The 5 Best Restaurants in Salt Lake City

1. Red Rock Brewing Company

Everything at the Red Rock Brewing Company complements the 12 craft brews kept on tap. Enjoy wood-fired pizzas with gourmet toppings, French onion steak sandwich, chicken schnitzel, vegetable roulade, or a smoky pub burger. Pair your entrée with side dishes such as carrot chips, fresh sliced tomato, horseradish mashed potatoes, or onion rings.

In addition to the draught craft beers, the Red Rock Brewing Company also serves its own root beer and cream soda, brewed with pure cane sugar. Polish off your meal with a slice of Kahlua chocolate cake with raspberry sauce, chocomint martini, or a warmed spiced cider.

2. Red Iguana

The Red Iguana considers itself "Home of Killer Mexican Food", and most everyone agrees. The restaurant's reputation was killer enough to get rated "One of America's Best Restaurants" by Zagat's, and Fodor's "Choice Restaurant" in 2010, in addition to dozens of local awards.

So, what makes the Red Iguana one of the best restaurants in Salt Lake City? Superb atmosphere, bright and lively décor, and killer food. The menu is loaded with Mexican favorites well beyond the typical taco and burrito joint. Try the Red Pipian, which is pumpkin seed sauce made with peanuts, pepitas, onions, tomatoes, chile guajillo, and chicken. Or try the papadzules, gringas, entomatadas, or flautas.

3. Cucina Toscana

Cucina Toscana considers itself one of the best restaurants in Salt Lake City, and the reviewers at Zagat's agreed and went one step above to declare it "One of America's Best Restaurants" in 2007. The elegant dining room serves some of SLC's VIPs fine, gourmet Italian cuisine.

You can start your meal off properly with a table-side prepared Caesar salad or the chef's signature Zuppa cotta, made with cannellini, porcini mushrooms, truffle oil, fischiotti, and fresh seasonal vegetables. From there, enjoy the house special, Scalloppine di Pollo al Funghi Misti, Gnocchi Provincale, or Picatta di Pollo al Pomodoro. To complement your meal, try one of the fine wines hand-picked by the chef.

4. Blue Plate Diner

Voted "Best Eats on the Cheap" for seven years, the Blue Plate Diner offers reasonably-priced, yet tasty meals. The restaurant has a 50s diner feel to it, complete with antique soda fountain and other salvaged curvy and chrome retro pieces scattered throughout.

Order from the extensive breakfast menu all day long at the Blue Plate Diner, or enjoy specialty sandwiches such as fresh mozzarella with tomato and basil, portabella Rueben, French dip, or burger, served with three choices of fries. The dinner menu offers some serious comfort foods, like homemade meatloaf, roast turkey dinner, country fried steak, and spaghetti with meatballs.

5. The Copper Onion

At the Copper Onion, you can choose to be served "family style" so that everyone at the table can customize their own plates and go for seconds if they want. The restaurant embraces organic and sustainable farming practices by sourcing fresh ingredients from local food producers.

Enjoy ricotta dumplings, frittata nettles, broccoli raab, and a Bloody Mary from the brunch menu offered on the weekends. Or, indulge in an afternoon meal of homemade fettuccine with egg, bacon, and cream. The dinner menu at The Copper Onion is superb, with offerings such as pot belly salad, bone marrow parsley, wagyu tri-tip steak, and a trout filet with baby beets, browned butter, burnt lemon, fennel, and Marconi almonds.

If you want to get specific, check out the best Thai food in Salt Lake City.