Since being awarded a Michelin star last week, South Salt Lake restaurant Monte has been flooded with reservation requests, said owner and chef Martin Babio.

“The response has been extraordinary,” Babio said. “Reservations started coming in immediately, and we have received an incredible number of messages from people wanting to experience Monte.”

Potential diners might have to wait until winter to eat at Monte, with reservations booked out for at least the next three months, Babio said.

A search on OpenTable.com showed no available reservations through the end of 2026.

Before opening in 2024 as a brick-and-mortar inside the Beehive Distilling space at 2245 S. West Temple, Monte operated for about four years as an “underground dining experience,” Babio said.

By working with local farmers, ranchers, foragers and other food producers, Monte aims to reflect “the landscape, ingredients and seasons of Utah while expressing our own culinary identity.”

Babio said he was “touched” by the response Utah had to Monte receiving a Michelin star.

“There is a real sense of pride surrounding this recognition, and we feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this moment for the state,” he said.

Babio added that the Michelin recognition creates an “enormous responsibility,” and is the beginning of a new chapter for the restaurant.

“Our philosophy will remain the same: cook with integrity, continue developing our identity, support local farmers and producers, and constantly improve the experience we give our guests,” Babio said.