eat here!

because I'm always taking pictures of my food.....why not share our favorite places? Here are some we've gathered over the past few years--all photos courtesy of my phone. (a few more food posts here....just keep scrolling)

check back often for updates! 

and just because it's NOT on here, doesn't mean it isn't good.....it just means we haven't tried it yet. 
Tell us where to go!

all titles should link to websites if available

UTAH
The Copper Onion
5*

salt lake. 

WOW. We have only been once, and can't wait to get back. It would have knocked our socks off had we not been wearing sandals. I want to go back just for a cheese plate for lunch--we tried one cheese that I still dream about. The menu is seasonal and local, and for a nice dinner out the prices are pretty reasonable. I had a really awesome burger and chocolate peanut butter torte after I'd hiked Timp that day.

Pago
4.5* 
(half star deduction only for the dessert)
Salt Lake.
Perfect for a nice date night. Seasonal and local ingredients, and maybe the best burger I've ever had (it's a toss up between this one and Oscars). (yes I order a burger for date night, how lady like, right?) Candied bacon, arugula, and gruyere cheese, with enough truffle fries for 10 people. 
yum.

Skip the dessert though.......not my favorite, sorry pago.

The Pie
4*
salt lake/ft union
A fun place to take out-of-towners. Great pizza with thick sourdough crust. We like the extreme veggie, and sometimes add chicken. And they deliver!
great for kids.


Bombay House
4*
salt lake
Best Indian in Utah!
My kids love it too.


Lone Star Taqueria
4*
ft. union
I love the fish tacos. The breakfast burrito is amazing and giant and amazingly giant. It's the perfect place to stop after you're up the canyon riding or hiking.
great for kids



Pizzeria Limone
3.5*
ft. union

Great pizza! Brick oven pizza with fresh (and slightly unusual!) ingredients and really reasonable prices. Try lemon, blackberries, or pears on your pizza.....so so good.
The kids love that you can watch them make it.
great for kids

RED IGUANA
4*

salt lake

It gets busy--check out Red Iguana 2--the exact same menu, right around the corner.

order: they are known for their mole--but order anything. 

you can't go wrong. If you are more for traditional mexican, try the flautas.
great for kids

Chanon Thai.
4*

salt lake.

Our favorite Thai. I love all of their mismatched dishes. This place is suuuuuuuper spicy. If you usually order your thai at a level 4 or 5, keep it around a 2.  

Slab Pizza

4*

Provo.

The bigest piece of pizza you will ever eat. I have heard it's all good......I LOVED the potato/rosemary/bacon/feta combo.
kids loved the classic pepperoni. 

Cup O Sno

4*

sandy

Our favorite little (tiny!) place for shaved ice on a hot summer day.

RUBY SNAP

5*

salt lake

best cookies I have ever eaten.

in my life.

they haunt my dreams.

my favorite is Penelope.

I like them for my birthday.

of course it's perfect for kids!

Ruths Diner
3*

salt lake.

because how often do you get to eat in an 80 year old train car? 

Go for breakfast.
great for kids

Hatch Family Chocolates
5*

salt lake.

Where you drink perfect hot molten chocolate. mmmmm....

and the frozen hot chocolate is AMAZING.
get your kids an ice cream cone!

Cafe Rio. 
3.5*

It's everywhere.

It's always a hit with out of state guests.
great for kids.

Settebello. 
4.5*

salt lake.

Our favorite local pizza. You will find us there for every family birthday celebration. We've literally tried every pizza on the menu.....you can't go wrong. Also my favorite gelato.
my kids' favorite.

Frogurt. 
3*

fort union/draper

Frozen Yogurt.

Favorite famliy treat-you pay by the ounce and dish up whatever you fancy.

The Riverhorse
5*

park city

We have gone to this place a couple times over the past few years and have loved every bite. It's seasonal and local, and it is a bit on the pricey side so we have saved it for special occasions. The food is amazing, from appetizer to dessert,we have always had the best service, and the live music is just a bonus.

 

Java Cow
4.5*

park city

gooooood icecream.

 

Oishi 
4*

park city

Awesome sushi + all rolls are half off in the summer!
kids welcome here!

 

Hi-Mountain Drug
4*

kamas

yes, it's a drugstore. They have a counter and a few tables and it's always packed out the door. The burgers are award winning and awesome after a day out in the Uintas. Awesome thick shakes with real ingredients too.

great family place

 

Windy Ridge Bakery and Cafe
4*

park city.

Go for lunch and grab a few things from the bakery before you go home.

Oscars
4.5*

Springdale, (right outside Zion National Park)

So good we ate there two days in a row after playing in Zion.

I highly recommend the Maui Burger.
Great place for breakfast too.
great family place

NOT PICTURED:
Tarahumara 
4.5*
Midway 
Ok this is funny. We are basically here once a week this summer.....a fun place to hang out with friends and then food is awesome. ......yet I haven't taken a picture.....I WILL! soon! I'm always so busy shoving salsa in my face.
We have tried almost everything on the menu and it's all good. The tacos are a bit plain but spruce them up with the mango salsa and maybe a little cilantro cream and they are great.
It's the best salsa bar I have even experienced.....so many to choose from!

CALIFORNIA
Icing on the Cupcake

4*

rocklin

There is a local cupcake place here that people go all crazy over.....I don't get it. 
But THESE cupcakes are worth talking about, yes they are.

Tartine Bakery
5*

san francisco

I've still never tried lunch here, but all the desserts are amazing. You can order to go and take it to the park down the street. 

Also, order everything.

Dotties True Blue Cafe. 
4*

san francisco
Go for breakfast....but go as early as you can--the line is CRAZY.

Tony's 
5*

san francisco (few more photos here)
Best pizza I've ever eaten in my life.

Order the baked burrata appetizer.

here's one of the guys who makes your pizza.

Taylors
3.5*

loomis
Cute little (no really, it's tiny) diner. Loved their homemade chips and zucchini fries.
great for families

Sam's Chowder House
4*

half moon bay (few more photos here)
The salmon burger will rock your world. 

did I just say rock your world?

Erick Schat's Bakkery
5*
Bishop
Now THIS is a bakery. Name a baked good and they have it. We were grabbing a quick on the go breakfast so we went with an assortment of donuts and breakfast sandwiches. I really wished I could have hung out until lunch time to try a sandwich on their famous bread followed by a piece of cake. 
This place is huge and just adorable inside--a MUST if you find yourself in Bishop, California.
a kids dream.


Raymonds Deli
4.5*
Bishop
Gooooooood sandwiches. 
The triple grilled cheese is the best grilled cheese you will ever have. 
I LOVED the veggie hummus wrap.
kids loved it.


Chocolat Cremerie
4.5*
San Diego
I need to get back here. We just grabbed some gelato to go (excellent gelato) but their dessert crepes looked so good as well. 


Blue Water Seafood
5*
San Diego
Fresh. Fish. 
That's all I need to say. 
I went with fish tacos but sampled friends' fish plates and it was ALL good.


Sprinkles Cupcakes
5*
all over southern california
Ok ok so Sprinkles is old news to most people. They'd been hyped up so much that by the time I tried one I thought they would disappoint......and they didn't. 
You guys, they don't mess around here. 
These are some serious cupcakes. Please someone tell me when Utah will get a decent cupcake place.....do you know of one? The Sweet Tooth Fairy just doesn't do it for me.
I want something like this.


NOT PICTURED:
Whoa Nellie Deli
4*
Lee Vining
In a hurried stop I didn't have my phone but I have to make note of this place. Chances are slim that you will ever be in the area, but if you happen to be in Lee Vining on your way in or out of Yosemite stop at the Mobile Gas Station, (really!) and get the fish tacos. 
They are a bit on the pricey side (what do you expect for a major tourist stop?) but it's really good food--and so fresh compared to what you can usually get when you are on the road.

MONTANA
Big Dipper Ice Cream
5*
Missoula
I am not ashamed to admit that I am a pretty big ice cream snob....and this place is FANTASTIC. 
Creamy and flavorful and SO many different kinds to try. And you have to try their homemade waffle cones. So good we ate their twice in one week on a recent trip.

Wheat Montana.
3.5*

all over MT
bakery for breakfast and lunch.
I have to have this when I go home.....sometimes twice.

No Sweat Cafe
3.5*
Helena
I won't lie, I hate the name....but the food is good. It's harder to find the cool local spots in smaller Montana towns, but we loved this stop for breakfast and would gladly go back for more.

IDAHO
El Herradero
5*
Pocatello
Now my 5 star rating is based on the nachos alone (I haven't tried anything else yet but I'm pretty sure it would be amazing). These nachos were the BEST I have ever had. Loaded with everything-and get the super enchilada nachos--they have enchilada sauce on them. A GIANT plate for just $10. 
good family place.

CANADA

Wild Flour Bakery
4*
Banff, Alberta
We only ate breakfast here (whole wheat waffles and a breakfast sandwich) and I wish we could have tried lunch as well. 
So tasty and fresh.
kids loved it


Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company
4.5*
Canmore, Alberta
This was fantastic pizza. I loved my choice--sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and goat cheese....all cooked right before your eyes (and the crust is even whole wheat!) I wish we had one closer--their salads and pastas looked delicious as well.
great family place



Bear Street Tavern
4*
Banff, Alberta
Such a good veggie filled calzone! The crust is whole wheat and they serve their pizza with chile oil and honey.....soooo good.

great family place