Salt Lake Magazine invited me to be on their judges panel for the 2026 Dining Awards! Here is a roundup of winners, for the next time someone asks, “where should we eat?”
Most Outstanding Restaurants of 2026
Browse the full list, but I gave particularly high marks to La Casa Del Tamal, Post Office Place x Takashi, The Pearl, Himalayan Kitchen, Drunken Kitchen, Bar Nohm, and Chef Bleu Adams.
The top spot went to Le Depot, a beautiful high-end, French-ish restaurant in Park City.
Special Jury Prizes
- The Big Cheese Award went to Caputo’s for “an extensive caving and aging program that is unrivalled in the state.”
- The Blue Plate Award for Outstanding Community Service to Veneto for stepping up to feed the community during the government shutdown.
- The magazine’s legendary Random Pink Award to Girls Who Smash.
- A Knives Without Borders award to Chef Sam Pew and his Secret Pizza Club.
Drunken Kitchen was awarded one of the best restaurants of 2026 at the Salt Lake Dining Awards. (Adam Finkle/Salt Lake Magazine)
Ones To Watch
Japanese-Italian hybrid Junah made this list — get the matcha tiramisu. As did Monte within Beehive Distilling, charming Neighbor’s Bar reinventing the Caesar salad, Cosmica for excellent pizza with an equally excellent wine list, and the cheddar biscuits at Hearth & Hill Sugar House.
