This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter, compiled by Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune’s food and drink reporter. To get the full newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, become a subscriber by going to sltrib.com/newsletters.
Hello, Eaters!
I love pizza. Once, I had a dream that I was tucked into a bed with a giant piece of pizza for a blanket, and I nibbled on the edge of it as I drifted off to sleep.
I like to think that giant piece of pizza came from Villaggio Pizzeria, at 3144 S. State St. in South Salt Lake.
Villaggio bills itself as an authentic Italian NYC pizzeria, and it’s a relatively recent addition to the Salt Lake City area’s pizza landscape. An Eater named Alex recommended I check out Villaggio (thanks, Alex!), and I’m glad I did.
Usually when I want pizza, I go to Piehole (344 S. State St., Salt Lake City) or Este (locations in Sugar House, downtown SLC and Park City). I know people get particular about pizza, but these are both solid picks in my book, with large, foldable slices and thin crust. Now, I’m happy I can add Villaggio to my rotation.
On the Saturday evening I went, I didn’t get anything fancy, just two slices (more on that below) and a San Pellegrino. With ‘80s hits playing on the radio and the smells of good pizza filling the air, I was right at home.
Live deliciously,
Kolbie
Food News
(Ritual Chocolate) Ritual Chocolate's new Alpine Gin Juniper Lavender Chocolate Bar is being released to the public on Monday, April 14, 2024.
• Ritual Chocolate has released a new chocolate bar that gin lovers should be happy about: the Alpine Gin Juniper Lavender Chocolate Bar.
“Our high-quality cacao, paired with the unique flavor profile of Alpine Distilling’s gin, offers a refreshing, elevated chocolate experience,” said Ritual Chocolate co-founder Anna Seear in a statement.
According to a news release, the limited-edition dark chocolate bar is made from Ritual Chocolate’s Mid Mountain Blend of cacao, juniper berries, lavender and gin from Alpine Distilling. The ingredients were aged together for six months in a gin barrel, the release said, resulting in a flavor profile featuring juniper, lavender, cardamom and orange peel.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tacos Lopez Mexican restaurant on Redwood Road, on Monday, April 1, 2024.
• I started an ambitious project in January called the Redwood Road Challenge, which involves me attempting to eat at every local restaurant on Redwood Road in Salt Lake County in 2024. For the first story in that series, I’m showcasing five Mexican restaurants that are worth dining at, including Chunga’s, Tacos Lopez and others. To follow this project, check out my Instagram: @kolbie.peterson.
Openings:
• Tita’s Restaurant, 2716 W. 5400 South, Taylorsville. This family-owned restaurant serves Mexican food, ranging from ceviche curtido en limón to mole and tacos, according to a news release from Taylorsville City.
Dish of the Week
(Kolbie Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Two slices of pizza from Villaggio Pizzeria are shown, one pepperoni and one sausage and basil, on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Two slices of pizza and a San Pellegrino. It’s the perfect lunch or, in this case, dinner. I got one slice of pepperoni, and one slice of sausage and basil. The sausage and basil was my favorite; I’m such a sucker for fresh basil, and I loved that I could clearly see fennel seed in the sausage. It was all just a dreamy combination of flavors.
And that crust! Don’t even get me started. This was an authentic Calabria-style crust, according to Villaggio’s website: Thin, chewy and crunchy on the edges, with big air bubbles. It was the perfect vehicle for all these toppings.
Just take one of these slices and tuck me in.
Follow @@kolbiejpeterson