Salt Lake magazine

Splashing onto your feed to reveal our May/June cover! ✨🧜🏼‍♀️ In this issue, we tap Utahns with interesting answers to the ubiquitous icebreaker: “So, what do you do?” From cookie scientists, arena announcers, film scouts and stuntment, five fabulous nine-to-fivers give new meaning to ‘if you love what you do…’ You’ll also meet a woman who’s made a career out of indulging her inner Ariel. Yep, professional mermaiding is real, and it’s a damn good workout to boot. And then there’s the baker at the epicenter of a pizza pop-up sensation— discover why thousands are clamouring in a virtual queue for one of his nationally acclaimed slices. More in this issue: small-town music festivals that over-deliver, plein air dinner parties taking over entire streets in Park City, urban arts showcases—and a whole lot more ideas and inspiration for making the most of Utah’s bipolar spring season. This issue is out on newsstands May 1st! Subscribers, check your mailboxes

If you were at his Urban Lounge concert last year, you understand perfectly why Ben Kweller is on the Kilby Block Party lineup this year. He’s a spark plug of a performer, practically jumping from acoustic guitar to piano to electric. Born for the stage, that one. We caught up with him over Zoom while he was at his NoiseCo label in Texas, setting up for rehearsal. With his latest Cover The Mirrors, his seventh album, it’s no surprise he took us for a few welcome jogs down memory lane during our chat. Totally apropos. Tap the link in our bio for the full article or visit /ben-kweller-kilby-block-party/ Writer: Dainon Moody @gr8dane74 Photo courtesy of Big Hassle

“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food,” wrote Anthony Bourdain, praising the “nowhere to hide” confidence of preparing excellent ingredients with respect. At Harbor Seafood & Steak Co. in Utah, owner/operator Randall Curtis and his team have had this sentiment of simplicity dialed in for over a decade. “We’re here to give people their seafood fix,” said Curtis of the concept origin story, adding that great steaks and crushable cocktails fill the trinity of their popularity. I’d add that their superb service rounds out the exceptional experience all around. 🔗 Tap the link in our bio for the full article. Writer: Darby Doyle Photos by Adam Finkle Mentioned: @slcharbor

Discover your new favorite visual artist at this weekend’s Mural Fest! Animating the sides of post-industrial buildings in the designated Creative Industries zone, over a dozen large-scale pieces celebrate all that’s near and dear to Salt Lake, from familiar urban landscapes to beloved indigenous creatures. Best of all? The South Salt Lake Arts Board emphasizes the work of local artists and does its best to make sure all the works are preserved and protected from vandalism. We have more can't-miss events this month at the link in our bio! Photo courtesy of @themuralfest

Welcome to the Spring City, Utah—the first community in the state to earn a spot—in its entirety—on the U.S. National Historic Register. With more than 300 historic homes and a streetscape still patterned after the 19th century, it’s a rare place where log cabins, adobe walls and stone structures remain part of daily life. When one such home went up for sale, history enthusiast JaeLynn Williams seized the chance to restore it into a welcoming stay that blends Spring City’s storied past with stylish comfort. Throughout the home, carefully selected furnishings and decor strike a balance between old-world form and modern function: pieces that visually belong to the 1880s aesthetic, but with the comfort and durability expected of today’s homes. For modern functionality and flair, the designers cleverly integrated contemporary conveniences and a strikingly modern color story. Tap the link in our bio for the article or visit /historic-home-spring-city/ Cover: Built in 1883 by settler Isaac Behunin, the stone home is one of over 300 historic buildings in Spring City. Photo by Lindsay Salazar

We’ve teamed up with @utahstyledesign and @slmag to give away a $2,500 @designwithinreach gift card. Through May 14, visit DWR Salt Lake City to enter for your chance to win. Already imagining what you’d do if you win? Our Design Specialists can help you get there with complimentary design services, from detailed measuring to 3D room renderings to order placement. 51 Main Street Salt Lake City, UT 84101 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Starts 4/21/26 and ends 5/14/26. See Official Rules at our link in bio. Open to legal residents of U.S. or D.C. who are 18+. Void where prohibited.

Joining the ranks of Salt Lake’s Restaurant Row (coined by yours truly at Salt Lake magazine), Neighbors (@slc.neighbors ) is a sleek bar on Harvey Milk Blvd.’s east side. Owned and operated by the power duo of Chase Worthen and Danielle Petek (The Pearl, Alibi RIP), the newcomer is continuing the neighborhood’s ethos of community, inclusivity and quality eats. The bar shares the block—the Dairy Block, to be exact—with a multitude of small businesses that aim to revitalize the Liberty Wells neighborhood. Equality Utah, Simple Therapy, Manoli’s, Xiao Bao Bao, Native Flower Company, Mozz Artisan Pizza and the highly anticipated Wasatch Food Co-op have anchored the area as a vibrant mixed-use hub. But the block was missing one thing: a neighborhood bar. Tap the link in our bio for the article or visit /neighbors-salt-lake-bar/ Writer: Avrey Evans Photo by Adam Finkle

“I’ve been thinking about my most recent ramen food crush since I paid my check and walked out the door at Koyoté in Salt Lake City. 🫶🍜 While the menu offers plenty of temptation, including classic shoyu ramen and vegetarian and gluten-free options, there is only one correct order here if you want to understand what Koyoté does best. You want the Tonkotsu Tsukemen. You want the dipping ramen.” For the full article, tap the link in our bio or visit: /koyote-dipping-ramen/ @koyote_slc

@DemocracyClothing is bringing its signature denim experience to Utah and you’re invited. Two days only April 18–19, 12–4 PM, step inside the pop-up to discover the perfect fit, try on styles designed to smooth and support, and experience the brand everyone’s talking about. The best part? 1,000 pairs of jeans are being given away, completely free! It’s first come, first served, and once they’re gone… they’re gone. Location: Lila Studio” 967 E 2100 S, Salt Lake This is the kind of event you’ll wish you didn’t miss. ✨ RSVP now: https://bit.ly/47zSUuK Paid partnership: Democracy Clothing

Casa del Tamal began as a side hustle for Cristina Olvera, who made tamales out of her home in the evenings and delivered them fresh the next morning. Word quickly spread, and soon the whole city wanted in on these perfect little bundles of handmade masa, savory meat fillings and abuela’s love. It’s a family affair, says panelist Ali Vallarta, who admires the restaurant’s devotion to tradition as much as their signature tacos de birria, “It’s been beautiful to witness a passing of the torch, a generational storytelling through food,” she says. Tap the link in our bio for the article or visit /best-restaurant-of-2026-casa-del-tamal/. Photo by Adam Finkle.

R. Randy Olson likes to say the world is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. “I’m not always the smartest guy in the room,” he says. “But I’m fortunate to know my strengths and weaknesses, surround myself with motivated people, and I make sure they have what they need.” He offers the line with characteristic modesty, as if anyone with enough gumption could have built the world renowned John A. Moran Eye Center. In reality, Olson is anything but ordinary. What began in the early 1980s as a one-man ophthalmology division—powered by optimism, persuasion and a borderline reckless belief in what was possible—grew over four decades into a globally known eye center at the University of Utah. Tap the link in our bio for the full article or visit /randall-olson-changed-the-way-utah-sees/ Writer: Heather Hayes Photo courtesy of John A. Moran Eye Center Mentioned: @moran.eye.center

“It’s just a tranquil, wonderful spot,” said David, who is the latest owner of The Oaks, a classic canyon restaurant, with his wife, Cora. The Neals bought the business in early 2025 and opened in November. This spring, they’re hoping you’ll stop by to enjoy a burger on the remodelled patio as you listen to the river flow by. Along with its stunning natural setting, the Neals are well-aware of the restaurant’s historical weight. Customers often remind them of favorite past menu items, and one diner recently shared with David that he worked there 60 years ago. “People just remember The Oaks, and it’s those memories that I think make the place so iconic,” David said. 🔗 Tap the link in our bio for the article. Writer: Jaime Winston Photography by Adam Finkle