Downtown SLC Italian restaurant announces closure – Gastronomic Salt Lake City

Stanza

Another storied name on the Utah dining scene has decided to call it quits. Stanza (454 E 300 S) in downtown Salt Lake City confirmed their impending closure via email, sent to subscribers of their newsletter. The message confirmed a mid-October closure as follows:

“Dear Valued Guests, We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to inform you that, after much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close Stanza Italian Bistro and Wine Bar effective October 13th 2024.

This decision was not made lightly, and we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support and patronage over the years. It has been a true pleasure serving you, and we are incredibly thankful for the memories we’ve created
together.

We invite you to visit us one last time before our closing date of October 12th to enjoy your favorite dishes and share in the experience that has meant so much to us. Our team will be here to ensure your visit is special.

Thank you once again for being part of our journey. We will cherish the moments spent with you. Warm regards,
Zach H. Owner”

The restaurant first opened in the Spring of 2016 – at the time – as part of the La Salle Group. The debut of Stanza followed the eye-popping unveiling of Current Fish & Oyster by the group, a year prior. The same design company, Luna Design Studios, was tapped to create the modern open space, with the build a particularly quirky one; the former Faustina restaurant on the site was raised to the ground around the bar space (pictured top), which itself was left standing – for the liquor license to be safely retained.

The opening cast of talent was a who’s who and eagerly received. Chef Phelix Gardner was the first behind the line, with names like Amy Eldredge and Jimmy Santangelo on the team as well. Over the years the business went through several iterations, with both ownership and staffing updates. Throughout its eight-year tenure, the restaurant remained a solid dining choice in the downtown area – backed by a menu of house-made pasta.

Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade Draper

I am not entirely sure when Sweet Lake turned off the lights for their South valley location, but I am including here by way of completion our ongoing log of names lost. A review of the business’s online reviews suggests the closure occurred around a month ago. The restaurant’s online profiles now note the location as permanently closed.

The signature star of the biscuit-backed menu is The Hoss – a towering stack of the restaurant’s house biscuit, fried chicken breast, egg, bacon, cheddar, sausage gravy, and green onions. With the closure of the Draper location, the business remains in operation in SLC (54 W 1700 S) as well as also now shipping those biscuits nationwide.

Nautical Bowls

Sunday, October 6th is the last day of business for this Sandy-based healthy eats option. The business signed off on Facebook writing:

“With a heavy heart, we announce the closure of Nautical Bowls in Sandy, UT. The past year & a half has been a challenging yet rewarding journey, filled with unforgettable moments & incredible connections

We are so grateful for the unwavering support from our amazing community. Your love & enthusiasm for our açaí bowls made every day special. To our loyal guests, thank you for making us a part of your lives, & to our phenomenal employees, your hard work & dedication brought our vision to life.

While this chapter is coming to a close, we will always cherish the memories & friendships we’ve made. Thank you for being a part of our Nautical Bowls family?”

Other useful links

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.