Restaurants in Taylorsville

Reliving the experience of talking dry-rub and brisket with Food Network's Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, the owner of Pat's Barbecue marveled to the Salt Lake Tribune, "For hell's sake, for a barbecue place on a dead end street in an old warehouse, to be on national TV . . ." Pat Barber's secret dry-rub lives up to the hype, adding distinctive flavors to chicken, ribs, and pulled pork, which are ably supplemented by traditional side dishes such as cornbread, mashed potatoes, and more meat. Local musicians fill the air with tuneful sounds on Friday and Saturday evening, and a rotating menu of daily specials provide variety, including Friday's offering of Burnt Ends, a house specialty made from tender brisket tips.

Live trees grow inside Café Solstice, stretching their branches toward the sunlight that streams in through the high ceiling's skylights. The trees aren't the only things that are leafy and fresh, though; so is the spot's menu of vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Kitchen wizards fashion organic produce into dishes such as corn tacos with miso, sunflower seeds, and cheddar cheese beneath greens and cilantro dressing, or veggie burgers made from walnuts, mushrooms, and pumpkins seeds topped with tomato chutney and provolone. Visitors can also snack on fresh-baked goods that range from Kashi krispie bars to double-chocolate butterscotch cookies, and sip organic loose-leaf tea or drip coffee made with locally roasted beans.

For nearly 30 years, Rino’s Italian Ristorante's chef and owner, Rino, has crafted authentic Italian cuisine with ingredients from his own garden after researching dishes' historical and regional significance. Old-World ambiance pervades the dining room, where plated gnocchi, beef ravioli, and lasagna top cloth-draped tables surrounded by high-backed leather chairs. An extensive wine list supplies supple reds and crisp whites to pair with veal, steak, and seafood dishes. Wooden barrels, oil paintings, and stained-glass panels of vintners laze in guests' peripheries, and rustic charm spills from the dining room onto a grape arbor, where patrons can gaze at the stars or marvel at the waxing moon's smoothness.

Terraces of tortillas tower over simmering mole, a special recipe that has been passed down for three generations, on tables in the 15-year-old eatery with a family atmosphere. Here, in Blue Iguana's kitchens, Chef Castillo imparts the culinary arts of the Aztec empire to his team of cooks using his knowledge of Chihuahua, Mexico. In this province, families fiercely guard such traditions to honor their forebears and preserve their culture's legacy for future generations. Castillo specializes in mole recipes, which teem with rich ingredients such as chocolate, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. Guests seeking a lighter meal can customize tacos with a choice of more than 10 fillings, including grilled yellowfin, charbroiled sirloin, sautéed mushrooms, and spicy pork chorizo. The margaritas are mixed with the restaurant's brimming top-shelf tequilas such as Patron Silver and Don Julio. Diners can also visit the Park City location for breakfast dishes.

Fats Grill fills its space with all the ingredients of a good time, including a menu populated with burgers, pizza, and sandwiches, a fully stocked bar, 12 flat-screen TVs, and seven pool tables, a setup that has won the hangout City Weekly's Best Pool Joint 13 years in a row. Twelve is the number of its burgers, all served on toasted sheepherder rolls with toppings such as bacon, jalapeños, and pastrami. Toasted sourdough builds the foundation for the grill's sandwiches, and pizza crust keeps italian sausage, red onion, and pineapple chunks from gracing the floor with their presence. Fats Grill also houses a newly renovated basement concert venue, a place where local musicians take the stage every Friday and Saturday night to belt out the name game using every audience member's name.