This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter. To get the full newsletter every Wednesday, subscribe at sltrib.com/utah-eats.

Hello, Eaters! Gramercy House, at 569 E. 2nd Ave., Building B, in Salt Lake City, is a hidden magical teahouse in the middle of the Avenues that is now one of my new favorite places.

Last week, I met with McKenna Brown, who co-owns Gramercy with her best friend, Emerson Alvarez.

Brown said the beautiful brick building that houses the cafe is over 100 years old, and being in it makes her feel like she’s not in Salt Lake City. “There’s just something about it that makes you feel like you’re somewhere else,” she said.

The origin story: Brown (pictured above right) and Alvarez (pictured above left) met about eight years ago and “instantly connected,” Brown said. They started skiing together, eventually lived together, and “drank a lot of tea together,” she said.

One holiday season, when the two were organizing an art market called Wizard with their friends, they were inspired to create something that continued the community feel of the market, Brown said. They thought of opening a teahouse, and the idea quickly caught on.

Since the market was between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Brown said they wanted to pick a name that centered around gratitude and thankfulness, so they picked Gramercy, which is a mashup of the French phrase “grand merci” (“many thanks”).

The vibe: As you walk up to the teahouse on an old brick path, the Gramercy building reveals itself and beckons you inside. The century-old structure (it used to be a laundromat back in the day) has tons of character, from the exposed brick — complete with ivy growing on it — to the painted window panes. The interior is cozy and quiet except for soft music and hushed conversations. Something about the way the light shines through those windows makes the space so homey.

There’s also some retail to browse, and the whole place is available to rent out for events.

The menu: Tea-focused, including loose leaf, matcha and hojicha, but with high-quality coffee, too. Some food is available, including pastries from All-Purpose Bakehouse and Fishbrain, onigiri from Mr. Rice, and salads from Kahve Cafe. Brown said they’d like to add more food eventually. To read about the drink I had at Gramercy, scroll down to “Tea of the Week.”

The hours: Open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day, except closed Tuesdays.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

Food News

Openings:

• Prickly Pear, a new restaurant near Liberty Park at 416 E. 900 South, is now open in the former Xiao Bao Bao space, according to a post on Instagram. The eatery focuses on tacos and agave.

• Bonrue Bakery — known for its croissants, kouign amann and other pastries — has opened a new location at 1167 S. State St. in Orem, according to a news release. Orem is apparently the second of three Utah County locations of Bonrue Bakery planned for 2026, the release said. The first was Provo, and Spanish Fork is next on the list.

• Buffalo Wild Wings GO — a takeout- and delivery-focused version of the national chain known for its wings and sauces — has opened a new location in Payson at 855 Turf Farm Road, a news release said.

• On Thursday, the first Utah location of the British chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat is opening in Fashion Place Mall, at 6191 S. State St., next to The Container Store and Vans, according to a news release. The store will include Hotel Chocolat’s signature Wall of Chocolate — featuring more than 100 chocolate recipes to try — a full-service cafe, a holiday collection of treats and The Wall of Velvetiser, where customers can create their own blend of drinking chocolate, the release said.

• On Tuesday, Nov. 17, a new location of Chicken Salad Chick — which is billed as the only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept in the U.S. — will open in Spanish Fork at 588 E. Commerce Way, a news release said. The first 100 guests at the opening will receive free chicken salad for a year. Chicken Salad Chick has another Utah location in Pleasant Grove, and the owners of the two Utah franchises want to open four more locations after that.

Closings:

• Charlie’s Ice Cream, at 1217 N. Main St. in Logan, is closing on Nov. 21 after 36 years in business, according to a flier circulating on Instagram and an article in The Herald Journal. The flier said, “We are so grateful for our loyal customers, our amazing community and all of the memories you’ve helped us create.”

• No Frills Diner in Ogden closed Nov. 6 after 18 years in business, according to the Standard-Examiner. In an interview with the paper, owner Ron Yeates said the owner of his building served him an eviction notice.

• Has a restaurant opened or closed in your neighborhood? Let us know at food@sltrib.com.

Booze (and Drink!) News

• The future of The Center of the Universe, at 7 S. Main St. in Payson, is up in the air after the owners said on Instagram last week that the cafe was closing and then walked that back in an updated post that said the new tenants actually fell through. The cute coffee shop is going to be open for a little while longer, at least through November, the owners said, but after that, who knows? The uncertainty is all the reason to go visit The Center of the Universe while it’s still here.

• A project that’s been percolating on Edison Street in downtown Salt Lake City is one step closer to becoming reality. A new tiki bar, called Remora, has gotten a $418,000 loan from the Salt Lake City Community Reinvestment Agency through its Commercial Development Loan Program, to help support the $1 million project, according to an Instagram post. Apparently, the bar will be Great Salt Lake-themed (!!).

Tea of the Week

I tried a special at Gramercy called Pearl Undercurrent, which is the most interesting-sounding drink I’ve ever heard of or tasted. It’s concentrated jasmine tea with dill syrup and a black sesame cold foam, and once Brown explained it, I knew I had to try it.

First of all, the cold foam on top was thick and dense, in a delicious way. I practically took bites of it as I sipped. And once I got to the tea, oh wow. The jasmine flavor was pronounced and gorgeous, and although I don’t think I tasted dill as its own note, something about it amplified the vegetal and flowery flavors in the tea. The flavors floated around in my mouth, like tasting a spring afternoon.

— Newsletter written by Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune’s food and drink reporter. The Tribune pays for all of the food written about in this newsletter.