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City Cast Salt Lake

Keep It Local

Keep It Local by City Cast Salt Lake features spotlights on local businesses we love and personal, curated, and neighborly recommendations that will help you live your best Salt Lake life right now. So, if you’re ready to ditch the national chains, e-commerce giants, and big box stores,

sign up now for the new weekly newsletter from City Cast Salt Lake.

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Shelby Hintze

This is not the week for outdoor activities, with high heat in the Salt Lake Valley. So stay inside and catch some local theater. From professional to volunteer, there is no shortage of talent and entertainment just around the corner.

When it comes to the Utah theater scene, the Hale family has had an outsized influence. Ruth and Nathan started with a 99-person theater in Glendale, California in the 1940s, which has transformed into two theaters in Utah, with capacity for more than 1,500 theater-goers, combined.

 combines professional-quality sets, costumes, and performances with an intimate, in-the-round stage that places every audience member close to the action. The nonprofit theater presents a year-round season of musicals, family favorites, and classic plays, earning a reputation for spectacular production values and immersive storytelling.

 entertained audiences for 35 years as Hale Center Theater Orem. The company moved in 2025 to a state-of-the-art performing arts center on the doTERRA campus in Pleasant Grove. Each season features Broadway musicals, classic plays, comedies, youth productions, and educational programming.

Since opening in Murray 1989, the Desert Star Playhouse has become known for its original, family-friendly musical parodies that spoof everything from blockbuster movies and Broadway hits to television shows and pop culture. Desert Star puts a melodramatic twist on familiar stories, encouraging audiences to cheer the hero, boo the villain, and expect plenty of improvisation and Utah-specific jokes along the way.

The Draper Historic Theatre has been a cornerstone of the south Salt Lake Valley arts scene since 1938, when it opened as The Pearl, a neighborhood movie house. In its early days, audiences enjoyed vaudeville performances before feature films, and the theater quickly became a gathering place for the growing community.

Today, the nonprofit Draper Historic Theatre produces affordable, family-friendly musicals, comedies, and youth productions while offering opportunities for performers, technicians, and volunteers of all ages. 

Local Theater Recommendations in Utah

Hot Local Theater to Cool You Off

To go or not to go, that is the question.

Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the three hour drive from Salt Lake City

Or to remember it’s a world-class theater event in our own backyard

And by attending, participating in a 65-year tradition.

Thanks to my 11th grade AP Lit teacher for the extra credit for every line of the Hamlet soliloquy we memorized. And I thought I’d never use that again …

 is in full-swing in Cedar City, at Southern Utah University. Over the course of the summer and fall, actors and crews from around the world will put on productions for over 100,000 people! Add in an elevation climb and you have the perfect outdoor (and indoor) theater weather, in the mid 70s and 80s.

Founder Fred C. Adams began the festival in 1961 after joining the faculty at SUU and seeing the number of tourists who came to the area for state and national parks. Why not capitalize on a semi-captive audience?

Even if you don’t have tickets to a show, you can still participate in a free performance each night before the curtain rises. The Greenshow is a free, 30-minute outdoor performance presented before evening productions. 

Conceived by Barbara Adams, Fred's wife, the Greenshow recreates the festive atmosphere of Elizabethan theater with live music, dancing, storytelling, comedy, and audience participation on the lawn outside the theaters. The Greenshow is open to everyone and has become one of the festival's most beloved traditions.

A Guide to Utah's Shakespeare Festival 2026

Road-tripping for Shakespeare

If you haven't been outside today, congratulations on making excellent decisions. It's already hot, and 

 even more. Once the forecast starts flirting with triple-digit temps, frozen treats officially qualify as a food group. But before you reach for a pint of ice cream, remember: Not all frozen desserts come in a carton. Let's branch out.

Hot (cold?) take: We gave up on frozen yogurt far too quickly. It seemed there was a froyo place in every strip mall during the Golden Years of Hope and Change, and now just a few national chains remain. But one local chain has held on, bringing by-the-ounce frozen goodness to the masses.

 has three Utah County locations offering the froyo flavors and toppings you expect. My personal favorite is the original tart with loads of fresh fruit. It’s like a reward. But while some national chains feel like you’re encouraged to get your food and get the heck out, Froyo Frozen Yogurt is designed specifically for people, especially families, 

. A cool treat AND A/C? Sounds great to me!

Thanks to Utah's large Polynesian community, we get to enjoy island favorites like shave ice — and despite what I initially thought, it is 

 just a snow cone. The secret is in the ice itself. Shave ice is made with incredibly fine, fluffy ice that soaks up the syrup instead of letting it pool at the bottom of the cup. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream underneath (trust the process), and suddenly you're wondering why every frozen dessert isn't made this way.

if you'd like. But the real question is: Where should you get it?

 in Sugar House is the top rated shave ice stand on Yelp.

 serves up elevated shave ice flavors like rose and green tea matcha.

 offers Latin-inspired flavors as well as indoor seating.

Soft serve is my favorite form of ice cream. Its lighter, creamier texture makes it infinitely easier to eat on a hot day, and it plays especially well with mix-ins. Instead of getting soggy while sitting in a carton, cookies, candies, and toppings keep their crunch. It's science. Probably.

 serves soft serve that's anything but normal. The menu changes every month to showcase seasonal flavors, so there's always a reason to come back.

If you're a soft-serve purist, though, my pick is 

. Their classic chocolate-and-vanilla swirl has the perfect texture — slightly icier than most.

 is your answer. Frozen custard has more egg yolks than traditional ice cream, giving it an ultra-smooth, velvety texture that somehow feels both lighter and more indulgent. Bonus points for pairing it with a basket of fries, because sweet and salty is one of life's greatest combinations. Again, science. Probably.

The Best Cold Treats for Salt Lake's Heatwave

Cold Treats for a Hot Week

My Mexican-American nieces asked recently for paletas. Sure, we can get popsicles. No Auntie Shelby. Paletas. I had no idea I was stepping into a whole new world of frozen treats on a stick. If you've never had a paleta, imagine the world's best popsicle — handcrafted with real fruit, fresh cream, or both. They're creamier, fruitier, and infinitely more satisfying than the sticky, brightly colored popsicles many of us grew up with. And in Utah, we are lucky to have lots of local paleta makers!

Born from the rich paleta-making tradition of Tocumbo, Michoacán, 

 is bringing an authentic taste of Mexico to Salt Lake City. Founder Don Sergio learned the craft from his grandparents as a child, beginning at just nine years old. Rather than relying on written recipes, he perfected his techniques through memory, instinct, and experience — a philosophy that still guides every batch today. Since opening Heladita in 2019, the family-owned shop has combined three generations of knowledge with a commitment to fresh, natural ingredients and traditional craftsmanship.

The menu features more than 150 rotating flavors of artisan ice cream and paletas, from classics like tamarind, lime, coconut, and strawberries and cream to creative seasonal specialties. Every frozen treat is made with real fruit, fresh cream, and 100% natural ingredients, letting the flavors speak for themselves. Whether you're craving something bright and refreshing or rich and creamy, there's almost certainly a paleta with your name on it.

Heladita treats are available in Mexican grocery stores across the Wasatch Front, like Rancho Market and Anaya's Market.

The Problem With Paletas? There Isn’t One.

While Utah came to the U.S. of A. party a little later than some, there are some Salt Lake businesses that even pre-date Utah statehood. So while a 100-year-old business might seem like a startup to our friends across the pond, Salt Lake is home to plenty of local institutions that have stood the test of time.

Did you know Utah’s climate is ideal for making hard candies? The dry climate and cool winter temperatures brought British immigrant William Daw Startup and family to Utah and 158 years later, the Utah territory’s first candy shop is still selling confections today. You can buy their signature lollipops at 

 that Sterling Furniture Company is the latest Fun Time Kidz Kare, a place everyone seems to know but no one has actually been … or is ever seen coming or going. Sorry to ruin the fun, but it does seem to just be a furniture store. But not just any furniture store: one of the last bastions of 

. After several locations along the Wasatch Front, the iconic blue-awninged building opened its doors in 1941. The company’s longevity also isn’t hurt by the fact that the 

family owns and manages surrounding properties

 that house other small businesses and apartments. It may not sell the trendiest furniture but you will find quality, made-in-America pieces for a decent price. And you don’t have to put it together yourself.

A Sugar House business almost as old as the modern bicycle itself, Guthrie Bicycle is one of, if not THE, oldest bicycle shops in the country. The shop started in 1888 by two brothers, just a couple years after the modern “

” you and I would recognize as a bicycle, was invented. The business changed hands several times in the proceeding years but has been owned by the same family for the last 50 years. Guthrie Bicycle sells new bikes for all ages and terrains, as well as offers repair and fitting services, and all the accessories for your hobby.

I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of menswear begins and ends at the feed of writer 

. But UWM Men’s Shop, formerly Utah Woolen Mills, has been meeting the suiting and tailoring needs of Utahns since 1905. The business has 

that whole time, even as the focus shifted from textiles to high-quality menswear. 2020 was not the year for any of us, and the earthquake left the building on South Temple unsafe. After 119 years on the same block, the storefront recently reopened in Murray.

The Oldest Salt Lake Businesses

Salt Lake Businesses in It for the Long Haul

Look, I think every great diner should be owned by a former cabaret singer with an unfiltered-two-pack-a-day habit. That's exactly the kind of person I trust to make exceptional diner food. 

At 96 years old, Ruth's isn't the oldest spot on this list, but in restaurant years, it's practically prehistoric.

I'm genuinely disappointed Ruth didn't live forever, or at least write a memoir. She made it to 94 despite a legendary smoking habit, and by all accounts she had enough stories to fill several books.

She opened her first restaurant, Ruth's Hamburgers, across the street from a downtown "house of ill repute," where she became an unofficial confidante to the women who worked there and heard plenty about their 

 clientele. When the building was demolished, Ruth moved into an old trolley car before hauling the whole thing up Emigration Canyon, where it still serves as part of the restaurant today.

For decades, Ruth's was a favorite of University of Utah students, particularly fraternity brothers, thanks to its famously relaxed approach to smoking and drinking. Her chihuahuas also had a reputation for biting customers they didn't care for. It’s a good thing Yelp didn’t exist in those days.

After changing hands a few times, including to one of those former frat boys, the diner is now owned by a husband-and-wife team who both worked as Ruth's employees. They've carefully modernized the restaurant with a spacious patio, live music, and, much to the likely dismay of Ruth herself, actual enforcement of indoor smoking bans and ID checks.

Every meal begins with Ruth's famous Mile High Biscuits and raspberry jam, which are reason enough to make the drive into Emigration Canyon. I'm not much of a morning person, but I 

 a breakfast person, so I deeply appreciate that breakfast is served until 4 p.m. That means I can order the migas at a civilized hour, which, I choose to believe, is exactly what Ruth would have wanted.

The History of Ruth's Diner in Utah

Ruth's Diner: Burgers, Biscuits, and a Brothel

It’s great to play tourist in your own city, but sometimes you want to go somewhere else entirely. If a plane ticket isn’t in the budget right now, food is a pretty good substitute. For less than the cost of gas to get to the airport, you can transport yourself to the islands with a visit to 

This mom and pop business (literally) started in 

, first in Hawaii and now in Utah. There, Jolene began making budda rolls to sell around the holidays. A budda roll, for the uninitiated, is a fluffy dinner roll packed with an almost irresponsible amount of butter. What started as a seasonal side hustle quickly grew into a devoted following, eventually leading to a brick-and-mortar location in Pleasant Grove and, most recently, a new outpost in Salt Lake City.

According to the Budda’s team, I wasn't the only one making the Utah County pilgrimage. In fact, the steady stream of Salt Lakers showing up for pastries and plate lunches helped convince the family that it was time to expand.

While the bakery case alone is worth the visit, don’t overlook the rest of the menu. Budda’s serves breakfast all day, including island favorites like Loco Moco, Spam musubi, and Portuguese sausage. On my visit, I ordered a breakfast sandwich and then exercised remarkable restraint by limiting myself to only ONE box full of pastries to take home. Everything was excellent. For lunch and dinner, you'll find burgers, teriyaki plates, bulgogi bento boxes, and other Hawaiian comfort-food staples that make it very difficult to decide on just one thing.

What makes Budda’s stand out, though, isn’t just the food. The Keli’iliki family has built community service into the business itself. At both locations, customers can prepay for a meal for someone who may be struggling. The receipt is posted on the wall, and anyone in need can simply take one to the counter and redeem it for a meal. It's a simple idea, but a powerful one.

When I asked about the program, the Budda’s team described it as a small way to give back to the communities that have supported them from a home kitchen to multiple locations. And honestly, that might be the sweetest thing on the menu.

Hawaiian Food to Try in Salt Lake

A Taste of Hawaii on a Staycation Budget

Recently on the City Cast Salt Lake podcast, the team shared their 

. While experiences are great, I also love a good trinket to remind me of a trip. So where should you shop for a Salt Lake souvenir, whether you're treating yourself or sending an out-of-towner home with a piece of Utah?

My favorite spot for the classic souvenir, but elevated. (Get it? 

 OK, moving on.) You'll find fine art and prints featuring Utah's natural beauty, locally made soaps and candles, and yes, the requisite magnet. The shop features work from more than 350 makers, most of them local, all of them small and independent. Wear your love for Salt Lake on your sleeve … or on your Stanley or your fridge.

Note: The 9th & 9th location is not wheelchair accessible, but the Fashion Place location in Murray is!

Another 9th & 9th favorite, Mochi Kids is packed with the funnest toys, clothes, games, and craft supplies to take back to the kids you're temporarily abandoning on your staycation. You may also end up with a sheet of stickers for yourself because vacation is about finding joy. And breaking news, 

You may recognize Mochi Kids from their screen-printed T-shirts at events like Craft Lake City. They've since grown into a full brick-and-mortar and online shop stocked with much more than tees, while continuing to support local printers and socially minded causes.

Think of it as the farmers market that never closes. With four locations across the valley, it's the easiest way to stock up on local favorites year-round: June Pie, Milk Honey yogurt, Cutler's Cookies (my personal champion in Utah's cookie wars, but that's a newsletter for another day), and dozens of other Utah-made treats.

If you want a souvenir you'll actually use, grab a bottle of Redmond Real Salt. It’s harvested from an 

 in Redmond, Utah, in Sevier County. Every pinch can transport you right back to your vacation.

Since 1997, Ken Sanders Rare Books has specialized in Utah history, Mormon studies, Western Americana, national parks, the Colorado River, and the literary West. Inside the old Leonardo Museum, browse three floors of new and used books, artwork, collectibles, and ephemera. Even if you leave empty-handed, it's worth wandering the stacks and imagining what treasures are hiding on the next shelf.