The Best Summer Eats in Town: A Guide to Provo Restaurants

Spring is ending, colleges are letting out, and soon summer will be in full swing. If you’re looking for things to do around Utah that will get you out of the house, keep the kids occupied, or make use of your after-work free time, then this blog series is right up your alley. Each week I’ll post about a different set of places you can visit and activities you can do around Utah.

This Week’s Featured Destinations

Mountain West Burrito ($0 – $10)
1796 N 950 W, (801) 805-1870

Communal Restaurant ($10 – $30)
102 N University Avenue, (801) 373-8000

Station 22 ($10 – $30)
22 W Center Street, (801) 607-1803

Cubby’s ($0 – $10)
1258 N State Street, (801) 919-3023

Sammy’s ($0 – $10)
27 N 100 W, (801) 805-9208

Provo’s Food is Getting Noticed

Some local restaurants are putting Provo firmly on the culinary map, and three Provo restaurants were featured in City Weekly’s Best of Utah 2013 winners list: Mountain West Burrito for Best Family-Farm Fillings (I’m not entirely sure what this means), Communal for Best Restaurant in Utah County, and Sammy’s Café for Best Dessert for Living Dangerously.

Mountain West Burrito

Mountain West Burrito offers local, organic Mexican food. There are two locations, one just south of BYU and the other on State Street in North Provo, and business is doing so well that they’re expanding to another location. But most importantly, they allow you to mix your meat and veggie fillings, so if you can’t decide between fillings, you can get half and half.

Communal

As Utah County’s best restaurant, Provo’s Communal is another must-visit place. As suggested by the name, Communal provides a family style eating experience where you share food with the people in your party. So be sure to only bring people you like! They have a great lunch special that includes half a sandwich and two sides for $10: this “30 Minute Bite” is served from 11:30am to 2:30pm on weekdays.

American Roots and Serious Sandwiches

Station 22

If you’re looking for Provo’s solution to Soul Food then Station 22 is a must. Located right in Provo’s historic downtown, Station 22 is another restaurant dedicated to local and organic food, and serves American roots cuisine with a modern twist. Here you can get sage-fried chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, mac and cheese, giant gourmet hamburgers, and other American staple cuisines. With outside seating and an express menu, Station 22 is a place to try this summer.

Cubby’s Chicago Beef

If you’re a sandwich lover (as I am) you need to check out Cubby’s Chicago Beef. As the name suggests they are beef specialists, and their classic tri-tip steak sandwich and Cubby’s burger are clear favorites, as well as the three-cheese grilled cheese (which also features bacon, avocado, and caramelized onions), and the buffalo bleu cheese fries. These guys are serious about their sandwiches.

It’s All About the Ice Cream

Sammy’s Café

If you’re looking for ice cream then Sammy’s Café is an essential stop. Sammy’s Pieshakes were awarded the Best Dessert for Living Dangerously award by City Weekly, and they are exactly as described, dangerously delicious milkshakes made with real pie and ice cream. Sammy’s also serves burgers and sandwiches, fries, and other ice cream treats, and shakes are 50% off during happy hour.

These are my favorite places to eat in Provo, but I know there are a lot of other Provo eateries I haven’t mentioned, what other local Provo restaurants do you recommend?

Sources

“Best of Utah 2013: Food and Drink.” City Weekly. http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/article-2-17308-best-of-utah-2013-food-drink.html. (24 April, 2013).