’t love having to save big bucks for expensive outdoor gear?

Recreation Outlet has a huge selection of gear—at reasonable prices—for whatever adventure you’re feeling up to. This local company has locations in Salt Lake, Ogden

and American Fork. Plus, you also have to option to order online, and they’ll ship it to you! (ML&CL) Multiple locations, 801-4844800, recreationoutlet.com 2. Level 9 3. Sports Den

STEVEN VARGO

CHIROPRACTORS

Best Bowling Alley

Best Bike Shop

This iconic bowling alley is a local favorite. With nightly specials, lessons and leagues, Bonwood is right up Utah’s alley. They serve food and beer with plenty of options for alternative bar games into the wee hours of the night. Bonwood’s expansive facility boasts 42 lanes, capturing audiences who don’t like to wait around all night for a game. (ML&CL) 2500 S. Main, SLC, 801-4877758, bonwoodbowl.com 2. Pins and Ales 3. Olympus Hills

Looking for a new ride? Live in Utah or even out of town? Contender is the bike shop you want to go to whether you are a newbie or a weathered rider.

Whatever your skill level, the exceptional staff can make recommendations, from any bike model to any part. They can ship to you free with a $50 purchase or more. (ML&CL) 989 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-3640344, contenderbicycles.com 2. Bingham Cyclery 3. Saturday Cycles

Bonwood Bowl

Brighton Ski Resort This all-terrain resort serves a wide range of snowboarders, from beginners taking lessons to advanced backcountry boarders. The mountain is generally divided into levels, meaning you can ride the same lift and switch up runs within your ability. The variety of wide and narrow routes makes exploring the mountain fun. Just don’t get stuck on a cat track. (ML&CL) 8302 S. Brighton Loop Road, Brighton, 801-532-4731, brightonresort.com 2. Snowbird 3. Solitude

Why Choose Chiropractic?

Best State Park

Goblin Valley State Park A mere four-hour drive lands you in the valley of stunted hoodoos, otherwise known as goblins.

These red rocks have some of the most interesting rock formations you’ll find in Utah. Everything from easy hikes to guided canyoneering is available for a $5 entrance fee and any required permits, depending on your final destination. (ML&CL) 18630 Goblin Valley Road, Green River, 435-2754584, stateparks.utah.gov/parks/goblin-valley 2. Antelope Island 3. Snow Canyon

Precise

Gentle

Effective

Elevationcenterutah.com

515 E 4500 S #G230, SLC, UT 84107 (385) 743-8833 @elevationchiropracticcenter

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Best Snowboarding

Contender Bicycles

Outdoors & Recreation

READERS’

PICKS Best Skate Shop

It’s hard to dive into a new sport like skateboarding, but it’s even harder to trust the gear. Milosport’s friendly, knowledgeable staff has experience with everything boards, so you’ll come out feeling confident in your purchase. Responsive and easy to get a hold

Best Bike Path

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Jordan River Parkway Jordan River Parkway is a smoothly paved, two-lane bike and pedestrian trail extending from northern Utah Lake to North Salt Lake. It spans 45 miles with beautiful scenery along the Jordan River. Perfect for bikers with minimal obstacles, this well-maintained path is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dogs allowed on leash. (ML&CL) Jordan River Commission, 801-536-4158, jordanrivercommission.com 2. Snowbasin 3. Bonneville Shoreline

Best Hike Path

Lake Blanche Trailhead Extensive and steep, this Big Cottonwood Canyon hike is an adventurer’s dream: its ultimate reward is at the top. The narrow outand-back trail features natural shade if you’re an early bird. The sound of running water teases you as you hike the trail until reaching the vast, glassy lake at the top. Plan on a half day to finish this hike. (ML&CL) 4.3 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Mill B South Fork Picnic Area ( just before the S curve), fs.usda.gov 2. Living Room 3. Dog Lake

of online, they’ll bend over backward and do a 360 to get you the best service. (ML&CL) 3119 E. 3300 South, 801-487-8600, milosport.com 2. Raunch 3. Salty Peaks

JOHN TAYLOR

Milosport

Best Public Golf Course

Mountain Dell Golf Course This well-maintained golf course offers gorgeous scenery without needing to spend a lot on the sport (or the view). It’s a short 20-minute drive from Salt Lake City for some peaceful golfing. Since the course is large, you might want to rent a golf cart. Also, check it out during the winter months for snow activities with the family. (ML&CL) Parleys Canyon, Interstate 80, Exit 134, 801-582-3812, mountaindellgc.com 2. Bonneville 3. Bountiful Ridge

Best Ski Resort

Snowbird

This highly rated ski resort isn’t for the weak-kneed and is highly preferred by more advanced skiers. Its outstanding powder days and access to Mineral Basin through an easy access tunnel make for amazing runs in challenging bowls and chutes, through tree glades and on groomed trails. Create your own route by combining tree terrain and cliff jumps down these vertical slopes. Night skiing and the Tram are also a bonus. (ML&CL) 9385 S. Snowbird Center Drive, Snowbird, 1-800-232-9542, snowbird.com 2. Brighton 3. Alta

Best Ski Shop

Sports Den This shop might look small from the outside, but their ski selections are larger than the Cheesecake Factory menu.

Sports Den offers exceptional quality on your tune ups and takes pride in their customer service. For beginner skiers, it’s important to rent or buy from a shop that fits you with the proper gear. They’re not just looking to sell you the most expensive products—just what’s right for you. (ML&CL) 1350 Foothill Drive, SLC, 801-582-5611, sportsden.com 2. Milosport 3. Wasatch Touring

2955 EAST 3300 SOUTH SLC, UT., 84109 | (801)487-3649 DALEBOOT@DALEBOOT.COM | DALEBOOT.COM

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SO COMFORTABLE, YOU WILL FORGET YOU’RE EVEN WEARING THEM.

Outdoors & Recreation

Stewart Falls Trail

Family and dog-friendly, this scenic trail is only 3.4 miles out and back. The views are grand: With Mount Timpanogos in the background, there’s a gorgeous waterfall at the trail’s end, the perfect spot to eat your well-deserved snacks. If you want to explore, you can take in the scenery from the base of the initial waterfall. (ML&CL) 40.4043, -111.605, utahvalley.com/ listing/stewart-falls/708/

Best Real Estate Deal That Saved Hobbitville

Allen Park Opening to the Public

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In a welcome move, Salt Lake City saved the city’s most unique, wooded property from becoming another housing development. Then, adopting its legendary name, Mayor Erin Mendenhall opened Allen Park to the public for the first time in 50 years. George and Ruth Allen bought the seven-acre site along Emigration Creek east of Westminster College in 1931. The Allens’ eclectic taste ran to exotic animals—including peacocks—fountains, log houses and mosaic art. Fifteen small duplexes were built in the 1940s. Renters included artists, professors, hippies, students and Howard Berkes, the NPR reporter who filed stories from his house there for decades. Public access ended in the 1960s, and the property decayed. As the forest encroached, the site’s peculiarities were mythologized in whispered tales of Hobbitville. Tolkien aside, those who like Gilgal Sculpture Garden’s oddities will

be charmed by Allen Park. Open seven days a week until dusk. (JR) Parking on Downington Avenue and 1300 East

Best Campsite With Amenities

Currant Creek This home away from home is remote and quiet, with everything you need for the ultimate glamping experience.

A three-hour scenic mountain drive from Salt Lake City brings you to a campground nestled in Aspen trees and hugging the Currant Creek Reservoir.

Complete RV hookups, a campfire ring, a picnic table and bathrooms with running water will put this on your list of annual sites for a getaway. (ML&CL) Wasatch Cache National Forest, Forest Road 145, Heber City, 385-273-1100, gocamputah. com

Where do you go to cool off during one of the hottest Utah summers on record when many of the state’s public swimming pools are closed due to COVID? Just 30 minutes from downtown, Rockport Reservoir offers sandy beaches and crisp mountain water perfect for a socially distanced soak. Park in any of the roadside lots on the west end of the reservoir for just $5—one cheap way to spend a sweltering weekend. (MW) 9040 N. State Highway 302, Peoa, 435-336-2241, stateparks.utah.gov

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Swimming Pool Alternative

Rockport Reservoir

Best BLM Land Getaway

Gandy Warm Springs This hidden gem rests on the UtahNevada border next to Crystal Ball Caves. To get there, head west on U.S. Highway 50/6 from Delta toward the Nevada border and Great Basin National Park. Then, turn right on Gandy Road, 2/3 of a mile before the border, and drive 28 miles north. The grueling dirt road deters many visitors, so you might have the place to yourself. High-profile vehicles are recommended but not required to access this watering hole consisting of caves, waterfalls, pools and clear streams with water temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees—ideal for a summer soak.

(ML&CL) 39°27’35.75”N, 114° 2’13.62”W, geology.utah.gov

UT.GOV

Best Scenic Hike for the Family

SO COMFORTABLE, YOU WILL NEVER WANT TO TAKE THEM OFF.

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2955 EAST 3300 SOUTH SLC, UT., 84109 | (801)487-3649 DALEBOOT@DALEBOOT.COM | DALEBOOT.COM

Outdoors & Recreation

READERS’

PICKS

Best Wakeless Reservoir to Bring Your SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard)

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Paddleboarders, here’s your dream come true: a wakeless, glassy reservoir lined with trees that touch the sky. Beginners can seek peace and calmness if learning the ways of the SUP. Ogden locals love this hot spot for cliff jumping, kayaking and tube floating. This reservoir, with its long pathways, is ideal for the explorer at heart. (ML&CL) Route 39, Huntsville, 801-999-2103

VISITOGDEN.COM

Causey Reservoir

Best Water Obstacle Course on a Tube

Weber River Tubing

The Weber River is a class II whitewater river not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for more than a lazy float and lots of excitement, then this two-hour float has got it all. This natural obstacle course includes turns, bridges, logs, rapids and last but not least, Rock Alley (it is what it sounds like). Required: a life jacket. Unofficially required: shoes with straps, high-quality tube and sunscreen. (ML&CL) Highway 84, Exit 112, Henefer

Best Historic Farm

Mabey’s Pumpkin Patch

With over 45 pumpkin varieties of pumpkin growing annually on 16 acres in the heart of South Jordan at Mabey Farm, the perfect photo opportunity with the kids awaits. Hard stop. Did you know that there were at least 45 pumpkin varieties? Did you know there are still farms in Salt Lake Valley? Make sure you circle the calendar for the end of September and October in time for Halloween 2021 to support this quaint century-old farm and the annual traditions that will likely kick off for you and your family. The Mabey family is rock solid, and their land is a valley treasure. (MS) 10090 S. 1000 West, South Jordan, 801-254-1261, mabeyfarms.com

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Restaurants

READERS’

PICKS

Best Utah County Restaurant

Communal

Communal’s Butterscotch Pudding

COURTESY PHOTO

Best New Restaurant

Best Breakfast

Best Indian Restaurant

Best Atmosphere

Marmalade darling Arlo recently arrived on the SLC dining scene with a global contemporary menu created by renowned chef Milo Carrier. Look for standouts such as lamb ravioli with roasted mushrooms and celery root, and the chicory salad with sumac yogurt, caramelized carrots and quinoa crumble. They’re currently open for dinner, brunch and takeout Wednesday through Sunday. (MW) 271 N. Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845, arlorestaurant.com 2. Cultivate Craft Kitchen 3. Carson Kitchen

Blue Plate Diner is a heavy hitter in the breakfast arena for plenty of reasons. Their chile verde is a wake-up call for the ages—whether it’s stuffed inside their gargantuan breakfast burritos or slathered on top of their fluffy omelets. If eggs Benedict are more your breakfast jam, you can’t go wrong with their traditional and salmon variations, covered in homemade hollandaise sauce and served up with perfectly cooked home fries. Blue Plate’s griddle is always hot and ready to sling out traditional pancakes, thick French toast and hearty country corncakes. Combine that stellar menu of breakfast stalwarts with their excellent location in the heart of Sugar House, and it’s no secret why locals love Blue Plate. (AS) 2041 S. 2100 East, SLC, 801-463-1151, facebook.com/blueplatediner 2. Roots 3. Park Cafe

Given the caliber of truly great Indian food available across our state, it’s no small feat for Bombay House to be such a consistent presence at the top of this list.

Perhaps that’s because it’s been part of Utah’s culinary identity for years now—or perhaps their roster of curries and chutneys are just that good. Either way, it’s clear that they’re rocking an impressive menu of Indian favorites and the casual-yet-classy atmosphere is perfect for both special occasions and low-key social calls. Bombay House has been special to the Wasatch Front for years, and we’re always happy to see them hanging at the top of this list. (AS) Multiple locations, bombayhouse.com 2. Saffron Valley 3. Kathmandu

Looking for classy dining in Cottonwood Heights? Reserve a white-linened table next to the fireplace and enjoy 5-star service at Carmine’s, an authentic Italian restaurant (the chef is from Naples) with stand-out favorites like homemade pappardelle with wild boar sauce, woodfired pizzas and homemade tiramisu. (MW) 2477 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-948-4468, carmines. restaurant 2. HSL 3. Log Haven

Arlo

Blue Plate Diner

Bombay House

Carmine’s Italian Restaurant

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Communal might just be the best thing to happen to Provo since Steve Young. With crave-worthy dishes like the funeral potato croquette, Clifford Farms pork loin (big enough to share) and butterscotch pudding with salted caramel and cookie crumble, this New American restaurant combines next-level comfort food with locally sourced ingredients and a great wine list. (MW) 102 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-8000, communalrestaurant.getbento.com 2. Black Sheep Cafe 3. Station 22

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Restaurants

READERS’

PICKS Best Wine List

It’s been quite the year for BTG Wine Bar. A move to a new location, COVID and an earthquake that broke windows didn’t deter BTG, which is currently open and pouring more than 75 wines by the glass, plus cocktails, beer and small bites. Sink into one of the deep, leather booths and sip to your

Best Thai Restaurant

Chabaar Beyond Thai

Best Downtown SLC Restaurant

Copper Onion

When Copper Onion first opened its doors, Utah didn’t really have a place that combined culinary innovation and trendy concepts with local ingredients. As it grew in popularity, Copper Onion honed an authentically Utah perspective. The downtown location makes it the perfect jumping off point for a night out or for taking in a flick at the Broadway Centre Cinemas. Its carefully curated New American cuisine always has something craveworthy.

On top of the stellar menu and knowledgeable staff, the atmosphere at Copper Onion is among the best Salt Lake has to offer. (AS) 111 E. 300 South, Ste. 170, SLC, 801-3553282, thecopperonion.com 2. Takashi 3. Current

Best Desserts

Best Coffee Shop

Fillings and Emulsions

In spite of all the craziness of 2020, it’s nice to know you can still get a cup of joe from your friendly neighborhood Coffee Garden.

Their takeout-only model hasn’t deterred customers from bringing their own lawn chairs and setting up socially distanced circles on the patio, conjuring up images of pre-COVID coffee talk. Treat yourself to a scratch-made pastry and don’t forget to tip your barista. (MW) 878 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-355-3425, coffeegardenslc.com 2. Beans and Brews 3. Publik

It’s been a busy year for Fillings and Emulsions. On top of expanding their dessert empire to West Valley and into Salt Lake City International Airport, Chef Adalberto has been organizing fundraising bake sales that have raised thousands of dollars for RAICES. Such growth and community involvement wouldn’t be possible without the team’s uncanny knack for creative baking. Their signature, gem-toned macarons are what catch your eye while their savory meat pies and decadent dulce de leche cruffins steal your heart. It’s hard to enter Fillings and Emulsions without being immediately entranced by the welcoming environment and jaw-dropping desserts constantly on display. (AS) Multiple locations, fillingsandemulsions.com 2. Gourmandise 3. Les Madeleines

Coffee Garden

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If you like your Thai food extra spicy, Chabaar Beyond Thai is the place to be. In fact, first-time diners and takeout orders can’t go beyond spice level 3. (The restaurant keeps a log of who can handle the heat!) For Thai classics with a twist, try the mango curry, curry pot pie or owner Anny Sooksri’s namesake salad with fried chicken, pineapple and sesame vinaigrette.

(MW) 87 W. 7200 South, Midvale, 801566-5100, bestthaifoodinutah.com/ chabaarbeyondthai 2. Sawadee 3. Chanon Thai

heart’s content. Flights starting at just $12 are a great way to test your sommelier skills. (MW) 404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-359-2814, btgwinebar.com 2. Pago 3. Cucina

COURTESY PHOTO

BTG Wine Bar

Restaurants Best Restaurant to Impress Newcomers / Best Mexican Restaurant

READERS’

PICKS

Red Iguana

Local foodies have long been impressed with Red Iguana’s spectacular menu, bulwarked by its selection of primo moles, so it’s a no-brainer to stop there when friends and family come to visit. We know that most every sane person loves Mexican food, so when we find a place like Red Iguana that takes such a sincere and hard-working approach to this beloved cuisine, it holds a special place in our hearts. I can’t remember how many times we’ve suggested Red Iguana as a recommendation for our Utah visitors, and based on this year’s Best of Utah results, neither can all y’all.

(AS) Multiple locations, rediguana.com Best Restaurant to Impress Newcomers Runners-up 2. Copper Onion 3. Table X Best Mexican Restaurant Runners-up 2. Chile Tepin 3. Blue Iguana

Best Brunch

Piper Down What’s your definition of brunch? If your tastes lean toward pub grub and a breakfast that includes $1.50 mimosas, plenty of vegetarian options and Sunday football, then look no further than Piper Down. Pretend you’re across the pond and order a Henry the VIII, Piper Down’s take on a traditional English breakfast, or try one of the many mouthwatering breakfast burritos, or … who are we kidding, you’re here for the mimosas, right?

(MW) 1492 S. State, SLC, 801-468-1492, piperdownpub.com 2. Little America 3. Ruth’s Diner

Best Chinese Restaurant

Red Maple Chinese The people have spoken. Red Maple is the readers’ choice, even if the doors to the dining room happen to be closed due to COVID. Fear not, you can still order to-go or via delivery. No pandemic can come between the people and Red Maple’s savory, spicy favorites such as salt and pepper pork, beef with Chinese broccoli, Singapore noodles with stir-fried shrimp, French-style beef steak, barbecue pork lo mein, beef chow fun, Hong Kong duck and ham fried rice along with a full dim sum menu served all day. Flavors are sublime, and portions are generous. Consider a party platter for a family gathering. We’ll one day return to this bustling eatery for weekend dim sum, but in the meantime, don’t deny yourself—order it to-go. (JW) 2882 W. 4700 South, Taylorsville, 801-747-2888, redmaplechinese.com 2. Mandarin 3. Mom’s Kitchen

READERS’

PICKS Best Bakery

COURTESY PHOTO

Gourmandise

La Caille

Mazza

With 23 pastoral acres surrounding a turreted stone French-country chateau, La Caille reopened Sept. 25 following a COVID closure. This elegant eatery boasts a new decorative fire feature and has tripled the size of its front entrance. At press time, the restaurant’s classic brunch service is scheduled to return in midNovember. La Caille’s charcuterie board— filled with local and French cheeses, meats, housemade crostinis, chutneys and a local pickled mustard-seed honey—is a don’t-miss, as is the French onion soup— on the menu since La Caille opened— capped with layers of French cheeses and served with a toasted baguette and garlic spread. For entrees, executive chef Billy Sotelo recommends the grilled Wagyu with toasted shishito pepper or the sea bass, paired with La Caille’s wines, two of which—the Seyval Blanc and Chateau Rose—are made from grapes from La Caille’s own vineyard. Sotelo notes that La Caille plans to offer Thanksgiving dinner with limited-seating—reservations only—on Wednesday and Thursday of Thanksgiving week. (CC) 9565 S. Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, 801-942 1751, lacaille.com 2. Eva’s Bakery 3. Franck’s

Fans of Mazza bemoaned the recent closures of their 9th and 9th and Sandy locations, but the original Mazza at 15th and 15th is alive and well. It’ll be worth whatever drive is needed to dine at the original location. Readers can’t do without Mazza’s bold Middle Eastern flavors in dishes like baba ganooj with fresh roasted eggplant, traditional mana’eesh Lebanese flatbreads, house-made lamb sausage with Armenian pickles and plant-based pumpkin kibbeh.

And those french fries! (MW) 1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801484-9259, mazzacafe.com 2. Laziz Kitchen 3. Afghan Kitchen

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

Oh Mai Sandwich Kitchen

As far as consistently delicious pho and banh mi goes, Oh Mai rarely disappoints. Their curry chicken banh mi next to a big bowl of meatball pho are essential cold-weather fare in Utah. Looking for a damned near perfect breakfast? Try the sunny-side up egg banh mi with a cup of pho broth for dipping. Even for lunch or dinner, the meal captures the heart and soul of the Vietnamese comfort food, making it easy to understand how Oh Mai, with its nine locations, has become a favorite of all of the “pho-natics” out there. (AS) Multiple locations, ohmaisandwichkitchen.com 2. Little Saigon 3. All Chay

What can you say about an institution like Gourmandise? The quaint, Euro-by-way-ofUtah vibe had made this local bakery a dessert destination for years. Whether you’re there to snack on a buttery croissant or planning to indulge in one of their many Frenchinspired meals, you’re always in for a treat.

Their chocolate mousse cake is decadence incarnate, and their strawberry mille feuille is a creamy dream of a dessert, and that’s just to name a few. Sure, we all have our favorites, but exploring that stocked display case in the center of the restaurant is ever a fun adventure. (AS) Multiple locations, gourmandisethebakery.com 2. Fillings and Emulsions 3. Les Madeleines

DEREK CARLISLE

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Best French Restaurant Best Middle-Eastern Restaurant

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Restaurants

READERS’

Offering a menu of eclectic American dishes, Forbes-rated Riverhorse on Main shines when it comes to spotlighting flavors of the West, like their trio of wild game with North American buffalo, venison and elk expertly paired with herb shallot butter and Oregon huckleberry, handcut buffalo tartare or pistachiocrusted local rainbow trout. Be sure to save room for apple bread pudding with award-winning Promontory cheddar from Beehive Cheese Co. (MW) 540 Main St., Park City, 435-649-3536, riverhorseparkcity.com 2. Handle 3. Grappa

Best Greek Restaurant

PICKS

The Other Place

Best Park City Restaurant

In addition to The Other Place’s buzzy breakfast-joint vibe, its traditional Greek lunch and dinner items are what secured its place as the “Sakis Rouvas” of local Greek food. Their gyros and kabobs are marinated and roasted to perfection—the gyro omelet is one of the finest cultural crossovers you can experience.

For dinner, The Other Place serves up everything from traditional dishes like dolmathes and moussaka, to leg of lamb over rice. Though The Other Place rubs elbows with some of Salt Lake’s hippest real estate, its staying power over several decades has made it a crucial part of the local community. (AS) 469 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-5216567, theotherplacerestaurant. com 2. Manoli’s 3. Greek Souvlaki

COURTESY PHOTO

Riverhorse on Main

Best Italian Restaurant

Best Salt Lake Valley Restaurant

After a brief closure, Sicilia Mia diners are happy to be wowed once again by the tableside preparation of carbonara inside a warmed grana padano cheese wheel that’s two feet wide. Grana padano, according to Sicilia Mia co-owner Giuseppe Mirenda, is the best cheese in Italy. Additional parmagiana pecorino cheese is added to the hot housemade noodles before they are blended inside the cheese wheel with other ingredients, including eggs and pancetta. Mirenda says the rich and delicious mushroom ravioli is returning by popular demand to Sicilia Mia’s three currently open locations in Holladay, Farmington and 15th and 15th (the new La Trattoria de Francesco).

Antica Sicilia is set to reopen mid-November, with all locations reducing their seating capacity by half while taking care to follow health department edicts, including wearing masks and seating guests six feet apart, Mirenda says. But if takeout is your thing, consider the highly flavorful Margherita pizza.

“All pizza ingredients are premium—from the mozzarella to the tomato, to the basil,” says Mirenda. (CC) Multiple locations, siciliamiautah.com 2. Caffe Molise 3. Carmine’s Italian Restaurant

With its rustic-industrial interior and the constant motion of servers pushing dim sum-style food carts among its tables, SLC Eatery is in a league of its own. It’s one of those places that bet big on a risky concept and quadrupled its return—which is why it’s so fun to eat there. While it should be counted among Utah’s most sleek and hip places to snag a bite to eat, there’s an air of culinary mischief that permeates the revolving menu and rides invisibly among the amuse-bouches that wheel around the space. A visit to SLC Eatery is never short on surprises. (AS) 1017 S. Main, SLC, 801-355-7952, slceatery.com 2. Oquirrh 3. Provisions

SLC Eatery

Tona

When it comes to Ogden, we’re always amazed at two things: 1. the sheer number of great restaurants and clubs to be enjoyed there; and 2. why more Salt Lakers don’t make the quick jaunt up Interstate 15 (or take FrontRunner to 25th Street). Tona is but one example of an O-town culinary destination that must be experienced; it’s simply one of the finest eateries along the Wasatch Front. From bento and udon to sushi and sashimi and beyond, a Tona meal is well worth the journey. (MS) 210 25th St., Ogden, 801-622-8662, tonarestaurant.com 2. Rooster’s 3. Slackwater

Best Gluten-Free /Best Vegetarian

Zest

A haven for health-conscious foodies, Zest offers delicious dishes like nachos made with cashew sour cream and house veggie cheese, Cuban tacos with orange marinated jackfruit and vegan carrot cake. Everything on the menu is plant based, gluten-free, soy-free and vegetarian or vegan (owner Casey Staker is vegan himself), including creative takes on cocktails made with cold-pressed juices, fresh fruit and CBD oil. (MW) 275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589, zestslc.com Best Gluten-Free Runners-up 2. City Cakes 3. Good Food Gluten Free Best Vegetarian Restaurant Runners up 2. Buds Sandwich Shop 3. Seasons Plant Based Bistro

Few dining areas convey Utah’s natural beauty as effectively as the patio at Ruth’s Diner. It’s lovely no matter when you visit, but if you’re lucky enough to enjoy some of Ruth’s homemade favorites as the sun sets on the Wasatch Mountains, it’s impossible not to appreciate your backyard. Of course, fantastic patio dining can’t happen without memorable food, which is something of a specialty at Ruth’s Diner. A dinner of meatloaf or Atlantic salmon chased with a tall dish of Ruth’s chocolate malt pudding while listening to the wind in the trees is usually enough to solve all of our problems—for a few sublime minutes, anyway. (AS) 4160 Emigration Canyon Road, SLC, 801-582-5807, ruthsdiner.com 2. Tuscany 3. The Cliff Dining Pub

READERS’

PICKS

Best Restaurant Patio

Ruth’s Diner

Best Innovative Menu

Table X

If you’ve got a culinary rut that you’d like to get out of your system, then Table X needs to be on your list. This is a place where summer squash turns spaetzle into a work of art, and where perfectly cooked wild mushrooms are just as satisfying as a medium-rare steak. The innovative menu on display at Table X bespeaks impeccable taste.

Only a few local places embrace the chaos of invention like Table X, which is why it continues to show up among Utah’s finest restaurants. (AS) 1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712, tablexrestaurant.com 2. Oquirrh 3. SLC Eatery

JOHN TAYLOR

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Sicilia Mia

Best Ogden Restaurant

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Restaurants

CW STAFF

PICKS Best View & Brew

Brewvies Cinema Pub

There were few COVID-19 yearnings these past months like those of longing to sit back at your favorite theater to watch a movie. After a pause, Brewvies is back at it, once again serving up drinks, pool and movies (with reserved and safely distanced seating). They were the originator in this region for the cinemapub concept, and we’re all happy to see the reels spinning once again at both locations. Play it again, Sam. (MS) 677 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-322-3891; 2293 Grant Ave., Ogden, 801-392-2012, brewviews.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Breakfast Nachos

Best Breakfast Delicacies

Ana Valdemoros makes damned good Argentinian empanadas. Without the big bucks for a brick-and-mortar restaurant, she put heads together with other talented chefs at the Square Kitchen incubator. Her food is cooked there and sold elsewhere. Thus, she doesn’t cook food in her store—just sells the finished product. The lemon beef is to die for.

(BDL) 357 S. 200 East, SLC, 801-548-8194, argentinasbestslc.com

At Beaumont Bakery, bakers arrive at 3 a.m. to allow the dough to rise for the French pastries pre-laminated with layers of butter before being baked to perfection in the form of cruffins, croissants, stars and kouign-amann.

Two or three turkeys are baked daily for the turkey sandwiches served on cranberry spice bread with a hint of cinnamon. Bacon jam, truffle aioli and a sprig of watercress highlight the truffle bun. Smoked paprika aioli adds zest to the french fries. The most popular dish is the avocado toast. “I recommend customers order avocado toast with the silkiness of our medium egg,” says manager Jacob Johnson. “We feel like we give customers what they want: great setting, great view and great food,” he says. “There’s no compromising on the quality.”

The s’mores and peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are among the dessert favorites. (CC) 3979 Wasatch Blvd., Millcreek, 801-676-9340, beaumont.cafe

Argentina’s Best Empanadas

Best Cross-culture Combo

Angry Korean

The cross-cultural comfort food boundaries get deliciously blurry at South Jordan’s Angry Korean. Chicken wings, poke, sushi, tacos and the unapologetic Korean cheesesteak can all be found under one roof. Of course, fans of traditional Korean food will feel right at home with their menu of bulgogi and japchae, but The Angry Korean’s ability to throw down so many different favorites and make them all taste amazing is what makes them special.

One visit and they’ll become a regular fixture in your takeout roster. Did I mention they also do po’ boys, chicken sandwiches and steamed buns? Because they do all that, too.

(AS) 11587 S. District, Main Drive, Ste. 300, South Jordan, 801-307-8300, facebook. com/theangrykorean

Beaumont Bakery and Café

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Best Sunday Funday

Carson Kitchen

Getting all sorts of buzz for everything from their “social plates” to secret-ingredient baked mac and cheese, newcomer Carson Kitchen really shines when it comes to their Sunday brunch menu—the drink menu, that is.

Their “Day Drinking” offerings include soon-to-be cult faves like That’s My Jam with bacon jam vodka, house bloody mary mix and fresh lime; The Dude Abides with citrus vodka, almond milk, cold brew liqueur and orange bitters; and the Water Malone featuring gin, watermelon, mint, fresh lemon and balsamic vinegar. (MW) 241 W. 200 South, SLC, 385-252-3200, carsonkitchen.com

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Best Taste of Argentina

AVAILABLE THROUGH OR CALL AHEAD FOR CURBSIDE PICK-UP (801) 355-0499

THE MOST COMFORTABLE FOOD IN TOWN!

IRON TED T BIRDH RELLISES , OU CAGE SES, ORNA S & MENT S

Restaurants

CRAF

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Mega Margaritas

IRON MILLS, D D WIN , E T CRAF BASKETS RK EWO FENC D ART R & YA

Blue Iguana

The Blue Iguana has attracted diners for years to its colorful décor and decidedly fine array of Mexican dishes. But, let your eye wander the menu to the drinks section. There, you discover not only your standard tequila-lime drinks like the traditional Iguanarita, but the 16-ounce Grande Margarita (with brandy and Grande Marnier) and the 32-ounce (yes, a quart) Mega Margarita, which adds mango, peach, strawberry or lime to the standard Patron, triple sec and agave. If that sounds heavy, opt for the Coronarita—yep, a margarita with Corona beer. (MS) 165 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-533-8900, blueiguanarestaurant.net

Best Nostalgia Delivery

Best Rock-Solid Dining

One of the best things about growing up is discovering that talented professional bakers share your childhood love of Pop Tarts and Dunkaroos. The folks at Buttered Bake Shop understand the hardwired devotion that adults have for the boxed snacks that they grew up on, and they’ve made such great improvements. Their Pop Tarts are flaky, buttery and packed with fruity tartness, and their crisp shortbread Dunkaroos with rainbow sprinkle frosting are infinitely munchable. Buttered Bake Shop is currently delivery-only, but their user-friendly Instagram ordering process makes getting a tasty goody box easy—and pandemic friendly. (AS) instagram. com/butteredbakeshop

Red Rock, now with three brewpubs—two in Salt Lake, one in Park City—plus a beer store in the Marmalade District, has been a rock-solid force in the Utah brewing scene since the mid-1990s.

Always good, always consistent, always top drawer quality. A major reason for their success has been their strong commitment to superior foods to complement their equally superior beers. From the start, the pasta and wood-fired pizzas were a hit, and we can’t resist the Cobb salad. Others die for the French onion soup. The burgers are stellar.

Trust us, everything is good. Always. (MS) Multiple locations, redrockbrewing.com

Buttered Bake Shop

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COURTESY PHOTO

TEXAS ORIGINAL RECIPES | 100% Wood Smoked Bar-B-Que Tue-Wed 7-3pm | Thu-Sat 7-7pm | 962 S. 300 West, SLC

Best Double-Date Dinner

Cafe Trio

The challenge of any double date is splitting the check with the other couple—just about every time they offer to “go down the middle,” they’ve had two more drinks than you or the other date ate most of the appetizer. Dinner math is the easiest with pizza and flatbreads, and at Cafe Trio, you get fantastic grub, an expansive wine list and the benefit of impressing your significant other sans any awkwardness at the cash register. (MS) 680 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-533-8746, TrioDining. com

Red Rock Brewery

Best New Lebanese

Beirut Cafe

For many years, the cherished Cedars of Lebanon reigned supreme in this category. As a longtime City Weekly favorite, of course, we were sad to hear of Cedars’ closing, but fear not. Head out to Murray to the unassuming Beirut Cafe for your traditional Lebanese favorites. The thyme pie is a dish you’ll likely not find anywhere else. It also would be impossible to go to a traditional Lebanese joint without ordering the baba ghanouj and falafel, both of which are flawless. (MS) 1326 E. 5600 South, Murray, 801-679-1688, beirutcafe. com

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NOT YOUR BASIC BATCH. GLUTEN FREE BAKED GOODS WITHOUT THE GLUTEN FREE TASTE.

423 W 800 S #a113, SLC • goodfoodglutenfree.com • 801-413-4978

3 Top of t Bes h!

Uta

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Utah’s Premier Bartending and Catering Service!

You are not only selecting a caterer, you are choosing a partner in creating a safe and memorable event!

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Restaurants

Best Healthy Mediterranean

Couscous Mediterranean Grill

Best Crepes Catering

PICKS Best Masala Meets Mangia

Curry Pizza

Best Tomahawk Tuesday

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Fleming’s is a local favorite for the carnivore/ meat-lover crowd. Do you consider yourself a steak aficionado? If so, you’re likely familiar with the Holy Grail of steaks, the tomahawk.

Featuring a most-impressive amount of meat, Fleming’s version of the tomahawk is a 35-ounce ribeye steak for two (obviously) that’s served with salads, sides and desserts—if you have room. (MS) 20 S. 400 West, SLC, 801355-3704, flemingssteakhouse.com

Dali Crepes

Best Orange Chicken

If your summer European trip was canceled due to COVID-19, try pretending West Temple is the Champs-Élysées as you stroll to Dali Crepes, Utah’s newest creperie. Along with their brick-and-mortar location, Dali Crepes wants to bring their crepe cook to cater your next Christmas party, wedding reception or work event. Don’t limit yourself to the nutella and fruit—their crepes can include protein, cheese and other savory items. (MS) 2854 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-228-4280, dalicrepes.com

Ginger Street wows in so many ways. From its funky vibe highlighted by its distinct, bright-pink neon sign to its walk-up ice cream window, the ecletic downtown eatery is as upbeat as it is tasty. Say goodbye to Panda Express—the casual Asian restaurant has killer orange chicken, with a nice blend of zest, scallion, chili powder and rice. (MS) 324 S. State, SLC, 385477-4975, gingerstreet.com

Ginger Street

BURGERS AS BIG AS YOUR HEAD! COME ON IN OR CURBSIDE IT! HAND CRAFTED BURGERS. All natural and homemade products from proteins to sodas

30 E BROADWAY, SLC UT

801-355-0667

Mon-Thur 11am to 8pm Fri - Sat 11am to 10pm Sun: 12pm to 8pm

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With nearly nothing unhealthy about Mediterranean food to start with, it’s hard to make it even healthier.

Enter Couscous. Besides all the vegetarian, lean meats and seafood options, Couscous takes it up a notch by preparing and cooking all their servings with heart-healthy olive oil. For toppers, they present a gluten-free category that includes quinoa or zucchini noodles. Try their Mediterranean nachos made with garbanzo chips. (MS) 5470 S. 900 East, Ste. A, Murray, 801-938-8307, couscousgrill.com

CW STAFF

JOSH SCHEUERMAN

It was a good day for the world when the owners of Curry Pizza decided to combine traditional Indian dishes with pizza. Their stroke of genius makes us wonder why no one in our neck of the woods had thought of it before. Now that the idea is in full flight, Curry Pizza has expanded from its origins in the small Southern Utah town of Bicknell to locations in South Jordan and West Valley. With a concept as brilliant as combining the convenience and party appeal of pizza with the vibrant flavors found in traditional Indian cuisine, it’s no surprise that Curry Pizza has taken off in such style. (AS) Multiple locations, currypizzaonline.com

Restaurants

CW STAFF

Best Reason to Drive to Orem

Historic 25th Street in Ogden is home to Lucky Slice, a welcoming pizzeria with gourmet sauces and ingredients, with pies sold whole or by the slice. Since opening, Lucky Slice has seen a hockey stick spike in popularity and has expanded to locations in Logan, Clearfield and Powder Mountain.

Salt Lake resident? No problem. Lucky Slice frequents the city in their food truck. (MS) Multiple locations, TheLuckySlice.com

With over 70 rotating gourmet flavors to choose from (48 on any given day), Mora Iced Creamery has earned accolades from the likes of Food + Wine magazine and has quickly become a Utah County favorite with offerings like dulce de leche, swiss chocolate, green tea and lemon bar. Drop by the store to taste test all the flavors or order pints of ice cream online for home delivery. (MW) 541 E. University Parkway, Orem, 385236-3319, moraicecream.com

Lucky Slice

PICKS Chef Briar Handly, HSL and Handle Park City

Best Ogden Pizza

Best Presentation

HSL, Handle Park City

Best Greek Fusion

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HallPass at the Gateway Remember hanging out at the mall food court in high school, where the scent of freshly baked Cinnabon rolls swirled with aromas of Sbarro and Hot Dog on a Stick? Gateway has taken that memory to a whole new level with HallPass, a food court concept catering to adults featuring offerings like Nashville hot chicken, lobster rolls, ramen and cocktails—yes, cocktails!—in a contemporary, art-forward space that encourages you to not take this whole “adulting” thing too seriously.

(MW) 153 S. Rio Grande St., Ste. 107, SLC, 801-415-9886, hallpassslc.com

Best Hard-to-Find Appetizers

Hearth & Hill Hearth & Hill, a welcoming gathering place in Park City, has a collection of some of the tastiest and “out there” appetizers. The shrimp bagna cauda is a must try, which is a traditional Italian dish made with garlic and anchovies. Hearth & Hill also serves up tostadas, pierogis, gyoza, truffle mac ’n’ cheese, ahi poke bowl and other specialties from around the world. (MS) 1153 Center Drive, Park City, 435-200-8840, Hearth-Hill.com

Partners Manoli Katsanevas and Katrina Cutrubus opened Manoli’s with a goal to serve their ancestral Greek heritage favorites with modern flair. One of the finest restaurants Salt Lake has to offer, Manoli’s serves up classic Greek meze (appetizers and shared plates) such as yemista (stuffed peppers), tiropita (cheese pie) and kritharaki (orzo and cheddar). Seafood lovers will enjoy the psari psito, a pan-seared branzino served with out-of-this-world lemon roasted potatoes. (MS) 402 E. 900 South, SLC, 801532-3760, ManolisOn9th.com

Best Asian Farm to Table

Hong Kong Tea House & Restaurant

Best Eastern Expansion

Nomad East

Situated near the Salt Lake City International Airport, Nomad Eatery is often the first stop for travelers in search of Justin Soelberg’s irresistible comfort food.

But the American-style eatery recently expanded to the city’s east side in the form of Nomad East. The second venture specializes in shared plates and boasts two large pizza ovens and patio seating—it’s quieter here without jets coming and going overhead, but both locations are worthy of a night out. (MS) Nomad Eatery, 2110 W. North Temple, SLC, 801-938-9629, NomadEatery.com; Nomad East, 1675 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-883-9791, Nomad-East.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Ribs & Relics

Kaiser’s BBQ & General Store

As one of Utah’s fantastic Cantonese restaurants, Hong Kong Tea House is a go-to for delicious small bites such as dumplings and dim sum. But it’s also one of few downtown ethnic restaurants that’s farm-to-table. Hong Kong Tea House has a booth at the Downtown Farmers Market each week selling greens and veggies. Then, they add those ingredients to their huge menu of dim sum and Chinese recipes. Ah, farm fresh! You’ve never tasted better. (BDL & MS) 565 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-531-7010, hongkongteahouse.yolasite.com

Best Anniversary Dinner

Log Haven

Just because COVID has made us nervous about dining out doesn’t mean all our special occasions come to a screeching halt. Log Haven hasn’t forgotten what it takes to keep the magic alive, and to that end, they’ve created a spectacular meal, one that can be pre-ordered, picked up and enjoyed at home after a delightful canyon drive with your honey bunch. Executive chef David Jones’ Beef Wellington dinner for two is a boneless beef filet wrapped in layers of finely chopped mushrooms and puff pastry, then baked to perfection. It’s served with fingerling potatoes, a side vegetable and a red-wine demi-glace.

Plus, you can kick things off with a classic Caesar salad and top it off with a decadent dessert, all for $125. Before 2020 came around, would you have ever entertained the idea of ordering a heavenly meal such as this as takeout! Log Haven’s Anniversary Dinner is one to tell the grandkids about. (JW) 6451 E. Millcreek Canyon Road, SLC, 801-272-8255, log-haven.com/our-food-wine/ anniversary-dinner

Among the number of rib and BBQ joints in town, Kaiser’s is the one that proudly hails itself as a Texas-style eatery. Good choice, since Texas is regarded as the king of BBQ, and Kaiser’s brings it home to Utah with an array of slow cooked and tasty selections such as brisket, pork ribs and rib tips on their menu. While you’re waiting, don’t forget to peruse of the general store offerings including yard decorations made of metal and wrought iron. (MS) 962 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-355-0499, saltlakebbq.com

SARAH ARNOFF

Best Reason to Be a Mall Rat

Manoli’s

JOHN TAYLOR

Partners Briar Handly, Melissa Gray and Meagan Nash created Handle Park City and Handle Salt Lake (HSL) with a vision of curating a masterful American cuisine dining experience, interesting wines and thoughtful cocktails. Every dish at the restaurants is artistic and tasty—each a carefully crafted, Instagram-worthy (oh, those Millennials!) presentation. (MS) 418 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-5399999 HSLRestaurant. com; 136 Heber Ave, Park City, 435-602-1155, HandleParkCity.com

Mora Iced Creamery

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thank you for 8 years of zest!!

275 S. 200 W. Salt Lake City | zestslc.com

Restaurants Best Patio Dining With a Side of Enlightenment

Best Escape From the City—in the City

Oasis Cafe

Pallet

The beautiful courtyard patio and adjacent covered breezeway at Oasis Cafe has long been a favorite of diners in search of al fresco fare, but perhaps even more so this year. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the cafe’s socially distanced dining among planters blooming with summertime buds shaded under canvas canopies already has us longing for next spring. (MW) 151 S. 500 East, SLC, 801322-0404, oasiscafeslc.com

Step into Pallet in downtown Salt Lake City, and you’ll feel like you’re anywhere but. The decor and ambiance are rusticyet-modern. Pallet’s dim lighting and muted brick with wood flooring create an atmosphere unlike any other dining experience in the neighborhood. The menu is unique and creative, offering hearty and delicious cuisine—a few drinks and a meal here make you feel like you’ve escaped your daily grind. (MS) 237 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4431, EatPallet.com

Oquirrh Restaurant

Best New Home for Tapas Tuesday

With a name like Oquirrh (OH-ker, for you California transplants), you know owners Andrew and Angelena Fuller’s have a commitment to the local community, including using locally grown and produced food.

COVID closures have hit them hard, and we’re crossing our fingers their GoFundMe campaign keeps them going so we can continue to enjoy this cozy downtown bistro. For newbies, try the housemade spaghetti, made with Bolognese, house ricotta and chili flake. Dessert is provided by another local establishment, Normal Ice Cream. (MS) 368 E. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-0426, OquirrhSLC.com

The owners of Porch—who also owned the now-closed small-plate sensation of Meditrina—have woven crowd-pleasing tapas into the Porch menu but with new touches. Along with some of their past hits, Porch offers patrons American classic cuisine, Southern comfort food and shared plates. Enjoy their Tapas Tuesday special, a selection of five plates for just $30, or weekend brunch. (MS) 11274 S. Kestrel Rise Road, South Jordan, 801-679-1066, PorchUtah.com

PICKS Best Party Baskets

Mr. Charlie’s Chicken Fingers

Porch

There are few things as beautiful as a party basket from Mr. Charlie’s Chicken Fingers. You bring in this hefty aluminum tin and peel off the covering to reveal a stack of freshly made chicken fingers, heaping piles of crinkle fries and a stack of buttered toast slices just waiting for you to dive in. I don’t know if it’s the arrangement, the absurdity or the simplicity that makes one’s heart fill with joy at the sight, but there’s something magical about this big ol’ plate of chicken fingers. Whether you’re throwing one of those things we used to have—parties, I think they were called—or just want to chow down with your family, the party baskets at Mr. Charlie’s do not disappoint. (AS) 554 W. 4500 South, Murray, 801-803-9486, mrcharlieschickenfingers.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Best Locally Sourced Menu

CW STAFF

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660 S. State street Salt Lake City, UT, 84111 801-924-9188

Thanks everyone that voted for us this year!

B Frie est d Ch in U icken tah!

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2017

2020 S. State street Salt Lake City, UT, 84115 801-467-4137

Restaurants Best Hawaii in Herriman

Best Family-Style Dining in Ogden

Best Study Spot

We’ve got a fair selection of traditional Hawaiian grills along the Wasatch Front, but there’s something that stands out about Salty Pineapple. For starters, it’s the slice of fresh pineapple you get with your order. Another is their perfectly sweet-and-spicy pineapple jalapeño sauce. All I can say is, it’s been a long time since I’ve visited Herriman this much. Lately, my go-to order is the pineapple jalapeño chicken with the kalua pork, but their katsu chicken and teriyaki beef are also fantastic. They give you more than enough food to fill you up, but should you be in the mood for some sweet to go along with your savory, their guava cake is a light and fluffy confection that’s oh-so-pretty in pink. (AS) 13262 S. 5600 West, Herriman, 801-890-0532, thesaltypineapple.com

After being tucked cozily in Ogden’s Union Station for 25 years where it catered to locals, newcomers, travelers and train workers, Union Grill moved to 24th Street in 2016. The move gave the eatery the chance to enhance their offerings for Ogdenites.

They famously serve up a delicious family-style menu, including their legendary pasta salad, an Ogden classic. (MS) 315 24th St., Ogden, 801-6212830, UnionGrillOgden.com

Roast, grind, brew. Sit, study, sip and repeat. Publik Coffee and Kitchen’s four locations (though two are temporarily closed due to COVID-19) are havens for college-age folk to hunker down over a cup of joe, avocado toast and textbooks. Publik has a contemporary vibe and offers enough privacy and Wi-Fi bandwidth for students to complete their studies.

Among the coffee shops in town, Publik’s fantastic food fare is tough to beat.

(MS) Multiple locations, publikcoffee.com

Best Park City Hangover Cure

The Cabin

Night out on the town in Park City?

Partygoers at The Cabin are quick to return to the origins of their debauchery for breakfast or lunch, where they find a nifty patio and welcoming interior. The breakfast sandwich is a masterful blend of housemade maple habanero sausage, avocado, brown sugar bacon, cheddar, egg and kimchi aioli. The Main Street bar has a number of delectable pizzas, sandwiches and shareables. (MS) 427 Main St., Park City, 435-5652337, TheCabinParkCity.com

Best Apres-Ski Hob-Nobbing

Porcupine Pub & Grille Nestled at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Porcupine in Cottonwood Heights is a muchbeloved watering hole for apres-ski refueling since 1998. Skiers, snowboarders, cyclists and hikers frequent the pub and grill for their famous nachos, fish tacos and expansive selection of local beers, wines and spirits. Further north, by the University of Utah, Porcupine is a noshing and brews hub for students. (MS) 3698 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-942-5555; 258 S. 1300 East, SLC, 801-582-5555; PorcupinePub.com

Best Mini French Vacation

The French Spot

International travel not in the cards? Simply head south to Cedar City and drop by The French Spot. Owned by Lyonese chef Michael Attali and managed by his daughter Leah, their walk-up window offers homemade croissants, crepes, quiche and macarons alongside the most perfect cappuccino you’ve ever sipped. Don’t let its tiny facade fool you; the daily lunch and dinner specials hold their own against any Michelin-starred French restaurant—and, no passport is required.

(MW) 5 N. Main St., Cedar City, 347-886-8587, thefrenchspotcafe.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best German

Siegfried’s Delicatessen

Best Restaurant Personality

Valter’s Osteria

Ciao bella! Valter Nassi, the proprietor of Valter’s Osteria, is often seen going table to table, welcoming new diners into his establishment as if they were lifelong friends.

The ringmaster is a huge restaurant personality in Utah, and his fare is an ode to traditional Italian cooking. A classy selection is the gnocchi all’arrabbiata.

Or if you’re looking for an adventure, allow Nassi to make your dinner choice for you. (MS) 173 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-521-4563, valtersosteria.com

With the growth of downtown the past few years, we’ve seen many newcomers already come and go. We’re so happy that Siegfried’s has held its own for more than 40 years. As one of the last bastions of the “under $10 lunch” downtown, it’s easy to see why lines form early and stay strong throughout the lunch hours. You just can’t go wrong with the bratwurst and real mustard.

Yes, real German mustard that you can buy from their market to level up your home-grilled brats and burgers. (MS) 20 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-3891, siegfriedsdelicatessen.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Salty Pineapple Union Grill

Publik Coffee

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Food & Drink

READERS’

PICKS Best Pizza

The Pie

Best Donuts

Banbury Cross As we embrace wearing sweatpants and our new remote working lives, donuts have become powerful tools for getting us out of bed in the morning. If they’re Banbury Cross donuts, we might even attempt to make a good day out of it. Banbury offers literally dozens of ways to satisfy that deep-fried, sugar-dusted craving, but the cinnamon crumb donut in particular is a wonder among wonders. It has the perfect rise, giving each bite a fluffy texture that quickly melts in your mouth. The cinnamon crumb finish adds yet another layer to this donut’s arsenal, making it one of the most delightful sweets one can get in our neck of the woods. (AS) 705 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-537-1433, facebook.com/ BanburyCrossDonuts 2. Big O 3. Donuts and Deli

Best Burrito

DEREK CARLISLE

an upcoming exam? Maybe all that collegestudent cash financed The Pie’s expansion to other areas of the Wasatch Front. If the world were a just place, every graduating class commencement would include a mention of gratitude for The Pie. (AS) Multiple locations, thepie.com 2. Pie Hole 3. Este Pizza

Best French Fries

Beto’s Mexican Food Bruges The burrito menu at Beto’s is an accurate indicator Belgian Bistro of someone’s personality. We tend to gravitate toward the Texano and machaca side of the burrito spectrum—if that describes you as well, then we’re probably best friends. If you’re more of a carne asada or California kind of burrito enthusiast, we’d probably collaborate well on a professional project. If you go for the fish or camarón burrito, we might start out as enemies but work our way into a grudging respect for one another. Of course, the Beto’s breakfast burrito is the great equalizer—we could end worldwide conflict if everyone on the planet ate one of these at exactly the same time. (MS) Multiple locations, betosmexicanfood.com 2. Albertos 3. Lone Star Taqueria

For years, french fries have been relegated to the sidelines while burgers and chicken fingers got the main dish treatment, but that was before Bruges.

While it’s home to a number of other tasty creations, the fries—or frites—at Bruges can stand proudly as a meal in and of themselves. It’s the twice-fried approach combined with the wide range of dipping sauces that make the Bruges frites so delightful.

For a true frites experience, one must experience the Machine Gun sandwich, in which those famous frites are stuffed into a baguette with lamb sausage and spicy andalouse sauce. (AS) Multiple locations, brugeswaffles.com 2. Spitz 3. Crown Burger

Best Food Truck

Cluck Truck

What’s the secret to winning the award for Best Food Truck? Apparently it involves locally sourced chicken brined for 24 hours then dredged in corn flakes and special spices, which is exactly how Cluck Truck preps their deliciously moist chicken tenders before rolling them up in a variety of wraps, like the Hawaiian or Buffalo, with homemade sauces and slaws. Don’t forget a side of garlic Parmesan fries! (MW) roaminghunger. com/the-cluck-truck-ut 2. Waffle Love 3. Fácil

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The Pie is the unsung hero of many a Salt Lake student. Anyone who has graduated from the University of Utah, in particular, owes a debt of gratitude to this pizza establishment.

How many late-night study sessions were fueled by pizza from The Pie? How many undergrads popped in for a quick slice in between classes? How many study groups gathered within its dimly lit walls to prepare for

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Make Your Holiday Reservations Today!

2477 Fort Union Blvd | 801.948.4468 carmines.restaurant.com

Food & Drink Best Gyros

Best Ramen

When you advertise the best gyros in Utah, it’s nice to have the cred to back your claim, and readers agreed that Greek Souvlaki is the real deal. Maybe it’s the warm, fluffy pita bread and house-made tzatziki, or perhaps the rotisserie lamb and beef, slow cooked to perfection. Whatever you like most about that first bite, don’t forget to order a side of fries and tuck a few of them inside your gyro like a true Greek. (MW) Multiple locations, greeksouvlaki.com 2. Local Greek 3. Yanni’s

This Japanese import has been making waves and plans for rapid expansion since it arrived in Sugar House a few years ago. Their black-and-red tonkotsu ramen are the stars of the Jinya menu, and their Sprouting-up Ramen with crispy Brussels sprouts, kikurage and tender pork belly is a lovely take on the traditional ramen recipe. I’m always a sucker for their different wonton ramens. Of course, if ramen isn’t what you’re craving (weirdo), you can always try out Jinya’s mini tacos served in crispy wonton shells. When the weather starts to cool down, we’re pretty quick to thank our lucky stars that a ramen joint like Jinya isn’t too far away. (AS) Multiple locations, jinyaramenbar.com 2. Tosh’s Ramen 3. Yoko Ramen

Greek Souvlaki

PICKS Best Brewery

Fisher Brewing Co.

Best Distillery

There are many ways to create a successful business model. But it takes real insight to find a formula that fires on all cylinders. Fisher fans not only find the beer delicious, they also clamber for the cozy, open-air industrial brewhouse that enhances the drinking experience. Combine that with a neighborly staff and a philosophy that encourages

stewardship of public lands, and you’ve got a prosperous, home-grown craft beer watering hole that any community-minded person would be a fool to pass by. (MR) 320 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337, fisherbeer.com 2. Shades Brewing 3. TF Brewing

JOSH SHEUERMAN

High West Distillery

Best Local Spirit

With a focus on sustainability, chef Alan Brines offers up some of Salt Lake’s finest seafood, including oysters on the half shell, grilled halibut with saffron cream and quite possibly the world’s best fish stew in a coconut lemongrass broth. Save room for dessert; award-winning pastry chef Amber Billingsley makes a killer flourless chocolate torte topped with tahini caramel and apricot spice pureé. (MW) 279 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-326-3474, currentfishandoyster.com 2. Market Street 3. Harbor

The Ogden distillery that built its business on the herbal spirit Underground breathed new life into their brand in 2011 with the introduction of Five Wives Vodka. It’s made from water that comes from a hidden spring in Ogden Canyon, inaccessible to motorized vehicles and physically hiked out five gallons at a time. City Weekly readers obviously love the clean taste and the fact that this special spirit is 100% distilled from corn, making this 80-proof vodka gluten-free as well. No wonder it’s one of the state’s best-selling brands. (MR) 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995, fivewivesvodka.com 2. High West Campfire 3. Salt City Vodka

Current

Best Appetizers

Eva

The greatest thing about date night in Eva’s intimate dining space is that anything on the menu can be considered an appetizer.

With a focus on small plates, highlights like the oink, oink, oink—pork belly, pork loin and bacon-wrapped garlic with celeryapple salad, mustard vinaigrette and cambozola—and fried cauliflower with whipped ricotta are meant to be shared, alongside a specialty cocktail. (MW) 371 S. Main, SLC, 801-359-8477, evaslc.com 2. HSL 3. Provisions

Ghost Kitchens

Ghost kitchens began trending even before COVID restaurant closures—among Utah’s first was the Greek Tyrant. The pandemic, however, has helped the concept skyrocket as a way to provide diners with ever-expanding takeout/delivery options without the need for indoor seating or even a brick-and-mortar operation. Notable names like Ghost Sushi, Tandooria, Mad Dough and Silver Moon Taqueria operating out of the Ballpark area’s ComCom Kitchen (67 W. 1700 South, SLC, 801-6942390, comcomkitchen.com) are all ghost concepts worth checking out. (MW) 2. Takeout 3. Banana Bread

Lucky 13

From the peanut butter-slathered Nut Butter burger to the foot-high Big Benny, Lucky 13 has always had something for everyone. With a killer variety of crowdpleasing burgers, sandwiches, sides and salads, it’s not the biggest surprise that this local favorite has added yet another Best of Utah notch to its belt. With the recent opening of Lucky’s Iron Door Roadhouse in West Jordan, burger-loving Utahns have twice the opportunity to get some of the state’s best burgers along with a wide variety of craft beers and cocktails.

If meat slapped between two buns is at all your thing, Lucky 13 is a must. (AS) 135 W. 1300 South, SLC, 801487-4418, lucky13slc.com 2. Proper Burger 3. Crown Burger

READERS’

PICKS

Five Wives Vodka

Best New Food Trend

Best Burgers

Best Local Beer

Kiitos Brewing

Kiitos Coffee Cream Ale

Kiitos Brewing saw their popularity blossom when they launched their Coconut Stout and Coffee Cream Ale, now staples on most bar taps. They have a plethora of other yearround beers—if you’re new to the craft-brewery game, go with something easy like a blonde ale, amber or pilsner. If you want to give your taste buds a kick, try out their imperial stout or double IPA. (MS) 608 W. 700 South, SLC, 801-2159165, kiitosbrewing.com 2. Uinta 3. Shades

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Best Seafood

Utah’s original post-Prohibition distillery put the Beehive State on the world’s whiskey scene when it debuted with Top Ten honors at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits competition. Since then, they can claim shelf space in bars and restaurants all over the globe, multiple coveted awards, the world’s first ski-in “gastro-distillery” and the world-renowned distillery at the Blue Sky Ranch in Wanship. From bourbon to ryebarrel finished cocktails to Silver Whisky, it’s no wonder City Weekly readers cherish this distillery above all others. (MR) Multiple locations, highwest.com 2. Ogden’s Own 3. Sugar House Distillery

Jinya Ramen Bar

OURTESY PHOTO

READERS’

OPEN FOR DINE-IN & TAKEOUT PATIO OPEN ALL WINTER

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EASTLIBERTYTAPHOUSE.COM @EASTLIBERTYTAPHOUSE

850 E 900 S

801.441.2845

Food & Drink

READERS’

PICKS

Best Sandwiches

Moochie’s Meatballs & More

DEREK CARLISLE

In a world of excellent sandwiches, it’s tough to find something better than a meatball and provolone or a Philly cheesesteak. Our local sandwich heroes at Moochie’s have found a way to corner the market on both while remaining true to their sloppy spirit. A sandwich at Moochie’s is always a battle to distract yourself from savoring the hot, melty goodness in your hands for long enough to make sure none of it ends up on your shirt. Before you dig into one of these famous creations, stock up on napkins and make sure to snag a bottle of their signature jalapeño mayo for liberal application to each marvelous bite. (AS) Multiple locations, moochiesmeatballs.com 2. Caputo’s Market and Deli 3. Feldman’s Deli

Best Catering

Best Culinary School

There will come a day when COVID is behind us and we can all sit down together again. When that day arrives, you’ll want a quality caterer like LUX Catering and Events. Whether you’re hosting a charity event, wedding or business meeting, they provide award-winning menus, decor, floral arrangements and bar services to match every mood, with an eye for design that’s sure to create a memorable experience for your guests. (MW) 1578 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-466-2537, luxcateringandevents.com 2. Tilted Cup 3. Blended Table

From basic classes such as knife skills to graduate-level courses in exotic international cuisines, the Park City Culinary Institute has been helping chefs of all levels be all that they can be. This hub of gastronomic higher education hasn’t missed a beat since going virtual with their famous cooking classes, giving home chefs the ability to practice their skills in their own kitchens. For those seeking a career in the culinary arts, PCCI offers certification programs in baking and cuisine both inperson and online. In short, PCCI has become a bastion of culinary enlightenment for chefs and bakers of all skill levels. (AS) 1484 S. State, SLC, 801-413-2800, parkcityculinaryinstitute.com 2. UVU 3. SLCC

LUX Catering and Events

Mountain West When Jeff Carlton and Jennifer Hamilton relocated to SLC from Pennsylvania, they were taken aback by the lack of local hard ciders available to Utahns. Mountain West Hard Cider became a sleek and modern cidery that immediately became a staple of Salt Lake’s emerging Marmalade neighborhood, creating ciders of all stripes, including some that feature hops and others aged in whiskey barrels. City Weekly readers have also embraced Mountain West for The Garten, an outdoor patio styled like a modern beer and cider garden.

(MR) 425 N. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4147, mountainwestcider.com

Best BBQ

R&R Barbecue It didn’t take long for this food festival favorite to carve out a sizable piece of barbecue turf along the Wasatch Front.

R&R started out as the brainchild of two competitive barbecue aficionados who put their smoked ribs, brisket and pulled pork up against some of our nation’s finest and came away with a wide range of accolades. Having proven itself against the old guards of Memphis and Texas barbecue, R&R fired up their smokers full-time to keep Utah’s barbecue craving satiated. If there’s a smoked meat on the menu, chances are it’ll be the best you’ve ever had. (AS) Multiple locations, randrbbq.com 2. Pat’s Barbecue 3. SugarHouse BBQ

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Best Hard Cider

Park City Culinary Institute

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D e g l i n c i iou k c Top Chic 3 ken Item !

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3 Top Food k! c u r T

View our schedule at:

@clucktruckutah or

clucktruckutah.com

We Cater!

WE ARE OPEN!

Food & Drink

READERS’

PICKS Best Salads

Spitz

DEREK CARLISLE

How do you win the Best of Utah award for Best Salads when you really only have one salad on the menu? You make sure it’s the doner salad from Spitz: to-die-for balsamic or lemon herb dressings (and pita strips to dip in it), crispy garbanzo beans and fried lavash chips, cool tzatziki and cucumbers, plus all the staples like tomato, green onion, carrots, olives, pepperoncinis and a crumble of feta atop a bed of romaine and cabbage. Now that’s a salad! (MW) Multiple locations, spitzrestaurant.com 2. Cafe Zupas 3. Cafe Rio

Best Chicken Dish

Best Soups

Best Tacos

Whether you’re getting your fried chicken dolled up with coleslaw and served up on a bun with some crinkle-cut fries or scarfing down a quarter bird doused with hot sauce like a Nashville savage, your fried chicken dreams come true at Pretty Bird.

Housed within its cozy Regent Street space, the Pretty Bird team has dedicated itself to the pursuit of near-perfect Nashville hot chicken. Anyone familiar with this Southern favorite knows that Pretty Bird is serving up the good stuff. It’s crispy and liberally spiced on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside every time and maxing out the heat levels with the hot behind is a fiery adventure that we’ve been happy to take. (AS) 146 Regent St., SLC, prettybirdchicken.com 2. The Cluck Truck 3. Curry Fried Chicken

It takes a special kind of gift to make exceptional soup. Here is a food that has been with us since humans first learned how to boil water, and yet the team at Soup Kitchen have managed to turn that humble staple into something singular and craveable. Cliché as it sounds, the love that the Soup Kitchen has for its namesake is what gives each bowl of hot, satisfying goodness its appeal. Of course, their lax rules on how many breadsticks you can pile on your tray with each purchase makes a big difference as well. (AS) Multiple locations, slcsoup.com 2. Cafe Zupas 3. Porcupine Pub and Grille

Before Taqueria 27 arrived on the scene, the idea of a taco and tequila bar was relatively unknown to most locals. Now that it’s expanded its reach and demonstrated the true, unifying potential of duck confit tacos and imported tequila, things will never be the same. Sure, Taqueria 27 has plenty of tacos ideal for carnivores, but their vegetarian options are just as tasty.

Grilled pears and roasted beets, portobello mushrooms, tomatillo salsa and roasted peppers are all on the menu, creating a taco paradise that diners from all walks of life can enjoy. On top of their already stellar menu, the taco and fresh fish of the day are enough to pique the taco lover’s curiosity. (AS) Multiple locations, taqueria27.com 2. Taco Taco 3. Lone Star Taqueria

Best Ethnic/Specialty Market

Best Cookies

Best Sushi / Best Japanese Restaurant

Takashi

Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli

At Salt Lake’s original prestige cookie shop, the lovely “ladies” of Ruby Snap are expertly crafted celebrations of the cookie—one of the world’s most celebrated desserts. Each pinup girl-inspired cookie at Ruby Snap embodies sophistication, adventure, danger and just a little bit of hot, hot heat—and it’s nearly impossible to be satisfied with just one.

Luckily, the team at Ruby Snap is considerate of this reality, and they make it easy to walk away with a few dozen at a time. If you ever do find yourself in this situation and are looking to make a few boxes disappear, feel free to bring them by the office.

We’re helpful like that. (AS) 770 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-834-6111, rubysnap.com 2. Crumbl 3. Goodly

As a precautionary measure, Takashi has been take-out only since the summer. That hasn’t stopped customers from naming them Best Sushi and Best Japanese Restaurant for the umpteenth time. Even if it’s served in a to-go container, Takashi’s rolls are the best in town.

The Sunshine Roll travels well, a tasty blend of salmon, lemon, cucumber, avocado and spicy sauce. (MS) 18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-5199595, takashisushi.com Best Sushi Runners-up 2. Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill 3. Tona Sushi Bar & Grill Best Japanese Restaurant Runners-up 2. Kyoto Japanese Restaurant 3. Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill

There’s a reverence toward food within the walls of Tony Caputo’s that is scarce in most religious buildings. It’s not the kind of reverence that excludes the novitiate, nor is it the kind that demands some sort of penance to be truly experienced. It’s the kind of reverence that exists when passionate people converge upon an ideal and genuinely want to share it with others. Perhaps this is why Caputo’s offers high-brow classes on chocolate appreciation and cheese connoisseurship, delivered with enthusiasm and consideration. Every person who ends up taking food seriously in one way or another always finds their way here, and Caputo’s welcomes them with open arms. (AS) Multiple locations, caputos.com 2. Black Cherry Mediterranean Market 3. Ocean Mart

Pretty Bird

Taqueria 27

FAMILY OWNED LOCALLY LOVED HALAL • VEGAN • VEGETARIAN CATERING AVAILABLE

ORDER ONLINE USING

1326 E. 5600 S. SLC (801) 679-1688 BEIRUTCAFE.COM

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Ruby Snap

Soup Kitchen

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Food & Drink Best Wings

Best Liquor Selection

Consistently earning the prestigious title of Best Wings in Utah year after year, Trolley Wing Co. is a crowd favorite, in part due to the endless combinations you can concoct among 17 flavor options and four heat levels. Are you a sweet-and-spicy red-chili Szechuan lover? Or perhaps a more mild garlic-honey BBQ? Traditional, but make it atomic?

However you like ’em (there are vegan wings, too), order an extra basket—they’ll go fast! (MW) Multiple locations, trolleywingco.com 2. Wing Coop 3. Wing Nutz

Aptly named, Whiskey Street’s stockpile of imported bourbons; ryes; and American, Irish and Scotch whiskeys is well in the hundreds.

The bottles are shelved and backlit, overarching a 70-foot bar, creating an old-time yet modern feel and ambiance. Whiskey Street has the classic cocktails and creative in-house selections created by their top-shelf bartenders. (MS) 323 S. Main, SLC, 801-433-1371, whiskeystreet.com 2. Lake Effect 3. Water Witch

Best Vegan

Vertical Diner Vertical Diner’s greatest success in the field of plantbased dining was shattering the myth that vegan food was stuffy and starched—like the Amish of the culinary world.

After downing a plate of dude cakes and a chocolate sundae, it becomes clear that plant-based cooking could be just as comforting, fun and satisfying as anything else.

It’s a restaurant that also set the stage for Salt Lake’s surprisingly diverse plant-based food scene—Vertical Diner’s success established the demand, and we have all kinds of great plant-based eateries as a result. Thanks to Vertical Diner and its use of foods like nutritional yeast and tempeh, previously narrow-minded foodies have a whole new perspective on plant-based eating. (AS) 234 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-484-8378, verticaldiner.com 2. Zest Kitchen and Bar 3. Buds Sandwich Shop

READERS’

Whiskey Street

PICKS Best Brewpub

Squatters

Best Bar Menu

White Horse A modern American brasserie, White Horse hits it out of the park in everything from shared plates, snacks, sandwiches and steaks.

The Egg ’n’ Chips—potato chips, 63-degree egg, malt vinegar powder and truffle—are a must try, as is the bacon and jalapeno Mac ’n’ Cheese.

The sweet-toothers are sure to enjoy the bourbon butterscotch pudding.

(MS) 325 S. Main, SLC, 801-363-0137, whitehorseslc.com 2. Purgatory 3. Piper Down

Nobody had made beer in Salt Lake City since Lucky Lager closed up their west-side brewery in 1967. The thirsty folks of SLC would have to wait 22 more years for Jeff Polychronis and Peter Cole to open Squatters Brewpub in 1987, exposing the people of the capital city to beer styles they thought had long gone extinct. Many

craft beer players have come and gone over the past 33 years, but when it comes to classic beers in a wholly familiar surrounding, no place other than Squatters will fit the bill. (MR) Multiple locations, squatters.com 2. Red Rock Brewing 3. Wasatch Brewery

JOHN TAYLOR

Trolley Wing Co.

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Food & Drink

CW STAFF

Best Boba Break

Best Fondue

Getting tired of your usual boba order and love unique toppings to completely change the flavor? Boba is a Taiwanese invention, and these drinks come straight from the source, providing high-quality tea. With so many tasty options—from cheese foam to coffee jelly—you can shake up your boba order every day.

(ML&CL) Multiple locations, dingtea. club/locations

Stylish and modern, with warmth and charm, Kimi’s has consistently provided fine dining on par with or even better than any snooty eatery striving for diamonds or stars. We were a fan of Kimi Eklund’s first place, Absolute!, and then Dijon, but we’re totally nuts about her fondue here at Kimi’s Chop and Oyster House. It’s not too thick, and the cheeses are a special blend that make us weep with joy. (BDL) 2155 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-946-2079, kimishouse.com

Ding Tea

PICKS Best Reason to Rise and Shine

Hruska’s Kolaches

Best Noods

Hong Kong Banjum

There’s a case to be made for hibernating until 2020 is over but that would mean missing out on the ultimate comfort food: Hruska’s Kolaches. Baked fresh daily using a scratch-made dough recipe inspired by their great grandmother, siblings Ross, Cory and Devin fill their kolaches with fillings like homemade jam and hand-mixed sausage. Get ‘em while they’re hot; Hruska’s is open Monday–Saturday until noon or sell out, whichever happens first. (MW) Multiple locations, hruskaskolaches.com

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Best All-Natural Latte Love

Affogato West How can you not love a place that has the best-tasting lattes and owners who support the community any way they can? They also make many of their ingredients In-house and avoid using high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, dyes and flavorings. The balance between the coffee’s sweetness and bitterness (“love and chaos”) is on point, because we all still love that coffee flavor! (ML&CL) 214 N. 1000 East, St. George, 435-922-1049, affogatowest.com

Best Slice of Italy

Centro Pizza

With one of the best margherita pizzas we’ve had in a while, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve just stepped into a restaurant on the other side of the world. These pizzas are light enough to forgo the pizza food coma and made with quality seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers. There’s also something to be said about their specialty pizzas (i.e., the Dolce Diavola). It’s a must try! (ML&CL) 50 W. Center St., Cedar City, 435-867-8123, centropizzeria. com

COURTESY PHOTO

The variety of noodlery in Utah has seen an uptick in recent years, which is nothing but good news. While there are many strong contenders in this category, the jajangmyeon at West Valley’s Hong Kong Banjum gets my vote. On paper, it sounds deceptively simple—homemade ramen noodles doused in a lustrous black bean sauce—but the more you eat, the more you realize this is a recipe that has been in the making for generations.

It’s the kind of food that tickles triggers of comfort-food oxytocin no matter what you grew up eating. Anyone who takes comfort in the warm, slippery presence of high-quality noodles, needs to give this stuff a try. (AS) 3513 Constitution Blvd., Ste. 100, West Valley, 385-9008607

Best Onion Rings

Crown Burger It’s not difficult to find a decent burger in Utah, so sometimes the decision of where to go comes down to side orders, and Crown Burger takes the prize with their homemade, golden-fried, perfectly crunchy onion rings. You won’t find obnoxiously thick beer batter or over-size onion slices that can’t hold onto their coating at this family-owned Greek establishment, but instead the perfect accoutrement to famous pastrami burgers and gyros—don’t forget the fry sauce. (MW) Multiple locations, crown-burgers.com

Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House

Best Takeout to Eat in the Park

Laan Na Thai

This mom-and-pop shop brings you no nonsense Thai cuisine in a counter takeout format. Across from the newly renovated Pioneer Park, the lunch/dinner combo is the closest you’ll ever get to fast-food Thai. These firstgeneration immigrants dreamed of bringing the very best flavors from their home, and the result is a quick, flavorful food that can be eaten anywhere. (ML&CL) 336 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-363-2717

Best Pockets of Sunshine to Uplift Your Weekday

Mad Dough

These Bismark-style doughnuts are inspired by the cook’s favorite childhood treat. Filled with four unique flavors every week, these delicious pillows of goodness can instantly launch you into nostalgia-land. Everything from the dough to the filling is fresh and is bound to put a smile on your face. (ML&CL) 67 W. 1700 South, SLC, maddoughslc.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Use of Schmaltz

Feldman’s Deli’s Matzo Ball Soup

Best Meat Lovers Paradise Burger

Cultivate Craft Kitchen This locally sourced restaurant is paving the way for Draper to enjoy farm-to-table. Cultivate’s menu changes with the seasons, utilizing foods harvested at their peak. Choose from a variety of burger types on offer, but you won’t go wrong ordering the brisket burger with brie cheese and white BBQ sauce—an incredibly delicious spin on a burger, from (top) bun to (bottom) bun. (ML&CL) 12234 S. Draper Gate Drive, Ste. 105, Draper, 801-274-4230. cultivatecraftkitchen.com

Schmaltz, or chicken fat, is a must-have ingredient for matzo ball soup, which is a must-have soup for anything that ails you—even if your ailment is just 2020 in general. At Jewish deli Feldman’s, owners Michael and Janet Feldman make each bowl with a massive, fluffy matzo ball surrounded by large bites of roasted chicken, tender carrots and celery and a stick-to-your soul broth that will have you slurping up every last spoonful. (MW) 2005 E. 2700 South, Salt Lake City, 801-906-0369, feldmansdeli.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Hruksa’s Snickers Bar Candy Kolache

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Salt Lake’s backcountry equipment store and Specialized dealer since 1972.

702 E 100 S, South Salt Lake 801-359-9361

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Sales • Service & Repair • Rentals • wasatchtouring.com

Food & Drink

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Kabob-e Jujeh

Serving up Old World Mediterranean cuisine for two decades, family-owned restaurant The Med and its eclectic decor are just the thing to satisfy your need to get out of the house while still making you feel at home. Head straight for the kabob-e jujeh, lemon-and-herb marinated chicken skewers cooked to juicy perfection atop a bed of basmati rice with roasted tomato, warm pita bread and a bracing bite of raw onion. (MW) 420 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-493-0100, medslc.com

Road Island Diner’s Rachel

Best Vietnamese Weekend Specials

Saigon Sandwiches There’s much more to Vietnamese cuisine than pho and banh mi. Treat yourself to a delicious Vietnamese special each weekend, one you’ve probably not tried in Salt Lake before. Savory dishes include bun cha (grilled pork meatballs with noodles, the same dish that the late Anthony Bourdain slurped with President Obama in Hanoi) and bún riêu cua, a savory stew served with tomato broth and topped with minced freshwater crab. Quite a flavor overload from an unassuming Sandy strip mall. (JW) 8528 S. 1300 East, Sandy, 801-281-7400, saigonsandwich.me

Sensei + The Hero at Vive Juicery Now that every day feels like a Friday (or what day is it even?), it’s easy to get carried away with cocktails. Balance out your bad decisions with the one-two punch of Vive Juicery’s Sensei, an alkaline charcoal lemonade to purify toxins and soothe your stomach with lemon, ginger and honey, followed by The Hero, electrolyte-packed coconut water with chia seeds, pineapple, pear and grapefruit to get you back to 100% in a jiffy.

(MW) 1597 S. 1700 East, SLC, 801-875-8923, vivejuicery.com

The Store

Holystone Distilling

From Reese’s peanut-butter-cup cookies to an oatmeal cookie that brims with raisins, The Store is the perfect place to complement staple purchases with a bit of sugary sin. “Our cookies are baked fresh every day, all day. It’s almost always possible to get a warm cookie,” says Whitney Jackson, bakery assistant. Utah Jazz radio voice David Locke touted the “mudslide”—chocolate on chocolate with chocolate chips—on his radio show. Locke’s promotion inspired The Store to add mudslide ingredients to its mocha ice cream.

Ten dozen of the Grand Royale cookies, featuring macadamia nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut, are baked fresh daily.

Grand Royale is also now an ice cream flavor. The Cutler’s peanut-butter cookie features peanut-butter chips along with healthy swaths of both peanut butter and chocolate frosting—pure decadent heaven. (CC) 2050 E. 6200 South, SLC, 801-272-1212; 90 S. Rio Grande, SLC, 385-213-7900; thestoreutah.com

When entering a market with a new product, a serious challenge is finding a niche. Holystone Distilling’s answer was to not only find a niche, but to produce new products. Their Bosun’s Navy Strength gin comes in at a battleship worthy 114 proof. Perla is Utah’s first grape-based vodka. Our state’s first absinthe comes from Holystone (Apparition Absinthe Verte), and Tsunami Shochu is another first, with roots in Japan, made with koji, barley and rice. All that niche marketing is easier because each product comes inside a gorgeous Holystone bottle. (MS) 207 W. 4860 South, SLC, 503-328-4356, holystonedistilling,com

Best Family Meal Takeout

Vessel Kitchen

Best Ogden Beer Selection

Even though Vessel Kitchen has been proudly doling out a menu of tasty and healthy fast-casual cuisine, my ever-growing need for non-pizza takeout options during the pandemic led me to seek them out. Their family meal option is a lifesaver for when existential dread has sapped the will to cook from your bones but you also want to feel like a responsible parent for including more vegetables in your kid’s diet—not that I know what that’s like or anything.

These family combos consist of a protein like braised beef with cumin, paprika and rosemary or roast chicken with a ras el hanout dry rub along with three sides like ratatouille and roasted Brussels sprouts. There’s something tasty and healthy for everybody. (AS) Multiple locations, vesselkitchen.com

Ogden’s craft brewery scene is on the rise.

Rooster’s on 25th Street expanded into a second location on B Street, while UTOG, Zolupez and Talisman recently opened up.

You can find their products and most other local beers on tap at “The Bayou of the North,” aka Angry Goat Pub, which boasts a selection of over 200 brews in stock.

(MS) 2570 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801675-5757, AngryGoatPK.com

Angry Goat Pub & Kitchen

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Wiener

Porky’s Kauai

Best ‘Crustacular’ Pizza

Slackwater Pizzeria and Pub These large pizzas carry the most amazing crust that’s so irresistible, it’s hard to not call this a personal pizza. With a hint of sweetness in every bite, this dough is harmony between the classic-crust meets deep-dish pizza. Each pie has distinct sauces and toppings—you’re sure to find one that fits your mood. (ML&CL) 1895 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801-3990637; 10290 S. State, Sandy, 801-930-5147; slackwaterpizzeria.com

Hot dogs are one of those foods that get a bad rap, even though a bad one is still pretty good, all things considered. Those who doubt the culinary excellence of this humble sausage delivery system only have to visit Porky’s Kauai. Their pineapple sausage topped with kalua pork and pineapple relish will make you into a wiener believer. It’s a soulful, smoky, sweet mess of a meal, and it goes perfectly with their house macaroni salad. A visit requires a trek through the mess of 1-15 construction through Lehi, but this Hawaiian import is well worth the risk. (AS) 785 E. 200 South, Lehi, 801-803-3783, porkyskauai.com

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Whether you call it a turkey Reuben or a Rachel, the historic Road Island Diner in Oakley does it right with house-marinated, roasted turkey breast carved and piled high on toasted rye with sauerkraut, swiss and Thousand Island. Try it with a side of potato salad (whole grain mustard is the secret ingredient) and save room for a treat from the soda fountain. (MW) 981 W. Weber Canyon Road, Oakley, 435-783-3467, roadislanddiner.com

Best Hangover Cure

Best Unique Spirits

ALEX SPRINGER

Best Rachel (Not From Friends)

DEREK CARLISLE

The Med

Best Grocery Store Cookie Selection

Food & Drink

CW STAFF

CW STAFF

Best First & Last Stop

Craft by Proper

Strap Tank Brewery

The Proper Brewing group is as innovative as they come; all of their three entries into the Utah beer market are markedly different in appeal. Their latest Craft by Proper notches it up, though, by emphatically selling only Utah brews. Besides their own notable beers, CBP pours dozens of Utah only beers with scores more available in can or bottle. Can’t make it to Tooele for Bonneville, Utah County for Strap Tank, Ogden for UTOG in one day? You can taste all of them easily at just one trip to Craft by Proper. Leave room for 2 Row, Shades, Hopkins, RoHa, Bewilder, Mountain West, Wasatch, Park City Brewing … and the rest. (MS) 1053 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-242-7186, craftbyproper.com

Best Sausage on Your Doorstep

COURTESY PHOTO

Best Local Beer King

Best Beers That Don’t Taste Like Beer

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Beltex Meats Shades Brewing know that they have the attention of Butcher’s Box Service Breweries beer fans; it’s the beer-averse folks they’d really Did someone say sausage fest? Beltex Meats delivers the goods right to your front porch on the weekends, along with in-store purchases. The butcher shop hand selects the meat from a variety of Utah producers, and they offer all the classic cuts and use the whole animal—nothing goes to waste. Check their website for zip code delivery availability. (MS) 511 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-5322641, BeltexMeats.com

Best Ogden Brew Addition

Rooster’s B Street Brewing Co. & Taproom While Salt Laker’s have been blessed for decades with multiple brew pubs and breweries, they haven’t been exactly sitting still in Ogden, either.

Besides Ogden boasting its own growing A-List of breweries, a 25th Street landmark, Rooster’s Brewing recently expanded into Layton and, in 2019, expanded again but closer to their roots.

Their new digs are at a new development that also houses Ogden’s Own Distillery. There you’ll find all the great food and beer faves from the noted Rooster’s menu, plus being able to do so on their fine outdoor patio. (MS) 2325 B Ave., Ogden, 801689-2879, roostersbrewingco.com

like to woo. The brewery that has found the most success at bridging the gap between the lovers and haters of beer is Shades Brewing.

From cobblers to pies, Thai and Indian dishes to smoothies, Shades’ brew crew has developed an ale that will blow the minds of any adult beverage drinker. No flavor combination is out of bounds, including dill pickles. Yes, pickles.

(MR) 154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, shadesbrewing.beer

Best Adult Beverage Hat-Trick

Silver Reef Brewing Co.

It’s not unusual to see local breweries delve into other aspects of the adult beverage market.

There’s growing momentum to enhance alcohol production from beer to spirits. St. George’s Silver Reef Brewing Co. has taken things a step farther, which crowns them kings of the adultbeverage trifecta. Not only do they produce beer and spirits, they have also acquired their own Utah-based vineyard and are currently making chardonnays, pinot grigios and a sangiovese. What’s next? Mead? (MR) 4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George, 435-216-1050, stgeorgebev.com

When Strap Tank Brewery, Utah County’s first licensed brewery in about 100 years, opened in Springville, it gave people a reason to linger in Utah County. The only downside was that unless you were heading to points farther south, it was quite the drive. But now they’ve opened in Lehi, meaning that Strap Tank has you covered on both ends of the county—north and south.

Heading to Moab? You first stop in Lehi, then again at the Springville location. Coming home? Do it in reverse. Great beer and food on one strip of Interstate 15. Perfect. (MS) 596 S. 1750 West, Springville, 385-325-0262; 3661 N. Outlet Parkway, Lehi, 385-352-8194, straptankbrewery.com

Best Hand-Crafted Spirits

Sugar House Distillery

Where once there were no local distilleries in this high and dry desert, Utah is now home to kegs of craft spirit makers. In beautiful metal stills, the artisans of Sugar House Distillery tend over their specialty small batches of bourbon, rye, malt and vodka with ever proudful eye, an attribute born of the dedicated eye of founder James Fowler. The result? Awards and lots of them. In 2020, their accolades include a Double Gold for their single malt whisky, a Gold for their bourbon and a Silver award for their silver rum from the heralded The Fifty Best spirits competition.

(MS) 2212 S. West Temple, No. 14, SLC, 801726-0403, sugarhousedistillery.net

Best Last Meal on Earth

Bambara Steak Frites

Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Because the restaurant was temporarily shuttered due to COVID-19, Bambara lovers pined for chef Nathan Powers’ dishes, most notably the steak and herbed frites with cipollini onions and a browned butter bearnaise. Now that they’re back in business, your dinner awaits, alongside a glass of Turley Dusi Vineyard zinfandel ’17 and maybe one of Bambara’s famous cookies for dessert. (MW) 202 S. Main, SLC, 801-363-5454, bambara-slc.com

Best Coffee App

Beans & Brews With over 50 locations in Utah, Beans & Brews Coffeehouse is catching up to the more pervasive Seattle-based mermaid brand. We all know which cuppa is superior, too. Aside from serving us better joe, our local chain built a COVID-friendly app way before it was cool to be contactless. The Beans & Brews app allows customers to order in advance to have at the ready when pulling up to their many drive-thrus, making the seemingly long lines clear up quickly to get us on with our day. On top of that, it tracks your purchases like the traditional coffee stamp cards, but in this case, you’ll never lose your rewards the next time you clean your car. (MS) Multiple locations, beansandbrews.com

Best Way to Have Your Beer and Eat It, Too

Bohemian Brewery’s Pilsner-Battered Fish & Chips Fish and chips fans, this one’s for you! Bohemian Brewery doesn’t cut corners when it comes to their pub fare fave, hand dipping cold-water halibut (or salmon, should you prefer) in house pilsner batter and frying it to golden perfection.

Served up with garlic fries, house remoulade (tartar sauce in layman’s terms) and creamy coleslaw, all you have to do is decide which of their dozen-plus beers you’ll choose to wash it all down. (MW) 94 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale, 801566-5474, bohemianbrewery.com

COURTESY PHOTO

PICKS

PICKS

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Food & Drink

Diversion Poutine

Best Holy Matrimony of Beer and Pizza

CW STAFF

Level Crossing Brewing Co.

PICKS

Utah is lucky to have so many distinguished and award-winning local brewers. While you cannot go wrong with any of the beer choices at Level Crossing (made impeccably better thanks to their expansive—and warm—outdoor patio), you most certainly can’t go wrong pairing such beer with one of their perfectly oven-baked pizzas. Try the Sweet Home Chicago or The Level Crossing pizza, matched with a specialty beer release like October’s fine Astro Shake. Classic. (MS) 2496 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-270-5752, levelcrossing.com

Best Poutine

Diversion Poutine

Best Reason to Order Dessert First

Stanza’s Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake Pastry chef extraordinaire Amanda Billingsley has outdone herself with this one! Topped with moscato strawberries, pistachio sable crumb and vanilla mascarpone cream, the lemon ricotta cheesecake at downtown Italian restaurant Stanza is the cheesecake every other cheesecake wishes it could become.

Double down and order the Pillow Talk martini with Godiva chocolate liquor, vanilla vodka and espresso for next-level decadence. (MW) 454 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-746-4441, stanzaslc.com

Best Take-Home Italian Dinners

Stoneground Italian Kitchen Carbonara Weekend Supper One of the greatest things to come out of COVID is the emergence of weekend suppers at Stoneground Italian Kitchen. Created by head chef Justin Shifflet, these rotating Italian meal experiences feed up to four people and are available for pickup on Friday and Saturday. Follow them on Instagram @ stonegroundkitchen so you don’t miss staff-favorite carbona next time it hits the rotation. (MW) 249 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-364-1368, stonegrounditalian.com

Depending on where you are reading this in Utah, you’re roughly 700 miles from the Canadian border. We’re here to tell you that you need only go to the chic Marmalade district to snag Canada-famous poutine right here in Utah. A lot of places get it right, many get it wrong. At Diversion, you’ll find yourself a perfect bite. Pair it with some suds and you’re set. (MS) 535 N. 300 West, SLC, 801-657-7326, diversioneatery.com

Best Gnocchi

Best Eggplant Parm

Where other Italian restaurants have tried and fallen short, Caffé Molise makes gnocchi the way your nonna used to. Don’t have a nonna? No matter; drop by Caffé Molise’s new (and beautifully renovated) downtown location for gnocchi di patate, pillowy potato and semolina dumplings ladled with fresh tomato cream, basil and toasted pine nuts. (MW) 404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-364-8833, caffemolise. com

They’re brothers, hence the name “Fratelli,” Italian for brothers. Co-owners Pete and Dave have grown up in the restaurant industry and are all about keeping it real, using house sauces, fresh ingredients and family recipes. They’ve just moved the restaurant to a brandspanking new location in Sandy, where they’re serving up their spectacular Italian dishes, including their eggplant Parmesan. Made with Grandmother Mary’s recipe, its luscious layers of eggplant, spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan and marinara are a standout. If you’d prefer not to dine-in, check out the full-service deli and espresso and gelato bars. There’s something for every hunger pang. Squisito! (JW) 8612 S. 1300 East, Sandy, 801-4954550, fratelliutah.com

Best ‘Drain the Tank’ Beers

Desert Edge Brewery Desert Edge first opened its doors almost 50 years ago, when it served cheap Coors to college students. After many years of evolution, the Trolley Square pub and brewery has transformed into a familyfriendly affair with many tasty craft beers.

With their kegs brimming with delicious ale, Brewmaster Chad Krusell wants to “drain the tanks” for a special offering of $2 14-ounce glass brews and $8 growler refills.

(MS) 273 Trolley Square, SLC, 801-5218917, desertedgebrewery.com

Fratelli Ristorante

PICKS Best Affordable Breakfast

Apollo Burger Breakfast Sandwich

Best Foamy Beers

Grid City Beer Works Wait. What? Foamy beers? That’s normally a thing that will get a bartender knocked on his ass—but not at this new South Salt Lake brewery. Grid City Beer Works absolutely revels in their foam, to the point where patrons are lining up to slam pints of foam or “milky” lagers.

Driven by Grid City’s Czech-made Lukr beer faucets, this alternative beer-drinking method is an Old World tradition that may look as easy as drinking air, but is far from it.

Like your lagers a little more traditional? They’ve got that, too. (MR) 333 W. 2100 South, SLC, 801-906-8390, gridcitybeerworks.com

You know them for great burgers, but Apollo Burger dishes up mouthwatering breakfasts, too.

The inexpensive breakfast bowl features a pile of hash browns and your choice of protein and cheese. At only $4.99, you might feel like you’re stealing from them. It rounds out a solid lineup of quick and delicious brekkie items to get your day rolling. Bacon and eggs go for only $6.79.

To boot, the entirety of their morning menu comes in under $8 with the exception of the New York steak and eggs ($9.99). That leaves more for the burgers! Go, ham omelet! (MS) Multiple locations, apolloburgers.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Caffé Molise

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NATALIE BEHRING

CW STAFF

Thanks for voting us top 3 ramen in 2020!

YokoSLC.com

2018

@YokoRamenSLC

473 E 300 S | SLC Open for lunch and dinner Tues-Sun

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Best Build-YourOwn Breakfast

Ah, the infamous bottom beer.

After enjoying a delicious pour of Utah’s finest ales or lagers, the time comes to decide whether to renew your order or knuckle down and chug the warm, stale remnants. Or, you can sit at Beerhive Pub’s bar and place your pint on their ice rail, a literal strip of ice that keeps your liquid cold from the first sip to the last.

With more than 200 local and regional beers to choose from at Beerhive, each sip is as fresh as when it’s poured. (MS) 128 S. Main, SLC, 801-364-4268, Facebook.com/beerhive-pub

After years spent serving up hearty breakfasts and lunches on 1700 South, Eggs in the City is now nestled in their new location on 2300 East and just off the Interstate 80 exit. It’s creativity galore for breakfast junkies—owner Heather Santi’s Millcreek eatery specializes in build-your-own breakfasts (with dozens of options), either in the form of omelet, skillet or burrito.

The potential combos are endless. Don’t sleep on their killer lunches, either! (MS) 2795 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801581-0809, eggsinthecityslc. com

Beerhive Eggs in Pub’s Ice Rail the City

Best Burger and Beans

Food & Drink

Rich’s Burgers-NGrub There’s not a burger that Rich’s doesn’t do well. Downtowners migrate to their single (unfortunately) location and agree Rich’s unique burgers (100% Angus, all-natural products) are the best downtown.

What to match with that Queso, Slaw or Caprese burger? Deepfried green beans, of course.

Nowhere we know of serves them, and they are a “gosh darn delicious” addition to everything.

Perfect fry sauce, too. Salt Lake needs more Rich’s Burgers. (MS) 30 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-3550667, richsburgersngrub.com

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Beer Battlers Bewilder’s Not-Chos

Utah homebrewers know Cody McKendrick and Ross Metzger of Salt City Brew Supply fame. They opened their years-long dream, Bewilder Brewing, in midDecember 2019. Then, 2020 happened and brought its own set of challenges including a delayed manufacturing license. Lie down? Never! Now, the spacious Bewilder is set to celebrate its one-year anniversary with a menu that includes several varieties of handmade sausages to go with their popular suds.

We all need their fighting spirit now. (MS) 445 S. 400 West, SLC, 385-528-3840, bewilderbrewing.com

Best Way to Crack an Egg

The Dodo’s Spinach Mushroom Feta Quiche 106 | BEST OF UTAH 2020 | CITYWEEKLY.NET

Bewilder Brewing Co.

It’s hard to say no to pie. It’s impossible to say no when that pie is filled with light-as-air egg custard, fresh spinach, feta cheese and mushrooms topped with tomato pine nut relish. Served at lunch and weekend brunch, The Dodo’s famous quiche also comes with a cup of homemade soup (there’s not a bad one in the bunch) or salade de maison. (MW) 1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-486-2473, thedodorestaurant.com

Best COVID Meal Prep To Stay

WB’s Eatery

Meal subscriptions and to-go meal prep isn’t a new concept to digital delivery. But, at WB’s Eatery—another quality emporium presented by the folks of Pig in a Jelly Jar fame—they take the monotonous guesswork out of dinner without forcing any long-term commitments down our throats. That means you can enjoy their glorious Market Meal chimichurri steak just once or part of an ongoing monthly plan. Shop their in-store bodega, subscribe to a box lunch program or, wait: Cannabis and Cocktail club is coming!

(MS) At The Monarch, 455 25th St., Ogden, 385-244-1471, wbseatery.com

DEREK CARLISLE

Best for Cool Bottoms

Best Roobins

Robin’s Nest Back when working from home was a novelty and not a necessity, businesspeople flocked to Robin’s Nest for their specialty sandwiches. Nowadays in the coronavirus era, delivery and take-out is the name of the game. Josh Romar and his mother, Robin, are still behind the counter every day stacking up the meats for Robin’s Nest’s dozens of delicious sandwiches, including the Roobin, classically crafted with pastrami, dijon and sauerkraut. (MS) 311 S. Main, SLC, 801-4666378, RobinsNestSLC.com

Best Paninis

Toasters

Enes Huskic immigrated to the States from Bosnia in 1996, and it didn’t take him long to begin working on his passion in the food industry, opening up the first Toasters location in 2002. Now with four Salt Lake Valley locations, Toasters is a local favorite for sandwiches panini-style. The Premium panini is the creme de la creme, a helping of prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, roasted red peppers and balsamic glaze. (MS) Multiple locations, ToastersDeli.com

Best Naan Stop

Himalayan Kitchen Downtown and South Jordan are home to Himalayan Kitchen, a Nepali and Indian eatery optimal for lunch time and late-night meals. They have a plethora of vegan and gluten-free options, as well as the tandoori classics. The chicken tikka masala is a Himalayan staple, and the lamb vindaloo is as good as it gets. (MS) 360 S. State, SLC, 801-328-2077; 11521 S. 4000 West, South Jordan, 801-254-0800, HimalayanKitchen.com

Delicacies OF INDIA & NEPAL NEW

for always voting us in the Top 3!

2100 S LOCATION ONLY

THEKATHMANDU.NET 3142 S. HIGHLAND DR. SLC | 801.466.3504

2100 S 250 W SLC | (801) 935-4258

GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN OPTIONS | AVAILABLE FOR CATERING & EVENTS!

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Thank you

INDIAN AND NEPALI FLAVORED CURRY, TIKKA MASALA AND MORE PIZZAS WITH SOME AMERICAN FLAVOR!

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Nightlife

READERS’

PICKS Best Bar Patio

Best Dance Club

Best Late-Night Grub

If there’s any place that feels connected to deep SLC, it’s Area 51. Located near Pioneer Park, walking on those lonely streets after dark is the perfect primer for heading to one of the club’s goth nights, or even better yet, their Goth Prom—which takes place in the autumn but not necessarily around Halloween. It’s an evening that encourages attendees to be their weirdest selves. So, go ahead and have a cigarette out on their industrial patio and then to disappear into the fog machine’s slurry of club sweat. It’s also one of the only dance clubs that offers space to both underage folks and 21+, making it accessible for strange cats of all ages. (EM) 451 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-534-0819, area51slc.com 2. Sky Bar 3. The Sun Trapp

Arempa’s is one of the only local places that will show you any sympathy if you roll in at 1 a.m. and mumble “fuck it” when they ask for your order. They understand that a long night of debauching oneself needs an arepa of epic proportions to chase the demons away, and that’s just what you get when you order the Fuck It. Understanding that the recipient is in need of some healing, the Arempa’s chef will whip up something overstuffed, dripping with melted cheese, black beans, plantains and at least three different meats. The above-board menu at Arempa’s is excellent on its own, but knowing that they offer special hospitality to the late-night crowd earns them a special place in downtown Salt Lake. (AS) 350 S. State, SLC, 385-3018905, arempas.com 2. Pie Hole 3. Beto’s

Area 51

Arempa’s

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As patrons tentatively made their way back to bars and restaurants during the summer, it was helpful for the locations to have an attractive outdoor setup. That’s been a significant appeal of Gracie’s for years, as their multi-level patio space provides ample room for visitors to stretch out and enjoy their great food and drink. It’s the perfect spot to listen to live music, as the street-level patio hosts great local entertainers when the weather accommodates, while upstairs offers bird’s eye views of the activity on the street. (SR) 326 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-819-7565, graciesslc.com 2. Hog Wallow 3. Green Pig

JOSH SCHEUREMAN

Gracie’s

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT BEST 2 010

RoofTOP patio IN SLC

201 5

Weekend BRunch

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BEST DOWNTOWN BRUNCH 2 011

201 6

2 012

2 0 17

2 013

2 018

2 014

20 2 0

2018

31 east 400 SOuth • SLC

801-532-7441 • HOURS: 11AM - 2AM THEGREENPIGPUB.COM LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR SPECIALS & EVENTS!

Nightlife

READERS’

PICKS

Best Neighborhood Bar

A Bar Named Sue Underground Cash

NOW AVAILABLE

Best Ogden Bar

A city on the rise for young Utahns, Ogden has seen a revitalized nightlife scene with installations such as Funk ’n’ Dive. A collaboration between business partners Dave Morris and Bridget Gordon, owners of Green Pig, Ice Haus, Piper Down and other bars, Funk’ n’ Dive has a cool atmosphere, reasonably priced drinks and great bar menu. (MS) 2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801-621-3483, funkanddive.com 2. Harp and Hound 3. Brewskis

Best Salt Lake City Bar

Green Pig Pub

Green Pig is no stranger in City Weekly’s Best of Utah issue, a regular winner in a multitude of “Best of” categories. Over the decade that Green Pig has been operating, patrons have come to love their distinct rooftop patio, Thursday karaoke nights and as a welcoming place to watch Utah football. For food fare, try the shrimp cocktail or one of the burgers on the specials board. (MS) 31 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-5327441, thegreenpigpub.com 2. Bar X 3. Water Witch

$39.99

Best Salt Lake Valley Bar (Not Downtown)

Hog Wallow Everyone who has ever been to Hog Wallow knows that sitting out in the trees and foliage of their outdoor patio is as comfortable as outdoor seating gets. It’s like being in your own private back yard, only better. That said, besides the patio, Hog Wallow is a favorite destination of skiers returning from the nearby slopes for some fine libation, live music and the always good food—try the Johnny Cash Burger! (MS) 3200 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon Road. SLC, 801-733-5567, thehogwallow.com 2. Ice Haus 3. Prohibition

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Funk ’n’ Dive

are the wings, which come in Buffalo, barbecue, honey mustard, Cajun dryrub or garlic Parmesan. It’s a good time just waiting to happen. (MS) 8136 S. State, Midvale, 801-566-3222; 3928 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-2745578, abarnamedsue.com 2. Ice Haus 3. East Liberty Tap House

JOSH SCHEUREMAN

A Bar Named Sue, with locations in Midvale and Holladay, has a steady following in their respective neighborhoods. Whether it’s Taco Tuesday, bingo night or game day, the bar is comfortable, affordable and inviting. They have one of the best bar menus in town, too—the Tennessee turkey sandwich is killer, as

Nightlife

READERS’

PICKS Best Beer Selection

Though some other local venues have taken up the digital menu model for viewing taps, there’s no contesting that The Bayou still started it first, and they’ve still got the hefty beer selection to warrant such a model. It’s also got the prestige as one of the best beer bars to go to for a diverse selection of brews.

The Southern zest of their Louisiana-

Best Karaoke

Best Park City Bar

It doesn’t matter what day of the week you’re hankering for a karaoke night, The Highlander has got you covered. Karaoke begins every night at 9 p.m. with thousands of songs to choose from. If the person belting it out ain’t no Alicia Keys, don’t worry—there are a dozen TV’s to catch a game, or private booths for groups. (MS) 6194 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-277-8251, highlanderutah.com 2. Tavernacle 3. Piper Down

Home to the No Name Saloon, Park City’s Alamo Building, resembling the Alamo, was built in 1905. The bar was even known as the Alamo for decades. Today, it’s home to those craving a cold beer, craft cocktail and their world-famous halfpound buffalo burgers. The expansive bar includes an upstairs mezzanine bar and fantastic heated patio. It’s an ideal spot to cozy in after a Main Street stroll. (MS) 447 Main St., Park City, 435-649-6667, nonamesaloon.com 2. The Spur 3. The Cabin

Highlander Pub

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themed bar and eating room make it all the easier to stay awhile and give their mobile app a try—it’s a little too fun to let the app select a random beer from their wide selection. (EM) 645 S. State, SLC, 801-961-8400, utahbayou.com 2. Beerhive Pub 3. Beer Bar

DEREK CARLISLE

The Bayou

Best Sports Bar

No Name Saloon

Legends

Best New Bar

For a while there in the spring and early summer, American sports had all but vanished. When they came back with a vengeance—virtually all of the major sports leagues at once—Legends remained a great place to enjoy classic pub fare like burgers, sandwiches and pizza while celebrating the return of basketball, hockey, baseball and more. With a location in Sandy to complement the flagship location downtown adjacent to Brewvies, Legends can serve sport fans throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

(SR) 677 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-355-3598; 10631 S. Holiday Park Drive, 801-679-1749, Sandy; whylegends.com 2. Green Pig 3. The Huddle

If your religion is sports, then you can be saved at Redemption, a new sports bar in Herriman. Redemption is housed in a newly built modern structure, featuring a killer patio on the main floor and rooftop.

The bar offers a program where you can buy “Redemption coins” for $10, which go toward paying for the meals of first responders, veterans and active-duty military members. (MS) 3517 W. Maradona Drive, Herriman, 801-938-9363, redemptionbarandgrill.com 2. Bewilder Brewing Co. 3. Grid City Beer Works

Redemption Bar and Grill

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Nightlife

READERS’ Best Dive Bar

Johnny’s on 2nd

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Best Theme Night

The Royal is the music venue king in town—there’s live music Fridays and Saturdays, and every Thursday is ‘Reggae Night.’ Hit local bands such as Royal Bliss, Jagerdown, Ginger and the Gents, Buckcherry, American Hitmen and others are frequent performers.

When bands aren’t on the center stage, it’s a great place to kick back in a nook or chill out on the intimate and private patio. (MS) 4760 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-5504451, theroyalslc.com 2. Urban Lounge 3. State Room

Twist’s unique interior, the former home of a 19th-century boiler room that serviced nearby downtown buildings, was the host of something a bit more glamorous at their Gays of ‘47 celebration in July.

Partnered with Equality Utah, the threeday event featured drag queens and DJs such as Jason CoZmo and DJ Bangarang.

Proceeds of the event benefited Black Lives Matter, the Utah Pride Center, EU and the Utah LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. (MS) 32 Exchange Place, SLC, 801-322-3200, twist.com 2. Area 51 3. Prohibition

The Royal

PICKS

Best LGBTQ Bar

The Sun Trapp

JOSH SCHEUREMAN

You can’t find a better bang for your buck in Salt Lake— home to the $4 shot and a beer, Johnny’s on Second has the best deal in town, bar none. Regulars of the downtown bar frequent the pool tables, enjoy live music, Breaking Bingo and free Texas Hold ‘em games.

Owner Johnny Dale’s free and fun spirit exudes in his bar, and patrons appreciate his dedication to maintaining a safe and inviting place to let loose and let live. (MS) 165 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-746-3334, johnnysonsecond.com 2. Cheers to You 3. Twilite

Best Live Music

There aren’t many LGBTQ bars in SLC (boo!), but Sun Trapp is a reliable favorite among the queer scene in SLC, not only for its weekend party atmosphere, but for things like its patio karaoke, which moves indoors in the winter for continued fun. The bar mixes up all the charm of a dive (and all the cheap beers and liquor to match) and all the joie de vivre that comes from being one of the wildest spots in SLC, even with a somewhat remote location a few blocks behind the Gateway. (EM) 102 S. 600 West, SLC, 385-2356786, thesuntrapp.com 2. Try-Angles 3. Metro Music Hall

Twist ‘Gays of ’47’

Best Craft Cocktails

Water Witch

When Water Witch first opened a scant three years ago, it was touted as some kind of stylish “NYC-style bar,” whatever that means. Since then, though, it’s become quite the SLC staple, rivalling spots like Bar X as a go-to bar for extremely innovative and delicious cocktails—as in, offering up specials like a spiced Mexican cocktail served in a carved gourd called jicara, or like one fruity summer concoction that had a big, fat cube of frozen watermelon at its center.

The bartenders are some of SLC’s best and most knowledgeable, and despite the famously small space of the bar, they’ve made it work during their pandemic reopening. (EM) 163 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-462-0967, waterwitchbar.com 2. Lake Effect 3. Bar X

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Nightlife

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Drink Specials

Big Willie’s

Live Music Every Night!

Visit thespurbarandgrill.com for schedule

352 Main Street | Park City Among the frustrating Utah law landmines for clubs is for them to sell drinks at special pricing.

Oh, it can be done, but it’s a nightmare. Enter Big Willie’s. Not only does this Ballpark area club have it figured out, they’re good at social media, too. They spread the news so people don’t have to bitch about high prices all over town—they just need to follow along on Instagram and get ready for a $3.50 special on Jameson, Tullemore or Jack Daniel’s, saving their change for a quick game of pool. (MS) 1717 S. Main, SLC, 801-463-4996 bigwillieslounge.com

DEREK CARLISLE

435.615.1618 |

Best Cheap Drinks in Ogden

Historic Place

Best Fight Night Fanfare

Black Sheep Bar and Grill No, there’s no actual bar fights here. While most local bars around purchase the pay-per-view UFC Fight Night, Black Sheep Bar and Grill has grown a steady following for the Saturday mixed martial arts fights.

The Foothill Drive bar has plenty of high tops and bar seating to go around for a view of the action as well as snacks and shared plates galore to enjoy with friends. (MS) 1400 S. Foothill Drive, SLC, 801877-9350, TheBlackSheepBarAndGrill.net

Best Street Show

Boozetique Sundays With The 8eat1ful5 The street shows outside Boozetique & E3 Modern were performed early on in the pandemic outside the illuminated storefronts to a crowd watching from a distance. Owner of E3, Josh Stippich, is also a core member of the ever-beautiful experimentalists The 8eat1ful5. These informal gatherings took place on Sundays this past summer and preceded outdoor concerts as well as street protests passing along downtown streets. If you missed them, that’s OK—they have tentative plans to switch to a streaming format this winter. Live recordings (containing some audible protest snippets) are now streaming on Spotify as are the two albums We Are Nature and We Are Nature 2. (EM) Boozetique & E3 Modern, 315 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-363-3939, boozetiqueslc.com

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There’s no better bang for your buck in Ogden than Historic Place, a dive bar that derives its name from Historic 25th Street. Pints are just a couple bucks, and Jack and Cokes are a paltry $2.75. Historic Place has become a haven for locals and regulars, who you can often recognize at the bar or lining up for a game on the pool tables. (MS) 162 25th St., Ogden, 801-394-6233

SEATING TABLES AND TAKING CARRY OUTS FROM 11AM - 1AM

@spurbarandgrill

Nightlife

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Chill for Social Distancing

This past summer, the remote corner tables on TF Brewing’s back patio provided a safe haven for brew-heads who miss their signature schnitt glasses—a friendly mystery deal of a glass filled halfway with beer and halfway with foam—which sometimes grants the drinker a few more inches of beer for a deep discount depending on how fast the foam dissolves. Here’s to hoping they get some fire pits and heat lamps for fall and winter, so that the best corners of the bar can be enjoyed with only cold beer providing a chill. (EM) 936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-270-5972, tfbrewing.com

COURTESY PHOTO

TF Brewing

Best Brewery Crawl—South Salt Lake

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RoHa, Level Crossing, Saltfire, Shades, Grid City

A few years ago, you could barely do a two-brewery crawl in South Salt Lake. Now, there’s a tight cluster of craft beer producers who are eager to have you bumping around in their grid. We start at the RoHa Brewing Project on Kensington Ave in SLC. From there it’s five blocks to Shades Brewing. The long part is now over, as Saltfire Brewing is practically a stumble across West Temple. 0.4 miles south of Saltfire you’ll find Level Crossing which is the perfect transition to the 15-minute walk to Grid City Beer Works. Who knew beer-drinking could also be a workout! (MR)

Best Brewery Crawl—South Downtown

Epic, Proper, TF, Fisher, Kiitos It goes without saying that the recent SLC brewery boom has given us a shload of great beers, but it’s also provided us a safe and efficient way to patronize breweries on foot, bike or scooter. The preferred route in south downtown (“So-Do”) starts at Epic Brewing on State Street, moving a block west to Proper Brewing. From there it’s a few blocks to TF Brewing—backtrack a block north, and you’ll find yourself at Fisher Brewing. We’re not done yet, as the last leg of this mile-long crawl places us in the capable hands of Kiitos Brewing. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon. (MR)

Best Music Community Hang Time

Hip Hop Organics Virtual Chillin’

One of the most enduring new virtual traditions to come out of the pandemic has been Hip Hop Organics Virtual Chillin’ video streams. The hip hop collective has long been an open space for folks in the hip hop scene in SLC, and with the loss of shows and physical spaces to not only perform but to hang out, they started the virtual hang session via Zoom, with host and local rapper Mana (aka Secret of Mana) at the center of it all. Each week features not only performances and freestyle raps, but special guests and conversation around news related to all things hip hop and more. Since the beginning of the pandemic, new episodes stream on Facebook each Friday from 8 to 10 p.m., with old episodes posted up on the Hip Hop Organics YouTube page. (EM) facebook.com/hiphoporganics

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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUR FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD BAR S U P P O R T L O C A L A N D # S AV E U TA H B A R S

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Nightlife

CW STAFF

PICKS Best Brewery Where You Can Restock Your Sauce

SaltFire Brewing

Best Booze Brawlers

Quarters Arcade Bar and Alibi Bar & Place

Best Evidence of Responsible Drinking

Twilite Lounge

While driving past many a cherished dive in this city, one might be concerned by the sight of folks smoking hella cigs outside on the patios, all while standing very close to one another. But, word on

the street is that at least one dive is pretty darn safe as far as social distancing goes. Reports from bar regulars of the Twilite Lounge confirm that most folks inside the bar abide by the maskwearing rule, and their new outdoor patio space in the back lot is a bonus, too. The lounge sets that used to happen every night happen out there now, and who knows? Maybe they’ll move their famous front patio heaters out back for the winter.

(EM) 347 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-532-9400, twilitelounge.com

Best New Way to Boogie Down

Roller Disco Nights

by Social Disco Club and SLC Skate Babes One of the vibrant things to come out of this pandemic was a sudden trend that swept the city and it seems the country—roller-skating. The pastime was last super popular in the ‘70s, in the era of disco, and the damned stylish sport has gone viral for all the stylish reasons. If you look up Salt Lake City Skate Babes online, it shows SLC’s skate scene is no different. Especially since the SLC Skate Babes teamed up with the vintageloving DJs behind the Social Disco Nights— formerly dance nights held in venues—for funky fresh roller disco nights like only happened at the height of the disco years. With cooler months ahead, their skate nights will probably become more rare, but here’s to hoping the new trend endures into next spring. (EM) instagram.com/ slcskatebabes

MUCH LOVE TO THE BEST STAFF, SOUND ENGINEERS AND BANDS THAT SUPPORT THE ROYAL!

GIFT CARdS AVAILABLE! 4760 south 900 east · salt lake city, ut ( 8 0 1 ) 5 9 0 - 9 9 4 0 · t h e r oya l s l c.c o m

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The underground arcade haven of a bar, Quarters, has been a prominent voice in the bar scene when it comes to saving Utah’s bars. Operating just feet away but on street level, the feisty Alibi has done similar, joining with Quarters to make Utah more sensible. They’ve been vocal about the need for Utah laws to change to allow for gamechangers like take-out cocktails, less-expensive measuring systems and happy hours. They also helped spread the word about the #SaveUtahBars petition, which, like #SaveOurStages, has largely been ignored by the state. Despite Utah’s quest for a strong economy, it seems our notoriously Mormon-controlled state wouldn’t be sad if our recently blossoming bar scene just disappeared.

But bars like Quarters and Alibi clearly won’t go down without a fight. (EM) Quarters Arcade Bar, 5 E. 400 South, 801-364-0658, quartersslc.com; Alibi, 369 S. Main, SLC, 385-259-0616, facebook. com/alibislc

COURTESY PHOTO

This is a roundabout way of shouting out one of the many fine breweries in the South Salt Lake area that now seems to be full of them. Among all the breweries down that way, SaltFire Brewing is not only one of the tastiest, but the only one at which you can also buy hot sauce. And not just any hot sauce. Made by SLC Fermenting Co.—which shares a building with SaltFire—the fermented Habanero Arrow hot sauce they peddle in the bottle shop holds up as a go-to hot sauce. So, the next time you’re stopping in to grab a beer (the Charlotte Sometimes is a wonderful pick), and your fridge is low on sauce, remember this strange Best of Utah pick and follow the Habanero Arrow.

(EM) 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-955-0504, saltfirebrewing.com

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE MUSIC PLAYING!

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Nightlife

CW STAFF

Will Sartain and Lance saunders

Best Oldest Bar in Town (or So They Say)

PICKS

“Give ‘Em Hell Harry” was president when Willie’s Lounge opened in 1948. And the neighborhood fixture on South Main has carried the earthy “what the hell” attitude into the 21st century. Geremy Cloyd, owner of what is arguably the city’s oldest bar, boasts his clientele is “white collar, blue collar and no collar.” Among them: “A billionaire real estate developer who’s here every day at noon, punk rockers and everyone from 21 to 91.” Willie, incidentally, was Willie Goldberg, who ran produce stands on the site. (LG) 1716 S. Main, SLC, 760-8287351, willieslounge.com

S&S Concert Cruises

Best Bar Renovation

Salt Lake County DA’s Office

Social Antidote

At the beginning of the pandemic, amid myriad lo-fi livestream sets on Instagram, Facebook and Zoom, a vision of a better livestream came to light—and by light, we mean a really good light. The idea was to create a high-quality livestream like the kind already common on television shows—think SNL or a Late Show spot—with professional lighting, sound and film setups, to give artists the experience of a live show. The concert series has appeared at intervals throughout the pandemic and was free but with encouragement to donate to the performing artists. It spotlights local musicians who have lost income, including performances by Cherry Thomas, Joshy Soul, Escalantes, Courtney Kelly and others, in addition to a Empower Benefit Concert in collaboration with the Utah Black Chamber. (EM) facebook. com/socialantidote.live

Best Response from Backstage

Utah Live Events Industry Association

It wasn’t just venues and artists impacted by the pandemic, but those who help artists look and sound good on stage, too. The entire behind-the-scenes backbone of the music industry—from sound and lighting techs to equipment rental companies— everyone who makes shows and other big events and conventions (of which Utah is host to many) happen has been out of a job. So, they rallied under the umbrella of the newly created Utah Live Events Industry Association.

The group uses Facebook to share music industry news and developments with one another, and teamed up at the end of the summer with #WeMakeEvents, which had light technicians from all over the world lighting up music venues and important buildings in a “red alert” light.

(EM) uleia.com

For years, Lumpy’s on Highland was a staple in the local bar scene, though years of partying caused wear and tear on the building. Now under new management and fresh off a quarter of a million-dollar renovation, Brickyard Bar strikes a fine balance of Lumpy’s classic charm and a new, needed modern look. They even have Sunday morning yoga classes—talk about a change of the times! (MS) 3000 S. Highland Drive, SLC, 801-883-9845, TheBrickyardBar.com

AVAILABLE THROUGH OR CALL AHEAD FOR CURBSIDE PICK-UP (801) 355-0499

THE MOST COMFORTABLE FOOD IN TOWN!

Best Venue Fundraiser

The State Room Poster Auctions The State Room has been doing a lot to survive since the pandemic took hold on the whole world, and the music industry in particular. Not only have they been advocates for other venues and aspects of the industry affected with their support of movements like #SaveOurStages and the National Independent Venue Association, but they’ve come up with innovative ways to support themselves, too. One of these solutions was their Poster Project, which took place back in May. They drew on 11 years’ worth of posters, many of which were signed, for an online auction event to raise money for the venue. The venue’s early marquee messages greeted the unknowns of the pandemic, with phrases like “Wash your hands, see you in April May.” If only that marquee had been accurate. (EM) 638 S. State, SLC, 801-5963570, thestateroompresents.com

IRON TED T BIRDH RELLISES , OU CAGE SES, ORNA S & MENT S

CRAF

IRON MILLS, WIND TED CRAF BASKETS, RK EWO FENC D ART R & YA

TEXAS ORIGINAL RECIPES | 100% Wood Smoked Bar-B-Que Tue-Wed 7-3pm | Thu-Sat 7-7pm | 962 S. 300 West, SLC

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For those Salt Lakers in activist circles, the hold music at the district attorney’s office is a familiar sound. And by golly, it’s actually pretty damn good. Calls to the office to, for example, drop the overblown and retaliatory charges against protesters from events like the May 30 and July 9 protests are met first with an unexpectedly pleasant listening experience thanks to the hold music.

Folks, it’s synthy dream pop, which is definitely a startling thing to hear when you’re trying to get fired up enough to either leave a message or speak to a bored secretary about how the DA is suppressing First Amendment rights. I don’t know who at the DA’s office picked this quality outlier in the Muzak world for the hold music, but if you see this, hats off to you. (EM)

Best Stream Adaptation

JOSH SHEUERMAN

Brickyard Bar

Best CitySanctioned Hold Music

PICKS

Willie’s Lounge

Best Innovative Socially Distanced Show

Anyone who’s been around SLC on a Thursday 999 ride night knows that this is one bikelovin’ city. So, the model of socially distanced shows developed by the moguls at S&S was not only a no-brainer but innovative as hell. Why not combine shows with open air and constant movement, two things that COVID hates? Thus, the Concert Cruises were born, which have been a consistent fixture well into October, featuring a Punk Rock Halloween in addition to the popular cover shows. The events feature large rosters of all-local bands that are spread out at secret locations where bikers stay for short increments—spaced apart—before moving along their show route. (EM) sartainandsaunders.com

CW STAFF

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LOVE Little Saigon for authentic, soul warming bahn mi, bun and pho!

—Lawyers Who Lunch Columnist Dr. ‘Lynette the Vet’ and the entire team at Neighborhood Veterinary Care take the best care of my animals. This local, woman-owned clinic is the best in town!

—Mason C. La Casa Del Tamal in WVC is like taking a vacation to Mexico... you feel like you’ve definitely left Utah when you enter the super inconspicuous Mexican shopping mall that it’s located in WVC. Especially try their tacos de Canasta and the tacos de Birria. And get a little mango drink, too.

—Sophie Silverstone

brilliantly mixes her own songs with those who have come before. And you can donate as well.

—Ken Sanders Meditation at Full Circle Yoga is the best self care!

—Rachel G Pure Paws is the most caring and passionate pet supply on the planet.

—Rachel G The best GNO, date night, celebration, or solo date is a Cake & Wine Night with Muyly Miller!

—Rachel G

Gotta love the Blackberry Basil cocktail at Gracies!

—Dean D. Kim is an amazing, loving, nice and gentle groomer at Abraxas Pet Resort. No better groomer in West Jordan. Thanks for treating our handicapped pug & her sister so well!

—Kandi & Mike P. OurDivorce.com is revolutionizing amicable untying of the knot *Yes, that’s a thing* They’re making divorce costs sensible & the process a piece of cake (not that stale, freezer burned wedding cake)! If only everything could be so uncomplicated.

—The New Utah Podcast

Dask’s Greek Grill! Can’t find dolmathes like this anywhere else in the valley!

Love the dolmathes plate and huge pork salads! Service is amazing and the food is even better!

—Stau

Nepali Chulo near 3500 s and 5600 W: this Nepalese/Indian spot opened right before COVID so I hope everyone else loves them as much as I do. The food is amazing, it feels like a warm hug made with love. One of my favorite Indian spots and I love it even more since it’s on the West side.

- Anonymous

If you need local booze, look no further than Holystone Distilling, Sugar House distilling, and beehive distilling. They are absolutely amazing in what they do!

—The Booze Sisters, Boozy Ketones

Cheese from Park City Creamery has been one of the few things keeping me sane during the pandemic. Melted brie for the win!

—Sara D. IG: @local_enthusiast_slc Katie Selin of Dick n Dixie’s makes the very best G&Ts and any other drink you could desire. I miss her, her drinks and all the great folks at D&Ds.. Covid 19 keeps me away!

—Ken Sanders My favorite podcast is Sing Your Heart Out with Kate MacLeod live streaming on YouTube. Facebook & Patreon Sunday nights at 7:00pm MST. Out of work Singer songwriter Kate MacLeod

The best way to fix your skin or care for your face is with a facial from Tunde Opra at Angel Skin!

—Rachel G Our favorite date night is to see Rob Perkins [chef] at Franck’s Restaurant—it’s dinner and a show —watch him work and then enjoy the thrill of tasting his creations.

—Red & Rach Tinker’s Cat Café is the most relaxing place to have great coffee.

—Mike Totzke Manny at Wasatch Marketing and Print is the BEST! His designs are unique, he’s awesome to work with and he will always go the extra mile to get your business designs looking good!

—Anonymous Tex-Mex burger at Rooster’s B. Street— soooo gooood.

—Steve Conlin, Ogden’s Own Fried Green Beans @ Poplar Street at least once a week!

—Steve Conlin, Ogden’s Own

You might not know Folk Hogan is one of Utah’s best local bands, but WE do! Indulge yourself with their merch, turn up their music, and give your ears a Folk Hogan private concert while they are unable to perform live!

—The New Utah Podcast

Pearl Express on 6200 S and Bangerter: Geniuses!! Pearl Express (Chinese food) has completely closed their dining area but they’ve installed a walk-up window. Ordering takeout has never been easier. Obviously you can still do grub hub or whatever, but for those like me who want to still safely get out of the house from time to time the walk-up window comes in clutch.

The food is great also, Shrimp Fried Rice and Sesame Chicken are the favorites at my house.

- Anonymous

Can we give City Weekly the best of all the things, is that in the rule book? CW makes sure that our local establishments are always at the forefront of our minds. Even during a pandemic they continue to strive to give us local news and a platform for our incredible community!

—The New Utah Podcast

Quickly Boba near Granger High: THE BEST place for my picky kids. Great boba, great Vietnamese iced coffee, and fun snacks that double as meals for when I “just can’t” with my picky eater. I don’t really know how to describe the food other than Asian snack food, I wish we had more options like this around here!!

- Anonymous

Rebecca at Ark Insurance Solutions and her team were so great to work with on my health insurance. Her extensive knowledge was extremely helpful and I knew she would help me find the right healthcare plan for me. I’d highly recommend using Rebecca and her team for all your health insurance needs.

—Jenny Kimble

Yoshi’s Japanese Grill for kick a** Asian Restaurant! Super affordable, and you can’t beat the Godzilla roll!

- Britton Coombs Hands down, bar none, best of the best grapic designers Sofia Cifuentes and Chelsea Neider for all the hours and hard work.

—D

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Hub and Spoke Diner! Yummy!

—M. Kearns, SLC

Manoli’s on 9th is getting me through the pandemic. His original and creative use of flavor is amazing!

—Mike H.

Sakana Sushi in Jordan Landing: Good sushi spot on the west side!

The food always tastes fresh and the service is always quick.

—Anonymous

Moochies is magical in all the ways.

My household got Philly cheesesteaks there the day before Biden won in PA. The happiness we exuded postcheesesteak and post-election will never be forgotten.

—Sophie Silverstone

Anytime Fitness, Salt Lake City location!

Cleanest gym in town that always adds new equipment! You rock, Krista and Rob! —M. Kearns, SLC

I highly recommend Saltworks Digital for all your marketing needs. Doug Burton and his team are experts at web design, SEO, digital marketing, social media marketing and video production.

—Erick Cook

We look forward to eating at Mazza every time we are in town, we head there as soon as we get off the plane!

—Kira & Michael

Bombay House is the dankest Indian food in SLC every time.

—Sophie Silverstone

Only once every thousand years does a ski and snowboard tuner come along who’s as good as Ski Guy SLC. —Doug Coombs

I vote for Fourth Street Clinic. They are a really wonderful non-profit that helps homeless Utahns. Fourth Street provides dental care, immunizations, wellness classes, and so much more.

Definitely a “Best Of” in our community.

—Jennifer Van Grevenhof

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

| NEWS | A&E | DINING | CINEMA | MUSIC |

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SOAP BOX A lot of people messed up on Amendment G. It was purposefully worded to make it seem like more money was being earmarked for education and people with disabilities, the exact opposite of what was intended. Why do we continue to allow this type of trickery?

@FREDDYBISHNO via Instagram

“Breaking It Down” Nov. 12 Cover Story

It was easy to mess up [Amendment G] since the ballot text didn’t even mention education.

It said that it would be taken from “income taxes and tangible property,” which no one realizes is the primary source for education. You have to do research three levels deep to figure out the implications— pretty sneaky.

@MOTHSLAYER6 via Instagram

“Blind Eye,” Nov. 12 Private Eye Column

Shame on Republican leaders and voters in Utah.

@GINASWIMS16 via Instagram

Can You Explain the Contradiction?

Six different Mormon couples lived up the street from me over six years, on a mission to help the young missionaries

@SLCWEEKLY

@CITYWEEKLY

spread The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ religion. As an ex-pat living in Hungary, I was happy to spend time with all of them to speak English and compare our life stories. Every one of them was a Republican.

I will not repeat the facts of the criminal behavior of a president who paid off two prosecutors to drop their cases against him, whose lawyer is in prison for carrying out the president’s orders. You know about his inability to be faithful to any wife. You know that he avoids paying contractors, banks and taxes.

I asked one of my Mormon neighbors, “Would you choose this man as a treasurer of your church? Or leave him alone with your daughters in a Sunday school class?

Choose him to lead your Scout troop?”

I assume they are reason-

@SLCWEEKLY

ably informed, so they know all this. They must have held their noses and voted for someone who supports their political philosophy. This astounds me just as much.

Perhaps, in the West, you believe in the self-reliance of the (vanished) frontier. If you do not want “socialism,” then tear up your Medicaid card, return your social security checks, stop sending your children to public schools, stop taking vacations in public parks, stop using the post office and stop driving on interstate highways paid for in part by city people without cars.

If you cannot explain these contradictions, then take the teachings of Jesus seriously and vote to help people instead of hurting them.

DR. RICHARD VON FUCHS Sopron, Hungary

THE BOX

We are a week away from Thanksgiving. What are you most thankful for?

Mary Nickles I am most thankful for my family. The big Seattle family I grew up in, and my little Utah family. For friends you don’t get to choose, they’re pretty awesome!

Tony Caputo I’m most thankful for City Weekly and a free press.

Mikey Saltas Thankful that my loved ones are safe and healthy, for others taking this pandemic seriously, and good ol’ homemade pumpkin pie.

Kristen Dorsey I’m thankful for being able to spend time with those I love, for furry friends and for pumpkin beer!

Kelly Boyce People using Instagram/Snapchat filters to make their turkeys look (even more) like Trump. He’s no longer our president, by the way. That’s pretty darn cool.

Scott Renshaw Jan. 20, 2021, is only two gotdam months away.

Eric Granato I’m thankful to have a good job, amazing partner, loving family and a warm home.

Paula Saltas My family and our City Weekly family. They’ve all been amazing through these difficult times, and we all help each other through our tears and cheers.

Find Your Zen at Marissa’s Books 3302 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 www.marissasbooks.com

B Y J O H N S A LT A S

PRIVATE EY

Best of You E

and the info within is just as valuable as ever, maybe even more so.

The reason being that nearly all of the advertisers and Best of Utah winners within are not only the cream of the Utah crop, they are the local merchants and businesses that, come hell or highwater, have not yet given up to COVID. They’ve put up with all imaginable barriers for over eight long months—closures, confusion, panic, lack of government support and leadership, lack of resources, fear of the unknown. They survived the long summer of quiet COVID denial, of being taunted by anti-maskers, of watching not just family, but also employees and customers take ill to COVID spread. They’ve all but begged for deaf Utah state leaders to help them. Shamefully, there were only crickets in response.

Of the missing in action, they primarily fall into three categories: The first are those who have closed their doors for good. It’s estimated that in some cities, 30-50% of all restaurants and clubs will not survive this virus—actually at this point, it is no longer the virus they fear, but a Utah government that just sends merry wishes to them. While the closure percentage is not yet that high in Utah, it may climb there, especially if certain Utahns continue to act like giant assholes regarding masks with their “me first” behavior exacerbating viral community spread. Among those whom we will sorely miss due to closure include Canella’s, Red Butte Café, Martine Café, Murphy’s, Alamexo, Barrio, Toro Toro and many more. Others like Mazza are streamlining their operations and closing secondary locations (in 9th and 9th and Sandy. But their 15th East location remains open—good for you, Ali!).

There is a second cluster of businesses yet to reopen or that remain open only for take-out or curbside. One of our all-time favorites, The Bayou, remains in that latter cat-

egory. You could say these places of business are homes to giant hearts, because nearly all of them could possibly open, but proprietors have chosen not to expose their employees to COVID-19 by opening their doors. Obviously not everyone is capable of that, but for those that are doing this, our tip of the hat is to you.

A third cluster comprises concerts and entertainment.

Unless you Bozo-ed down to Cedar City for the Colin Raye concert a few months ago, or if you didn’t make it to one of the Young/Dumb (emphasis on the “dumb”) shows in Utah County, you’ve likely not seen a live concert since February or March. Who among us has not missed a great show at The State Room, Urban Lounge, USANA, The Depot or the Commonwealth? Or a show at the Eccles Theater or Capitol Theatre? The live performing arts categories are at near zero revenues for months now. We want them back. For them to return, the knuckleheads need to buckle up.

As you turn these pages, please make a note to support everyone that you possibly can. If not now, then later—and when later comes, support them forever. Here’s your reward if you do not: A life of ordering from GrubHub. Go ahead, eat at your own kitchen table with FOX, CNN or Real Housewives of Salt Lake City offering you a pale background substitute for the romantic music that played when you first mentally disrobed your dining partner over a plate of garlic-butter baked salmon, sidled by a heaping pile of couscous. And you’ll need to clean your own dishes.

We want to be normal again. We must be for the sake of our sanity. Just more than eight months in with maybe eight more to go, but a vaccine beckons, and people are slowly becoming less dumb. To be normal isn’t just to yearn but to celebrate. Mask up and celebrate with us the Best of Utah 2020. CW Send comments to john@cityweekly.net.

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

ven a meanie like me has to be nice once in a while.

I’m not being a meanie today, even if some people deserve it. If you’ve been reading here, you know who they are, notably, but not limited to Gov. Gary Herbert, Governor-elect Spencer Cox, Senator Mike Lee and, of course, the head Mr. Weasel, Rep. Chris “Captain” Stewart. Through the 2020 year of COVID-19, equality protests, QAnon, every Trumpian drama imaginable, failed national and local economics and another divisive election, those four rose to the top of nearly every bad-boy hit list.

For this year’s Best of Utah issue, we might have added another ballot question of “Who is Utah’s Best Snidely Whiplash?” It would have been one of those four, most certainly. We already have a Worst Utahn voted upon by our readers, so look for that one as you turn these pages. I won’t reveal him here (aren’t we pleased to live in a state where the Worst Utahn has never been a female? Well … maybe Enid Greene got that award years ago; if so, I hereby retract it).

This year’s Best of Utah is on newsprint, the same as we were for about 27 of our previous issues. A few years ago, we converted Best of Utah into a glossy magazine format to great success. We had some beautiful issues that were well received by merchants and readers. But given that COVID-19 has almost decimated the entire hospitality category of Utah business, it simply would have been a crazy ego stroke to publish as a glossy. It was just too expensive for all of us. So, take good care of this issue in your hands.

You are one of 30,000 persons to have a copy, so it’s like a treasure, right? It will hold up just fine on your coffee table,

@johnsaltas

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HITS&MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE @kathybiele

CAR CONCEPTS

Holiday Bundle e e

$399

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1130 M i S .

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$399

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W $299

801 4 7 0212

CITIZEN REV LT IN A WEEK, YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Miss: Conspiracy Mongers

Transfer of Public Lands

Does anyone have buyer’s remorse yet?

The Utah elections are done, and let’s just say that if voters didn’t pay attention before, they probably don’t care now. This is the state of affairs concerning Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and presumptive congressional winner Burgess Owens. Reyes, just re-elected to his Republican stronghold as attorney general, saw fit to immediately run off to Nevada in search of voter fraud. The Nevada governor sent him packing. Owens, who appears to have won the 4th Congressional District seat, has been spewing Trumpist conspiracy tropes and even saying the Democrats were trying to steal the election, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

It just gives rise to new and inventive Tshirts: “Will you shut up, man?” and, as Nevada’s Attorney General Aaron Ford is said to have asked of Reyes, “Frankly, mind your own business.”

Utah wants to be a national model for a massive federal land grab. Find out how the Sagebrush Rebellion set the state on course to take over 640 million acres of federal lands that are crucial to both resource and recreational management.

That means mining, oil and gas, timber, grazing, wind and solar, water resource protection, hunting and camping, to name a few. “It is an issue that impacts our national heritage,” say members of the League of Women Voters, who conducted a comprehensive study on the issue. This Transfer of Public Lands event “explores how the U.S. public lands came to be and what they provide both economically and culturally, and the consequences to the future of these lands and public access to them, if the Transfer of Public Lands Movement succeeds.” Virtual, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 6:30 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/38A0wzL

Miss: Recall Sprawl?

Forests in Climate Change

The front page of The Salt Lake Tribune offered a back-to-the-future vision of sprawling suburbia. And they said it was a good thing. Few commenters favored the idea, with one even describing it as nothing more than a sales pitch from real-estate developers. “To offer enough affordable homes and keep the state’s economy on the mend in the COVID-19 era, cities and developers may need to do something radical. They may need to go back in time,” the Trib reported. It was a call to develop “smart” sprawl, meaning homebuyers want more single-family houses with spacious lots. “Last time I was in downtown SLC,” one commenter said, “I saw numerous apartments with banners saying things such as ‘Plenty of availability’ and ‘Move in now!’ yet the average rent on a one bedroom/one bath was in the ballpark of $1,300 a month.”

Expect downtown rents to keep rising while homelessness looks for a solution.

Hit: Fremont to Keep the Peace

Bet you didn’t know that Fremont Island, in the middle of the Great Salt Lake, was part of the city of Hooper. Maybe you didn’t even know there was a Fremont Island. In fact, there are lots of them, some submerged when the waters rise.

“The major islands, such as Antelope, Stansbury and Fremont Islands, as well as some of the minor islands, are actually mountain ranges that poke up above the lake,” the Utah Geological Survey says. And while visitors stream onto Antelope, Fremont has offered a quiet repose—until developers proposed 10,000 to 12,000 housing units on the island with two causeways connecting it to the mainland, according to the Ogden Standard-Examiner. Not so fast. The Palladium Foundation of Salt Lake City has purchased the island with plans to preserve its natural beauty for future generations.

Well, that worked.

Yes, climate change is real and human caused. But how it affects us and what we can do to solve this existential problem is a growing debate. The heat, drought, fires and beetles all dramatically reshape our Western landscapes and forests. “What can science tell us about what the future looks like for Western U.S. forests, and what can we do about it?” ask organizers of What Is the Future of Western Forests in a Changing Climate? Virtual, Thursday, Nov. 19, noon-1 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/2H0NBvo

Conversations About Hate Crimes

There’s a whole lot of hate in the country, but how do we address it? In 2018, Utahns victimized by hate crimes increased from 35 to 52. But of the 41 cases noted, only 10 resulted in criminal charges. Join the Salt Lake City mayor’s office and leaders from the United Jewish Federation, the Center for Global Policy, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Hispanic Media Coalition at Community Conversation Series: Hate Crime in the U.S. as the panel discusses this challenging issue.

Virtual, Thursday, Nov. 19, 7-8 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/2IvLEHA

Coded Bias

Ever wonder if someone’s watching your every move or if simply someone is directing your life without your knowledge? Artificial intelligence and tech scientists will discuss how the whole thing can really go wrong. “The director of Coded Bias and scientists featured in the film discuss the biases underpinning facial recognition systems currently in use around the world, and their implications for the privacy and freedom of us all,” say organizers of Coded Bias Discussion (Science on Screen virtual national event). Virtual, Thursday, Nov. 19, 5-6 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/32BhJoA

ESSENTIALS

the

LEVI JACKSON

FARRIS GERARD

At a time when it feels like opportunities to experience the arts are diminished, it’s encouraging to look forward to a new chapter in the Utah arts community. This month, Ogden Contemporary Arts celebrates the opening of its new Ogden Contemporary Arts Center (455 25th St., Ogden, ogdencontemporaryarts.org) with a joint exhibition of regional artists, and a virtual tour of facility.

Constructed, guest curated

by Modern West Fine Art and running now through Dec. 27, showcases the work of three gifted artists. Self-taught Salt Lake City resident and Modern West Fine Art artist-in-residence Andrew Alba presents mixed-media paintings and sculpture addressing America’s history of oppression, often employing materials rescued from construction sites to emphasize the work of manual laborers. Utah native photographer Levi Jackson (his work is pictured) revisits the mythical understanding of the American West through a contemporary lens. And University of Utah graduate Shalee Cooper contributes compositions emphasizing the collision of positive and negative space. The

entire exhibition is available online via the OCA website and YouTube, including artist conversations about their work and their creative process.

Also available at ogdencontemporaryarts. org is a virtual tour of the new space itself. The OCA Center includes the Arts Garage main gallery space; a Digital Art Room providing a location for interactive and virtual reality/augmented reality experiences for visitors; an additional gallery space on the 2nd floor; and loft workspaces for OCA’s artists-in-residence. Celebrate this new addition, and a collaboration between art organizations to help support the entire local scene, by visiting virtually this week. (SR)

A.J. MELLOR

PAM TAYLOR

folks of all ages can enjoy secure with your domestic “bubble.”

Tickets are available for reserved slots 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. on operating evenings beginning Nov. 20, at a flat rate of $30 per vehicle, unlimited but street-legal occupancy; during the first hour on midweek days, you can even bring a friend’s car along to get in for free. As attraction CEO Todd Glover shared with City Weekly in 2019, Our goal is to give families a way to create unforgettable Christmas memories together without ever having to leave the warmth and comfort of your car.” (SR)

| CITY WEEKLY | NOVEMBER 19, 2020 | 131

just dancers dancing [but] a whole alternative reality where some of it has happened and some of it is hyper-real. … It’s not a flat narrative. It’s not just a dance show.”

The live, virtual performance takes place Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m., followed by an interactive “Reflection Pool” with the dancers.

Tickets are available via utahpresents.org for $20 for an individual plus special prices for students and groups, which allows access to both the live performance and five pre-recorded episodes. (SR)

In a year when many holiday traditions might feel more difficult or more risky to enjoy—assuming they’re happening at all— families might be looking for anything that ticks off certain boxes: Is it appropriate for the whole family? Can everyone enjoy it safely as COVID transmission numbers continue to climb? And does it deliver that boost of Christmas spirit that we all probably need right about now?

Check, check and check again for Christmas in Color, the annual spectacle that returns this year to the Salt Lake County Equestrian Center (11161 S. 2200 West, South Jordan, animatedcolor.com). Vehicles get a chance to drive through a dazzling display of more than one and a half million lights in vibrant, animated displays of trees, characters, archways and more. The lights dance to the beat of classic holiday songs broadcast over your car radio, while you take a leisurely drive through the mile-long course, making it a multimedia sensory experience that

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Christmas in Color

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

whole family, with plenty of engaging photo opportunities.

Reserved tickets are available online at showclix.com/event/dreamscapes-presentslumen-land- for $10 per person. Select a specific time 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. to ensure a socially-distanced experience for all guest parties, Nov. 19-22 and Nov. 26-29. In the event of inclement weather, advance-purchased tickets can be exchanged for another date. Visit illuminatesaltlake.org for more information about Lumen Land, as well as the other wonderful events of the Illuminate festival experience.

(Scott Renshaw)

Between Underground & Skyworld Cyberspace The performance Between Underground & Skyworld by indigenous dance troupe Dancing Earth was originally conceived as an inperson theatrical experience. But adapting on the fly is the name of the game for arts organizations in 2020, and thus the work— exploring themes of survival from apocalypse—was re-conceived as a mini-series of recorded episodes including complex visual imagery.

Contributing greatly to this new Between Underground & Skyworld Cyberspace was University of Texas dance student Azteca Sirias, who in addition to their extensive dance background is an autodidact in video game and web design. That combination of skills made Sirias a perfect choice when they were approached to contribute. “By the time I was brought on, COVID was very real,” they say. “I was contacted in June and told, ‘This is going to be a virtual show, we want to amp it up. We don’t want just videos of dancers; we want an interactive experience.”

The result is what Sirias refers to as “immersive augmented reality with movement,” expanding the idea of dance beyond a proscenium stage. “It’s not

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Ogden Contemporary Arts: Constructed

Lumen Land Dark: If anything describes the way 2020 has felt, it’s “dark.”

We’re desperate for joyous light, and as the days get shorter, it’s only more necessary. That makes this year’s addition to Utah Arts Alliance’s fourth annual Illuminate Light Art & Creative Tech Festival such a blessing. Welcome to Lumen Land.

Located at the Arts Hub (663 W. 100 South), Lumen Land employs 17,000 feet of outdoor space for a COVID-safe installation of art pieces focused around light. The walk-through labyrinth unites three-dimensional art and technology in large-scale and small-scale formats, including multiple photo opportunities. Participating creators include Michael Willden (The Laserium), Brody Froelich (Dichroic Skull), Ted Crenshaw (The Spectral Zephyr), Katia Dion Racine and Cami Chatterton (Re-Build Fairy House), Mark Hammond (Pollen Power), Sophista Pirates (The Barbarann), Steven Wynn Bride (Earth Window), Alex Gennett and Paige Collett (Salt Mind) and even UAA executive director Derek Dyer himself (The Illuminator & Jelly Roll Art Car). It’s a whimsical, fascinating experience that provides a glow for the

ENTERTAINMENT PICKS, NOVEMBER 19-25, 2020

132 | NOVEMBER 19, 2020 | CITY WEEKLY |

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GOODEATS Complete listings at cityweekly.net Featuring dining destinations from buffets and rooms with a view to mom-and-pop joints, chic cuisine and some of our dining critic’s faves.

Celebrat i

ng

26

Milt’s Stop and Eat

Blame Southern Utah’s unforgiving sun that fries your brain into making unchecked claims, but a milkshake is man’s greatest invention. And Milt’s Stop and Eat is a godsend after a day of adventuring on the otherworldly red rock cliffs surrounding Moab. The place serves burgers, fries and other manna, but don’t skip out on a shake. Offering about 15 flavors—strawberry, coffee, Oreo, etc.—the eatery allows you to combine any two for an extra 25 cents. Not only that, but Milt’s claims to be the town’s oldest restaurant, established in 1954. So: history. 356 S. Mill Creek Drive, Moab; 435-259-7424, miltsstopandeat.com

year

s!

Franck’s Restaurant

A

U TA H

ORIGINAL

SINCE

1968

5370 S. 900 E. MURRAY, UT 801.266.4182 MON-THU 11A-11P FRI-SAT 11A-12A SUN 3P-10P

Boasting longevity as a traditional Spanish restaurant, Cafe Madrid is a go-to spot for tapas. The first bite into the albóndigas yields a tender, nuanced bit of Spanish gastronomic history. The solomillo de buey al queso picón de Treviso is a grilled beef tenderloin served with root vegetables and slathered in a Roquefort cheese sauce—ideal for the steak lover in your life.

Ordering the paella is an event in itself; it’s a slowcooked endeavor, so if you want a full dish for two, the kitchen staff requires 24-hours notice—but it’s worth the wait. 5244 S. Highland Drive, 801-2730837, cafemadrid.net

NOVEMBER 19, 2020 | 133

italianv illageslc.com

Café Madrid

| CITY WEEKLY |

the food you LOVE Since 1968

Since 1991, this casual eatery has been serving up Mexican dishes with flavor and friendliness. Fans of freshly made authentic food rave about Acapulco, where even the tortillas are made in-house daily.

Chow down on enchiladas, smothered burritos, flautas, pozole—you can even get ribs and a cheeseburger.

But whatever you decide on, make sure to grab a sweet dessert. And don’t forget to ask about their daily lunch specials. 4722 S. 4015 West, Kearns, 801-9641553, acapulcorestaurantutah.com

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Acapulco

| CITYWEEKLY.NET |

Call your order in for curbside delivery!

801-355-3425 878 E 900 S

If you’re craving amazing fine-dining cuisine in Holladay, head over to Franck’s. For an appetizer, the braised beets are splendid, as are the scallops. There’s a nod to France on the restaurant’s menu with threecheese fondue, as well as New World specialties such as organic Southern-fried chicken, pan-seared sea bass and smoked duck breast and confit leg. Franck’s version of meatloaf is slowly braised pulled pork, veal and chicken in a blueberry-lavender sauce. Don’t miss out on their not-so-traditional take on steak: wagyu sirloin steak served with porcini purée, crimini mushrooms and blackberries. 6263 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay, 801-274-6264, francksfood.com

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134 | NOVEMBER 19, 2020 | CITY WEEKLY |

onTAP LIVE MUSIC FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS 7-9:30PM PIZZAS 20% OFF 6-8PM

2 Row Brewing 6 856 S. 300 W est , M idvale 2R ow B rew ing . com O n T ap : F eelin’ H azy

Red Rock Brewing M ult ip le L ocat ions R edR ockB rew ing . com O n T ap : Secale

Bewilder Brewing 445 S. 400 W est , SL C B ew ilderB rew ing . com O n T ap : N it ro A m ber A le

RoHa Brewing Project 30 K ensing t on A ve, SL C R oH aB rew ing . com O n T ap : T h ree D eep A m erican A le

Bohemian Brewery 94 E. F ort U nion B lvd, M idvale B oh em ianB rew ery. com

Roosters Brewing M ult ip le L ocat ions R oost ersB rew ing Co. com O n T ap : Cosm ic A ut um n R ebellion

Bonneville Brewery 16 41 N . M ain, T ooele B onnevilleB rew ery. com O n T ap : P each es and Cream

A le

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2496 S. West Temple, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com @levelcrossingbrewing

A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week

Epic Brewing Co. 825 S. St at e, SL C Ep icB rew ing . com O n T ap : P ecan P ie B ig B ad B ap t ist Fisher Brewing Co. 320 W . 800 Sout h , SL C F ish erB eer. com O n T ap : R ed A le Grid City Beer Works 333 W . 2100 Sout h , SL C G ridCit yB eerW orks. com O n T ap : Ext ra P ale A le Hopkins Brewing Co. 1048 E. 2100 Sout h , SL C H op ki nsB rew ing Com p any. com O n T ap : P ico R ico Hoppers Grill and Brewing 890 E. F ort U nion B lvd, M idvale H op p ersB rew P ub. com Kiitos Brewing 6 08 W . 700 Sout h , SL C K iit osB rew ing . com Level Crossing Brewing Co. 2496 S. W est T em p le, Sout h Salt L ake L evelCrossing B rew ing . com O n T ap : Sinday P ale A le Moab Brewing 6 86 S. M ain, M oab T h eM oabB rew ery. com O n T ap : B oug ie Jo h nny’ s Mountain West Cider 425 N . 400 W est , SL C M ount ainW est Cider. com O n T ap : D esolat ion Ogden River Brewing 358 P ark B lvd, O g den O g denR iverB rew ing . com Policy Kings Brewery 223 N . 100 W est , Cedar Cit y P olicyK ing sB rew ery. com Proper Brewing 857 S. M ain, SL C P rop erB rew ing Co. com O n T ap : Salt ed Caram el P ort er

SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. W est T em p le, Sout h Salt L ake Salt F ireB rew ing . com O n T ap : F rankl y M r Sh ankl in N EI P A Salt Flats Brewing 2020 I ndust rial Circle, SL C Salt F lat sB eer. com O n T ap : Seasonal W int er A m ber Shades Brewing 154 W . U t op ia A ve, Sout h Salt L ake Sh adesB rew ing . beer O n T ap : P each Cobbler Silver Reef 4391 S. Ent erp rise D rive, St . G eorg e St G eorg eB ev. com Squatters 147 W . B roadw ay, SL C Sq uat t ers. com Strap Tank Brewery M ult ip le L ocat ions St rap T ankB rew ery. com TF Brewing 936 S. 300 W est , SL C T F B rew ing . com O n T ap : St raig h t ST R A T A P ale A le Talisman Brewing Co. 1258 G ibson A ve, O g den T alism anB rew ing Co. com O n T ap : 7t h W onder P ale A le Toasted Barrel Brewery 412 W . 6 00 N ort h , SL C T oast edB arrelB rew ery. com Uinta Brewing 1722 S. F rem ont D rive, SL C U int aB rew ing . com O n T ap : Cut t h roat P ale A le UTOG 2331 G rant A ve, O g den U T O G B rew ing . com O n T ap : Son of a P each H efe Vernal Brewing 55 S. 500 East , V ernal V ernalB rew ing . com Wasatch 2110 S. H ig h land D rive, SL C W asat ch B eers. com Zion Brewery 95 Z ion P ark B lvd, Sp ring dale Z ionB rew ery. com Zolupez 205 W . 29t h St reet # 2, O g den Z olup ez. com

BEER NERD

Off Your Radar

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

30 E KENSINGTON AVE SLC, UT 84115

MIKE RIEDEL

WWW.ROHABREWING.COM

DINE IN • TAKE OUT • DELIVERY 801-713-9423 | 5692 S. 900 E. Murray 801-300-8503 | 516 E. 300 S. SLC

japanesegrill.com

OUTDOOR SEATING ON THE PATIO

TUESDAY TRIVIA! 7-9 PM LIVE JAZZ Thursdays 8-11 PM

1048 East 2100 South | (385) 528-3275 | HopkinsBrewingCompany.com

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@UTOGBrewingCo

2331 Grant Ave, Ogden

Ogen’s Family-Friendly Brewery with the Largest Dog-Friendly Patio!

UTOGBrewing.com Now Open 7 Days a Week!

NOVEMBER 19, 2020 | 135

Overall: Hard to find a fault with this beer; it delivers on its intended mission.

The implied grapefruit is complementary and consistent with hop-derived grapefruit character, which makes this beer seem more “authentic” than some beers that may actually have fruit.

Salt Flats - Barrel Aged Low Rider: The appearance was a nice looking blackverging-on-dark-brown color, with a half finger’s worth of white to off-white foamy head that swiftly dissipated. A speckling of lace stuck around the glass and slid into some nice-looking legs. The aroma had the original milky-sweet chocolate roaming around a gentle delicate roast, and then the sweet whiskey and barrel woodiness exploded with toffee, vanilla and marshmallow-like booziness.

The flavor presented a nice gentle flow from sweet milk chocolate to roast to vanilla/marshmallow—and then like the aroma, the whiskey barrel comes in strong to remind you that this ain’t the old Low Rider. Aftertaste was sticky sweet milk chocolate with the boozy bourbon and vanilla/marshmallow; I liked this, but to be honest, if bourbon isn’t your thing, you’ll probably want to steer clear.

The mouthfeel was about mediumbodied, with a fine sipping quality about it. Carbonation is low, which adds to the creaminess. The 10.5 ABV actually felt a touch under, but I wasn’t perturbed by that. It’s all about the smooth, sweet, milky-to-silky chocolate in the end, a decadent finish for a whiskey barrel-aged milk/sweet stout.

Overall: This is a clever way of combining the beer side of Salt Flats with whiskey side. This version of Low Rider is actually aged in Salt Flats’ own bourbon and rye barrels. It’s taken their beer to the next level, and it’s keeping it all local, just the way we like it.

These are both in cans and available at their respective brew shops. I don’t get into price much, because it’s subjective to most beer nerds and it can be different at every watering hole. I will say this, though: There is some excellent value here. As always, cheers! CW

You already have your BURGER JOINT & TACO JOINT Now meet your TERIYAKI JOINT

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I

t’s nice when you can find some flavor bombs that don’t seem to get the attention that others do. Think of these beers like that band you loved early on: At first nobody else would listen to them, but now they’re everyone’s rock gods. Be that kid with these beers, so that you can say you were into them way back when.

UTOG - OG Juice: Pours with a glowing translucence of amber and orange. Its creamy off-white froth foreshadows a radiant citrus perfume with notions of honeysuckle, pastry and chive radiating on the nose. Sweet on the early palate, a rich taste of honey, caramel and graham cracker shed light on the malty underpinnings of the ale.

But in true IPA fashion, the sweetness recedes and the hops tighten their grip on the middle palate. Starting off succulent with tangerine, nectarine and grapefruit flavors, a pleasant zing adds a crisp and zesty taste to go along with its juiciness. Mango, apricot and a slight jammy taste come next, before the resins seep deeper into the late palate for a sharp, sappy and highly resinous bittering power that commands the finish. At 7.3 ABV, this is medium-bodied with the aroma and early palate of “hazy” IPA, but with the drying sensation and bitterness of West Coast varieties. It ale employs what’s best about both worlds, and does so with an effortless taste. Crisp, clean and largely irresistible, the beer lingers with a long medium bitter aftertaste that’s laced with botanical herb and perfume-y orange peels

Great Beer, No Compromise

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There’s nothing stealthy about these beers, including the flavor.

Try our Pumpkin Black Ale

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MUSIC

Utah musicians turn to the popular app to help advance their careers.

BY ERIN MOORE music@cityweekly.net @errrands_

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TikTok,” which led to a fair number of users doing choreographed dances to the inviting club beat. “As far as the outcome, it didn’t take off like I would have hoped, but at the same time, with the lack of a consistent type of promo due to lack of finances, it was hard to get the song out to the masses needed to have a viral notice.” But, the song is catchy, and Shaadie relents that “those that do discover it all have the same feeling of it needing to be picked up officially

by TikTok. So that’s nice at least.”

At this point, one might be wondering where TikTok users and influencers actually go to find the songs they pull snippets from for their viral skits. Local musician Russ Wood of Eichlers, profiled in City Weekly in October, has some insights after attempting to use the app to get word out on his new album. “Services like Submithub allow you to pitch your song directly to influencers for them to use in videos,” he says. “I’ve been seeing everywhere that TikTok is the place for people to discover new music, and people have built careers off of one song going viral on the platform. It’s the one social that people scroll with the sound on, so for musicians that’s kind of a guaranteed way of getting your music (at least part of one song) heard by real people. Plus, their algorithm is more bent towards discovery on the [For You page] and will serve people content based on niche interests rather than general accounts they already follow, like on IG.” Wood also notes that since it’s the spot where “the kids” hang out, young, loyal fans are at the ready if part of your song does catch on.

Chazz Pitts, of local band Picnics, goes on TikTok casually, and adds, “Feels like part of the TikTok algorithm uses music taste or something, ‘cause it only took a couple days being on the app before I was getting suggested TikToks using either music I’ve listened to in them or people creating content around certain musicians or genres.” There, Pitts has found niches like “Alex G TikTok” or “shoegaze TikTok,” and mines the app for users with similar tastes to then pitch tracks to.

Local solo artist Josaleigh Pollett, though, had a different experience. “I started it thinking I’d use it as a promotional tool, but I quickly realized that the algorithm for it is wild.” Since realizing that, Pollett mostly uses it for fun, sometimes promoting her own songs. “But it’s so random if it will do well. I’ve gotten a few new listeners from it, but way more just fun friends than anything. It seems like people either work really hard to get their art noticed on there, or maybe do nothing and it blows up for them!”

It seems that fame is, as it ever was, an elusive thing. But at least TikTok offers one new, accessible way of getting closer to it. CW

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I

n the ever-changing landscape of the internet, trends rule— and the biggest trend right now is TikTok. With its emphasis on lip syncing, the app adds a decidedly musical bent to the short format popularized on long gone apps like Vine, and with viral songs just as integral as the video elements, the app has launched some artists to fame. Below are a few examples of Utah locals who have found some minor celebrity via the app, and a few who at least half-way hope to.

It’s hard to pin down a catch-all sound that does well on TikTok, because there are so many different kinds of viral songs that suit different kinds of trends. Melodramatic skits are a common sight on the app, and are what led locals like MASN to fame. The Utah county teenager found fame via his song “Psycho!,” an emo pop track that does its thing with a spare, mournful guitar part accompanied by deep, bouncing beat drops that usher in the refrain “I might just go psycho, too many drunk white hoes.” While soundtracking hundreds of skits about jealous girlfriends and other Gen-Z understandings of what “psycho” is, the track led to real fame for the young artist, who’s since signed to RCA Records for the release of his first EP. Another member of the TikTok taste-making world, CMTEN, is more aligned with glitch pop, a fact that if not apparent in his viral song “NEVER MET!” should be when considering the song’s feature from Glitch Gum. The SLC teen’s song occupies a different part of TikTok’s headspace, thriving in trippy “transition” videos which are basically just experiments in the effects work one can do using TikTok. The song has the kind of breakneck-speed spazzy randomness popularized by 100gecs (it even mentions Laura Les), complete with lyrics like “we broke up on PictoChat, crying on my DS”—a match made in heaven for TikTok’s zaniest users.

There are other local artists, and not just teenaged ones, who hope to find the same success. Local rapper Shaadie says, “I have many songs out, and thought instead of hoping for someone to discover one of these songs and do a video ... why not just make a literal song for TikTok.” That turned into the aptly named “4the-

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Msking calls themselves a grunge pop band, but they really seem to pull from a more varied pool—from the melodic alt-pop of the ‘90s, just as much as the harder stuff.

Singles like “You & Me’’ show a pop bent, but not one that shows up as much on their otherwise surprising roster of releases. This year, they’ve released two EPs—Apathetic Sympathy in April, and the late October release The Maelstrom—and listened to together in one sitting, the songs invoke the image of the band turning over rocks trying to find their own sound. The EPs differ starkly from some comparably spare, almost lo-fi singles from 2019, “She,” and “Bad Joke,” which still had enough grit to signal where Msking would head. Apathetic Sympathy is altogether the more melancholy and melodic effort, recalling ‘90s efforts by the likes of Carissa’s Wierd. The newer EP, The Maelstrom, is aptly named—it strikes out more heavily, a fact that’s immediately apparent on “Edena,” with its darkly humming introductory bassline and dramatic delivery from vocalist Miranda Lewin. Along with “Edena,” “My End” features background snarls that amp up the intensity, inching Msking closer to punk and hardcore territories. “Pity Party’’ is the second of the three tracks, with warbling, weird guitar parts that fill out the song with an almost Gothic Americana feel between its punkish breakdowns. Meanwhile, closer “My End” shows both the band’s strengths and weaknesses: the strengths lie in the fast and loose parts where the drums are confident, quick and assured, in line with the shrieks from Lewin; the weaknesses come out when the song clumsily slows down in what’s supposed to be a slow-burn lead-up to the crashing end. As a body of work, Msking’s releases aren’t terribly cohesive, and it’s hard to believe they’re finding themselves in the mud of The Maelstrom—but with each release being so listenable and compelling, Msking feels like one of the most promising SLC bands to keep an eye on. Stream The Maelstrom on all major streaming platforms.

CAMILLE BANANI

BY ERIN MOORE

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MUSIC PICKS

Westminster College’s Winter Music Festival

While the holidays are going to be different for many this year, you can still count on hearing the kind of music that makes this time of year so festive. Westminster College is hosting their Winter Music Festival via livestream, featuring their Chamber Players, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble, hosted by the Westminster College Performing Arts and the Westminster Alumni. While the Chamber Orchestra kicked things off on Nov. 14, there are two performances to look forward to after that, which will hopefully bring the spirit of the season to your home while we approach the weirdest holiday season in recent memory. For a Friday night in on Nov. 20, jazz lovers can tune in to the stream at 7:30 p.m. to get a scoop on Westminster’s Jazz Ensemble.

Members select their own program to play each semester, which is then arranged by Director David Halliday. Past ensembles have run the gamut of jazz offshoots, from ‘40s rhythm and blues to free jazz to rock ‘n’ roll to hip-hop, in addition to classics.

For perhaps a gentler evening, tune in on Sunday Nov. 22, which will feature a set by the college’s Chamber Players. The nights are both live-streamed from the Vieve Gore Concert Hall at Westminster College, replacing what would otherwise be the real life performances the ensembles put on in that very venue each semester. The best part is that every performance is free, and simply going to westminstercollege. edu/performances is all you need to do to get to the events page, where each event links right up to the Vimeo stream. There are also other events to browse, including theater and dance performances running into December. So if you’re worried about how you’re going to entertain yourself at home as winter closes in on this strange pandemic year, there’s a few new live stream options to look forward to.

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MUSIC PICKS

Melancholy Club at WhySound

WhySound Closes Following New COVID Mandate

After Gov. Gary Herbert sent out new COVID restrictions on Sunday, Nov. 8, there were a lot of unanswered questions, which isn’t much of a shift from the way Utahns have been navigating this virus for months now. For businesses, including local music venues, it just means continuing to make decisions for themselves about how to keep their business alive, as well as their patrons and employees. Many local venues chose to close in the spring and haven’t reopened, while others have started to host shows again both outdoors and indoors in recent months. One of these latter venues is Logan’s WhySound, and they’re also the first venue responding to the new mandates on public gatherings by closing temporarily again. After a summer of mobile “rolling” shows, the venue has struggled to move shows outside as autumn has descended, both because of the weather and because they have to worry about fines. In a brief statement to City Weekly, co-owner Taylor Ross Wilson explains that in a team conversation the morning after the new mandate announcement, the folks at WhySound decided it was the “smart move” to close again. “The past shows we’ve done, we did with hesitation, but did them anyway out of financial need, and even at those we enforced distancing and masks—but that can be difficult to actually do sometimes,” he says, highlighting a feeling that’s surely a challenge faced by many venues reopening their indoor stages. “We all agreed something like this mandate should have been in place way back in March, so we want to at least support it now as much as we’re able,” he continues. And though they’ll be missing out on revenue, the venue has fundraising plans on the horizon to help them weather another period of closure, and hopes that their in-house recording studio will also bring in some cash. Wilson concludes on a hopeful note: “We also have a lot of community support up here in Logan, so we’re pretty confident we’ll pull through one way or another.”

Keep up with all WhySound news on Instagram @the.whysound.

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Locally Made, Locally Played

Spy Hop Classes and Listening Party

Students of local youth music program Spy Hop have been busy, just like many of their older musical peers around the city have been—and by that, I mean some of those kids have got a release to share. Among Spy Hops many educational programs—which help mentor young people in all things on the wide spectrum of music and production—there is the standout Musicology program, which grants its students the opportunity to form a real band, learning how to write original songs together as well as familiarizing the members with other collaborative band necessities, like rehearsing consistently and recording demos. While usually the end of a Musicology band’s learning experience would be capped with an album release show at Spy Hop’s Heatwave Festival— after many other performances at Spy Hop’s-allied venues like the all-ages Kilby Court—obviously things are a bit different during a pandemic year. But that hasn’t stopped this year’s Musicology band, Blue Collar Lovers, from keeping up with their lessons, and the group does still have a capstone album to show off.

However, the premiere will be, as many things are lately, online. The six-piece band will release the album Mean Machine on Nov. 19 via Spy Hop’s Twitch stream page at 6 p.m. There folks can both tune in and chat with the band about the album, and more than anything, appreciate the true awesomeness of music made during this challenging time, and especially music made by young people still learning the ropes in general. Visit twitch.tv/ spyhopproductions to tune in on the release day, and visit spyhop.org/watch-listen-play for more from the archive of Spy Hop’s past student projects.

KUAA Introduces Locally Made, Locally Played

Locals all around SLC have been finding innovative ways of supporting the musicians who have been left in such a lurch through the pandemic, and so it follows that community radio program KUAA has come up with a new way to do just that. In a collaboration with the Utah Arts Alliance and The Blocks SLC, KUAA will air a new radio program by the name of Locally Made, Locally Played, which finds locals not just as listening subject matter, but engages them in conversations about what it’s like and what it means to actually carve out a life as an artist in Utah. As artists have been forced off stages, this program joins others like the similarly new HUM-TV in giving local artists a new platform, one that focuses on their experiences and positions in our community. The show also seeks to help artists at least a little bit monetarily, with $100 granted per selected guest. So far guests have included members of Salt Lake City’s country and Americana set, Carl Carbonell and Daniel Young (of the Hollering Pines), along with a young newcomer to the scene, folk aficionado and rising local star Branson Anderson. The next show on Nov. 20 features Josaleigh Pollett, a local indie soloist whose recent 2020 album No Woman Is The Sea has found local popularity since its release. On Nov. 23, she’ll be followed up by the multi-dimensional solo work of Andrew Shaw (also known under the moniker Magic Mint), whose 2014 EP Grand America is a delightfully minimal, lo-fi affair that still carries electricity all these years later. More acts follow, going into December, with the full list available at utaharts.org/programs-and-events/kuaa-radio. Tune in to listen at 99.9FM or online at kuaafm.org

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY B Y R O B

B R E Z S N Y

Go to realastrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes.

Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Back in 1974, poet Allen Ginsberg and his “spirit wife,” Aries poet Anne Waldman, were roommates at the newly established Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. The school’s founder asked these two luminaries to create a poetics program, and thus was born the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Waldman described its ruling principle to be the “outrider” tradition, with a mandate to explore all that was iconoclastic, freethinking and irreverent. The goal of teachers and students alike was to avoid safe and predictable work so as to commune with wild spiritual powers, “keep the energies dancing,” and court eternal surprise. I think that would be a healthy approach for you to flirt with during the next few weeks.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) “A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika,” said Libran fashion writer Diana Vreeland. “We all need a splash of bad taste,” she continued. “It’s hearty, it’s healthy, it’s physical.

I think we could use more of it. Having no taste is what I’m against.” I understand that her perspective might be hard to sell to you refined Librans. But I think it’s good advice right now.

Whatever’s lacking in your world, whatever might be off-kilter, can be cured by a dash of good, funky earthiness. Dare to be a bit messy and unruly.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) To convey the spirit of the coming weeks, I’m offering you wisdom from two women who were wise about the art of slow and steady progress. First, here’s author Iris Murdoch: “One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats, and if some of these can be inexpensive and quickly procured, so much the better.” Your second piece of insight about the wonders of prudent, piecemeal triumph comes from activist and author Helen Keller: “I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) “Give up the notion that you must be sure of what you are doing,” wrote philosopher Baruch Spinoza. “Instead, surrender to what is real within you, for that alone is sure.” Spinoza’s thoughts will be a great meditation for you in the coming weeks.

If you go chasing phantom hopes, longing for absolute certainty and iron confidence, you’ll waste your energy. But if you identify what is most genuine and true and essential about you, and you rely on it to guide you, you can’t possibly fail.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) In 1969, humans flew a spaceship to the moon and landed on it for the first time. In 1970, the state of Alabama finally made it legal for interracial couples to get married. That’s a dramatic example of how we humans may be mature and strong in some ways even as we remain backward and undeveloped in other ways. According to my astrological analysis, the coming months will be a highly favorable time for the immature and unseasoned parts of you to ripen. I encourage you to get started!

11/25/20

NOVEMBER 19, 2020 | 141

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Most of us aren’t brilliant virtuosos like, say, Leonardo da Vinci or Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie. On the other hand, every one of us has a singular amalgam of potentials that is unique in the history of the world—an exceptional flair or an idiosyncratic mastery or a distinctive blend of talents. In my astrological opinion, you Aquarians will have unprecedented opportunities to develop and ripen this golden and glorious aspect of yourself in 2021. And now is a good time to begin making plans. I encourage you to launch your yearlong Festival of Becoming by writing down a description of your special genius.

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Psychologists have identified a quality they call NFD: “need for drama.” Those who possess it may be inclined to seek or even instigate turmoil out of a quest for excitement. After all, bringing a dose of chaos into one’s life can cure feelings of boredom or powerlessness. “I’m important enough to rouse a Big Mess!” may be the subconscious battle cry. I’ll urge you Leos to studiously and diligently avoid fostering NFD in the coming weeks.

In my astrological opinion, you will have a blessed series of interesting experiences if and only if you shed any attraction you might have to histrionic craziness.

HOURS

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Any legal actions you take are more likely to be successful if you initiate them between now and the solstice than if you’d begin them at other times. The same is true for any contracts you sign or agreements you make: They have a better chance to thrive than they would at other times. Other activities with more kismet than usual during the coming weeks: efforts to cultivate synergy and symbiosis; attempts to turn power struggles into more cooperative ventures; a push to foster greater equality in hierarchal situations; and ethical moves to get access to and SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) benefit from other people’s resources.

Sagittarian statesman Winston Churchill said that he was always ready to learn—even though there were times when GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Never follow an expert off a precipice. Nor a teacher. Nor an he didn’t enjoy being taught. That might be a useful motto for attractive invitation. Nor a symbol of truth nor a vibrant ideal you to adopt in the coming months. By my estimates, 2021 nor a tempting gift. In fact, never follow anything off a precipice, could turn out to bring a rather spectacular learning spurt—and no matter how authoritative or sexy or appealing it might be. a key boost to your lifelong education. If you choose to take On the other hand, if any of those influences are headed in the advantage of the cosmic potentials, you could make dramatic direction of a beautiful bridge that can enable you to get to the enhancements to your knowledge and skill set. As Churchill’s other side of a precipice, you should consider following them. Be message suggests, not all of your new repertoire will come easily and pleasantly. But I bet that at least 80 percent of it will. on the alert for such lucky opportunities in the coming weeks.

Start planning!

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Malidoma Patrice Somé was born into the Dagara tribe of CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Burkina Faso. After being initiated into the Dagara’s spiri- In accordance with upcoming astrological indicators, I’ve got tual mysteries, he emigrated to America, where he has taught some good advice for you courtesy of your fellow Capricorn a unique blend of modern and traditional ideas. One of his key David Bowie. You’ll be well-served to keep it in mind between themes is the hardship that Westerners’ souls endure because now and Jan. 1, 2021. “Go a little bit out of your depth,” of the destructive impact of the machine world upon the spiri- counseled Bowie. “And when you don’t feel that your feet are tual world. He says there is “an Indigenous person within each quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to of us” that longs to cultivate the awareness and understanding do something exciting.” For extra inspiration, I’ll add another enjoyed by Indigenous people: a reverence for nature, a vital prompt from the creator of Ziggy Stardust: “Once you lose that relationship with ancestors and a receptivity to learn from the sense of wonder at being alive, you’re pretty much on the way intelligence of animals. How’s your inner Indigenous person out.” In that spirit, my dear Capricorn, please take measures to doing? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to enhance expand your sense of wonder during the next six weeks. Make sure you’re on your way in. your ability to commune with and nurture that vital source.

© 2020

TEQUILA

BY DAVID LEVINSON WILK

ACROSS

G

Two Polls J

49. Bones next to humeri 50. Chose 51. So-called “architect of India” 52. Jokey suffix with most 56. “What are you, some kind of ____?”

57. Discord on the far left and far right?

59. Entanglement 60. “How Easy Is That?” cookbook writer Garten 61. Pugilist’s org.

Last week’s answers

No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

10. Fraternity letter 11. Main event in “The Crucible” 12. Actress Anne of “Donnie Brasco” 13. Check out 18. Expert 19. Sullen 24. Pained cries 25. Treasured 26. LGBT Pride Month 27. Reverse, e.g.

28. Look at creepily 31. Whole 32. Stephen of “V for Vendetta” 33. Weight-ing room?

34. Farm structure 35. “____ Griffin’s Crosswords” (2007-2008 show) DOWN 36. Place 1. One of Yellowstone’s 2.2+ million 38. Cancún kitty 2. Simon ____ 39. “What business is ____ 3. Ships’ quarters yours?”

4. “What’s your ____?” (question to a guest 43. Texter’s “Oh, just rememen route) bered ...”

5. California wine region 44. Female friend, in France 6. Where Nemo was found in “Finding Nemo” 45. Inhaler user’s malady 7. “West Side Story” heroine 46. Pigeons or doves 8. ‘60s-’70s Mets star ____ Jones 47. Kind of test for a baby 9. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, according 48. Corner pieces, in chess to the Oxford English Dict.

URBAN L I V I N

WITH BABS DELAY Broker, Urban Utah Homes & Estates, urbanutah.com

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9.

1. Judge 7. 7 1/2-hr. exam 11. First word of every “Friends” episode title 14. Stuffed mouse, maybe 15. Alan with six Emmys 16. Film character’s name whose letters appear in the surname of Daisy Ridley 17. Beverage listed in the cocktail guide “Tequila Mockingbird” for all you Jane Austen fans 20. Language suffix 21. “Blame It ___” (1984 film set in Brazil) 22. Home of Daniel K. Inouye International Airport 23. ... for all you Shakespeare fans 27. “Scram!”

29. It’s north of Afr. 30. They’re often broken before breakfast 31. Instrument with stops 34. Baseball execs 37. Ginger ___ 38. ... for all you Charlotte Brontë fans 40. L.L. Bean competitor 41. High-____ monitor 42. Mr. T’s crew 43. Prank caller to Moe’s Tavern 44. From ____ Z 45. Opposite of passive 47. ... for all you Virginia Woolf fans 53. ____ sci (college course) 54. Linguine sauce 55. Feeling :-( 58. ... for all you Margaret Mitchell fans 62. Dossier letters 63. Cabinet dept. with a windmill on its seal 64. “Reservoir Dogs” character 65. Blog feed inits.

66. Grammy winner Erykah 67. Items at a haberdashery

SUDOKU

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142 | NOVEMBER 19, 2020

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ust when you think you’ve seen the last of polling for 2020, here come two new polls that you might want to take note of and see what happens. Factoring in their results, some big decisions will be made that could affect all of us for some time to come.

Poll No. 1 asked 3,000 Salt Lake Valley residents what they want to see done with the 700 acres at the Point of the Mountain where the Utah State Prison is currently located.

We’ve all heard about (and maybe have seen in person) the new airport, but few realize the new prison is being built next door to it— as in just west of the landing strips. Concrete is being poured for a brand-new facility to be completed in 2022, and you might catch a glimpse of the construction site from the sky if you fly out of town for the holidays.

The state of Utah created a development commission that politicos call “The Point,” and they just finished a second phase of polling by placing five possible scenarios before stakeholders, and the public, to create a vision for the 700 acres in Draper. The goal is to offer vibrant urban centers with jobs close to where people live, with a variety of community and housing types based upon world-class public transportation, such as FrontRunner and TRAX, and with a “nationally recognized research and university presence.” They want to ensure a high quality of life for residents, maximize job creation, preserve natural lands and expand recreational opportunities. You can read about it here: pointofthemountainfuture.org Poll No. 2—regarding 17 acres in Glendale, the site of the sad, old water park known by one of three names: Wild Wave, Raging Waters or Seven Peaks—has just been completed. The abandoned site still has the broken and tagged remnants of summer fun dating back to 1979 when the park opened its faux beach with mechanically driven waves for body surfing, tall water slides and big picnic areas for families.

Since then, it’s gone through a few owners and managers, and before it was permanently closed in 2018, the snack shack and a few other buildings had been vandalized and burned down.

In addition, the entire park was stripped of its wiring, pumps were stolen and dangerous chemicals were spilled from storage on the site. One contractor said that it would cost half a million bucks to tear down the faded fun. But what will replace it?

Salt Lake City purchased the park with dollars from the Utah Land and Water Conservation Fund, and now the area must remain open space for the community.

The poll ended in October with 3,500 folks chiming in. Findings were simple: 87% of those polled voted that the park should be torn down, but 53% said they’d still like to have a water park there. The Salt Lake City Council will work with the Public Lands Division in 2021 to come up with a proposal and new plan for the site that they will present to the public. n Content is prepared expressly for Community and is not endorsed by City Weekly staff.

We have developed a NEW casino style card game that is a bit similar to Solitaire.

It’s FREE TO PLAY and you can play against friends.

We are in Salt Lake City and are looking to get this game more well known. It was just released onto the Apple and Android stores. Get to just level 7 and we will e-mail you a $10 Amazon gift card.

Text your first name to 208-360-7602 to get started.

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WEIRD

Inexplicable Firefighters with Essex County (England) Fire and Rescue Service were called to a derelict laundromat in Epping on Oct. 30, where three young men had become trapped inside an industrial-size tumble dryer. Two of them had climbed all the way into the dryer, while the third had managed to get his ankles trapped in the door. Firefighters were joined by Essex Police, a medical helicopter and the ambulance service as they employed “a lot of heavy equipment” to free the men, watch manager Glenn Jackson told Sky News. No word on what they were looking for in there.

Rise of the Machines A thief in Lippstadt, Germany, was foiled by his own booty on Oct. 27 as he tried to make off with a robotic lawn mower. The Associated Press reported that the robot sent a message to the owner’s smartphone, alerting the man that it had been flipped upside down. When the owner went to investigate, he saw the thief with the robot under his arm. Police said the thief then dropped the lawn mower and fled. n Craig Hershoff of Miami has invented a robot to help people like himself who may have difficulty using the special contact lenses they wear for vision problems that can’t be helped with regular contacts. The Cliara Lens Robot can insert and remove the lenses by voice activation. “It really helps with dexterity,” Hershoff told WPLG, especially for elderly or disabled people.

The robot is being tested in a clinical trial in Boston, and he hopes to have FDA clearance on it early next year.

Government in Action The San Diego City Council blocked funding last summer for its controversial smart streetlights program, which features not

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n Loyola University graduate Brianna Hill went into labor within minutes of sitting down to take the Illinois bar exam on Oct. 5, but “I didn’t think about it because I was in the test,” she told NBC5 in Chicago. Hill continued and finished the first part of the test, then gave birth to a healthy son hours later at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois. She tackled the second part of the exam the next day, from the hospital, breastfeeding during breaks. The whole experience was “definitely a little crazy,” she said. She’ll find out if she passed in December.

I Knew I Forgot Something Deputies of the Anderson (Tennessee) County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a stolen log splitter in Marlow on Oct. 22, and discovered a severed finger among items left at the scene. Hugh Seeber, 50, later appeared at a local medical center with a missing finger, WATE reported, and was taken to UT Medical Center in Knoxville, where Anderson County Det. Sean Flynn met him with the severed digit. Seeber was charged with felony theft.

The Foreign Press Police in Boa Vista, Brazil, raided the home of prominent Sen. Chico Rodrigues on Oct. 14 as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption and found the senator hiding the equivalent of $5,400 in his underwear. Rodrigues, 69, a close ally of President Jair Bolsonaro, who campaigned in 2018 on an anti-corruption platform, had no explanation for the money in his underwear, but claimed innocence, The Guardian reported.

Brazilians quickly shared the news on social media, many commenting that the incident would go down “in the anals of history.”

The Litigious Society Dwight Turner, 50, is suing the owner of a backyard animal sanctuary in Davie, Florida, after the “full-contact” encounter with a black leopard that he paid $150 for turned into a mauling.

Investigators said sanctuary owner Michael Poggi sold Turner time with the leopard to “play with it, rub its belly and take pictures” on Aug. 31, but the leopard attacked as soon as Turner entered its enclosure, leaving his scalp “hanging from his head,” WPLG-TV reported. Authorities said Poggi is licensed to have the leopard, but he has been cited by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation for allowing the contact and for maintaining captive wildlife in unsafe conditions.

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

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n An unnamed man from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty in a Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, court on Sept. 10 to citations including walking in restricted thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park after park rangers found him with a cooking pot and a burlap sack containing two whole chickens near a hot spring. Witnesses tipped off rangers on Aug. 7 that a group of 10 people, including a child, were seen hiking toward Shoshone Geyser Basin carrying cooking pots, EastIdahoNews.com reported. The man was ordered to pay fines and has been banned from Yellowstone for two years.

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Bright Ideas Two passengers traveling together on an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Miami on Oct. 30 were removed before taking off after one of the women attempted to sneak from coach into first class and hide in the footwell of her friend’s seat, Fox News reported. The flight had already been delayed because of a catering issue, according to a witness, who said, “Apparently the plan was for this woman’s friend to remain there the entire flight ... (as a stunt to) drive viewers to their YouTube channel.” Flight attendants discovered the plot when they noticed an empty seat in coach, and the plane returned to the gate so the friends could be removed. The witness reported an unrelated passenger was also removed after he “cussed out” a flight attendant over the delay.

Awesome!

Julie McSorley of San Luis Obispo, California, and her friend Liz Cottriel were enjoying a sunny day of kayaking and whalewatching at Avila Beach on Nov. 2 when they were overturned by a humpback that got too close while feeding. “I saw the big pool of fish, the big bait ball come up out of the water. ... All of a sudden, I lifted up, and I was in the water,” McSorley told KMPH. “I thought it was gonna land on me,” Cottriel said. Other paddleboarders and kayakers came to their rescue, thinking the whale may have bitten the women, but it merely pushed them underwater. “We got back to the car, I was shaking my shirt and a bunch of fish came out of my shirt,” Cottriel said.

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n Fans of the Caledonian Thistle soccer team in Inverness, Scotland, were frustrated as they watched a broadcast of the club’s Oct. 24 game against rival Ayr United when the new robotic cameras programmed to follow the ball around the pitch focused instead on the bald head of one of the game’s linesmen. The team had proudly announced a week earlier that it would be replacing human camera operators with a new system “with in-built, AI, ball-tracking technology” to stream live HD footage of home games to season ticket holders and fans who purchased the service. IFLScience reported that while many fans complained, others “saw this as a bonus, given the usual quality of performance.”

only streetlights but also a video surveillance system that has been used by the San Diego Police Department, and on Sept. 9, Mayor Kevin Faulconer ordered the cameras turned off. But Voice of San Diego reported the cameras and streetlights are connected to the same power supply, so turning them off would have left the city in the dark. Florida-based Ubicquia owns the underlying technology, but the company has been reluctant to work with the city because of unpaid bills amounting to $771,000. Meanwhile, the cameras are still recording and storing footage for five days.

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