More Sushi! More Mexican! More Everything!
Aug 14, 2024
For many, being served a meal outside feels just a little more special and festive than eating indoors. But following this last year of eating restaurant food out of to-go boxes, we’re anticipating that this season’s return of patio dining will be particularly sweet. Following is a round-up of downtown Salt Lake restaurant patios, decks and sidewalks where you can partake in a fantastic meal or cocktail in the great outdoors. Cheers!
Upscale Patios, for Date Night or a Girls Night Out
Exceptional Italian fare with a thoughtfully curated wine list served against the backdrop of a verdantly elegant patio is what you’ll find on the lovely patio at Caffé Molise (404 S. West Temple). Though the opening of its neighbor, the Broadway Cinemas is still TBD, the team at the Copper Onion (111 E. Broadway) are now serving the elevated comfort food they are so well known for both inside and outside on the covered patio.
Plenty of greenery gives the brick-walled patio at Current Fish & Oyster (279 E. 300 South) a distinctly hip and modern vibe. The seafood-centric menu, well-assembled wine list and creative cocktails there are pretty impressive, too. 
Though certainly outside, the intimate back patio at Eva (317 S. Main St.), festooned with hanging plants and string lights, is a charming backdrop for the well-executed small plates and drinks served there. Scheduled to open nearer to Mother’s Day.
Bars, Brewpubs and Other Casual Joints
There’s nothing quite like sitting outside in the sun on a balmy day and sipping a perfectly poured pint. If that sounds like heaven to you, then you’ll love the Beer Bar (161 E. 200 South).
The wooden-slat walled patio at the Copper Common (Broadway & Edison Streets) is an ideal place to quaff a Mountain Medley (the house’s riff on a Moscow Mule) and nibble on an order of roasted beets or a spicy pizza while you watch the world go by on Broadway.
Ginger Street (324 S. State St.) paints a pretty wide brush in terms of the Southeast Asian cuisine you’ll find on the menu at this fun, energetic spot, including dumplings, pad Thai and a French dip/ban mi sandwich mashup.
See and be seen at Gracie’s (326 S. West Temple) fun rooftop deck, where the party is always just getting started. What’s more, an ample and well-executed dinner menu makes Gracie’s an ideal destination for more than just-drinks. 
Though you can get Sunday brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night snacks at the Green Pig Pub (31 E. 400 South), most people go for drinks and one of the Green Pigs many themed event nights, which include trivia, karaoke and a blues jam.
Whether their claim of “the largest outdoor patio in downtown SLC” is true or not, the patio at The Ivy (55 W. 100 South) certainly is roomy, allowing plenty of space to stretch out and partake in one of the mixologists creative cocktails or something from the enticing dinner and small plates menu.
The Staten Island-esque vibe at Maxwell’s East Coast Eatery/Fat Kid Pizza (357 S. Main St), gratefully located in the heart of downtown SLC, is all about hospitality, old school Southern Italian fare and good times. Watch for the outdoor dining to reopen here when the exterior construction is completed later this summer.
A canopy and hanging flower baskets make sitting on the small sidewalk patio at Red Lotus Bistro (329 S. State St) a lovely way to spend your midday or evening meal. Doing so while sipping this eatery’s kumquat basil seed refresher makes the experience even better.
A staple of the downtown brewing and dining scene since 1994, Red Rock Brewery (254 S. 200 West) offers consistently tasty fare and expertly crafted beer served on a comfortable, family-friendly patio.
Those in the know head down to The Gateway to gather around the firepits in front of the hip Seabird Bar & Vinyl Room (7 S. Rio Grande). There you can sip seasonal craft cocktails (or beer and wine) whilst listening to vinyl-recorded tunes.
The lavash wrap sandwiches, aka doners, are the cornerstone of the satisfying menu at Spitz (35 Broadway). When you go, however, arrive hungry, and consider getting an order of the to-die-for Berliner Fries, too. Along with a cold draft beer or glass of icy sangria, of course.
The enclosed back patio at Squatter’s (147 W. 300 South)—the first brewpub to open in Salt Lake City in 1989—is the ideal setting for sampling a flight of craft beers alongside an order of their famous fish and chips. What’s more, well-behaved dogs are welcome on Squatter’s patio, too.
You’ll forget you’re dining downtown at Stoneground’s (249 E. 400 South) private and protected patio, where you can nosh on New York-style pies and housemade pasta.
Conveniently located next door to Bar-X, the sidewalk patio at Taqueria 27 (149 E. 200 South) is a popular spot to sit under the cheery red umbrellas for margaritas, tacos and an order of housemade chips and smashed-to-order guacamole.
String lights and pro DJs light up most nights on the huge outdoor patio at Twist Bar & Bistro (32 Exchange Place), located on the historic Exchange Place cul-de-sac. 
For a neighborhood-tavern vibe with satisfyingly excellent food, head straight to Poplar Street Pub (242 S. 200 West)—the perfect spot to watch the game, even from outside on the big outdoor patio.
Herbivores have no dilemma about where to go for vegan fare, well-made cocktails and live music in downtown SLC: the patio at Zest Kitchen & Bar (275 S. 200 West).
Fast Casual
Precious few eateries in Utah can claim the food-institution status enjoyed by Caputo’s Market & Deli (314 W. 300 South), where you can knock out some grocery shopping after you sit on the Pioneer Park-facing patio eating your yummy made-to-order deli sandwich.
If you haven’t been to downtown’s midblock thoroughfare between Main and State (bookended by 100 and 200 South), it’s high time you paid Regent Street—aka good-eats alley—a visit. There you can indulge in a delectably drippy fried chicken sandwich and can of rosé at Pretty Bird Hot Chicken (146 Regent St); good-for-you acai bowls, smoothies and toasts at Honest Eatery (115 Regent Street) and authentic Mexican street food at Maize Tacos (135 Regent Street)—all three of which offer sidewalk seating.
