The best food and drink in Utah
Utah is known for the Olympics-worthy Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges, the Great Salt Lake, and some of the most stunning national parks in the country, including Zion, Arches, and Bryce Canyon. But the Beehive State is buzzing with culinary wonders as well: Heber Valley artisanal cheese, Bear Lake raspberries, and Mile High biscuits. To celebrate all the great food and drink our country’s 45th state has to offer, we’ve rounded up 18 of Utah’s claims to culinary fame as part of our first annual guide to the best food and drink in every state.
The Best Food and Drink in Utah for 2018 (Gallery)
Utah offers so much more than just breathtaking geography: Its natural bounty includes trout, stone fruit, heritage lamb, and honey. Though they are now known for abstaining from alcohol, in the 1800s Utah Mormons were famous for Valley Tan, a whiskey made from local wheat and potatoes. A near replica of the original recipe can found at the High West Distillery in Wanship. Utah was also a key state in the repeal of Prohibition, becoming the 36th (and thus deciding) state to approve the 21st Amendment. Navajo tacos are popular across the state, and utilize fry bread as the base of the taco, instead of a tortilla. This local favorite is influenced by the Navajo Indian tribe in the southeastern part of the state; try one at Black Sheep at Epic Brewing Company’s Sugarhouse location. Though the Great Salt Lake may get all the glory, the pink salt (called “Real Salt”) that’s harvested from an underground deposit near the town of Redmond is especially prized across the state, and contains over 60 trace minerals. You can enjoy a cocktail with a rim of Real Salt at craft cocktail bar Under Current.
Utah is home to many iconic foods, and over the course of the past year we’ve honored everything from its best steakhouse and grocery store to its best dive bar and Italian restaurant in our comprehensive and wide-ranging lists and rankings, compiled through extensive research and with input from a wide network of site contributors, bloggers, journalists, and chefs. We’ve compiled these into individual slideshows celebrating the best food and drink in every state, and you can find our Utah gallery here.
More Best in Every State
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