The dining scene in Draper has grown exponentially over the past few years, giving us plenty of options to satisfy every craving. As a meeting ground for Salt Lake City and Utah County residents, Draper is the perfect place to catch up with friends but isn’t exactly a foodie destination.
But still, we firmly believe you shouldn’t settle for bad food. So we’ve updated this guide to the 16 best Draper restaurants to help you navigate the options and experience food worth eating. A meet-up around the point of the mountain is never complete without great eats, so read on to discover where you can find them!
READ NEXT: TOP 14 RESTAURANTS IN PROVO AND SURROUNDING UTAH COUNTY
14. Spitz
One of our favorite Draper restaurants starts us off with tried-and-true Mediterranean street food. Located right off I-15, this casual establishment specializes in the doner kebab as well as other unique entrees and sides. Order the street cart fries, with your choice of regular or sweet potato waffle fries topped with your choice of meat, and garlic aioli, feta, onion, green pepper, tomato, olives, and peperoncini. You’re also here for the doquitos, the Mediterranean spin on a taquito, and you should definitely finish off your meal with their cinnamon sugar pita chips served with a side of sweet cream. Spitz offers vegan-friendly dishes as well so don’t wait to give it a shot.
Spitz – Draper
13. Montauk Bistro
Montauk Bistro is a historic and chic Draper restaurant serving up an eclectic menu of American and Southeast Asian dishes. Located in a residential area in Draper, Montauk has indoor and outdoor seating around their historic building that has been renovated with a minimalist interior to complement the impressive woodwork and leaded glass. Their ribeye burger is hands-down the best thing on the menu, made with grass and grain-fed beef, peppercorn aioli, caramelized onions, and Italian cheese. This burger is beyond flavorful, cooked to perfection, and definitely outshines the rest of the entrees. We also suggest ordering the lettuce wraps to share for a sweet and spicy precursor to your meal. Save room for dessert if you’re a lover of coconut sticky rice and mango.
Montauk Bistro
12. Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen
A relatively new Draper restaurant, Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen is more than meets the eye from the outside. Southern Kitchen is a popular dinner spot because they serve southern fare that is made fresh and from scratch. The plating and decor are simple, making the stars of the show the soul food and southern flavors, as they should be. Whatever you do, make sure to order the fried chicken with a side of mashed potatoes. The chicken is unbelievably moist, flavorful, and is served with a unique maple hot sauce that’s to die for. The mashed potatoes are some of the best you’ll ever have featuring buttery, garlic-laced red potatoes and piping-hot housemade gravy.
Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen
11. Fueled Fresh Kitchen
Fueled Fresh Kitchen serves up some of the healthiest and tastiest entrees in Salt Lake County, and is one of our favorite Draper restaurants. Serving up food that aims to make you feel good, Fueled Fresh Kitchen also offers open, modern seating that will satisfy a brunch group, a quick post-workout meal, or a casual dinner date. The entire menu is served all day so you can definitely order pancakes for dinner if you want to (you’ll want to). We recommend any of their delicious shakes if you’re needing something quick yet hearty. Looking for something more filling? You’re here for the Babe Bowl featuring salmon seared to perfection atop flavorful veggies and rice.
Fueled Kitchen
SEE ALSO: 11 BEST BURGERS IN UTAH COUNTY
10. Royal on Ridge (Previously Ridge Cafe)
Royal on Ridge earns a spot on our guide to the best Draper restaurants, and for good reason! Previously known to our guide as Ridge Cafe, Royal on Ridge gives you a little slice of Park City without having to drive too far from home, and offers a warm, laid-back atmosphere you’ll love. Located at the top of Suncrest, this cozy restaurant looks like a little ski lodge you’d take shelter in after a day on the slopes and serves handcrafted Mediterranean fare. Their Sunday brunch menu is incredibly tasty and one of our very favorites. Be sure to order their ricotta pancakes or their chicken fried chicken entree for some of the best chicken, biscuits, and gravy you’ll ever come across. We also recommend visiting for dinner on the weekdays to try their many pizzas, made from scratch and cooked inside their beautiful brick pizza oven.
Royal On Ridge
9. Oh Mai
Walk into Oh Mai and you’ll feel as though you’ve walked into a small Vietnamese market, where the food is hot and some of the very best in Draper. With its simple decor and minimal seating, you know the food is the priority here. To eat, you’ll find banh mi, vermicelli noodle salads, and other various Vietnamese items covering the menu. We suggest ordering the S2 Bahn Mi—honey glazed pork on an 8 inch baguette with cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon, black pepper, jalapeños, and chili-lime fish vinaigrette. Oh Mai is an easy choice for a delicious lunch or dinner with its incredible flavors and fresh ingredients.
Oh Mai Draper
8. Wasabi
Looking to settle a sushi craving at a restaurant in Draper? Look no further! Wasabi is the best Japanese restaurant in Draper, offering a range of entrees from sushi rolls and noodles to bento boxes. This small yet airy space features a gorgeous cityscape mural that makes the entire experience fun and inviting. We recommend ordering the TNT roll (watch out! this one will be on fire, literally), the Valentine roll (it’s sweet and spicy at the same time), and last but definitely not least the Draper roll (a tribute to the city and topped with four different types of fish). These rolls are creative and flavorful, and we can’t wait to have them again.
Wasabi Sushi Restaurant
7. Paradise Biryani Pointe
It’s late at night, you’re hungry, and can’t find great food that’s still open. Enter Paradise Biryani Pointe, which serves up some of the best Indian food in Draper and is open until 1am most days of the week. Paradise Biryani Pointe serves up a party with live music, a spacious dining room, and authentic entrees, sides, and drinks. Their curries and naan are everything you want, and our must-tries are the butter chicken, gobi manchurian, and mutton ghee roast biryani. A side of garlic naan is essential. Without hesitation, we have to give Paradise Biyani Pointe a spot on our guide to the best restaurants in Draper.
Paradise Biryani Pointe
LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS? READ: 14 BEST LATE NIGHT RESTAURANTS IN SLC
6. Samurai Noodle
Samurai Noodle is known for serving ramen bowl favorites all gussied up true to traditional Japanese style. Here you’ll find beloved stand-ins like miso (added to Sapporo ramen) and shouyu tonkotsu ramen (best of both worlds, combination of pork and chicken broths). The spicy super ramen is reminiscent of a shouyu tonkotsu ramen you’d find in Japan but with a much more robust flavor profile thanks to additions like house spicy garlic sauce and wavy egg noodles. We love the flavor spice (as opposed to temperature spice) at Samurai Noodle and definitely consider it one of the best Draper restaurants.
Samurai Noodle
5. Wildside Bowls
Welcome to Wildside Bowls—a darling, colorful stop serving up some of the best smoothie bowls in Utah, and easily earning a spot on our guide to the best Draper restaurants. If you’ve ever visited the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, you’ll feel like you’re back as soon as you walk through the doors of Wildside Bowls. What stands out here is the açaí bowl named Wildside Bowl with blended açaí, your choice of milk, apple juice, strawberries, bananas, and an organic coconut base topped with strawberries, blueberries, bananas, granola, and raw honey. If you haven’t had the chance to dive into an açaí bowl before, we HIGHLY recommend diving headfirst into this bowl. We also love the P.B.A açaí bowl, for our peanut butter lovers.
Wildside Bowls
4. Les BBQ
Les BBQ is what we consider a delightful cross between Texas BBQ and a take out restaurant. A place where you can come for smoked meats, great sauce, and everything’s served in takeout boxes. You’ll see conventional offerings like brisket or pulled pork, and more unique menu items like frito pie and famous oxtails that sell out fast. Les BBQ is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11am to 5pm. You’re obviously here for the Oxtail King’s smoked creations and we highly recommend the chicken sandwich and the oxtail mac and cheese cup. These little red nuggets may become your latest obsession.
LES BBQ
RELATED: 6 BEST ICE CREAM SHOPS IN UTAH COUNTY
3. Oak Woodfire Pizza Kitchen
Oak Woodfire Pizza Kitchen is one of the best Italian restaurants in Utah, and definitely one of the best Draper restaurants. With its modern farmhouse decor, a fiery brick oven, and soul music playing overhead, this is bound to be one of the coziest dining experiences you’ll have in Draper. We suggest ordering the Margherita pizza and the baked goat cheese appetizer for authentic Italian flavors and locally sourced ingredients. The Margherita pizza has incredibly fresh basil and mozzarella, and is salted to perfection. If you’re looking for a heartier dining experience, order the Oak burger, an 8oz brisket burger with bacon, raclette cheese, romaine, pickles, malt vinegar mayo, and ketchup. No matter what you order, you’ll love dining at Woodfire Pizza Kitchen.
OAK Wood Fire Kitchen
2. Cultivate Craft Kitchen
Cultivate Craft Kitchen is one of the top three Draper restaurants, and is perfect for the refined palate. Located on a high peak in Draper, this restaurant pays homage to the rich farming history of the community, both in menu items and design. These modern dishes capture the flavors of each season and left us particularly obsessed with each one. It is a little pricier than other restaurants in Draper, but the flavors of these dishes make it worth the splurge. To start, order the cauliflower (Korean-fried cauliflower, sweet gochujang, marinated cucumber) or the trio of carrots (honey-cumin glazed, roasted carrots, housemade carrot crisps, black volcanic salt, heirloom carrot puree). As for entrees, be sure to order the wild mushroom pasta or the burger.
Cultivate Craft Kitchen
$$$ New American, Tapas/Small Plates
12234 South, Draper Gate Dr Suite 105, Draper, UT 84020
(801) 274-4230
1. The Charleston
The Charleston is a hidden gem and hands-down the best restaurant in Draper, Utah. Residing in a two-story pre-Victorian brick house, many mistake this delicious restaurant for a wedding venue or historic home. With its vintage modern ambiance, it’s the perfect spot for a cozy Saturday brunch or an intimate dinner date. The food here is unforgettable and each plate, from appetizer to entree, is thoughtful, full of flavor, and made to perfection. For brunch, you’re here for the Pain Perdu, brioche French toast made with vanilla paste, orange zest, honey, and butter, and served with berries (no syrup needed)! We also recommend The Charleston eggs benedict. For dinner, make sure to order the gaucho steak and the Thai coconut halibut. These entrees are a little pricey but well worth it. We promise.