Lion House rolls — beloved by Latter-day Saints and beyond — are available once again, now that the Garden Restaurant has reopened at Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City.
The restaurant — formerly known as the Nauvoo Cafe — is in the lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, 15 E. South Temple, which has been closed for a 2½-year renovation. Certain areas of the historic building opened to the public Monday, including the restaurant, according to a news release from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The renovation, the release stated, has included updates to the building’s mechanical systems, energy-efficient upgrades, seismic improvements and more.
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) The lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 27, 2025.
The Garden Restaurant serves turkey pot pies, soups, salads, made-to-order sandwiches and, of course, soft Lion House rolls. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lion House rolls, named for the downtown Salt Lake City restaurant that first created them, “are known around the world for their incredible texture and flavor,” Utah food blogger Christy Denney, aka “The Girl Who Ate Everything,” wrote on her site in February.
Another favorite Temple Square eatery, the Roof Restaurant on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, is scheduled to reopen in October.
