Great food and live entertainment: that’s the goal of Culinary Dropout.
The casual high-end restaurant chain first opened in Scottsdale in 2010 and has since grown to 18 locations across nine states.
A location recently opened up in downtown Salt Lake City, at the old historic Utah Pickle Company building, where the building’s past remains a fixture of its current state, with barrels and exposed brick still a backdrop within the new restaurant.
Sam Fox is the 11-time James Beard semifinalist for outstanding restaurateur behind the establishment.
The restaurateur was a college dropout, so Culinary Dropout “was a play on that,” he told San Diego Magazine. “But the restaurant really was based around a chef-driven gastropub.”
All of the food is still made from scratch at each location, and the menu offers a mix of modern American fare with a slight twist.
Every Culinary Dropout features a section where live performers can play music to delight patrons. Live music was a core aspect in the concept of Culinary Dropout.
Why now in Utah?
The latest location of Culinary Dropout lands in Utah, a place where the chain has “been looking to expand into for some time now,” according to Kyle Kratzer, the general manager of the Salt Lake City location.
“We wanted to bring a new twist to a place that hasn’t experienced Culinary Dropout before and really emphasize how important the guest experience is to us as a brand,” Kratzer said. “We wanted to show Utah what we can do to turn ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences.”
What can new customers expect from the Culinary Dropout experience?
“We want every guest who walks through our doors to feel welcome and like they’re the most important person in our restaurant,” Kratzer said. “Our guests are the reason we’re here, and delivering a great experience for them is what drives us. That attitude is what sets us apart, and we’ve built a team, both front of house and back of house, that truly embodies it.”
What I ordered
I had been to the Scottsdale location of Culinary Dropout and hadn’t been able to forget about those delectable soft pretzel bites with provolone fondue.
And I will say the pretzels lived up to my idyllic memories. They’re soft and chewy, and paired with the hot, tasty provolone fondue, it’s a pretty tough culinary experience to beat.
Here’s what else I ordered:
- White Truffle Deviled Eggs: These were delicious deviled eggs. Each comes with truffle, crispy prosciutto and chive.
- Spicy Rigatoni: This dish was quite tasty. It includes chicken sausage, roasted mushroom, spinach, Calabrian panna and pecorino bread crumb. The bread crumb adds the perfect textured crunch to finish off the dish.
- Mississippi Mud Pie: This highly rated dessert comes with a rich, dense chocolate base, and espresso fudge is poured on the top to add a deep and slightly bitter coffee note to balance the sweetness of the rich chocolate.
Storefront information
- Address: 765 S. 400 West Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
- Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Saturday, 10 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Price: $$