This Week Downtown
Sep 13, 2023
OPEN THE VAULT!
Hotel Monaco has finished its top-to-bottom renovation, including one of our favorite bars, The Vault. The once-tiny bar is a bit bigger, amping up the sophistication, but retaining all the charm of its former self. And, all you blue-cheese-potato-chip fans, Chef Patrick LeBeau updated the dish with fresh-fried Idaho potato chips accompanying a smoked blue cheese, Monterrey jack dip. (It’s delish).
From the folks behind The People’s Coffee and right across the street (inside The Randi) comes The Block Barbershop. This newest edition at Second and Second only adds to the vibrancy of the neighborhood–especially with that awesome neon! Road construction is finished, there are a ton of interesting shops, bars, restaurants, and a new liquor store is just a few months away… is 2nd and 2nd rivaling 9th and 9th?
Private event space, The Tasting Room near The Gateway on 200 South has applied to become a bar, operating under the same name. Intriguing… We love how the owners have finished the 1900’s Goodyear Rubber Factory with beautiful exposed brick and wood. We are excited for the convivial possibilities in this gem.
A stone’s throw up the street, the former Finca/George property is getting some love from a venerable Park City restaurateur. The location in Park City has many, many accolades. We might live across the street from these two downtown additions. We will try to contain our excitement.
We will keep an eye on these... A sign appeared this week inside the Judge Building on the corner of Broadway and Main Street: “New York Pizza Kitchen, coming spring 2024.” Killer–we mean killer–location, this place should print money when they open. Down the street between Cupbop and Kaze Sushi, another ‘coming soon’ wrap has appeared for Boba Tea. The beloved Thai shop on south temple Sawadee opened Sawadee 2Go seemingly overnight on Gallivan Avenue. Next door Kafé Mamai will have opened by the time you read this. The African-Caribbean food truck puts down stakes and offers up their jerk cheeseburgers and sambusas
Next to Main Street’s 222 Building, Mali Thai is sometimes overlooked. It has been rebranded as SHIM. Check them out—the lunch specials offer some delicious curries.
SHH!
We’re burying this one a bit. Citizen is still in a soft opening period, but that’s not the reason we put it at the end of our column. It is a charming little neighborhood bar inside the new Lotus Republic on 300 East near South Temple. Views of downtown from the patio are picturesque, the bar itself is gorgeous, and very kind bartenders are interested and interesting. See why we’d want to keep it to ourselves? 
