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SALT LAKE CITY — The best restaurant in Utah for 2018 is Salt Lake City’s Pago, according to Salt Lake Magazine readers.
The publication announced the winners of its annual dining awards on Tuesday evening. Pago, located at 878 S. 900 East, is the winner of the readers' choice award for best restaurant in Utah.
Pago founder and owner Scott Evans said it is an honor to continue being recognized as the state’s best nine years in.
“It means a lot to our team and everybody working there,” Evans said. “They take a lot of pride in being recognized for all their hard work and pushing the boundaries.”
Started in 2009, Pago specializes in ingredient-driven food curated by executive chef Phelix Gardner, Evans said. The restaurant’s rotating menu features items made with whatever vegetables are in season.
The kitchen staff makes pasta from scratch, so there’s always a fresh pasta dish on the menu, Evans said. Another signature dish is the Pago burger, for which the restaurant has won awards, he said.
Several other restaurants that are part of the Pago Restaurant Group also were recognized by the magazine, including Trestle Tavern, East Liberty Tap House and Hub and Spoke Diner.
Chefs working at a handful of the restaurants recognized, including Fireside on Regent, Table X and Manoli’s, said they got their start working at Pago, Evans said.
“It’s cool to see the next generation of people who have worked with us also expanding and doing their own business,” Evans said.
Evans is from Utah and has worked in the restaurant industry all across the state for decades. Though it’s still a smaller market, Salt Lake’s restaurant scene is improving, he said.
It’s completely different from when he started Pago in 2009, Evans added. Before then, he would frequently need to explain common culinary terms to customers.
In the last 10 years, though, the overall knowledge of diners has improved dramatically in Utah, Evans said. The growing prominence of Food Network and other food-focused television is partially responsible for that, he said.
“More and more people know the basics,” Evans said. “They’re more adventurous, they’re more open to things and craving new flavors — that’s been a huge upswing and a huge improvement because we like to offer new flavors rather than things that are more popular.”
There are at least 10 restaurants now in Salt Lake City that would be great in any other city if you picked them up and moved them there, Evans said. He couldn’t have said that a decade ago.
“That’s what I think is exciting,” Evans said. “More young people finally are feeling confident in putting their own take on the food that they want to cook. It’s great to see a lot of new chefs and restaurant people who are really doing their own food.”
See the full list of winners below or at saltlakemagazine.com/2018-dining-award-winners.
Salt Lake Magazine 2018 Dining Award winners
HSL
418 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City
801-539-9999
Stoneground Kitchen
249 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City
801-364-1368
Manoli’s
402 E. Harvey Milk Blvd, Salt Lake City
801-532-3760
Table X
1457 E. 3350 South, Salt Lake City
385-528-3712
Tin Angel Cafe
365 W. 400 South, Salt Lake City
801-328-4155
Fireside on Regent
126 S. Regent Street, Salt Lake City
801-359-4011
Alamexo
268 S. State Street, Salt Lake City
801-779-4747
Cucina
1026 2nd Ave., Salt Lake City
801-322-3055
Veneto
370 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City
801-359-0708
Firewood
306 Main St., Park City
435-252-9900
Silver Star Cafe
1825 Three Kings Drive, Park City
435-655-3456
The Paris
1500 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City
801-486-5585
Provisions
3364 S. 2300 East, Salt Lake City
801-410-4046
Restaurant Hall of Fame
Salt Lake Magazine inducts restaurants to the hall of fame that have been awarded consistently over the years.
Log Haven
6451 Millcreek Canyon Road, Salt Lake City
801-272-8255
Takashi
18 W. Market St., Salt Lake City
801-519-9595
Aristo’s
224 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City
801-581-0888
Hell’s Backbone Grill
No. 20 North Utah Highway 12, Boulder
435-335-7464
Red Iguana
736 North Temple, Salt Lake City
801-322-1489
Mazza Cafe
1515 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City
801-484-9259
912 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City
801-521-4572
Squatters Pub Brewery
147 Broadway, Salt Lake City
801-363-2739
Readers' Choice Awards
Best Restaurant in Utah
Pago
878 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City
801-532-0777
Best Restaurant, Salt Lake City
HSL
418 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City
801-539-9999
Best Restaurant, Park City
Silver Star Cafe
1825 Three Kings Drive, Park City
435-655-3456
Best Restaurant, Ogden
Tona Sushi
210 25th St., Ogden
801-622-8662
Best Restaurant, Provo
Communal
102 N. University Ave., Provo
801-373-8000
Best Restaurant, Moab and Southeast Utah
Hell’s Backbone Grill
No. 20 North Utah Highway 12, Boulder
435-335-7464
Best Restaurant, St. George and Southwest Utah
Painted Pony
2 West St. George Blvd. #22, St. George
435-634-1700
Best Undiscovered Restaurant
Trestle Tavern
1513 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City
801-532-3372
Best Indian Restaurant
Bombay House
2731 Parleys Way, Salt Lake City
801-581-0222
Best Chinese Restaurant
Mandarin
348 E. 900 North, Bountiful
801-298-2406
Best Japanese Restaurant
Takashi
18 W. Market Street, Salt Lake City
801-519-9595
Best Mexican Restaurant
Red Iguana
736 North Temple, Salt Lake City
801-322-1489
Best Southeast Asian Restaurant
Chanon Thai Cafe
278 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City
801-532-1177
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant
Mazza Cafe
1515 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City
801-484-9259
912 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City
801-521-4572
Best Breakfast
bake 360
725 E. 12300 South, Draper
801-571-1500
Best lunch
Plates & Palates
390 N. 500 West, Bountiful
801-292-2425
Best quick eats
East Liberty Tap House
850 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City
801-441-2845
Best comfort food
Hub & Spoke Diner
1291 S. 1100 East, Salt Lake City
801-487-0698
Best wine
Pago
878 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City
801-532-0777
