This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter, compiled by Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune’s food and drink reporter. To get the full newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, become a subscriber by going to sltrib.com/newsletters.
Hello, Eaters!
I just got back from a trip to Moab (I hiked to Delicate Arch for the first time!), and while I was there I was struck by the many local dining options this cute little town has to offer. Whether you’re making a day of it at Arches National Park or just hiking or biking one of the many trails nearby, these food recommendations will be here for you when you need to refuel.
Best Breakfast: Jailhouse Cafe, 101 N. Main St., Moab, 435-259-3900, JailhouseCafeMoab.com
This cafe is in a building built around 1885 as a private residence, which was sold to Grand County in 1892 to become its first courthouse, according to the restaurant’s website. Because prisoners were held in one section of the building in those early days, it earned the nickname “The Jailhouse.”
Food comes out hot and fast at this cozy cafe, which is celebrating more than 30 years of serving guests. I enjoyed Ozzie’s Whole Grain Waffle ($14.95), which came topped with chopped walnuts and cut-up fruit on the side. I slathered this waffle with butter and syrup and went to town.
Best Post-Travel Fill-Up: Moab Brewery, 686 S. Main St., Moab, 435-259-6333, TheMoabBrewery.com
We arrived into town hot and hangry, and this homey brewpub was exactly what we were looking for.
The pork quesadilla ($13.49) — made with pulled pork, cilantro, pico de gallo, cheddar and jack cheese, and served with salsa and sour cream — really hit the spot. It paired perfectly with a pint of Juicy Johnny’s hazy IPA, whose fruity notes contrasted nicely with the smokiness of the pork.
Best Steak: The Broken Oar, 53 W. 400 North, Moab, 435-259-3127, TheBrokenOarMoab.com
I was glad we were seated on the east-facing patio at this rustic American restaurant, because we got to see the redrock glow as the sun set. Strings of lights and chirping birds made this an idyllic dining spot.
To eat, I ordered the sirloin ($32), which was 8 ounces of Angus beef, cooked medium and full of flavor. It was served with red-skinned garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. The potatoes were rich and rustic, and the asparagus was cooked through but still bright green with a little snap.
Best Old School Lunch: Milt’s Stop & Eat, 356 S. Millcreek Drive, Moab, 435-259-7424, MiltsStopAndEat.com
This classic American walk-up restaurant was opened by Milt Galbraith in 1954 (its website says it’s the oldest restaurant in town), and I’d guess that the food has mostly stayed the same in those 70 years.
I ordered the mushroom & Swiss burger ($8) with fries ($4, both pictured above), and my food arrived hot and wrapped in brown paper. It all tasted like pure nostalgia, a taste that was only enhanced by the chocolate milkshake I got to go with it.
Best Neapolitan Pizza: Antica Forma, 267 N. Main St., Moab, 435-355-0167; also at 251 E. Main St., Vernal, 435-374-4138, AnticaForma.com
Read more below in the “Dish of the Week” section of the newsletter.
Live deliciously,
Kolbie
Food News
• Adelaide, the signature restaurant of Le Meridien and Element Salt Lake City Downtown, is launching all new seasonal menus, including a breakfast menu, a brunch/lunch menu, a dinner menu and two prix fixe menus, according to a news release. Some of the new menu items include Dungeness crab cake croquettes, fire-kissed salmon arugula and fennel salad (pictured above), a bone-in Iberico pork chop, Creole-spiced barbecue shrimp, and more. For reservations, visit AdelaideSaltLake.com.
• Through Aug. 4, Via 313 — which serves Detroit-style pizza in Orem, Lehi, Riverton, Sandy and Murray — is giving $1 from each margherita pizza sold and every side of ranch ordered to the Utah Pride Center as part of the pizzeria’s Better Giving Through Pizza initiative. For more information, visit Via313.com.
Openings:
• Signage has gone up for fast-casual Colombian eatery Encanto Restaurant in a window at 1500 East and 1500 South. Details about this restaurant are scarce, but we’ll share more as soon as we have them.
• We’ve got our eye on a new eatery, Piko Mexican Grill, which is being built at 500 South and 500 East in Salt Lake City. More details to come.
• A new Great Harvest Bread Company location is going to be opening at 2145 E. 2100 South, Suite 1113, in Salt Lake City, in late July or early August, according to the CEO.
Dish of the Week
Anyone who reads this newsletter knows I love pizza, and I can never say no to wood-fired pizza especially. Moab’s Antica Forma (which means “the old form” in Italian, according to their website) makes true Neapolitan pizza, with dough made with finely sifted 00 pizza flour and fermented for 24 hours; sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes; and fresh, hand-stretched mozzarella.
I was craving pepperoni, so I got the macellaio (“meat lovers”) pizza with mild sausage, pepperoni, ham, housemade mozzarella, basil and olive oil ($21.95). But I ended up liking my companion’s pizza a lot more, so we traded slices. He got the Antica Forma pizza ($20.95, pictured above), which was made with caramelized balsamic onions, housemade mozzarella, basil and prosciutto. The combination of the sweet onions with the salty prosciutto was delectable.
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