SALT LAKE CITY — New restaurants pop up all the time, but some are a part of your core memories. You know, that place you went to celebrate every birthday, or where you hung out late with friends.
It’s always a sad day when you hear your favorite restaurants in Utah will no longer be serving up grub, or that side of nostalgia.
Here are a handful of places that had the hearts — and stomachs — of Utahns for decades before closing their doors forever. Or, at least for some, maybe just a little while.
Training Table
Two words: cheese fries.
Known for its unique way to order burgers and those iconic fries — from your table via a telephone — the Training Table was a favorite for Utah restaurantgoers seeking casual fare. It first opened in Midvale in 1977 and later expanded to five locations. They were all shuttered in 2016 following a family lawsuit. The restaurant suggested a possible revival in 2022, but its social media hasn’t been updated since that announcement.
The Sconecutter
The Sconecutter existed in Utah for over 30 years and reimagined the sandwich, skipping the usual sliced bread for puffy scones. In addition to pastrami and turkey, you could order the deep-fried bread with flavored butter — honey, raspberry, apple — or as a stuffed dessert.
The Utah family-owned business was open 24 hours a day, often busiest between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. The final location, in Sandy, closed in 2021. The building later succumbed to a fire.
Even Stevens
With names such as Da Gouda and Sprang Chicken, this Utah chain was known for its creative sandwiches with fresh ingredients and hearty brioche. The 2014 startup gained quick karma for its tasty menu, as well as its promise to donate one sandwich to a local nonprofit for every one sold. While popular, Even Stevens reportedly expanded too quickly and ultimately declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019, closing all its doors permanently shortly after.
Cedars of Lebanon
Today, you can get a taste of cuisine from around the world in the Salt Lake Valley. But Utah’s first full eastern Mediterranean restaurant is no more. Cedars of Lebanon closed in 2019 after 38 years of serving an eclectic menu of Armenian, Lebanese, Greek and Moroccan dishes. And on the weekends? Belly dancing shows amid the colorful, plush furnishings.
Coachman’s
Though it remained open until 2021, walking into Coachman’s was like stepping into a circa-1970s diner. In its 60 years of business on State Street, the menu didn’t change either.
There were breakfast classics such as Belgian waffles and ham and eggs — served all day. For lunch, you could dine on liver and onions with a side of cottage cheese and peach melba; for dinner, lamb chops or three kinds of spaghetti.
Mayan Adventure
Dinner and a show took on a whole new meaning at Mayan Adventure in Jordan Commons. Walking up, you were greeted by the jaws of a giant snake. Inside, there were water features, bongo drums and loincloth-clad cliff divers.
But, aerial acts while you noshed on enchiladas and refried beans weren’t enough to keep the jungle-themed, 700-plus-seat Mexican restaurant filled. The archeological adventure closed in 2011.
Fazoli’s
When you needed a breadstick stat, Fazoli’s was the place. The national, quick-service Italian food restaurant gained a bit of a cult following in the 90s, especially among high school and college students looking for cheap, tasty food. If you’ve been pining for inexpensive lasagna, rejoice! The chain has said it is making its way back to Utah. Five stores are planned, set to open between 2025 and 2030.
Which restaurant do you miss the most? Share your thoughts and memories of the best places to eat in Utah that are no longer around.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
