Nominees: Manoli & Katrina Katsanevas of Manoli’s
Manoli’s has been open for six years but Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas have been cooking for more than a decade. Manoli started working in a family restaurant at age 13 and his wife Katrina learned to cook at home. Manoli’s menu takes traditional Greek dishes and adds presentation and influence from France, Spain and Italy to create flavorful Mediterranean cuisine.
“We’re both Greek, but we didn’t just want to go the traditional Greek route,” Manoli says. “We put the emphasis on local, fresh, simple, healthy, just really good Mediterranean food. One of our biggest inspirations is just seeing how much our customers enjoy our food, and how that can make an impact in their lives and change their day. That’s why you get into the business, to feed and please people.”
“When people have a really great dining experience, it changes their mood,” Katrina says. “We’re very big about being in the present…we emphasize shared plates, so it’s about being there, in the moment, with each other, with the people that you love.”
Dishes not to miss
“My favorite is the octopus,” Manoli says. “I love the octopus, and our pilaf—homemade lemon rice—is very comforting. Those are probably two dishes that I could eat every day. The octopus is also my favorite thing to make.”
“My favorite would be our garides—a grilled shrimp served over polenta,” Katrina says. “And I’ve always loved dolmades (grape leaves served with rice, herbs, tomato, house Greek yogurt). I could eat those at 2 a.m. right out of the fridge.”
One cool thing
“We do a killer brunch on the weekend,” Manoli says. “We bring Greek inspiration to traditional brunch dishes.”
Manoli’s // 402 E. Harvey Milk Blvd. (900 S.) #2, SLC, 801-532-3760
Nominated by: Mike Blocher of Table X
‘Why I love Manoli’s’
“Manoli introduced himself to me right after we opened Table X. I love that his menu has so much traditional Greek flavor presented in a simple, modern way. It’s a unique concept for Salt Lake. As a chef/owner myself, I wish I could get out more and enjoy Manoli’s food. I always respect, admire and relate to people that not just own their business but also work in their restaurants every night and lead by example.”
Why does Manoli’s deserve to be recognized in the 2022 Dining Awards?
“Manoli and Katrina work so hard and have always been gracious and kind in welcoming us to the SLC food scene years ago. We’ve enjoyed doing events, collaboration and charity dinners with them and they set a great example of what local restaurant owners should strive to be.” — Mike Blocher of Table X
Table X // 1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712
This year, we are doing our Dining Awards a little bit differently. In the spirit of Utah’s close-knit and supportive dining industry, we asked some of the top industry professionals to nominate their favorite chefs. The 2022 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards presents 12 honorees, each paired by their mutual admiration for each other and love of good food. Read the full list of winners. Subscribe for more Salt Lake magazine.
