When a French restaurant in Utah is actually run by a Frenchman, it's already ahead of the game. That's the case with this artful café, full of street signs and works by local artists, on a small side street downtown. Expect to find most of the bistro classics, such as escargot, steamed mussels, and onion soup, as well as the occasional hearty lamb stew or paella. Desserts are a specialty, and there's an adjoining patisserie. AE, D, MC, V. Closed Sun.

Behind an unassuming storefront you'll find an intimate, casual restaurant with colorful wall hangings and a menu of authentic Afghan dishes. Aromas and flavors of fresh mint, cilantro, cumin, and curry mingle in dishes such as murgh challow (chicken in a yogurt sauce), and aushak (pockets filled with leeks, served on mint yogurt and topped with ground beef). The lunch buffet of about 20 items draws downtowners in search of a bargain. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No dinner Mon.

Seasonal menus reflect regional American and international influences at this artfully designed destination restaurant. The setting, formerly an ornate bank lobby adjacent to the swank Hotel Monaco, is as much of a draw as the food. An open marble-fronted kitchen, big windows framed in fanciful hammered metal swirls, and a definite "buzz" make Bambara a popular gathering spot. You can also dine in the adjoining private club, or simply enjoy a cocktail while snuggled in a velvet-lined booth. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

You'll find more than 200 microbrews, both bottled and on tap at chef-owner Mark Alston's lively bar and restaurant. The menu offers everything from Cajun specialties such as jambayala and étouffée to blackened seafood and a terrific, garlicky hamburger with sweet potato fries. Live jazz, pool tables, and a clean, modern design create a casual, high-energy atmosphere. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

You're enveloped in exotic aromas the minute you step into this dark, intimate restaurant in a small strip mall above busy Foothill Boulevard. Enjoy good Indian standards, including the softest naan and spiciest of curries, tandoori dishes, and lots of vegetarian options. There's a selection of domestic and imported beers as well as traditional teas and tea-based drinks. Carved wood, print fabric, an aquarium, and the gracious Indian staff all combine to make you feel as though you've escaped to another little world for a while. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch. Closed Sun.

Go for savory Tibetan food at bargain prices in this small, clean restaurant decorated with brightly colored Tibetan flags. You can indulge in hearty entrées, such as spicy potatoes, chicken curry, versions of chow mein, and specials such as beef chili, all washed down with pots of tea. The lunchtime buffet is the best deal. AE, MC, V. Closed Sun.

Loyal diners stream into this simple neighborhood restaurant for thin-crust pizzas from the wood-burning oven, basic pastas, creative salads, and Tuscan-inspired dishes such as roast chicken with polenta. The roast chicken salad with caper berries, along with some wood-oven flatbread makes a full meal. Follow it up with chocolate pudding if you have room. The wine list is reasonably priced and well selected. Decor combines exposed brick, blond woods, and artful touches such as original artwork and giant lamp shades. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.

It's back to basics at this family-friendly place with a cowboy theme, which is played out in everything from the big steer heads framing the doors to the knotty pine booths. There's a standard salad bar, soups, sandwiches, chili, meat, and potatoes, and the Utah version of "scones," which are actually like fried bread, served with honey and butter. Dinner prices include the salad bar plus beans or spuds. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.

Locals flock to this neighborhood café and take-away food market for the creative salads and colorful entrées displayed like jewels in glass cases. Most people order a sampler of three or four salads, such as orzo with mint, feta, chicken, and artichoke hearts; or wild rice-based concoctions. Also on the menu are house-made soups, generous deli sandwiches, and hot entrées such as meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Big windows and warm mustard and terra-cotta tones are reminiscent of a Tuscan-style café, with seating indoors and out. Order at the counter, and a server will deliver food to your table. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No dinner Sun.

One of the city's most bustling trattorias is tucked into the corner of a renovated brick Firestone Tire shop. Owner-host Valter Nassi takes great pride in his menus of house-made pastas, including ravioli with four cheeses and asparagus, or plump gnocchi with sage butter. Main courses include local trout grilled Tuscan style or osso buco with polenta. The deco-style pressed-tin ceiling, open kitchen, bas-relief trim, and banquette seating create an urban, artsy atmosphere, which complements the top-notch service, food, and wines. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.

This lively microbrewery has brass-top tables, loft seating, a sheltered patio, and lots of music and noise. It also offers a great view of the sunset through floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu offers basic pub food, but goes beyond with creative sandwiches, such as salmon with pickled ginger-cucumber slaw, whole-meal salads and Mexican-inspired fare. AE, D, MC, V.

This no-frills restaurant draws people from all over the Valley for cheap Chinese food. Although there's offer a full menu of Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, it's the dim sum that's the draw, and you can get it at all hours. MC, V.

Fresh, clean flavors dominate the menu in this soothing, Asian-style restaurant perched on the second level of the Foothill Shopping Center. Delicately flavored soups and daily specials are always a good bet, as are the vegetarian options. AE, D, MC, V.

Fresh, flavorful, creative, and artsy-chef Emily Gassmann's small café combines it all in a renovated brick storefront in the Marmalade District, west of the Capitol. You can sit at the counter, at wooden tables, or on the patio and enjoy the varied menu of salads, soups, special tamales, savory crepes, meat, and vegetarian entrées. The café has an urban feel with its modern art and polished wood floors. AE, MC, V. No dinner Mon.-Wed.

This intimate, modern restaurant is tucked back from the street in a clapboard house that adjoins an independent bookstore. Items like heirloom tomatoes, gently sautéed calamari, or a divine rib eye take center stage when the season dictates. In summer seating is available on the small patio. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Locally owned and globally focused, this fast-food destination is cheap, sleek, and artfully designed. It's a fun place to grab "Stir the Soul Rice Bowls" with toppings such as glazed salmon; "Self-Fulfilling Pastas" like linguine with Thai peanut sauce; or healthful, tasty salads. The ingredients are all fresh and the food is cooked to order. The setting in the lively Ninth and Ninth neighborhood adds to its popularity. As an added bonus, Guru's gives back to the community by paying employees to give volunteer time to their favorite charities. AE, MC, V. Closed Sun.

Lacquered wood and marble tables, some with lazy Susans in the center, comfortable chairs, and warm colors give the Tea Houses's three small dining rooms a welcoming look and feel. At lunch, ask for a dim sum menu and simply mark your choices, or wait until servers walk by with small dishes or bamboo baskets of all the Cantonese style classics, from steamed pork buns to crunchy chicken feet. Don't miss the shrimp-stuffed eggplant. Dinner menus are more formal, offering traditional Peking duck, whole stuffed fish, spicy Szechuan style chicken with green beans, and a kaleidoscope of other authentic, regional Chinese favorites. D, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon.

Three elements make this one of the most inviting and interesting dining destinations in town. One is its setting in an old church, complete with exquisite stained-glass windows and vaulted ceilings; the next is the modernized, feng-shui-inspired interior; third is the owner-sushi chef, Peggy Whiting. She and her crew specialize in classic sushi as well as multilayered Americanized interpretations, some with hot chilis, or with esoteric, locally-inspired combinations. You can order some fine cold sakes, or there's a full bar. Reservations not accepted. AE, MC, V.

Anyone who knows seafood in Salt Lake knows that Kyoto offers some of the finest, freshest fish in town. You can opt to sit in a tatami-mat-lined booth without shoes, at a regular table, or at the attractive sushi bar, but whatever you do, be sure to try the sushi at some point in your meal. If they have the sweet shrimp sushi, be sure to order it. Standard donburi and noodle dishes, and light tempura items round out the menu. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Salt Lake has seen a renaissance in good French bistros, and this is one of the best, headed up by a true French chef, Franck Piessel. All the details are right -- from the French art and light fixtures to the zinc bar and etched mirrors. The must-have dish here is mussels, in one of several herb-infused broths, served with a paper cone of twice-cooked frites. Appetizers, updated French entrées, desserts, and house-made chocolates are all sparkling with flavor, beautifully presented. The wine list is reasonable, and perfectly suited to the food. Ask for a patio table, with views of the mountains to the east, if it's a warm evening. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

With its long marble counter, deco-style trim, and cozy mahogany booths, Lamb's Grill Café, one of the city's oldest dining establishments, has aged well. It's a white-tablecloth kind of place where you can still indulge in an old-fashioned lamb shank, local fresh trout dinner, or a bowl of house-made lemon rice soup at a reasonable price. The long-time Greek owners have added a few Mediterranean touches to the big menu, which truly offers something for everyone. Newspaper, business, and political types often gather here for breakfast or lunch. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.

Longtime chef David Jones put this elegant mountain retreat on the map with his inventive takes on American cuisine laced with everything from Asian ingredients to pure Rocky Mountain style. He excels with fresh fish, game, exotic imports, and seasonal local ingredients, always paying as much attention to side dishes as the main event. The knowledgeable staff can help you pair wines with Jones's multilayered flavors. With its romantic setting in a beautifully renovated log home amid pine trees, waterfalls, and wildflowers, and its summertime patio seating, this is definitely a restaurant to remember. www.log-haven.com. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

This place is hard to miss. Look for the lime-green building surrounded by a fence topped with old cowboy boots, and fronted by an old sticker-covered car that looks as though it crashed through the fence. Amid the concrete floors, metal tables, and bright umbrellas, there's some excellent, cheap Mexican food to be had -- including house special fish tacos, handmade tamales, burritos of all types, and plenty of chilled Mexican beer. There's a drive-through window for takeout, too. No credit cards. Closed Sun.

Greg Neville's northern Italian-style food draws people from all over the city to this casual but stylish neighborhood restaurant. His menus are seasonal and varied, and it's clear that Neville uses only the best ingredients. Specials, such as tender grilled calamari with shaved fennel, or organic rigatoni with fresh tomato sauce, basil, and whipped ricotta are consistent winners. Other highlights include wood-fired oven pizzas, mussels, and the select Italian wine list. Definitely save room for dessert. The noise level can get high on busy nights. Reservations essential. AE, D, MC, V.

Formerly a firehouse, circa 1930, this popular restaurant is casual, with a focus on seafood. You can sit at the counter, in the shaded sidewalk café area, or upstairs where the decor is nautical and made to feel like a luxury yacht. Menu highlights include crab cakes, daily fish specials, a great cobb salad, and some pricey steak and seafood combinations. There's also an on-site fish market. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Seafood's the focus in this Salt Lake standby in a beautifully restored 1906 building, formerly the New York Hotel. It's a popular breakfast, lunch, and dinner destination where the selections range from daily fresh seafood entrées to certified Angus beef. Portions are large and include all the side dishes. The atmosphere is usually lively. Reservations not accepted. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Some would call this popular bar-restaurant more of a "meet market," but it's a fun and upbeat place. Popular items include the clam chowder, crab and shrimp cocktails, and more expensive seafood entrées. The decor features original hand-painted pillars, rounded booths that face the action, and televisions on at all hours. The Market Street Oyster Bar is a private club (which means you have to buy a temporary membership for $4) adjoining the Market Street Grill. Reservations not accepted. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Part of this romantic café's appeal is its setting in an old brownstone. Meet at the tiny bar, backed by an original bank vault, for a cocktail and appetizer, or ask for a table in the intimate balcony, or a booth on the main level. Then settle in for some of the city's most flavorful New World tapas such as mustard-and-lavender seared lamb loin with mission fig chutney, or an entrée of preserved lemon and marjoram halibut with a French rosé. Desserts are original and house-made. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No dinner Mon.

Authentic and affordable Middle Eastern food in a casual order-at-the-counter setting is what Mazza is all about. The homemade falafel, stuffed grape leaves, lamb, chicken and beef kebabs, and an assortment of side dishes are all fresh and tasty. So are the sweets, such as the honey-drenched baklava. AE, D, MC, V. Closed Sun.

From its inventive cuisine to its minimalist design, owner Karen Olson's restaurant is chic in every way. Chef Adam Findlay's menus veer from Asian-fusion to regional Rocky Mountain fare. You can usually walk in and get a seat at the curved bar or a bar table and order from a small bistro menu. But for the full experience, reserve a table and put yourself in the chef's capable hands with the daily tasting menu. Service here borders on choreography -- synchronized, yet unobtrusive. The wine list is excellent. AE, D, MC, V. Closed Sun.

This subterranean, clubby bar, café and restaurant with its modern Continental menu, starched white tablecloths, stained-glass ceilings, and rounded banquette seating, offers great people-watching potential. If you feel like indulging, try the filet mignon or the veal chop with morel mushrooms and brandy cream sauce, both of which are traditional and top quality. The café-bar area has a lower-price, more casual menu. Stick with items like chicken fried steak or hamburgers. You'll usually find a crowd of loyal locals, including power-lunchers mingling and having a good time. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.

From morning to night, a selection of fine teas and espresso drinks, big breakfasts, and fresh, innovative entrées draw regulars to this café and its serene patio courtyard. The menu leans toward vegetarian and seafood selections and there are plenty of rich, house-made pastries available, as well as a nice wine list. The café shares space with a book and gift store, The Golden Braid, and is a popular gathering spot. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

You'll always find a bargain at this Asian noodle shop, where they ladle up big bowls of vermicelli noodles in broth, both meat-filled and meatless. You add your own basil leaves and an array of hot, sour, salty condiments to taste. The decor is white, bright, and plain. This place is all about the food. No credit cards.

Above a ski and board rental shop at the mouth of Big and Little Cottonwood canyons sits one of the Valley's most lively pubs. Inside the A-frame chaletlike building you'll find polished wood floors and trim, and a friendly vibe. The menu offers more than 40 variations of standard pub food, including buffalo wings, Thai chicken pizza, burgers, ribs, filet mignon, and ahi tuna. The small bar has several microbrews on tap and a wine list. AE, D, MC, V.

Families frequent this casual café in the Foothill Village shopping center because the grown-ups can order fresh, interesting salads, Southwest-influenced fare, and a glass of wine, and the kids get their own menu. Dark woods, muted colors and upholstered booths take things several notches up from chain restaurants. Desserts from the house bakery are excellent, especially the poppy seed cake, and anything chocolate. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

It's a bit rough around the edges and on a bleak thoroughfare, but this lively Mexican restaurant is staffed with a warm and accommodating crew, serving the best house-made moles and chile verde in town. They pour premium margaritas or good Mexican beers, and always keep the salsa and chips coming. Expect a wait on weekend nights. This is a great place to stop on your way to or from the airport if you don't want to take the freeway. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Head to this contemporary brewpub for creative whole-meal salads, an impossibly savory Reuben sandwich, thin crust pizzas, and perfectly beer-battered fish and chips. An on-site brewery, house-brewed sodas, a full bar, wood-burning ovens, and an overall sense of style add up to a lively lunch and dinner spot near the Delta Center. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing Japanese restaurant you've ever seen, but Shogun is among the best for pristine, sophisticated sushi. The actual sushi bar, at the back of the restaurant, is small, so seats may be hard to come by on busy nights. You can order sushi at a table, but it's worth the wait for the bar if you want to engage in friendly banter with Takashi, the owner-master chef who is also an avid snowboarder. The regular menu of Japanese food, served in private tatami rooms or at tables is good, but not at the level of the sushi. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Step back in time at this German deli where sausages, potatoes, cured meats, pickled delights, and tradition reign. Here, it's all about heavy food, and lots of it. You can feel the steam and smell the cabbage the minute you enter. Order some goulash or Wiener schnitzel at the counter, sit at a utilitarian table, and just enjoy the old-fashioned vibe. Outside the café area, store shelves are stocked with old-world goodies and there's a full charcuterie. AE, D, MC, V. Closed Sun.

A cozy, dark-wood bar fronts this big, elegant steak house with crescent-shaped high-back booths and a menu of sublime steaks and seafood. Inside the Hilton Hotel, the restaurant functions as a private club, meaning you can have a drink without dining. But who would want to do that here (though the bar does stock some fine and rare scotches)? A classic "uptown"-style steak house, Spencer's offers all the usual cuts and à la carte side dishes. Try a grilled artichoke, heart of iceberg lettuce and crumbled blue cheese salad, and a filet mignon if you want to go all out. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

A glass wall separates gleaming fermentation tanks from the bar at this casual, high-energy brewpub, in the 1906 Boston Hotel building. Locals convene here before or after pro sporting events at the nearby Delta Center. It's also a happening spot on summer days and nights when the patio with its cooling mist system is in full swing, and the chef fires up the outdoor grill. The menu veers from locally made bratwurst to curry specials, grilled fish, and big, juicy buffalo burgers. Reservations not accepted. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

On the top floor of a generic-looking building across the street from the city's architecturally spectacular main public library, this casual pizza, pasta, beer, and pool hangout is an easy ride from the University of Utah via TRAX. The menu offers basic pub food, including better than average pizzas at reasonable prices. Note the $10 "all you can eat" pizza-and-salad on Sunday. AE, D, MC, V. No lunch weekends.

The people who line up out the door at lunch hour are usually salivating in anticipation of a generous, authentic deli sandwich at this stocked-to-the rafters Italian deli and market. Whether you fancy a juicy, sauce-drenched meatball concoction, buffalo mozzarella with basil and fresh tomatoes, salami with roasted red peppers, or a hot daily special such as lasagna, it's a great value and a convivial, casual place. Lunch and early dinner are available to stay or for take-away. AE, D, MC, V.

A visit to Tuscany feels like a great escape. High ceilings, hand-painted tiles, terra-cotta floors, and a series of richly appointed dining rooms are reminiscent of a sprawling country villa with gardens. Outside, the tree-covered patio is glorious, and romantic. The menu is modern Italian, with such inventive pairings as calamari with roasted pine nuts, currents, and caper berries; or halibut atop braised artichokes and pancetta. The restaurant is also known for the depth of its wine list and a popular Sunday brunch. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Modern, open and airy, with painted porcelain, fine art pieces, and high-back chairs, this locally-owned Chinese restaurant offers upscale regional fare, with a fair dose of American renditions of classic Mandarin and Szechuan dishes. The food is fresh, with clean flavors -- nothing too complex or spicy. Dieters have the option of ordering dishes lightly steamed instead of stir-fried, and the menu has several light alternatives to standard dishes. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.