Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade - It's All Gravy (and Limeade)

Like many great food businesses in our state, Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade began at the Farmer's Market. But before Sweet Lake opened its doors, owner and founder Hasen Cone was working a corporate job in a cubicle, and he wasn't satisfied with his work.

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Meditrina (and Porch) - A Chef/Owner That Does What She Wants

When it comes to personality, Meditrina has it in spades. From its lovely wine menu to its quirky design and deep purple interior, this is a restaurant that does small plates right.

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Table X - X Marks the Spot for Thoughtful, Honest Food

Utah has always had its own take on fine dining. Forget white linen and dozens of utensils. Farm-to-table has reigned supreme, and a hyper-detailed commitment to quality has made restaurants like Forage, Pago, and Handle the new standard in the state. And with new restaurants like HSL and Table X joining their ranks, chefs and entrepreneurs are putting Utah on the culinary map.

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Argentina's Best Empanadas - Shaping SLC One Empanada At a Time

Ana Valdemoros grew up surrounded by food. Whether it was a family meal, a get-together with friends, or a neighborhood gathering, food was a staple. Ana was raised in Argentina, a country that blends Italian and regional Argentinian cuisines to create simple, hearty, flavorful meals that always draw from local ingredients. When Ana moved to Salt Lake City for college in 2000, it quickly became apparent that Utah was in dire need of an authentic Argentina experience.

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Tin Angel Cafe - Where Art Meets Community

There are many motivations to enter the restaurant business. Maybe you love to cook and are looking for a culinary challenge. Or possibly you are a competitive person who is looking for a creative entrepreneurial challenge. But some people just want to create a community. For Kestrel and Jerry K Leidtke Jr., community was the most important part of all.

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Pulp Lifestyle Kitchen - The Flavor Is In The Details

Utah is experiencing an influx of food diversification. No longer must we settle for chain restaurants, or the same three cuisines over and over again. With our expanding food scene comes more options for consumers, better quality food, and a large variety of options for those who have specific dietary needs.

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Amanda Rock and the Vegan Takeover

There’s been a re-veganing. Our podcast serves many purposes, but our biggest priority is to educate and surprise Utahns with our growing and diverse food scene. And nowhere is that more apparent than this episode where we not only surprise you with the bountiful vegan and vegetarian options in our community but also surprise you with super special guest host, Amanda Rock.

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Epic Brewing Company - Packaging Experiences In a Bottle

When Epic Brewing Company opened its doors in 2010, they offered a unique craft beer that was a little hard to find in other areas of the state. They sold a high alcohol content beer in 22oz bottles and were empowered by new liquor laws that allowed them to sell their beer products directly from the brewery. Their goal then, and still today, was to turn craft brewing on its head. And indeed they have.

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Pig & a Jelly Jar - Southern Charm Served Up Hot and Fresh

There’s something about Southern cooking that evokes the memories of warm feelings, lazy afternoons, and cool summer nights. Southern cuisine is all about sharing and comfort, and the focus on family is dominant. While Utah doesn’t necessarily have the same kind of charm as the South, we definitely have the same love for family and large, traditional meals. For Amy Britt, the desire to bring her childhood experience to Utah complimented our community perfectly.

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Bruges Waffles and Frites - Share the Fun, Waffles, and Frites

Pierre Vandamme was born in Brugge, Belgium, and grew up with frites and waffle stands serving as the go-to hangout spot for him and his friends. Food mainly served as a social element for Pierre, but deep family traditions and an immense variety of food in Belgian cuisine always kept his mind and stomach intrigued. When the opportunity to move to the United States arrived, Pierre and his wife made the jump to Salt Lake City.

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Penny Ann's Cafe - From New York With Love (and Pancakes)

Paul, Warren, Penny Ann, and Cindy are all members of the close-knit Willey family and moved to Utah by way of New York. They grew up around food and were more than familiar with the important role a family-style, comfortable, relaxing restaurant has in a community. After relocating to Utah and gaining experience in the Utah food scene, the Willey team knew that a family establishment serving delicious, consistent, mouth-watering food was desperately needed. From there, Penny Ann's Cafe was born.

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Scott Evans - Pago, Finca, East Liberty Tap House, Hub & Spoke, and Trestle Tavern

Let us make a bold statement: Scott Evans is the personification of what we stand for as a podcast. In 2009, Scott saw the potential of Utah’s food scene, the cuisine and concept gaps in the area, and decided he was ready to do something about it.

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R&R BBQ - Competitive Fire to Smoke Your Brisket

When you think about BBQ, the South immediately comes to mind. It’s the birthplace of BBQ, and opinions are strong. But for Rod and Roger Livingston, the founders of R&R BBQ, BBQ was a fond memory from their childhood family reunions and a fun hobby in their adulthood. After prompting from a friend, Rod and Roger entered a backyard BBQ competition, and before they knew it, they were on the competitive BBQ circuit. And they were good. Really good.

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Alamexo Mexican Kitchen - Acclaimed Chef Shows Victory is Spicy

Some people spend their whole lives chasing their dreams. For Matt Lake, his life path became clear at the young age of 11. His parents took over a general store and began a small deli catering business, and Matt quickly dove into the family business. Whether helping run an event, putting together deli trays, or interacting with customers, Matt fell in love with the food industry. And he fell hard. So hard, in fact, that at the ripe age of 18 he enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. And he’s been on the food path ever since.

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PJK's Creamery - A Flavorful, Fresh Take on Ice Cream Rolls Into Town

On this episode of The Utah Foodie, we sit down with Peter Korth, the founder of PJK Creamery, your new favorite ice cream supplier. With 16 playful flavors and seasonal flavors appearing monthly, Peter has accomplished something that many in Utah have not: he’s made ice cream an experience.

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The Utah Foodie Reheated - The Future of Chocolate Is in… Utah?

On this episode of The Utah Foodie, we dive into the blossoming craft chocolate scene that can be found in Utah. We’ll explore why chocolate in Utah is gaining such popularity, the process of how a simple cacao bean can turn into delicious chocolate, and what artisan chocolatiers have learned through their wild and delicious chocolate journey. With insight from the founders of The Chocolate Conspiracy, Millcreek Cacao, Solstice Chocolate, and Caputo’s Market, we receive a Master Class on what chocolate means for Utah.

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The Utah Foodie Reheated - Utah's Coffee Journey

Join us as we hear from the experts at Blue Copper, Publik Coffee, 3 Cups Coffee, Three Pines Coffee, and Watchtower Cafe. While all of these businesses are connected by a common thread, they all offer their own unique and personalized touch, philosophy, and feel to a coffee experience.

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Mollie & Ollie - Healthy Eating on the Fly

We sit down with Julie Paine and TJ Gingell, two of the people who have put blood, sweat, and tears into opening Mollie & Ollie in Salt Lake City. Mollie & Ollie is located at 159 S. Main Street in Salt Lake City and brings to the area a much needed fast-casual option that won’t make you feel full of regret. With locally sourced products at the core of what they do, Mollie & Ollie provides a fully customized experience. Whoever thought you would see “fast-casual” and “local and healthy” in the same sentence?

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Project Pineapple - Vacation in a Pineapple

Adam Malmborg was destined to be an entrepreneur. His mind was always running with ideas, and his creativity and problem solving needed to be free from the confines of the 9-5 grind. One day while wandering at a market he stumbled upon a lemonade stand that had a long, winding line. Adam was blown away by people’s commitment to buy a $7 lemonade in the summer sun, and his mind began to race. What other cold, delicious treats could be provided?

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Mama Africa - Smell It, Taste It, Love It

Cathy Tshilombo-Lokemba was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was surrounded by the spices and flavors of the country. But her path was a winding one, and she ended up traveling and living all over the world. With stops in Europe, New York City, Dallas, Phoenix, Cathy, known to many as Mama Africa, planted roots in Toole, Utah. While many wouldn’t consider Utah a mecca of diversity, Mama Africa only saw an opportunity. A chance to bring Africa to Utahns, and help share her culture and her food.

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Handle + HSL Restaurant - Appreciate Tradition

When you interview over 50 different food, coffee, and beverage entrepreneurs over a year, you begin to notice certain trends. They’re all passionate about their craft, feel a calling to create, and want to contribute to a growing community. The aspiration to put Utah on the foodie map can be found in ways big and small. For Briar Handly, the co-owner of Handle and HSL, developing a hyper-local, hyper-seasonal restaurant was one way to help Utah take one giant step forward.

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Butcher's Bunches - It's All About Family

When the recession arrived in 2008 the pain was felt everywhere. Fortune 500 companies, local mom and pop shops, and governments around the world all slowed down and the cost of living made margins thinner and thinner. For Liz Butcher and the Butcher family, their farmer’s market side business felt a massive crunch. As more people joined the markets to sell produce, Liz began brainstorming alternatives. And what she dreamed up was even bigger than the family's produce business.

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Publik Coffee Roasters - Good Coffee, Great Community

One of the most prominent leaders for the third wave coffee revolution is Publik Coffee. The word “Publik” is derived from the Dutch word “Community,” and the feeling of community can be found in every chair, barista, and warm piece of toast. Publik’s dedication to creating a community for coffee lovers of all backgrounds has led to an accelerated expansion into The Avenues and Ninth & Ninth.

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Taqueria 27 - It's Not Mexican, It's Mexicanish

Many people spend their entire professional careers attempting to find their calling. Dreams are dreamt but never realized. For Todd and Kristin Gardiner, the founders and owners of Taqueria 27, finding their calling was as simple as waking up in the morning.

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Chedda Burger - Give It Your All, or Don’t Even Try

When Nick Watts founded Chedda Truck, it was more of an online concept than a real company. Working multiple jobs and needing a creative outlet, Nick would stop by the farmers market during his free time to find the perfect ingredients for his homemade grilled cheese creations. His Chedda Truck Twitter account began to grow, and in a moment of generosity, a friend who owned a tattoo parlor offered him an evening to bring his grilled cheese out into the world for some of his customers.

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The Big O Doughnuts - 100% Vegan, and Slightly Naughty

In early 2015 Allie Curzon and her mom Jessica Curzon were driving through Salt Lake City when they were hit with a craving: they wanted a doughnut. While Utah has some fine doughnut options, none would work for the Curzon family because they are vegan—and vegan doughnuts can be hard to come by.

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Watchtower Cafe - The Idea That Never Went Away

For Cori Hoekstra and Mike Tuiasoa, geekdom wasn’t a trend. It was a lifestyle. With strong roots in the Salt Lake City geek community, Cori and Mike were more than aware of the community's needs. With Cori’s background in coffee houses and restaurant management, and Mike’s desire to have ownership of a project, their shared dream of having the freedom to create something on their own motivated them to look for opportunities.

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Manoli's - A Restaurant Reinventing Greek Food, One Small Plate at a Time

You could almost say that Manoli Katsanevas was destined to be a restaurant owner. Growing up he washed and bussed tables at Crown Burgers, the restaurant his family owns and operates that is a staple in the Salt Lake City skyline. After attending culinary school and working at Cafe Niche and Fresco, the idea of creating something on his own began to tickle at Manoli's mind.

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Naked Fish Japanese Bistro - The Flavor Is in the Details

When thinking about high-quality, fresh sushi, a restaurant in Utah doesn’t immediately jump to mind. But Johnny Kwon, one of the founders and the owner of Naked Fish Japanese Bistro, is working to dispel that assumption. High-quality, authentic sushi can be found in Salt Lake City, and it will change your expectations about what sushi, and Japanese cuisine, can be.

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Rawtopia - A Food-Inspired Spiritual Awakening

Omar Abou-Ismail doesn't have your typical restaurant owner story. Originally born in Lebanon, Omar and his family traveled and lived throughout West Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Middle East, and eventually settled in Utah. After studying geophysics and mechanical engineering at the University of Utah, he began working with the U.S. Navy as a geophysicist. And then, in 2005, he opened Rawtopia. You could say it was a bit of a leap in career.

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Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade - It's All Gravy (and Limeade)

La Barba Coffee – Good Coffee For Everyone