It’s a restaurant and brewpub, with the emphasis on small plates and late hours. The food is inventive, the beer is good and—big plus—they serve cocktails as well as brew at this neighborhood hot spot.

This colorful downtown restaurant has a charming downstairs location and patio, and has been a Salt Lake staple for decades. Enchiladas, tacos, and “jengo” nachos—piled high on a platter—are all good, as are the margaritas. A nifty addition: phone chargers

Blue Lemon’s sleek interior and high-concept food have city style. Informal but chic, many-flavored but healthy, Blue Lemon’s unique take on food and service is a happy change from downtown’s food-as-usual.

Meat, meat and more meat is the order of the day at this Brazilian-style churrascaria buffet.

Brick & Mortar is a bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown (where Campos Coffee used to be). It’s a gastro pub with a mean brunch game, but the lunch and dinner (and after-dinner drinks) won’t disappoint. 

Pizzas from the wood-fired brick oven are wonderful. One of the city’s premier and perennial lunch spots. Be sure to check out their weekly specials. 

Caffe d'Bolla John Piquet is a coffee wizard—a cup of his specially roasted siphon brews is like no other cup of coffee in the state. His wife, Yiching, is an excellent baker. Salt Lake magazine’s Dining Guide is a select

Pastries and a few hot dishes make this a fave morning stop. For lunch, try the herbed goat cheese on a chewy baguette.

Most dishes come in either "hearty" or "petite" portion sizes. This means you can enjoy a smoked salmon pizzetta or fried rock shrimp appetizer and then a petite order of fire-roasted pork chops with adobo rub and black bean-corn salsa. Expect crowds.

This longtime favorite turns out sophisticated Italian classics like veal scaloppine, carbonara and a risotto of the day in a chic setting. A tiny cup of complimentary hot chocolate ends the meal.

Good pub fare and freshly brewed beer make this a hot spot for shoppers, the business crowd and ski bums.

A smart French-style cafe and bakery in the heart of downtown. Different bakers are behind the patisserie and the boulangerie, meaning sweet and daily breads get the attention they deserve. Go for classics like onion soup and croque monsieur, but don’t ignore other specials and always leave with at least one loaf of bread.

Finally, SLC has a Jewish deli worthy of the name. Stop by for your hot pastrami fix or to satisfy your latke craving or your yen for knishes.