Erin Elizabeth
Tens of thousands of students, business people, and travelers visit Provo, Utah, annually. The city is home to the famous Brigham Young University and offers visitors various history and art museums to visit.
Provo is about an hour south of Salt Lake City and offers multiple amenities attributable to a large city. Many visitors wonder where the best places to eat in the city are located, so this list outlines the best restaurants in Provo.
Best Restaurants in Provo
- Bombay House
- Black Sheep Cafe
- Communal
- Station 22 Cafe
- Block Restaurant
- Guru’s Cafe
- Pizzeria 712
- La Jolla Groves
- Cubby’s Chicago Beef
- Molly’s
- Tucanos Brazilian Grill
- India Palace
- Ruby River Steakhouse
- K’s Kitchen
- Savage Fish Poke
- Thai Hut
- Hruska’s Kolaches
Bombay House
463 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-373-6677
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One of the best Provo restaurants is the Bombay House. Bombay House serves Indian cuisine and was founded in 1993. The restaurant serves Provo and surrounding areas like Salt Lake City and West Jordan. Daniel Shanthakumar is the owner and co-founder of Bombay House; he grew up in India and graduated from a Brigham Young University satellite campus.
Since moving to Utah, Shanthakumar has been committed to sharing traditional Indian food with his community. If visiting the restaurant for lunch or dinner, try the chicken coconut korma, lamb vindaloo, or the baygan bharta.
Black Sheep Cafe
19 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-607-2485
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If you are wondering where to eat in Provo, look no further than the Black Sheep Cafe. The restaurant is self-described as a “from scratch” kitchen, where all of the foods are prepared from fresh ingredients without prepackaged or commercialized components. Black Sheep is a fusion restaurant that highlights Native American, Mexican, and Southwestern cuisines.
For lunch, start your meal with a bit of the green chili goat cheese queso followed by the Navajo tacos with red chili beef or the chicken sandwich on a Nanniskadii bun served with roasted red bell pepper and chipotle mayo. Sample the honey lavender fry bread and the hanger steak with cabernet glaze and Manchego mashed potatoes.
Communal
102 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-373-8000
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Communal is a New American, family-style restaurant that aims to provide comfort and community through outstanding dishes and service. The restaurant is open for brunch and dinner. Located near the university, it is an excellent place for students and their families to gather.
For brunch, the avocado benedict and the buttermilk pancakes are popular choices. Also, try the Shakshouka, a warm and spicy dish composed of tomato sauce, poached eggs and served with a warm baguette.
For dinner, the menu expands, and offerings include Spring Lake trout with horseradish cream and celery root puree, as well as a braised pork belly served with maple-poached pears.
Station 22 Café
22 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-607-1803
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For incredible southern comfort food in Provo, visit Station 22 Café. Located by the Provo City Center Utah Temple, the restaurant is in the heart of the downtown area. With antique stores and clothing boutiques within walking distance, a meal at Station 22 Café will add spice to your day downtown!
The Station’s House Made Chicken and Waffles is a signature brunch item, where chefs brine the chicken for 24 hours and use buttermilk to make fluffy waffles. The biscuits and gravy, as well as the avocado toast, are also popular items. For dinner, try one of these decadent options: fried green tomato, Nashville hot chicken sandwich, shrimp and grits, or the whiskey chicken.
Block Restaurant
3330 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84604
Phone: 801-885-7558
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Block Restaurant is a farm-to-table establishment serving fresh and seasonal food to guests. The owners of the restaurant, Erika and Jason, wanted to share their love of family and desire to elevate a new dining scene in Provo, so they opened Block Restaurant.
Block Restaurant offers Prix Fixe Dinners, including an oyster on the half shell, savory corn churro, pineapple salad, langoustine mango tostada, and Wagyu carne asada, and banana tres leches – a perfect sampling of the restaurant’s most loved dishes!
Additionally, a weekday brunch is a fun opportunity to pretend it’s the weekend, so try the Pastrami Breakfast Sandwich on a Tuesday morning for a bit of spontaneity.
Guru’s Café
45 E Center St, Provo, UT 84606
Phone: 801-375-4878
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Guru’s Café is an incredible location for a healthy and satisfying balanced and nutritious meal. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday in downtown Provo. Guru’s Café can help with your catering or take-out needs and provide an excellent dining experience inside the restaurant.
For breakfast, try Cowboy Benny, a biscuit sandwich with eggs, bacon, and sausage gravy. Later in the day, try one of the Guru’s specials, including lemon butter salmon and a tamale plate.
Other notable dishes are the cilantro-lime chicken quesadilla and Thai peanut pasta! The eclectic collection of international dishes made from the freshest ingredients makes the cafe an exceptional location to grab a bite to eat.
Pizzeria 712
320 S State St #185, Orem, UT 84058
Phone: 801-623-6712
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Serving up wood-fired pizzas using fresh ingredients, Pizzeria 712 offers an attractive dining option for any guest. The restaurant is located just outside Provo, in the small suburb, Orem. Orem is known regionally for its breathtaking fruit orchards.
Pizzeria 712 focuses on creating hand-crafted and delicious pizzas. When visiting, try the BBQ chicken pizza with smoked gouda, the three little pigs with bacon, sausage, and ham, or the hot pink with chili flakes on top. The restaurant offers more than pizza, also try the basil pesto spaghetti and the buttermilk panna cotta.
La Jolla Groves
4801 N University Ave Suite 610, Provo, UT 84604
Phone: 801-224-5111
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La Jolla Groves is a fine dining restaurant led by Chef Kyler Roney, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America and opened his first restaurant at twenty-five. The restaurant holds many prestigious awards like the Best of Utah Valley. La Jolla Groves brings accessibility to high-end cuisine.
To begin your meal, try the mushroom bisque or the bruschetta. The restaurant offers many options for the main course like a salmon filet with a cilantro lemon beurre blanc, shrimp scampi with a pinot butter lemon reduction, and Croque Monsieur served with smoked aioli and a mornay sauce.
Cubby’s Chicago Beef
1258 N State St, Provo, UT 84604
Phone: 801-919-3023
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Cubby’s Chicago Beef is a fun, modern restaurant, bringing youth and vitality to the Provo dining scene. The restaurant was heavily influenced by Italian beef sandwiches, a food phenomenon that started in Chicago.
The restaurant’s founder’s Jacob, aka “Chubby,” and his partner, Amanda, wanted to offer an affordable mix of excellent American foods to the Provo community. One note – the restaurant does not accept pennies!
When visiting, try the dragonslayer – a sandwich made of top sirloin and blue cheese patty with smoked bacon and a homemade creamy buffalo sauce on top. Also, be sure to try the Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich – Mr. Beef. On the lighter side, the lemon chicken parmesan salad is a delightful choice. Do not skip out on the milkshakes!
Molly’s
753 W Columbia Ln, Provo, UT 84604
Phone: 801-374-3256
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Molly’s excels at delivering comfort food. For college kids in town who miss visiting their grandmothers, take a trip over to Molly’s restaurant for a visit that will feel like home. Molly’s is affiliated with Marvelous Catering, which offers services for corporate events and weddings.
Molly’s has daily specials Wednesday through Friday, including chicken enchiladas, turkey meatloaf, and chicken pot pie. Other notable menu options are the savory tomato basil pie and the raspberry bread pudding. Gather with your chosen community for a comforting meal.
Tucanos Brazilian Grill
545 E University Pkwy, Orem, UT 84097
Phone: 801-224-4774
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Tucanos Brazilian Grill follows the Brazilian style of preparing meats on a skewer over an open fire. Those visiting the restaurant will experience a server cutting meat from the skewer directly onto their plate – it is a flavorful and exciting experience. Alongside the meats is an array of unlimited salad options.
The menu is a variety of beef, poultry, and pork, including but not limited to garlic parmesan beef, bacon-wrapped turkey, brown sugar glazed ham, and marinated beef brisket. The restaurant is especially gluten-free friendly and notes on its menu which items are safe for those on a particular diet.
India Palace
98 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-373-7200
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Curry sauce on pizza! It’s true at India Palace, where this unusual fusion was a no-brainer for its chefs. India Palace is part of a larger Curry Pizza movement. The restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.
India Palace in Provo focuses more on traditional Indian foods like vindaloo and korma with garlic naan and happiness. Be sure to visit this location or one of the other three venues across the state.
Ruby River Steakhouse
1454 S University Ave, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-371-0648
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Ruby River is a traditional steakhouse with white linens and perfectly cooked steaks. The restaurant is located on University Avenue and is open every day of the week for lunch and dinner.
For an appetizer, try the steak and avocado eggrolls or the fried pickles. If you enjoy a steak, you are in the right place! Try the garlic peppered ribeye or the gorgonzola New York strip steak. For a surf and turf moment, you can add grilled shrimp to any steak on the menu. Try the parmesan-crusted halibut or the salmon oscar with Alaskan snow crab on top for visitors who enjoy other options.
K’s Kitchen
322 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 385-201-7523
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K’s Kitchen, named after Kazuyo Stevenson, is a traditional Japanese restaurant in the heart of Provo, Utah. Stevenson was born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, and once she moved to Utah, she realized that she could share her culinary expertise with her neighbors and community.
Donburi bowls are a popular menu item based on rice with sundry toppings like seafood, poultry, eggs, radish, or crispy onion. The donburi Sauce Katsudon and Poke are the most ordered at the restaurant. Make sure to also try the miso soup and the korokke, a fried mixture of mashed potatoes, pork, and onion.
Savage Fish Poke
286 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 385-307-6124
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A poke bowl offers a base of rice with sushi-grade raw fish on top and other accents like seaweed, sesame seeds, and crispy onions. Savage Fish Poke is open Monday through Saturday and is located inside the ReKava Cafe. Sometimes poke bowls are also sold from a mobile food truck.
The menu’s most ordered and most reviewed item is the Spicy Ahi poke bowl with cubed Ahi, shredded crab, green onion, chopped round onions, spicy mayo, and red chili flakes. Other notable options include the Ahi bowl with black rice and add-ins like making the mixture extra spicy!
Thai Hut
410 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-691-1822
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The Thai Hut is operated by Dao Vannarath, who immigrated to the United States from Laos. The restaurant serves traditional and accessible Thai foods. Vannarath offers many usual items but has also created recipes that have been added to the menu. The Thai Hut offers lunch specials until 3:00 pm on most days.
To begin your meal, try the shrimp rolls and the cream cheese wontons. For mains, the pad thai is a necessity, but the drunken noodles are also delicious. If you want something outside of the noodle family, try the ginger chicken or the lemongrass chicken. For a unique beverage, try Thai iced tea.
Hruska’s Kolaches
434 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 801-623-3578
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A kolache is a dough pouch that is filled with various delicious stuffings. Hruska’s Kolaches makes their dough from scratch daily, and every ingredient used in the fillings is locally sourced.
If you are interested in a sweet kolache, try the raspberry Nutella or the maple pecan. For two dollars apiece, you can even try both! If you are craving something more savory, try the sausage and gravy, which was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, hosted by Guy Fiereri! Customers can also place special large orders, and the fillings for these can include brisket, buffalo chicken, green chili pork, and many others.
Final Thoughts
Provo, Utah is a place where there is a convergence of young people attending university and older community members and families living harmoniously. Its restaurant scene is similarly harmonious!
From sites that serve traditional comfort food to locations that push the boundaries with spice and poke, Provo has something for everyone interested in a pleasant dining experience or an Instagramable plate of delectable food.
Heading towards Salt Lake City? Check out some of these incredible places to eat when you get there
Did we miss any restaurants in Provo? Leave us a comment so we can put it up on the list!
