A Salt Lake Walking Tour, Restaurant Tips & More

Booksellers arriving in Salt Lake City for this month's Winter Institute can look forward to an abundance of information from the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau on local activities, attractions, restaurants, ski resorts, and more. But to help those who want to get a jump on things, here's a link to the complete Convention & Visitors Bureau "Salt Lake Visitors Guide", as well as a good resource for local events, nowplayingutah.com.

For those interested in hitting the slopes, Park City's Quick START (Ski Today and Ride Today) lets travelers convert an airline boarding pass into a same-day lift ticket to the Park City resort of their choice.

And for booksellers looking for restaurant recommendations, Catherine Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore has provided a list of some of her local favorites, and Princeton University Press' Steven Ballinger has a couple of tips, too.

Salt Lake City has an extremely pedestrian friendly downtown, and the Convention & Visitors Bureau has created a self-guided walking tour to many of the historical sites, museums, artistic venues, and temples and cathedrals of different faiths nearby the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown. Booksellers can download the map and a list of the sites here, or preview some of the highlights below. The Walking Tour can also be found in the "Salt Lake Visitors Guide."

DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Some of the landmarks on the self-guided walking tour developed by the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau include:

Pioneer Memorial Museum
330 North Main Street 532-6479
Six floors of artifacts, crafts, and art celebrating Utah history and culture.

Utah State Capitol
350 North Main Street 538-1800
The recently renovated state capitol is an architectural masterpiece built from Utah granite.

Memory Grove Park
300 North Canyon Road538-1900
Features memorials to Utah's veterans and a replica of the Liberty Bell. Also features a wooded area with shaded trails and an off-leash dog area.

Church History Museum
45 North West Temple 240-3310
Art and art history exhibitions about the Latter-day Saint experience.

Family History Library
35 North West Temple 240-2584
This library is the largest depository of genealogical records in the world and is open to the public.

Historic Temple Square
50 West North Temple 240-6615
The Salt Lake Temple, Church History Museum, performances of the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and multiple visitors centers.

Joseph Smith Memorial Building
15 East South Temple240-1266
Listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building is home to the Roof and Garden restaurants, the Legacy Theater, and the FamilySearch Center.

Salt Lake Art Center
20 South West Temple 328-4201
Contemporary visual art exhibitions, a bookstore, and a resource center.

The Cathedral of the Madeleine
331 East South Temple 328-8941
Catholic services, free tours, and concerts in this restored Rhenish Gothic-styled masterpiece.

Museum of Utah Art and History
125 South Main Street355-5554
Features changing exhibitions that highlight the artistic and cultural heritage of Utah. Closed for renovations until June 2008.

Gallivan Center
239 South Main Street535-6110
Art, gardens, event/entertainment stage, and winter ice rink.

The Gateway
90 South 400 West456-0000
More than 115 shops, restaurants, and attractions, including the Olympic Legacy Plaza and historic Union Pacific Depot.

Discovery Gateway
The Gateway456-5437
An interactive discovery center with over four floors of hands-on fun for the whole family.

Clark Planetarium
The Gateway456-7827
Utah's only 3-D IMAX theater and a full-dome star theater.

Library Square
210 East 400 South524-8200
National Library of the Year for 2006. Rooftop garden, children's reading rooms, art gallery, lectures, and readings.

SALT LAKE CITY RESTAURANTS

Here's a list of some local favorites from Catherine Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore. Restaurants range from inexpensive burger joints to fine dining establishments, and they include a number that are within walking distance of the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown.

Walking distance from the hotel, from casual to fancy.

Blue Iguana
165 West South Temple
Mexican. Good & creative $ - $$. Liquor license

Acme Burger Company
275 South 200 West
My favorite burgers (from elk or bison to veggie) $ - $$ Liquor license

Squatters Pub Brewery
147 West Broadway
Pub fare. Fun. Can make private dining arrangements. $ - $$ Liquor license

Red Rock Brewing Company
254 South 200 West
Pub fare. $$ Liquor license

Settebello
262 South 200 West
Pizza, but nice pizza. $ - $$ Wine & beer

Caffe Molise
55 West 100 South (across the street from the hotel)
Italian. Very good. $$ Liquor license

Market Street Grill
48 West Market St. (350 South)
Seafood. Flown in daily. Good $$ Liquor License

Martine
22 East 100 South
Small Plates, etc. Very Nice. $$$ Liquor license

Cucina Toscana
307 West Pierpont
Italian (best in city). Service can be very slow. $$$ Liquor license

Vienna Bistro
132 South Main St.
European $$$ Liquor license

Bambara
202 South Main St.
Fine Dining $$$ - $$$$ Liquor license

Metropolitan
173 West 300 South (Broadway)
Fine Dining $$$ - $$$$ Formerly the best, now one of the best. Liquor license

New Yorker
60 West Market St. (350 South)
Fine Dining $$$$ Private club, you must buy a membership

A little farther, a good walk or a cab ride.

Tin Angel
365 West 400 South
Quirky American Casual. Wonderful for the price $ - $$ Liquor license

Faustina
454 East 300 South
Mod caf. Good cooking. $$ Liquor license

A drive, but worth it.

Sugarhouse Barbecue Company
2207 South 700 East
Truly good BBQ $$ Wine and beer only

Mazza
1515 South 1500 East or 912 East 900 South
Fine Middle Eastern $$ Liquor License

Chanon Thai
278 East 900 South
Thai $ Utah's best. Small, can be crowded

Em's
271 N. Center St.
American Casual in a nice intimate atmosphere $$ Wine & beer only

Fresco
1513 South 1500 East (behind Kings English)
Wonderful Italian $$$ Liquor license

Log Haven
6451 East Millcreek Canyon Rd.
Fine dining beautiful environment $$ - $$$ Liquor license

And here are a few additional tips from Steven Ballinger of Princeton University Press who wrote to recommend "two great places to go within a block of Sam Weller's Bookstore on Main Street between 2nd and 3rd South." Around the corner from Sam's Weller's is the Beehive Tea Room, "which serves the most amazing tea in the world and soups and sandwiches, not to be missed," said Ballinger. "It is something like crossing Agatha Christie with the food writer MFK Fisher. Then one should also take in Lamb's Grill just up the street on 2nd South and Main Street. Lamb's is one of the great places to go for lunch or breakfast."

Beehive Tea Room
12 West 3rd South

Lamb's Grill
2nd South and Main Street