What used to be an unassuming alley in the heart of downtown, home to little more than a few choice parking spots for moviegoers headed to nearby Broadway Centre Cinemas, today Edison Street is flush with some of Salt Lake’s hippest hangouts.
The street is anchored on the north end by Lebanese and Moroccan restaurant Cedars of Lebanon (152 E 200 S, cedarsoflebanonrestaurant.com)—make a reservation for the weekend when kebabs and couscous are served with a side of bellydancing—and on the south end by bar/restaurant Copper Common (111 E Broadway, Ste 190, coppercommon.com). Order a round of craft cocktails (just $6 each, Sunday through Thursday) from the knowledgeable mixologists and nosh on bar snacks and small plates like house pickles, deviled eggs, and shrimp ceviche.
Just around the corner from Cedars of Lebanon is Sailor Taylor Tattoo (215 S Edison St, sailortaylortatttoo.com), the one-man inkery and piercing parlor of artist Taylor Millet. Across the street is Edison’s newest addition: Campos Coffee Roastery &Kitchen (228 S Edison St, us.camposcoffee.com). The urban roaster and java shop is the second stateside outpost of the Australian-based Campos brand (the first landed up in Park City). Friendly waiters with Aussie accents serve breakfast and lunch fare with a dash of Down Under flare—think dippy eggs with toast soldiers, vegemite braised short ribs with tomato sauce—not to be confused with ketchup—and Tim Tam milkshakes. If dessert for breakfast is your thing, try the Australian Iced Coffee with housemade ice cream and whipped cream.
Neighboring Campos is Diabolical Records (238 S Edison St, diabolicalrecords.com). In a world where digital music is king and record stores are an endangered species, Diabolical is on the up and up thanks to their curated selection of indie music on vinyl and tape, free weekly concerts from local and touring bands, and their semi-annual Bandemonium event (July and December)—the willing are randomly paired with a local band and have two weeks to create a five- to 10-minute set, to be performed in the store. Next door to Diabolical is edgy advertising agency Super Top Secret (244 S Edison St, wearetopsecret.com). The speakeasy-like office space lends a dose of mystery and intrigue to the block, but one thing’s certain: the secret is out on the allure of Edison Street.