Rankings on this page were compiled from a Deseret News analysis of 54,303 computer records from food inspections conducted over the past five years in Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties. Information was also sorted with the help of computer data from the Utah Department of Commerce and food-borne illness and inspection closure reports by the Salt Lake City-County Health Department.
Note: Restaurants are rated on a score of 1 to 100 by the Health Department.
Cleanest places to eat
according to inspection records
Note: Restaurants are rated on a scale of 1 to 100
1 Jails, prisons and detention facilities 95.23
2 Nursing homes 95.38
3 Hospitals & rehab centers 94.29
4 Schools 93.24
5 Fast food carry-out only 91.58
6 Fast food with seating 91.42
7 Sit-down restaurants 89.09
Critic's Best
Deseret News restaurant critic L.A. Johnson rates these restaurants as the best in the Salt Lake valley. They are rated according to the five-year average of their health department inspections.
Restaurant: Lowest score: 5-year
..............................................................average:
Primo Restaurant, 2350 E. 7000 South 85 (1995) 92.00
Fresco Italian Cafe, 1513 S. 1500 East 77 (1992) 89.58
Log Haven, East Millcreek Canyon 80 (1997) 88.47
Pomodoro Rerstaurant, 2440 E. Ft. Union 80 (1996) 88.00
Aerie Restaurant & Lounge, Snowbird 63 (1996) 87.69
Red Iguana, 736 W. North Temple 75 (1994,96) 85.94
New Yorker Club, 60 Market Street 61 (1996) 84.47
La Caille at Quail Run, 9565 S. Wasatch Blvd. 64 (1994) 84.38
Fast Food
Fast food chains along the Wasatch Front often engage in advertizing campaigns that pit them against their closest competition. Here are the winners from the food inspection perspective.
Burger biggies: 5-year average score: Lowest score and location
Burger King 94.29 65 2950 W. 3500 South (1993)
McDonalds 93.35 70 9346 S. 700 East (1996)
Crown Burger 92.54 67 3190 S. Highland Drive
............................................................(1996)
Wendy's 91.30 65 5820 S. State (1993)
Arctic Circle 91.25 67 2110 S. State (1993)
Taco shops:
Taco Bell 94.60 69 1649 W. 9000 South (1996)
Taco Time 90.98 59 8432 W. 2700 South (1996)
Pizza:
Pizza Hut 92.53 64 1601 W. 7800 South (1996)
Godfather's Pizza90.85 83 4950 W. 6200 South (1996)
Ambassador Pizza 90.14 57 1387 W. 9000 South (1997)
Little Caesars 86.15 55 3269 E. 3300 South (1995)
Mall Food
Court Fare
Mall: 2-year average: Lowest score:
Cottonwood 91.63 56 (American Grill)
Crossroads 90.55 69 (La Salsa)
ZCMI Center 90.21 76 (Scully's Bread & Chowder House)
Fashion Place 89.90 33 (Sbarro Pizzeria)
South Towne 89.04 67 (Greenline Coffee Shop)
Layton Hills 89.33 77 (American Grill)
Valley Fair 88.77 77 (Sbarro Pizzeria)
University 86.00 82 (Nach O Fast, Chick-Fil-A)
Hepatitis A outbreaks
Taco Bell Jan. 19, 1995
1758 W. North Temple
Jubilee Restaurant Feb. 9, 1995
Airport Holiday Inn
Red Lion Hotel Apr. 7, 1995
255 S. West Temple
John's Place Oct. 25, 1995
87 W. 7200 South
Dee's Family Restaurant Nov. 22, 1995
515 E. 400 South
Bubba's BBQ Feb. 7, 1996
4291 S. 900 East
Denny's Aug. 29, 1996
250 W. 500 South
Smith's Food and Drug Deli April 8, 1996
1174 W. 600 North
Worst: Lowest-scoring restaurants
Salt Lake County
Restaurant name: Score: Inspection done:
Chop-Chop Cafe, 4410 S. 900 East 28 5/97
Sbarro Pizzeria, 6191 S. State 33 12/96
Charlie Chow, Ltd., Trolley Square 35 3/97
Seoul of Korea, 1020 E. 2100 South 39 5/97
Ferrantelli's, Trolley Square 41 4/97
Eibo's, Trolley Square 41 4/97
Greyhound terminal snack bar,
150 W. South Temple 43 5/96
China Pearl Restaurant, 888 S. State 44 3/97
Jade Cafe, 234 W. 900 South 44 1/96
New Ho Ho Gourmet, 2627 E. Parleys Way 45 5/97
Ocean City, 1919 E. 4800 South 45 8/96
La Frontera Cafe, 1236 W. 400 South 47 9/96
Chinese Gourmet, 4874 W. 3500 South 49 4/96
Utah County
Diegos Taco Shop, 22 E. 200 North, Provo 50 12/96
El Salvador, 332 W. Center, Provo 54 3/96
La Casita, 333 N. Main, Springville 56 8/96
Four Winds, 250 W. Center, Provo 56 8/96
Maple Lanes Cafe, 155 W. 400 North, Orem 56 3/96
First Wok, 1425 S. State, Provo 56 2/96
Italian Place, 1086 S. State, Orem 57 1/96
Porters Place, 24 W. Main, Lehi 61 5/96
Los Amigos, 150 S. University Ave., Provo 62 8/96
Prestwich Farms, 289 E. 1300 South, Orem 64 7/96
Davis County
North Seas Restaurant
1171 S. 500 West, Bountiful 49 March 1996
Garcia's Mexican Restaurant
1075 S. 500 West, Bountiful 53 April 1996
Kiki's Family Restaurant
540 S. State, Clearfield 55 May 1996
Royal Garden Restaurant
(now closed) 56 May 1996
Little Orient Restaurant
734 S. Main, Layton 57 February 1997
Aloha Chinese Restaurant
325 S. State, Clearfield 58 August 1996
Mongolian Gardens
22 N. Main, Layton 59 July 1996
Smith's Chinese Kitchen
2353 N. Main, Sunset 59 June 1996
New ABC Mandarin Chinese Restaurant 59 January 1997
1295 S. State, Clearfield
Tony Roma's
1508 N. 1000 West, Layton 60 February 1996
Closed
The following businesses and food serving area at a school were closed or had their food-serving permits suspended by the Salt Lake City-County Health Department so far this year. Businesses without a reopen date are still closed. Note that some of the closures resulted from a single problem and that the establishment reopened the same or next day. The average inspection score over five years is noted for each business.
Restaurant, Closed, Reopened, Reason for closure, Ave. score:
Ambassador Pizza, Jan. 16, Jan. 17, No hot water, 89.36
3638 S. Highland
Picante, Mar. 7, Mar. 8, No hot water, 94.00
602 E. 500 South
Charlie Chow, Mar. 14, Mar. 17, Rodent infestation, inadequate refrigeration, lack of general sanitation, substandard operating processes, 81.36
Trolley Square
Lowell School, Mar. 20, Mar. 20, Gas leak and no hot water, 95.00
134 D Street
Sculli's II, Mar. 26, Mar. 26, No hot water, 91.75
ZCMI Center Mall
J&S Deli, April 1, April 17, Hand sink not installed after request by inspector, 91.82
5284 S. 320 West
Village Inn, April 7, April 7, Raw sewage from backed drain, 88.18
910 E. 400 South
Casual Corner Cafe, April 16, No food service permit obtained after 3 notices., 91.00
2577 E. Bengal Blvd.
Ho Ho Gourmet, April 25, May 1, Repeated critical violations, 88.67
China City, May 8, May 8, Sewer drain backed up, 80.74
3640 S. Highland
Forbidden City, May 7, May 9, Temperature violations and numerous illness complaints, 87.20
Lone Star Taqueria, May 13, May 16, Unsafe food handling conditions and temperatures not corrected after inspection, 90.08
2265 E. Ft. Union
Taco Time, May 15, May 16, Food-borne illness reported, food temperature problems, 88.32
3911 S. State
Chop Chop Cafe, May 22, June 11, Repeated critical violations, violation of contract, 81.95
4410 S. 900 East
Hua Hong, May 22, Operating without business license or health permit, none
none available
Notable Nosh, June 6, Smoking in food prep area, no certified manager on staff, 87.00
Taco Time, June 11, Serious safety violations, past notices not met, 88.32
2497 S. State
Gepetto's, July 2, July 3, Repeat critical violations, no certified manager, 80.05
230 S. 1300 East
Source: Salt Lake City-County Health Department