Before laying eyes on each other in 1994, Radu and Katia Dugala separately left their home countries of Romania and Brazil to build a new life for themselves in Utah. As they followed in the footsteps of many of the state’s early pioneers in the 1850s, the hardworking immigrants met in Park City and married in 2005 only to achieve their American Dream by opening the Old Wagon Saloon & Grill in downtown San Jose, California, followed by the much bigger, Eight Settlers Distillery & Restaurant, a historically-rich distillery paying homage to the eight families who settled the area between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons in the mid-1800s.
The story of Eight Settlers Distillery traces back to when Radu was a boy growing up in Transylvania, Romania, where his grandfather took him under his wing and taught a young Radu how to make moonshine. When Radu grew up, he took a “serious” job as an engineer and hated every minute of it, so he switched paths and became a ski instructor, a bartender and eventually a part owner of a Park City saloon. After buying and then selling their share of the saloon in Park City, the couple opened Old Wagon Saloon in California while maintaining their residence in Utah—that was 14 years ago.
(Eight Settlers) | Charcuterie Board.
Radu said he’s wanted to open a restaurant and distillery ever since he took a trip to Seattle, Washington when he first came to America. During this trip, Radu happened to pass by a packed restaurant and microbrewery and he thought what a great idea it was. As a kid, Radu would make moonshine with his grandpa, so it immediately became his lifelong dream to open a restaurant with a distillery.
“That was 1994, but of course I was broke. My wife and I worked a lot and saved every dime, got lucky with the place in California and all of a sudden, we had the chance to achieve our dream,” said Radu. “We were looking for [a property] a long time though,” said Katia. “We looked in Texas, California and Colorado.
While they were initially searching for the perfect site for their distillery and restaurant, the Dugalas couldn’t open in Utah because of the existing liquor laws, but eventually Utah was an option and what ensued was a lengthy process—six years in all from the date the site in Cottonwood Heights was under contract to their grand opening on December 8, 2020.
Naming the distillery ‘Eight Settlers,’ a nod to history
The sports bar, the Old Wagon Saloon & Grill in San Jose opened first by the Dugalas is distinguished by its rich décor infused with old west charm, so it’s no wonder Eight Settlers has much of the same qualities but on a much bigger scale. Before Eight Settlers was named, Katia was researching the history of the area. She contacted the City of Cottonwood Heights, read books, and went to the historical society, which is how she stumbled across the eight families who originally settled the Big and Little Cottonwood area.
“I found that to be a very interesting piece of history, so that’s how we came up with the name—all based on the original families in the area,” she said. “Then, all of our products are named after historic pieces of the area.”
All of Eight Settlers’ products pay tribute to their local history. For example, their Ragtown American Whiskey is named after a community in Salt Lake County in the early 1900s named Ragtown, a place where prospectors, drifters, and miners set up tents and shanties or lived in dugouts. The Butler Vodka is named after one of Cottonwood Heights’ early settlements from 1869 called Butler Bench.
(Eight Settlers) | Green Ditch Gin.
The Green Ditch Gin is named after one of the ditches dug by Mormon pioneers who had no experience with Utah’s dry climate. The pioneers developed a system of artificial irrigation and land management, allowing them to grow and prosper. Finally, the Devil’s Gate Bourbon pays tribute to the pioneers who would risk their lives traversing across Devil’s Gate, a narrow, rocky gorge, one of the most formidable and diabolical obstacles the pioneers had to cross.
“We absolutely love our master distiller, Dylan,” said Katia. “We love his personality and his passion for what he does. He is super talented and a very important part of our distillery team.” Adding, “Our guys are very hands-on—we are truly a small-batch, hand-crafted distillery.”
A beautiful, grand facility like no other
At 18,000 square-feet, Eight Settlers is a sprawling facility, with its layout designed by Radu and the vintage chic decor selected by Katia. The main and second floor rooms are each unique theme ranging from rustic and charming to touches of elegance, sophistication, and European flair. From “jail cell” private tables to a cozy fireplace, posh furniture, views of the valley and canyon, and a retractable roof offering guests views of the sun, moon and stars, this distillery is truly an “experience.” Take a step back in time as you choose your favorite room among The Danish Room, The Flats, The Library, The Garden Room, and The Patio.
(Eight Settlers) | Chicken Wings.
Eight Settlers’ restaurant features a Midwest-style lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch menu with east coast inspiration, brought to you by Executive Chef Andrew Lunn, whose culinary career began on the East Coast before moving to Park City to bring his refreshing twist on modern cuisine to Utah. Everything they do is made in-house, and the most popular items on the menu include the Bone Marrow and Charcuterie & Cheese starters, the Short Rib Grilled Cheese, the Exotic Burger and the Juniper Berry Venison Loin.
Supporting local Utah businesses all the way
Eight Settlers is unique in that it takes pride in buying local products wherever possible so they can support the local economy— they only sell Utah-made beer and they even sell products from their competitors. Another way they are showing their local support, Eight Settlers is a proud sponsor and vendor of the upcoming Salt City Wine & Dine Event on August 27 at the La Caille Estate located at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Eight Settlers Distillery & Restaurant is located at 7321 South Canyon Center Parkway in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. For more information on its hand-crafted, small-batch spirits and merchandise, to dine in their restaurant, shop in their store, or schedule a tour and tasting, you are encouraged to visit their website today.