There are a lot of incredible dining choices in Utah, no matter the season. You'll discover a thriving local food, craft brew and mixology scene, whether coming to Utah for The Mighty Five® national parks (check out Moab, Boulder, Springdale and St. George in Southern Utah), staying on the slopes for The Greatest Snow on Earth® at foodie destinations like Deer Valley and Sundance, or crashing at a hotel in downtown Salt Lake, Ogden or Provo for walking access to multiple restaurants, galleries, venues, bars and breweries.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine named Salt Lake City one of America's 5 New Foodie Cities for 2014. Park City perennially claims multiple award winners among its 100+ restaurants and bars. Ogden, gateway to three ski resorts including Snowbasin, has grown out of its railroad-town heritage and blossomed into an outdoor recreation destination with a vibrant downtown dining scene. Off the Wasatch Front, Logan (in the north) and Cedar City (in the south) have college-town atmospheres, which means great local establishments for refueling.
Read the Stories
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A Deep Dig into Utah’s Deep Time
Utah is one of the most important archeological zones on the planet. Discover how dedicated, local paleontologists and volunteers teach stewardship alongside exploration.
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A Family Drive Through Utah’s Quiet Places
A vacation where reservoirs and rocks, sagebrush and fossils provide wisdom along the way.
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A Grand Tour of the San Rafael Swell
This grand tour goes into the heart of Utah's Swell from north to south, connecting the uplift’s spectacular views with playful slot-canyon hikes, bike excursions, rock art, dinosaur bones, and soft-serve cones in town.
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A Matter of Geological Consent
A billion years of geological history surrounds Salt Lake City, where a modern landscape reflects ancient constraints.
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An Old Favorite Fishing Hole at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Visit Utah columnist Dan Potts takes us to his "secret" fishing hole on Utah's Flaming Gorge Reservoir, one of the world's most diverse fisheries set among the brilliant red rock walls of Red Canyon in the easternmost corner of the state. Along the way, Dan takes us through some of his favorite landscapes on the drive to and from Salt Lake City.
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AndShesDopeToo's Insider's Guide to Ogden
AndShesDopeToo is a worldwide adventure community of women run by Jennifer and Taylor Killian from Ogden, Utah. This insider's guide video highlights their unparalleled access to both the outdoors and the city's "fun counterculture vibe" at the foot of the mighty Wasatch Mountains.
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Digging Salt Lake City for 48 Hours
Looking for fun things to do in Salt Lake City? Check out our 48-hour guide to get the scoop on the most popular and under-the-radar attractions.
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Dinosaurland Top 5
Vernal, Utah, is an adventure base camp to the best of eastern Utah. Uintah County around Vernal — called Dinosaurland — is home to diverse outdoor recreation and natural history at three state parks, Dinosaur National Monument and countless trailheads to the Ashley National Forest.
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Discover Dinosaur Astronomy
Dinosaur National Monument's celebrated dark skies can offer some of the most inspirational looks into our universe given the monument's unique context: see the stars on an unblemished canvas like our human — or dinosaur — predecessors did.
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Following the Dinosaur Tracks of Red Fleet
Explore Red Fleet State Park's cleverly built trail that crosses sandy washes, ribs of exposed stone and a dinosaur trackway.
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Get Your Spook On: Northern Utah's Most Haunted Places
Looking for a different kind of adventure? One seemingly outside the realms of possibility? Here are some of Utah’s most haunted places.
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Hidden Secrets of the Jurassic National Monument's Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry
The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry of Jurassic National Monument is an opportunity to learn about prehistoric animals and see a working paleontologist dig.
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How to Experience Utah's Dinosaur History at the Prehistoric Museum in Price
Central Utah’s Prehistoric Museum in Price houses fossils from more dinosaur species than any other museum in the country. World-class exhibits of the region’s unique paleontology, archaeology and geology can all be found under one roof.
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How to Maximize an Afternoon at the Natural History Museum of Utah
Spanning five floors and tucked along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, the Natural History Museum of Utah is a must add to any Salt Lake City itinerary.
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Reef Walking, Petroglyphs and Bones
Check out the world’s densest concentration of dinosaur bones at Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry and explore other prehistoric wonders around Utah.
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Searching for Dinosaur Bones in Capitol Reef Country
The Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry dates back to the Jurassic Period and is approximately 150 feet wide by 600 feet long. Hundreds of dinosaur bones have been discovered here, including those of the Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurus.
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Seeing the Dinosaurs of Utah Valley
Tons of dinosaur fossils have been found in Utah, and plenty of them are on display in museums in the Utah Valley area. Ranging from smaller collections to one of the world’s largest collections of complete dinosaur skeletons, there’s something for every dinosaur lover to enjoy!
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The Real Story Behind the Dinosaur Quarry
What universal energy do you share with your terrestrial predecessors? At Dinosaur National Monument, you can touch 149-million-year-old fossils and feel for yourself.
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The Unknown & Otherworldly Near Vernal, Utah
UFOs, dinosaur bones, ghosts — there’s a chance to see all of them in the wild, weird and existential landscapes of Northeastern Utah.
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Time Traveling at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
Many have dreamed of exploring jungles and forests only to discover a land filled with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes? The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is the place to bring that dream to life, with 100-plus exhibits and realistic, full-sized dinosaur replicas, capturing the imagination of young and old alike.
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Touring the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
Discover dinosaurs in Utah. The Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway is one of the best places to see dinosaurs in Utah.
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Tracing the Outlaw Trail
Cowboys and dinosaurs don’t always come to mind in tandem. At Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah, however, they do share one thing: an incredible landscape as a backdrop. This landscape, as well as some wild history, make Dinosaur a must-visit part of the state.
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Vernal Equinox: A New Season in Vernal, Utah
Looking for things to do in Vernal, Utah? Read our guide to the town here for attractions, restaurants, breweries and more. Make plans to visit Vernal!
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View Millions of Years of Geologic History in an Afternoon
Unlock new levels of understanding about the land you are traveling through, around and on by learning about the geology in Utah.
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Why a Visit to the Blanding Dinosaur Museum is a Must
The Blanding Dinosaur Museum, off U.S. 191 in Southeastern Utah, is a hidden gem: The artifact collection here includes bones, dinosaur eggs, and even fossilized skin! The museum also has three wonderfully preserved petrified trees and unique movie memorabilia.
Utah's Local Food Fuels an Exciting Culinary Scene
Excerpted and Adapted from Business in Utah
Slowly and quietly, like a tiny green shoot pushing through dark soil, Utah's food scene has been blossoming over the past few years. Where once there were only a few booths at the Downtown Farmer's Market in Salt Lake City, now there are hundreds. Dozens of other markets are taking over corner lots in local neighborhoods and flourishing in cities outside the capital. Many vendors who got their start selling bundles of arugula at the Saturday market now stock numerous restaurant kitchens.
Utah is entering a new era of culinary tourism and the driving force is local food. The Beehive State is now known for artisan cheese, beer, milling, grass-fed beef and more — it's changed so much over the past few years. The change is bringing world-class chefs back to Utah, such as Ryan Lowder of The Copper Onion Group. These chefs use local ingredients at their award-winning restaurants.
Salt Lake's rising stardom is also attracting investors to the boutique restaurant and bar business. One example is Ty Burrell of TV series "Modern Family" who was recently featured in Food & Wine magazine with Utah-based star Chef Viet Pham (who beat Bobby Flay on "Iron Chef America") promoting their new artisanal sausage and craft Beer Bar in downtown Salt Lake City
Pago, in the hip 9th and 9th neighborhood of Salt Lake City, opened in 2009 with a "farm-to-table" mission and a clear vision of highlighting local and artisan foods. Owner Scott Evans is passionate about finding and featuring new artisans, so much so that he calls Pago a "love letter to local foods." The food that Chef Phelix Gardner prepares [chef at Evans' Finca] clearly embraces that love as the restaurant has almost a cult-like clientele and has been recognized several times by national publications, including The New York Times, Food & Wine magazine, The Washington Post, Bon Appétit and others.
Foodie Journey
In a place that’s known for its red rock landscape, it’s incredible that local chefs can coax such a feast of fresh food from the desert.
Highlights
- Mesa Farm Market
- Hell's Backbone Grill
- Farm-Fresh Dining
