This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter. To get the full newsletter every Wednesday, subscribe at sltrib.com/newsletters.
Hello, Eaters! West-siders and beer fans, I’ve got news for you: A new brewpub, called Rabbit’s Foot Brewing Co., has opened in West Valley City at 3318 Decker Lake Drive, just south of the Maverik Center.
The 21+ brewpub is a collaboration between Lucky 13 and Bewilder Brewing. Cody McKendrick, who’s a managing partner at Bewilder, heard about an opportunity to buy a sports bar in West Valley City called Penalty Box Bar & Grill, and asked Lucky 13 co-owners Rob Dutton and Ron Lay if they wanted in.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Dutton, Ron Lay and Cody McKendrick, from left, are owners of the Rabbit's Foot Brewery in West Valley City. Dutton and Lay are co-owners of Lucky 13, and McKendrick is a managing partner at Bewilder Brewing.
McKendrick told me that he was excited by the idea of opening a brewery in West Valley City, which doesn’t have any. And he knew Dutton and Lay had experience running the food-centric Lucky 13 next to an event space that sees big fluctuations in business. Dutton has also lived in West Valley City, and Lay was a firefighter for the city for more than 20 years.
So, the three of them started a gradual changeover at Penalty Box, taking on operations in December but keeping the original name while they remodeled. Then they had a grand opening on May 17 for Rabbit’s Foot Brewing Co.; they said the name is a mashup of Bewilder’s mascot (a “bewilderbeast,” aka jackalope) and Lucky 13’s name.
They’re not quite to the point of brewing beer at Rabbit’s Foot proper — prices for brewing equipment have skyrocketed due to tariffs on stainless steel, McKendrick said. In the meantime, Bewilder is brewing Rabbit’s Foot beers like the Beach Bunny Cerveza, Hare of the Dog IPA and Jack Rabbit Wheat that are served at the brewpub.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) the Rabbit's Foot Brewery in West Valley City, on Monday, June 16, 2025.
Their goal is to start brewing at Rabbit’s Foot once prices come down and the market stabilizes. At that point, they plan to slowly switch out the brewpub’s larger domestic beers with their own versions.
“Every brewery, every pub should be making beer that the community is into,” McKendrick said. “... I’m super excited to figure out what people out here really like to drink, and to brew it for them, and pair that with some really awesome food.”
Dutton has been updating the Penalty Box food menu in stages, launching a new pizza system, bringing in a selection of Lucky 13 burgers, and adding new items like fried Brussels sprouts and beer-battered cheese curds.
Over time, “food’s been more and more of a passion,” Dutton said. “There are more things that we wanted to do and I wanted to do, and so we’re bringing those onto the menu over here.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The interior of Rabbit's Foot Brewery in West Valley City, on Monday, June 16, 2025.
To read more about my order at Rabbit’s Foot Brewing, check out the “Dish of the Week” section of this newsletter.
If you come to Rabbit’s Foot the night of an event at the Maverik Center, keep in mind that they’ll be serving a shorter food menu of burgers and appetizers. Arrive early to beat the crowds.
Rabbit’s Foot Brewing is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., with the kitchen’s last call at midnight and the bar’s last call at 1 a.m. The brewpub also serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Live deliciously,
Kolbie
Food News
Openings:
• Potbelly, a sandwich chain from Chicago, opened a new location this week in Ogden, at 1321 N. Wall Ave., according to a publicist. In addition to sandwiches, Potbelly’s menu also features salads, soups, macaroni & cheese, milkshakes and cookies.Utahhas one other Potbelly location, in Sandy at 130 W. 10600 South.
Booze (and Drink!) News
• Every Tuesday in June, September and the beginning of October, dog lovers can bring their furry friends to Pups & Pints Trivia Night, a dog-themed trivia night happening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown, at 215 S. West Temple. The event will be held on the pet-friendly patio at Copper Canyon Grill House & Tavern, and will feature local beers from Salt Flats Brewing Co.
• Tickets are on sale now for the fourth annual Deer Valley Mountain Beer Festival, happening Sept. 13-14, from noon to 5 p.m. The weekend event — accessible only by chairlift — will feature Utah beer, outdoor dining and live music, a news release said. Parking and check-in for the chairlift will be at Snow Park Lodge, at 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, in Park City. Ticket prices range from $35 for 21+ general admission to the $135 “imperial” package with VIP access. Nondrinkers of all ages can pay $15 for the alcohol-free experience.
Dish of the Week
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fried Brussels sprouts with chorizo crumbles, the Fungus Amongus burger with sweet potato tots, and a glass of lemonade at Rabbit's Foot Brewery in West Valley City, on Monday, June 16, 2025.
At Rabbit’s Foot Brewing Co., they make Lucky 13 burgers exactly how they’re made at Lucky 13, same ingredients and everything, but with one difference: At Rabbit’s Foot, those burgers are made with a ½-pound Wagyu beef patty instead of Lucky 13’s (secret!) custom ground beef patty. It’s quite the upgrade, so juicy that my mouth is watering as I write this. I got The Fungus Amongus ($17), so my patty came dressed up with sauteed mushrooms and Swiss cheese — classic.
My favorite thing I tried, though, was the fried Brussels sprouts ($10), which, for a couple bucks more, came with chorizo crumbles. (By the way, Rob Dutton said they make that chorizo in-house, from wild boar, and it’s good stuff.) The meatiness from that chorizo goes with the Brussels sprouts really well, but what brought it all together for me is the elote crema on top, made with sour cream, lime juice, paprika and chili powder — zesty, smoky, creamy and delicious.
