With all the development going on in the Daybreak area surrounding the Ballpark at America First Square, it’s been an interesting time to be a South Jordan resident. Outside of the commercial area that has already been established, there’s all kinds of room for expansion. Based on what I’ve seen so far, that expansion has made a concerted effort to invite existing local businesses to the party. There’s still a lot of ground to cover out there, but at the moment, here are some local legends who are getting a unique opportunity to build their brand.
Taste of Red Iguana (rediguana.com): Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2 have been Salt Lake City institutions for years and the local Mexican restaurant operated Taste of Red Iguana in the City Creek Center food court until very recently. The reason for this closure came when the restaurant got the chance to open a location near the America First Ballpark—I’d say this was the right call. Its Daybreak location is much bigger than the space Red Iguana had at City Creek and it has an extremely awesome red iguana sculpture on the outside.
Taste of Red Iguana brings all of the great flavors that made the original restaurant into such a popular spot downtown. Moles negro, amarillo, poblano, verde and coloradito are all on the menu, as are items like the Ballpark Nachos that lean into the restaurant’s newfound proximity. On a personal note, having a Red Iguana this much closer to my neighborhood is nothing less than a stroke of good luck. I’m not much of a sports enthusiast, but if minor league baseball cuts down on the time it takes me to get good mole, I’ll be a Bees fan for life.
Hires Big H (hiresbigh.com): Since 1959, Hires Big H has prioritized a local-first business model. To this day, the restaurant’s buns are baked locally using original founder Don Hale’s recipe. The beef in its burgers is trimmed and ground onsite daily, and its fries and onion rings are still prepared according to the standard Hale set when the first Hires restaurant opened nearly 70 years ago. Hires has locations in downtown Salt Lake and Midvale, but opening a third location in close proximity to a ballpark seems very on-brand for this local burger joint.
There is something old fashioned and nostalgic about visiting a Hires Big H, and that classic vibe pairs extremely well with a day at the ballgame. While Hires rose to prominence during McDonald’s meteoric rise, it’s maintained an attention to detail and commitment to quality that has made it such a popular destination for local burger fans. An old-fashioned burger right before taking a seat behind the ol’ dugout simply screams “America.”
Cutler Cookie Co. (cutlercookieco.com): Before Chip and Crumbl perfected their high-efficiency cookie-delivery systems, you had to head all the way to Bountiful for a gourmet cookie that was worth the calories. Cutler Cookie Co. has stayed true to its small-town upbringing, and its friendly service and excellent menu of sammies and desserts are most welcome in South Jordan. Cutler has always been a throwback to old-school delis and it’s one of the few sandwich spots that actually makes a high-quality sandwich.
Fans of traditional deli sandos like the Reuben or French dip will feel right at home at Cutler Cookie Co., but even its less flashy sandwiches like the turkey avocado and BLT are all kinds of memorable. The homemade bread, fresh ingredients and nice balance of sandwich flavors make for an excellent lunch experience, and Cutler serves a rotating soup menu for all those sandwich dunkers out there. Of course, it’s called Cutler Cookie Co. for a reason, and that reason is the homemade cookies that are a daily occurrence here. The frosted peanut butter is one of the finest cookies known to man while the frosted sugar cookie is a fan favorite because it’s everything one could want from a classic sugar cookie.
Rockwell Ice Cream (rockwellicecream.com): Another nostalgic shop that leans into the sweet side of dining out, Rockwell Ice Cream is my favorite local alternative to a place like Cold Stone. Rockwell started out in downtown Provo and has since opened locations in City Creek and the Salt Lake International Airport; as far as local ice cream goes, this place has become a modern classic. Its ice cream menu is known for its high butterfat content and slow-churned process, resulting in a creamy dessert that has a texture you just can’t get anywhere else.
The menu of signature flavor compositions is impressive, but there are a few that you absolutely must try. The G.O.A.T. is worthy of its title—it’s a goat cheese ice cream mixed with blackberry lemon jam and tossed with rosemary-roasted almonds. It’s every bit as good as it sounds and was enough to secure the title of America’s Best Ice Cream in 2019. I also liked the honeycomb, which is packed with honeycomb candy made from the restaurant’s vintage copper kettle. Like Hires Big H, there is something iconically Americana about homemade ice cream and baseball.
It’s nice to see this Daybreak expansion include some local restaurants—especially those from further up north or down south. Local vittles should always accompany local baseball, after all.
