Best Fried Chicken in Utah

Best Fried Chicken in Utah
-revised 2 Sep 2020

Check out our OTHER FOOD REVIEWS at TasterTestersClub.BlogSpot.com 
(you won't need to add caps)

In order:

1. Pretty Bird Chicken, SLC. Asian style, from the spices used. Even the white sauce is great, and it contains anchovies, buttermilk, mayo, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a blend of other spices. (Note: their A grade chicken sandwich is the best in Utah as well, even beating out Chic Fillet!) A

2. Kluck's Krispy Chicken, Orem (much better than their version for 3 years at the Provo Farmer's Market)

3. Handle, Park City chicken alone: B+; with added white cream sauce it's higher. We tested this in 2014. On 23 Jan 2017 a national site on MSN listed the best fried chicken in every state, awarding Utah's to Handle. B++

4. Talisker, Park City (chef went to Handle summer 2014 - same chicken, better sauce at Handle, where he brought it)
a. leg A (with white sauce)
b. breast B (but with white sauce: A)

5. Back 40, Heber. A

6. Simon's Restaurant, the Homestead, Midway B+ (Fanny's Famous Fried Chicken: along with Pretty Bird, best white meat - chicken breast - in the state, most tender, followed by The Harvest, listed below). Some seasons and years apparently not served.

7. Meier's Country Fried Chicken, Holladay, in SLC. Locals should really support this place! Less salty than KFC, if  your heart matters, and very similar crust to original KFC, not quite as tasty because of less herbs/spices, but it does the trick with so much less sodium and is much CHEAPER. Support a local place - go here for really good chicken! B+

THE FOLLOWING MUST BE HOT (which you can get when the first open:)
8. Popeyes Spicy B+  Spicy has a hint of Tabasco-like flavor. Note: We've had Popeyes with an A grade at 3 places coast to coast and a C- at 3 other places coast to coast, so there can be consistency issues at various locations

9. KFC Original B/B+

10. KFC Crispy B/B+'

11. Popeyes Regular B

12. Cracker Barrell, national chain, fried chicken introduced 2019 B+

13. Maddox Restaurant at Brigham City (their iconic location) and their grand kids' fast-food location at Layton known as C. B. Maddox. This chicken is at its best if you get it ONLY FRESHLY COOKED! (If Maddox is only warm, and several below are warm, Maddox loses.) Grade: B+

OUT OF BUSINESS: El Tropical, Provo. Tropical fried chicken, thighs with no bones, rolled in flour before frying. (different than version below that is flourless). B+

14. Curry Fried Chicken, Salt Lake City. (NOTE: First time was B- - and cooked in old oil perhaps, or for too long, resulting in the batter being too dark and the spices too strong. Second time it was lighter colored and had much milder spices). NEW RATING (Feb 2014) B+

15. The Harvest, Thanksgiving Point. Pricey: $18, WHITE MEAT ONLY. (We prefer both or dark only.) They serve fried chicken at dinner only - buttermilk fried. Very tender and moist. But coating is only a B+. Without gravy, breast alone: B+. With gravy: B+/A-

16. Chuck-a-rama B+

17. Jupiter Bowl's cafe, Park City. Pricey - $16 for 3 pieces. B/B+, with white gravy: B+

18. Golden Corral B/B+

19. Bird and Barley's, Park City (strong rosemary flavor) B

20. Kevin's Fried Chicken, SLC. Don't let the fact it's in a gas station fool you - it's better than most places and worth getting, at low prices! Great service and super-friendly proprietor! B

21. Harmon's deli, regional grocery chain. The best of all grocery fried chicken, using their own recipe, and mixed for them at Lehi Mills. B

22. Franck's, Holiday, strong herb flavors B

23. Billy Blanco's, Park City. B-/B

24. Chick's Cafe, Heber City. B-

OUT OF BUSINESS: El Tropical, Provo. Their other version of fried chicken, different than above. This one has chopped up pieces of boneless fried thighs with two herbs, but has no flour coating. (The version above has flour coating.) Before they made their chicken boneless, they had to cook it too long and made it dry, with a grade C, now it's up to a B. They also have best fish and chips in the state - see our blogsite. 

25. Grocery stores who make their own (the best is at Harmons above): B/B+

26. All other grocery store deli's: C+ to B-: Smiths, Wal-mart, Target, Macey's, Winco, etc. and Convenience Stores who make their own: Gas-N-Go just north of Trafalga off Center St., Orem, and others. We've tested all we could find. None are seasoned enough. All are OK, none are great. But to get it at its peak, order it when it first comes out of the oven, which is usually 10 AM; otherwise, it will be hit and miss throughout the day as to when it will be freshly cooked again - which is only when they run low on the previous batch.  

27. NO LONGER AVAILABLE EXCEPT IN SANDWICHES: KFC Georgia Gold C+

28. NO LONGER AVAILABLE EXCEPT IN SANDWICHES: KFC Nashville Hot. The grade for this one is more subjective than most, as it appeals or repulses based on its strange bbq-like sauce which some like. Note that it's also spicy-hot. C+

29. Station 22, Provo. Small white fried chicken medallions served 3 different ways - as chicken and waffles, whiskey sauce with mushrooms, and in a sandwich. (As an entire sandwich, with other great ingredients, it gets a B+/A-. Chicken alone: C

30. Lucky H at Little America Hotel, SLC C

OUT OF BUSINESS:
a. Big Bones, Spanish Fork, A-
b. So-Co, Salt Lake City. The hint of rosemary makes it pretty good, but it's pr1cey. B+
c. The Tropical (listed in order above)

STILL IN BUSINESS BUT NO LONGER SERVING BONE-IN FRIED CHICKEN:
a. Communtal, Provo. Chef Aldric, before leaving, took fried chicken to a whole new level in Utah! A+
b.  NOW OFF THEIR MENU: Culvers, American Fork. Fresh fried every day. No apparent seasoning in coating. Tastes very much like the national burger chain Hardee's when they used to make fried chicken 1990-1992. B- 
c. Cafe 300, Provo (only makes it occasionally on Saturday nights. Call them before going: 801-691-0218. Half chicken, seasoned, in a full dinner. A

Check out our OTHER FOOD REVIEWS at TasterTestersClub.Blogspot.com


COLD FRIED CHICKEN from the major chains. 

Note: A different order than when fresh and hot!

2 Sep 2020

1. KFC original B/B+

2. Popeyes regular B/B+

3. KFC crispy B/B+

4. Popeyes Spicy B-

RE-HEATED HOT FRIED CHICKEN (in butter and olive oil) from the major chains:

1. KFC Crispy B-/B

2. KFC Original B-/B

3. Popeyes regular B-

4. Popeyes spicy B - - 

Best Burgers in Utah Best Hamburgers in Utah

Best Burgers in Utah / Best Hamburgers in Utah

Check out "Best Sandwiches in Utah," "Best Cheesesteaks in Utah," "Best Shakes in Utah," "Best Fish and Chips in Utah," and our OTHER FOOD REVIEWS at TasterTestersClub.BlogSpot.com 

We tested burgers at 25+ cafes and about 60 fast-food places in Utah Valley (all of them) and Salt Lake City (most of them) - over 100 in all. Most of the C grade places are not listed.

TOP 12 BURGER PLACES in Utah

(The Top 6 have at least one burger rating B+ or higher. Bold-faced shows each burger rating B+ or higher. Most need to be customized per recommendations below to achieve the B+ grade!)

Rev. 10 August 2022

1. Burgers & Barley, American Fork (Park City has one with different recipes), July 2022

   Meat Man A-/A

   Outlaw A-/A

   Aloha A-

   Good Life B+/A-

   Johnny B++

   Basic B++

   Note 1: This and Lucky 13 below are two places where you can get the beef patties Medium Rare. (At Cubby's below it comes Medium with a slightly pink center).

2. Mooya, Provo 8/2/22

   Build Your Own: two beef patties, two slices of their high quality Tillamook cheddar cheese configured with both slices atop the first beef patty!), lettuce, tomato, pickles, raw onion, mayo. Add sauteed mushrooms: B++

   Note 1: Because of their very good beef and seasoning, this is a rare place where two patties are better than one!

   Note 2: If no mushrooms, the grade comes down slightly to B+

   Note 3: Mayo tested better than Mooya sauce (fry sauce), but very slightly

   Note 4: bun B+, meat B+, meat seasoning B+

   LOWER GRADE BURGER AT MOOYA:

   Hambur-Dog, with bacon. Grade B. (Bacon alone B)

3. Lucky 13, Salt Lake City, 8/1/2022

   Customized Bacon Cheeseburger (ground chuck alone: cooked at medium rare: B+); get with two slices cheddar; comes with lettuce, tomato, mayo. Delete grilled onion and replace with raw onion). Tested both ways, same grade. B+

   Regular Bacon Cheeseburger: B+

   Regular Cheeseburger (tested in separate test to above burger: with no bacon, no extra cheese) B+

   Bun: B

   Beef (ground chuck), medium rare: B+

   Note: All 3 above burgers rated B+, but are listed in order of what's best.

   Pastrami Beef Swiss (pastrami alone grades out at B/B+, nice and mild but lower grade texture and quality for pastrami). B+

   LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT LUCKY 13:

   Nutter Butter: burger, cheddar, peanut butter. Package is flavorless, peanut butter disrupts flavor ot great bacon and everything. (A grade bacon, C- grade peanut butter). Overall: B-/B

   NOTE: In March 2022 when tested hot, their garlic rosemary fries were tied for first with Smashburger at A-. But their Cajun fries and regular fires grade lower at B/B+. In August 2022 they were served barely warm and rated C+, which is very standard for “cold” fries. Fry sauce (mayo, ketchup, and Woostershire?): best in state: A-

4. Cubbys, several locations 8/4/22

   Customized Houdini (comes with medium, pink-centered beef, bacon, mushrooms, gouda cheese, spring mix, tomato, raw onion, tarragon garlic aioli. To customized it, add 2 T extra of tarragon garlic aioli and delete crispy onions): (rates a bit lower than Lucky 13's best, above): B+

   Note 1: meat, cooked medium, rates B/B+, bun rates B/B+.

   Note 2: get crispy onions on side and add them to burger if desired. (We prefer this burger without crispy onions).

   Note 3: get extra side of tarragon garlic aoili to add to that sauce already on the burger. Add 2 tablespoons extra to it!

   Note 4: The Houdini with no extra sauce scores only a B.

   Note 5: Without cheese and bacon, but with mushrooms it's a B.

   LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT CUBBY'S:

   Gypsey. Smoked bacon, cheddar, carmelized O, butter lettuce, tomato, house sweet BBQ sauce, medium beef. B/B+

   Note: medium rare beef: B/B+, BBQ sauce B/B+

   Regular Houdini, not customized per above: B

   Dragonslayer: B-

   LeSquish (adding 2 slices cheddar, replacing American, P, red O, mayo ore secret sauce): C+/B-

5. Montauk, Draper 8/10/22

   Ribeye Burger, sharp Provolone family of cheeses, spring mix, cherry tomatoes, carmelized onions. B+

   Meat B+

   Bun (unfortunately, heated, similar to Chom's “toasted” buns but better) B/B+

6. Five Guys 7/26/22

   Customized burger using all ingredients from Veggie Sandwich, added to burger, with no cheese: burger, L, T, Mayo, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, grilled green peppers B+

   Sesame bun B

   Beef alone: B

   Bacon burger and all other combinations tried: B

   Bacon alone: B

   Note: They have no cheddar; we strongly recommend you don't get American, anywhere!

7. Station 22, Provo 7/31/22

   Customized All American Burger, deleting sriracha mayo and replacing it with Carolina Gold BBQ sauce (the magic of this burger): B/B+

   All American Burger, standard (with sriracha mayo, LTP, Swiss, Bacon): Pak: B

   Adding avocado B/B+

   Note 1: Side: Mac and cheese (3 cheeses), unsmoked pulled pulled pork B-, combined: B/B+

   Note 2: chicken and dumpling: the “soup” B, dumpling (biscuit) B+, combo B

   Beef: B- (high priced burger for this taste of beef; needs more fat content)

   Bun: B/B+

   Bacon B/B+

   LOWER GRADER BUIRGER AT STATION 22:

   Jack Kurowac. The bourbon sauce lowers the grade to a B-. (But many love this burger.)

8. Buffalo Wild Wings 7/28/22

   Guacamole Bacon Burger, double patty + pepper jack, guac, bacon, shredded L, pico, bacon aioli, challah bun. The pico, high quality bacon, guac, and bacon aioli make this work. The bun and beef are cheap; if they were better, this would burger would rate higher. Still, this burger with the pico, guac, very good bacon, etc. almost gives it a B+, but the cheap burger and dry bun makes it B/B+

   Note: When first tested in March 2022 it did get a B+, perhaps fresher bun that day.

   Meat: B-

   Bun: B

   Bacon: B+

   Guac: B- but too salty if eaten alone; in the burger it's not too salty

   LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT BUFFALO WILD WINGS:

   All American Burger B/B+

   Bacon smashed hatch chile burger B-

   Note: fries B, onion rings B/B+

9. Smashburger 7/24/22

   Customized Classic Single (L, T, raw O, P) delete American cheese (replace with 2 slices Cheddar); delete ketchup and Smash sauce (replace with Mayo and Smash sauce on side with which to test with Mayo if you like). With mayo as the sauce: B/B+

   With Smash sauce (mayo-mustard) as the only sauce: B/B+

   With crimini mushrooms added: B/B+

   Bun grade: B/B+

   Meat grade: B

   LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT SMASHBURGER:

   Colorado (tried two ways: 1. replaced melted cheddar sauce with 2 slices aged sliced cheddar), 2. kept melted cheddar sauce. Same grade, but two slices cheddar slightly better than melted cheddar sauce. Also includes: L, T, Mayo, chipotle bun, grilled Anaheim chiles). Spicy hot. B/B+

   Chipotle bun: B/B+

   Meat: B

Avocado Bacon Club burger; sliced avoc, bacon, L, T, Mayo, delete Ranch! Replace multi grain bun with white bun. Grade B/B+.

2018 Notes: Tested this 8 different ways: 1^st best: white bun best with mayo and chipotle sauce B/B+, 2^nd best: multi grain bun with mayo and chipotle sauce B/B+. 3^rd best: white bun, mayo and ranch B/B+, 4^th best: white bun and mayo B, 5^th best: white bun, smash sauce B-/B. 6^th best: white bun and smash sauce with no cheese (tied with 5^th best): B-/B. 7^th best: white bun and smash sauce with American cheese B-. 8^th best: white bun with chipotle sauce C+

Truffle Mushroom Swiss; has aged Swiss, sauteed crimini mushrooms:

Option 1: with truffle mayo C

Option 2: with mayo: C+/B-

NOT SOLD IN 2022, BUT HOPEFULLY WILL RETURN: Baja Burger B+

NOTE 1: No longer sold: French onion burger (onion bun, white cheese, grilled oniions: B

NOTE 2: Grades on their buns in 2018:

chipotle bun B++

white B+ (2022 test: white bun preferred over chipotle bun)

multi grain B

onion bun B

10. Chubby's, several locations. 7/22/22

    Utah burger (replace American cheese with two slices Cheddar; use their default fry sauce, L, T, raw O, P): B/B+

    Adding mushrooms: B

    Note: They applied way too much fry sauce, so I removed most. So, ask for burger with fry sauce on the side, then apply the amount you want.

    Meat B-

    Bun, when fresh B+

    LOWER GRADE BURGERS AT CHUBBY'S:

    BBQ Burger with slaw B/B+

    Bacon Mushroom (Bacon rates C; L, T, mayo, swiss, mushroom sauce, mushrooms) B/B+

    Guac burger with pepper jack B

    Hawaiian BBQ: C

11. Red Robbin 7/29/22

    Bacon Guacamole (guac B/B+, bacon B/B+, meat alone, charbroiled B-, dry, thick sesame bun C+). Pak: B/B+

    Cheeseburger (L, T, O, P, mayo): B-/B

    Beef: B-

    Bun, dry B-

12. Shake Shake, SLC

    Nice bun; cheap American cheese only. Good burger. Rates B/B+

NOT IN TOP 12, BUT SHOWN HERE FOR COMPARISON:

Chom, Provo, AF (has no mayo) 7/20/22

Cheeseburger (customized with 2 slices cheddar): pak B

Garlic burger: B-/B

Beef alone: B/B+

Bun, toasted C+, untoasted B

Chom sauce, salty, strong C-

OTHER 2022 BURGER TESTS:

Wingers, their several burgers: B

Dairy Queen: C+

Arby's Wagu burger, June 2022: B

Traditions, Springville, “Brand X”: B

2021 and Earlier" Tests. 

Notes were revised for these on 14 August 2021. These places only include some of the "Best 9 + 2"  above tested in 2022.

Note: Some burger places have different offerings now than the burgers listed below (such as Station 22 and Wingers). Others are out of business. These include places like El Tropical, Rumbi, Ripples, Iggys, Cafe 300, Antonellas, Bourdreaux's Bistro, Chef's Table, Wild Mustang, Joe's Gourmet Burgers, and Palace Burger. In the last section below are others out of business.

Cafes vs. Fast Food: Cafe burgers are usually more expensive and higher quality. 

Best FAST FOOD BURGERS

The Majors:

Those rating B+ to A-

IF BURGERS ARE CUSTOMIZED, PER OUR SPECS BELOW THIS LIST, THESE ARE THE TOP 8 NATIONAL CHAINS:
1. Mooya 

2. Five Guys

3. Smashburger

4. Freddy's

5. Shake Shack

6. Habit

7. Culver

8. Wendy's

DETAILS OF THE ABOVE 8 ARE BELOW with many others:

NOTE: All are better with no cheese, unless at Smashburger, Mooya and Culver (high grade cheddar at each; all other brands taste worse with cheese, using cheap, bad-tasting American cheese)

NOTE: All are better with no bacon. We tried them with and without bacon and cheese and various other combinations at all places below:

1. Mooya Burgers, small national chain. Provo has the only one in Utah. SEE NOTES ABOVE

2. Five Guys. No cheese or bacon. Get tomato, lettuce, raw onion, pickle, mayo, single patty B+

Five Guys, with cooked mushrooms, onions, green peppers, tomato, lettuce, and mayo B+

3. Smashburger Jalapeno Baja. Order it as is, with chipotle bun (which comes with it) and jalapeno sauce (which comes with it): B+

4. Freddy's Steakburger, chain, locations in Utah: Midvale and Draper. Great buttered bun, pickle, B+
meat: B-/B, bun: B/B+, bacon alone: B; if burger is with bacon: B

5. Shake Shack: Burger: B/B+ (fries B+, choc shake: C+/B-), Burger if served with bacon: B-, if with cheese: B, if with bacon and cheese B-, bacon alone: B-  

6. The Habit, chain. Total: B with raw onions and all other condiments as listed above. (Get the double char. This fresh beef is charbroiled. It's "In-and-Out Meets Burger Supreme." Never frozen, tender, no grizzle, higher grade beef than In-and-Out. No cheese (unfortunately, American or Swiss). A highly fresh, soft sesame seed bun (nothing creative), and iceberg lettuce (our least favorite) but crisp and fresh, and thin tomatoes unfortunately. The carmelized onion and mayo make it really nice, but after eating two in one week, we kinda got tired of its very specific onion flavor, as good as it is.) Meat: B (flavor: B/B+, quality: C+/B-), bun: B

7. Culvers: if with one patty: B-, if with two: C+, if with cheddar: B

(Note: meat alone: B, bacon alone: C-, bun: C+/B-). Note: If no cheddar added, this is a B- burger and rates below Wendy's.)

8. Wendy's notes 3 paragraphs below.

9. Maddox, Layton and Brigham City. Order the Red Sauce - it's thousand island dressing with mustard in place of ketchup, with the mayo and chopped pickles. Surprisingly good sauce for a decent burger. Grades: burgers (great red sauce: like thousand island dressing but mustard instead of mayo). bun: B-/B. meat: B- (it needs more fat and seasoning); minus red sauce (with just ketchup and mustard) it scores B/B+; with "red sauce" it scores B+

10. Cubby's, several Utah locations 
High quality ingredients but with two problems:  the ground steak is too strong and apparently lacks having enough fat, and the deli buns are too thick and not soft enough. Fix those 2 things and they would jump up a grade on these 3 burgers:
a. "Dragonslayer" burger with blue cheese (buffalo sauce, spring mix, remove carmalized onions, add tomato; mild bleu cheese inside meat: total B+ 

b. Houdini burger (customized with no cheese, no bacon, but with its regular mushrooms Total: B. Adding their excellent smoked gruyere cheese and applewood smoked bacon: B+

c. version of Houdini customized into a regular burger: lettuce, tomato, raw onion. If no cheese and bacon, it gets a B. Adding cheese and bacon: B+

The Mid-majors: Those rating B to B/B+
Wendy's
a. Dave's Single. B (Customized with mayo, no ketchup,. Note: Don't bother with their Jr. bacon cheeseburger, with a cheap yellow bun and thin meat and horrible cheese, rates a C; with no cheese it's a bit better: C/C+; specifically: bun B - - , meat B-/B. total (Pak): B-.B 

2018:
a. Signature Crafted burger with artisan bun, guac pico (artisan bun C, new, fresh beef B/B+, total: B
b. new quarter pounder (leave off the horrible American cheese): customized now, with lettuce, tomato, raw onion, pickles and mayo: B
c. (Note: their once innovative Big Mac, compared to much better burgers now, rates a C-, as so many other burgers have surpassed them over the decades.)

BYU Baseball Stadium (and presumably other sporting event snack places on campus) B

Chom Burger, Provo: non-customized, standard burger: B-. Delete American cheese and smash sauce/ketchup, replacing with mayo, to bring it up to: B

JCW's Burger Boys (among the cheapest and worst cheddar cheeses we've had; but American cheese is possibly worse). Char-grilled. Bun: B/B+, meat B, total: B

These next 5 are truly charbroiled over coals; they along with B&D and the now defunct Palace Burgers all broke off from a Greek immigrant who started Astro Burger; the one exception may be Crown, which might have started on their own, but the owner is also Greek. 

Atlantis, Salt Lake and Bountiful - charbroiled B

Burger Supreme, Provo.- charbroiled (meat quality C, flavor B+, bacon B, bun B) total B

Apollo, Orem - charbroiled B

Crown Burger, various SLC locations. (meat taste B, quality C-) total burger package  - charbroiled B

Astro Burger, SLC - charbroiled B

Chubby's, Pleasant Grove. 

a. bacon mushroom swiss (very nice housemade mushroom sauce) (we subbed out Swiss for pepperjack for a nice touch), meat rates C+B- and B+ bun. total grade: B/B+

b. reg. burger with tom, let, onion B/B+
c. reg. cheeseburger, another visit (meat C-) total B

Culvers B

 In and Out - West coast chain as far east as Utah. Uses only fresh beef. B 

Famous Dave's BBQ burger, national chain B

Carl's Jr., including the Star and other burgers. B

The Minors Those Rating C to B -
2018

Millie's Burgers, Sugarhouse (SLC) B -

Dairy Queen (it used to be a bit better when char-grilled) B -

Sonic Drive-In (chain) B -


A&W papa burger (lettuce, tomato, onion, meat C+, bun B-), with fry sauce, B -

Rumbi Grill, delete pineapple B-, with bacon B - -

BYU Scoreboard burger (bun too thick C) total C+/B-

B&D, SLC - our least favorite of the Greek-inspired charbroiled burgers, from the one test we did several years ago. Meat had too much grizzle. C+/B-

Purple Turtle, PG C+

Ripple's Drive-In, Provo C+

Burger King's Whopper - gas grilled C+

Dairy Queen C+

Del Taco (it used to be better), tested again in 2018: C

Note: We've tested many other fast food places that graded out at C's and B's, but our emphasis (and what we saved most of our notes for) are places rating B+ to A- above.

SEE CAFE BURGERS BELOW . . . 

The Test for Fast Food Burgers – how it happened

Editor's note: In the late 1980's I, the editor, met a woman who ran a foster home for girls.  She told me she took her girls every Monday to a different burger place in Utah Valley, and they rated them.   

Inspired by that fabulous craziness, in 2002 my buddy Larry and I decided to hit every burger joint in Utah County and every one in Salt Lake Valley on lengthy State Street, as well as 2100 South, plus a few others in the valley, and all in Heber and Midway.  We went to 42 in one summer while on business errands, over and over again, comparing the best ones in a "play-off" system. 

(We initially spent a whole summer going to three or four fast-food places per day, a couple times per week at lunch, actually testing them side by side, until we came up with what were obvious play-off contenders.  Then we tested the playoff contenders only, side by side, which took more weeks, until we came up with the best of the best, listed above.)

Since then, more of us have joined in, and we've tested another dozen new, fast food places - as well as a couple dozen of the more expensive, creative cafes starting in 2013.

At each one we tested cheeseburgers, chocolate shakes, fries, and (if they battered their own fish) fish and chips.

But we did not do it by bracketing just any ole' place against another at random –

Some day we may add the specific ratings of every food at every place we tested, but for now - here are the winners. 

A final NOTE on testing fast food burgers:

The fast-food charbroiled places like Atlantis, Apollo, Burger Supreme, B&D Burger and others on the Wasatch Front were all break offs of the original Greek place, Astro Burger, at 3877 South State St in SLC.  Various employees broke off from the owner, a really nice Greek fellow, then other employees (at the new places) broke away from the break-aways.  But all those charbroiled places have their roots with the original guy at Astro. Some are actually better than the original.

Now . . . the best CAFE Burgers:
Grade A

1. Black Sheep, Provo.  Bison deluxe: meat: A-, bu, toasted pretsel: A, sauce A, total: A/A+
(Lesser burgers there: Black Sheep Burger: B/B+, etc.)

2. Winger's -

(We tried them all. These burgers all have the following grade: Bun B+. Great charbroiled meat A-/A)
     a. Roadhouse Burger: (meat A-, bun B+) total: A-
     b. Ranch Burger (you can substitute ranch dressing for the mayo to create their old Ranch Burger) B+
     c. Don't get Teriyaki (is glazed with teriyaki sauce on the grill on the meat, and "island teriyaki" on the bun) B/B+)), Double sauced with amazing sauce on one bun and bootleg bbq sauce on the other bun(B-) or Wingers Sauce burger (C/C+),

3. Station 22, Provo. NOTE: IN 2022 MOST OF THESE ARE GONE. 

2018 NOTES: Get the Honest Abe and Golden State. Both: A-

Two of their 4 burgers: A-
a. Honest Abe (butter and mayo sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar) total A-
b. Chubby Checker (with unsmoked pulled pork) A - -
c-1. Golden State (sweet roasted red pepper and pesto mayo sauce, insert the additionally served items of avocado, tomato, and spring mix) total B+
c-2. NOT AS GOOD AS THE ABOVE THREE: Jack Kareuok (mozzala cheese) B-

Virg's, SLC valley and Tooele, 4 locations. A-

AND MORE, NOT NUMBERED:
Places we have both tried and not tried amount to dozens more. But some, whose notes we saved, follows:

Buffalo Wild Wings, chain. A- bleu cheese sauce burger
      The only "A" rated one is the bleu cheese sauce burger. It gets an A-. The meat is only a C- (average-minus), but the bun rates a B+ and the super-mild bleu cheese dressing not only gets an A+ but makes the burger sing. Their other burgers range from C's to B's - don't bother with them.

Burger item grades:

u. bleu burger A-

v. burger with ranch dressing B+

w. burger with southwest ranch C+

burger add-ons:

x. bacon C

y. bun B+

z. meat C+/B-

More of the next best CAFE Burgers: Grade B+ 

El Tropical, Provo. Chimichuri burger (but no chimichuri flavor, unfortunately, when we tested it) B+

Cafe 300, Provo 

a. THE HIGHER RATED BURGER: bleu cheese burger (no sauce, bu request tomato, lettuce, bleu cheese, and mayo with the bleu!) B+
b. cheeseburger (meat B) total B

Red Lobster. meat flavor B+, but meat overall C+; with added lettuce and tomato B+

Iggy's Black and Bleu B+ (don't get their Bistro: C-). It does have nice, mild bleu cheese.
Grades:
a. black and bleu burger (sesame bun, glazed teriyaki sauce, bleu cream cheese, blackened burger - meat C, lettuce, tomato) total B+
b. bistro burger (no seseme bun, olives - strong bad taste, tepenade mix of bleu cheese and parm over lettuce and onions with garlic aioli and strong balsamic, plus tomato on french bun, meat C) total C-

ABG's (A. Beuford Gifford's) Bar and Grill, Provo
a. ABG Classic Double with bacon (bun A, charbroiled angus B+, bacon A-. American cheese. CUSTOM ORDER IT WITH MAYO, avocado, and red onion, lettuce, tomato) total grade B+
b. ditto with spicy chiptole aioli on it, which normally comes with it (at least when we had it), dropped the grade down to a B-
c. Hickory Burger (with cheddar and bacon) they make their own BBQ sauce, which grades a B+, but we're not fans of BBQ sauce on burgers, because it clashes with the flavor of the buns, tomato, onions, lettuce, etc. B
Note: they have great custom sauces (they make their own). 

Red Robbin, chain. B+ Their best burger of the 19 offerings, for us, was the reg. cheeseburger, tomato, lettuce, etc. Their Special Red Sauce is house-made Thousand Island Dressing (mayo + ketchup + pickle relish: best ever thousand island dressing. (This burger's meat rated a B, the bun a B, the house-made Thousand Island Dressing an A, the cheap cheddar a C, an anemic, orange-ish tomato slice a D, and unfortunately iceberg lettuce, the cheapest of all lettuce - D.). Total: B+

Note about sauce for burgers: We mostly prefer mayo for great burgers unless there is a special sauce that is truly special (like Station 22, Spark's molasses sauce when they were in business, Wild Mustang, A. Beuford Gifford, and Black Sheep)!

The next level of Cafe Burgers ( B/B+) 

(all are essentially tied):

Slate, Provo: angus burger (meat B, bacon C+, bun B, no sauce) B/B+

Communal, Provo. B/B+. Garlic mayo. toasted bun C+. spring mix, tomato , pickle. meat: B. (Note: This is one of our Top 6 restaurants in Utah Valley (along with Chef's Table, Station 22, Black Sheep, Harvest, and Sundance), but the burgers aren't spectacular.

Sundance, Provo. B/B+ (meat, cooked stove top B, no sauce, chargrilled bun on inside rates a B+ for the bun alone) (this was rated in May 2013; a new chef may have changed t his burger, as new chefs come and go there and usually change the food)

Snake Creek Grill, Heber City (bision) B/B+


Slate Restaurant, Provo (bison) B/B+

Slate Restaurant, Provo

a. free range bison burger (bacon C+, the sauce makes it, as a light coat on lower bun) A-
b. angus burger (meat B, bacon C+, bun B, no sauce) B/B+

Marley's Sliders, Lindon, Provo FAST FOOD B/B+
a. Classic (we tried all 15, including breakfast sliders) B/B+ 

Antonella's Artisan Bread Cafe B/B+
with no cheese B/B+
bun alone (fantastic!, house-made) A
sirloin ground beef B

with bacon B/B+

Little America Hotel, SLC cafe, total with onion, mayo, pepper jack, shredded cabbage, brown gravy a nice touch!: total: B/B+
bun alone: B/B+
wago burger meat alone: flavor with seasoning C+/B-, texture A, meat total B/B+

Pollo Royo, SLC and Provo B/B+

Smokehouse BBQ, Orem B/B+

Harvest, Thanksgiving Point. Burger: 
2018: meat B/B+, bun B+, pak: B/B+
2015, unfortunately now no longer served: Buffalo burger: A (if you leave off the bleu cheese)
2018: meat B/B+, bun B+,pak: B/B+.
     Bison burger (remove bleu cheese - too strong for some as it is medium-strong; but keep everything else with it! As is, it's a B for some, an A for others who love stronger bleu cheese. Also has melted gruiere cheese - really a nice touch. High quality A grade meat: Best bison burger we've had in the state, followed by Snake Creek Grill in Heber City and Slate Restaurant in Provo). (Grades: bison A, bacon A, grilled bun A, leaf lettuce, good, grilled mushrooms, tomato, gruiere cheese, but no special house sauce.) A

The next level of Cafe Burgers (B and B-)
(all are essentially tied): 

Smokin Bones, Bountiful
a. grilled beef with smoked pulled pork. Currently B
b. same with sauce B/B+

Sean's Smokehouse, Saratoga Springs. Cheeseburger B, Better than average meat patty on a decent bun B

Burgers and Bourbon, Park City. Smokehouse burger. B

OUT OF BUSINESS - cafes with excellent, A- burgers: 

1. Spark, Provo. Americana and BLT Burger. All 3 use Kobe-style beef - fantastic. $15 makes these two the highest-priced on the list, but worth it.

a. Americana (cheddar, tomato, red onion, spring mix, molasses-beer sauce A) total A+

b. BLT (bacon, swiss, spring mix, tomato, sundried tomato aioli) A+

c. southwestern (pepper-jack, guac, chipotle aioli, spring mix, red tortilla chips) total: B- with red tortilla chips, B+ with no red tortilla chips

2. Boudreaux's Bistro, Salem A-/A

This Cajun food place has one burger only, the Boudreaux Burger. The meat is seasoned with Cajun spices (very mildly) and gets an A-. It's also likely marinated or cooked in such a way that it's actually very tender. It's one of the highest quality meats we tested, for those reasons. The bun is unfortunately a grocery store like sesame seed bun but at least it's grilled. They put in cheap iceburg lettuce and a thin, anemic tomato slice, plus mayo.

3. Big Bones BBQ, Spanish Fork. A- 

4. Chef's Table, Orem. A- Get the BAC and the Bleu. Both: A-

a. BAC burger
 (no sauce, meat A, sesame store bun, bacon A-) total A-
b. Bleu burger (wing sauce, melted gorgonzola) A-

      The Bleu uses buffalo sauce and has nice melted gorgonzola cheese. The BAC bacon rates A-. Bun is a boring sesame bun, nothing special like the buns at the other top places. No sauce comes with the BAC. The meat is an A, 2nd best meat we found, after the Kobe-style at Spark.

5.  Wild Mustang, Orem. One burger offered. A-.

      Great secret sauce. The smoked Angus also helps. (Grades: great secret yellow sauce         A, bun B+, smoked Angus A-, however meat is B- if no chargrilled flavor) total A-

6. Joe's Gourmet Burgers, Provo, 500 North Freedom Blvd. You can tell these are foodies that run the place. They know what they're doing. Stoneman Burger: secret sauce on one bun, mustard on the other, sauteed mushrooms, onions, guac, tomato. Only a decent bun. Meat quality: B-/B) Total grade: B+/A-. Price: Only $7.50, which compares to those at other places costing $10-15.)

7. Palace Burger, SLC A-

OUT OF BUSINESS - cafes with good, B+ burgers:

Sea Bears, Bountiful. Very decent burger. The meat is never frozen but seems to lack having enough fat, or it could grade higher. While there, order the fantastic catfish fish and chips - #1 fish and chips in Utah! See our site, "Best Fish and Chips in Utah," for a complete run-down of probably every place in the state that batters their own fish! Burger: B

This was a B+ place:

Sammy's Cafe, Provo We've tried 'em all a couple times. Your best bet: you have to customize it to get a B+: 

a. Budah Burger C as is. (To make it a B, customize it thus: keep swiss cheese, spam, grilled pineapple, ettuce, tomato, mayo; delete the grilled onions, bacon, and teriyaki sauce, as they compete with the other main flavors that are good by themselves. meat C) total, with changes: B

b. Hyrum's Awesome Aussie. B- as is. (To make it B+, customized it thus: keep egg, cheddar, grilled pineapple, lettuce. Delete ham and onions. Add tomato, mayo, spam. The beet is ok but optional) total with changes: B+ Note: The grade of meat is especially cheap or this re-worked Hyrum's Aussie would get an A- or higher.

Cony's, Orem and American Fork. It was better before they changed their meat. B+

State Street Grill, Pleasant Grove. 
a. mushroom and onion burger (meat B-, many mushrooms) total B+
b. bleu cheese burger (strong cheese) D

THIS GREAT BURGER NO LONGER SERVED, BUT STILL IN BUSINESS:
 . . . Carl Jr's Natural Burger (Note: their Star, California Classic, and other burgers that they still serve rate a B/B+). Kudos for them going Natural, with a great bun with it. Comes with mayo-mustard-ketchup sauces on it - we suggest you request they leave off the mustard and cheese!. bun alone B+, meat B, bacon B/B+, total B+, total with bacon B/B+

Some specialty BIG CHAIN BURGERS in June 2013, now gone:

1. McDonald's Bacon Habenero Ranch. B/B+. Bun is cheap, though it tries to look upscale. The beef is a B-. Cheap, thin, pre-cooked bacon. Sauce is not bad but spicy.

2. McDonald's Deluxe. B+ Mayo with mustard, not mixed, gives a good flavor. Same bun as above.

3. Wendy's Bacon Italian style - forget the name. C. The bun is cheap, thick stuff and the meat is C+. But the thicker bacon is MUCH better than McD's. The sun dried tomatoes and Italian style flavor isn't to our liking.

Note of 2 September of new releases:

4. Wendy's Pretzel bacon cheese burger B-/B (best they have)

5. McDonald's Quarterpounder BLT B-/B. 
6. McDonald's Create Your Own. Editor prefers only tomato, raw onion, lettuce, pickle. He also tried mushroom and raw onion. Both got a B
7. More Wendy's:

a. Double Stack. a newer creation now at Wendy’s and the only one we love there; PS. Wendy’s uses fresh beef, like In and Out)

b. bacon burger (bacon B-, beef B) total B-/B 
8. More Discontinued McDonalds burgers - some of these are no longer offered; they often come up with a burger to test but which doesn't last
a. bacon clubhouse burger - too much sauce - beef alone: B, bun: B-, bacon: C-/C, total: C
b. Deluxe burger C+ (with bun quality C+
c. bacon cheddar burger, with leaf lettuce, tomato (bun: B, bacon C-, beef B-, total: B/B+
d. queso burger (strong S.W. flavor) B-
e. quarter pounder blt (bacon B+, beef B-) B-/B
f. Jan 2018: signature crafted garlic and white cheddar burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, garlic, dried flaked garlic C/C+
g. July 2017: sweet BBQ bacon burger B
h. maple back dijon 

NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT Smashburger: spinach, tomato, and goat cheese burger: B. Add mayo to it and replace the goat cheese with double cheddar slice, to improve the grade.

Best Desserts in Utah (chocolate cake, mousse, creme brulee, etc)

Best Desserts in Utah
- parts revised 13 Oct 21 

Check out Best Ice Cream in Utah, Best Pies in Utah, Best Peach Cobbler in Utah, and our OTHER FOOD REVIEWS at TasterTestersClub.BlogSpot.com 

Best chocolate decadent (flourless) cake - our favorite!

Note: All on the list below were tested TOGETHER, side by side, so the list is accurate. The only exceptions are BYU Skyroom and Current Oyster House below, which were tested on different dates.
2014 test:

1. Zoom, Park City. A+ (with cherry compote: A+). Callie Varner, the Pastry chef, has done an amazing job there.

2. P. F. Chang, It's called the Dome there, national chain. A

3. Windy Ridge Cafe, Park City. A-/A

4. Snake Creek Grill, Heber City. A-

5. BYU Skyroom, Provo B+/A- 

6. Red Butte Grill, SLC. B+/A-

7. The Roof, SLC chocolate tart (in pastry shell) B++

8. Whole Foods Market, SLC, "Gem City" brand (national chain) B+

9. Whole Foods Market, SLC, chile flourless choc cake B+

10. Windy Ridge Bakery, Park City, orange flavored "chocolate torte" B+ 

11. Riverhorse, Park City (not serving in fall 2014),  with oreo crust. B+

12. Snake Creek Grill, Heber City, a second type: one layer of their black bottom banana cream pie - the pie filling is a C but the flourless chocolate cake it rests upon, different than the regular flourless cake, is a B+

13. Red Butte Grill, SLC. "Truffle Aztec Tart.." Has truffle-like choc filling, dusted with cocoa and cinnamon, overed in bittersweet choc glaze and toasted almonds. B

14. Shabu, Park City. B-

15. Gourmandise, SLC C+/B-

16. RATING ABOUT HERE, BUT NOT TESTED WITH OTHERS ON THIS LIST: 
Current fish and oyster house, SLC, chocolate torte C+

17. Cafe Rio (various locations) chocolate flan (some similarities to flourless chocolate cake). C

18. Trader Joe's, national chain, in SLC. C-, another test in Oct 2016: B/B+

Note: Sundance was also a contender for one of the top spots, but pastry chef Jessica left in mid 2013. Mamacita's in Provo in 2013, now out of business, was a B+

2 great ones gone:
OUT OF BUSINESS: Madison Gastropub, Provo A-/A
OUT OF BUSINESS: Chef's Table, Orem (served occasionally) A- 

Chocolate Decadent Cake: A newer, second, shorter test 
(compare these to above)
2016, November
1. Whole Foods Markets, Gem City brand A-
2. Trader Joes Decadent Chocolate Cake (we assume this is different than #17 above, but is perhaps the same but given a higher grade compared to others on this test) B/B+
3. Whole Foods Market, Belgian Chocolate Mousse B-
4. Whole Foods Market, Chocolate Parfait: overall with cream B-, chocolate part: C-

Best chocolate raspberry, flour cake 

2014 test

1, Burgers & Bourbon, Park City, Montage at Deer Creek, "Ginormous Cake." Cake alone: A-; with raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries, and whipped cream: A alone. A+ with their fresh raspberries and whipped cream. Note that they drench the sauce over the cake before serving - or so it seems, as the second and third times we've ordered it they provided a side of sauce for us to pour over it. Important note: in October 2014 when we had it a third time they used raspberry jam of sorts - at least not FRESH RASPBERRIES - and the jam was a D -. That made the cake-with-jam a C- so it was best to leave off the jam, as the cake itself rates a B/B+. (This may be the most expensive slice of cake in Utah for 2014 (but fairly large) at $14.) 

2. Z's Chophouse, Midway A- / A 
(their cake alone: B)

3. Red Butte Cafe, SLC. "Chocolate Aztec Tart" (we got it with raspberry jam; at rare times they serve it with fresh raspberries. With jam: B+++

4. Seigfried's Deli, downtown SLC B/B+ 
(Note that there are 2 other decent cakes of their cakes listed in the last section below. We've had all of their's, but these are in our opinion the best.)

5. Special order note: If you requested a full cake from The Chocolate in Orem, they would custom make you a raspberry chocolate cake. In so doing, request milk chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting. It would be an A.

6. Gloria's Little Italy: Fragosa chocolate cake with raspberry filling and Italian cream. B

7. Cheesecake Factory B

Best regular chocolate cake

2014 test, some revised in 2016 and 2018:
4 A's:
1. Billy Blanco's, Park City A
2. The Chocolate, Orem - the "Brooklyn Blackout," milk chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache frosting (revised 2016:) A-/A
3. Whole Foods Market, national chain and SLC locations, "Rubicon" brand. A-
4. Bangkok Thai, Park City - molten cake. A-

3 B+'s
4A. The Chocolate,Orem and West Jordan, yellow cake with choc frosting B+
The Last Course, SLC and Draper, Smores molten cake (2018:) B+
4B. The Last Course, German Chocolate cake (2018)  B+
4C. Old Spaghetti Factory, "Chocolate Mousse Cake," with over 1/4 mousse: A-, about 3/4 choc cake: B, choc frosting: A-. Total: B+

The rest are Bs and Cs:
4D. Gandolpho's Deli, Mousse cake B/B+
5. The Chocolate, Orem - "Cherib" - milk chocolate cake milk with chocolate frosting (revised 2016:) B/B+
6. n/a
7. Ditto: "Turtle," also an B/B+
8. P. F. chang. alone: B/B+. With added fruit and mediocre raspberry syrup. B+
9. Burgers and Bourbon, Park City, Ginormous cake (minus the raspberry jam) B
10. Tucano's, local chain B
11. Red Lobster, national chain B
12. French Bakery, Provo B/B+ (cake alone C)
13. P. F. Chang Chocolate Wall cake C+
14. Cheesecake Factory tower truffle B+ (cake alone C)
15. Cheesecake Factory Linda's Fudge Cake B - - (cake alone C)
16. Cheesecake Factory Black out cake B - -
17. (not in this category, but also at Cheesecake Factory is our fave cheesecake there: Godiva cheesecake B+)
18. Cheesecake Factory choc tuxedo cream B
19. Cheesecake Factory (this might be one listed above:) 8 layer choc cake, yellow, nut topping B-/B
20. ditto but with choc chip topping, 8 layer: B-/B
21. Cheesecake Factory - another with chocolate chip topping and mousee or choc fristing between layers: B++
22. Zupa - chocolate mousse cake B+/A- (the chocolate cake part: B-)
23. The Garden, SLC. Classic chocolate cake C+/B-
24. The Garden, SLC, Molten choc cake B
25. Buffalo Wild Wings, state-wide. choc cake B, choc cake with ganache B+

Honorable mentions (B's):
Harvest, Thanksgiving Point
Iggy's tower cake
LaJolla Groves, Provo bundt cake
Red Lobster, yellow cake with choc frosting A-
Cafe 300 B-
Numerous others in Utah we tried are B-minuses and Cs.
GLORIA'S NOW OUT OF BUSINESS:
They offered 4 chocolate cakes (we tested them all) of their many cake varieties; their best was:
9. "Duomo Cioccolato: B/B+
10. Gloria's. 3rd best: moist, but needs stronger chocolate flavor. B- 
11. Gloria's 4th best: tarfuto? good if warmed (not good unless warmed). B-
12. Gloria's 5th best choco and  strawberry B-
Gloria's 6th best: choc nutella B-

Best Misc. cakes:

1. Orange Chocolate Mousse Cake, Red Butte Cafe, A+ 

2. carrot cake - Black Sheep, Provo A+ (at least before mid 2013: it may be different now. Their chocolate mousse before then was the best in the state, but has slipped way down.)

3. carrot cake - Archibald's, South Jordan A-

4  beet cake, weird but gets an A from Pago, SLC A

5. strawberry poppy seed cake (they use seasonal fruits). Red Butte Cafe, SLC A-

6. carrot cake - Red Butte Cafe, SLC B/B+ (Amazingly, this is the lowest grade of all their wonderful cakes.) For Carrot cake, see better offerings above.

7. "Husband," yellow cake with milk chocolate fudge frosting. The Chocolate, Orem. B

8. black forest cake - Siegfried's Deli, Salt Lake City B-/B

9. German chocolate cake - Siegfried's Deli, Salt Lake City B-


10. Gloria's Little Italy - Strawberry white cake with Italian cream and chocolate covered strawberries on top

Note: Little Italy Cakes are good - but most rate a B - of their 11 that we tried. (The higher rated ones are in various categories above.) 

11. ditto. Lemon-raspberry white cake 

12. ditto. tiramisu

13. Chocolate mousse cake - BYU Museum Cafe, Provo

14. Whole Foods Market deli, SLC - orange glaze-topped cheesecake A-

15. ditto - cheesecake alone C-

16. ditto - berry, apricot tart with almond cream filling B

Best Chocolate Mousse in Utah

Note: Although Pago's version is a "panna cotta" and thus has no egg whites in it like mousse has, if you like chocolate mousse, we recommend Pago for the best-tasting version of this, which is technically not mousse. Also, Le Caille's chocolate marscopone is technically not a mousse either, as it is thicker, more like a thick pudding, but we include it below:

1. BYU Museum Cafe (the mousse is part of the chocolate mousse cake) B+A-
2. OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano Grill, Provo B++
3. Olive Garden, national chain B+
4. Mimi's Cafe - petite chocolate mousse B+
5. Tiburon, Sandy - chocolate almond B+
6. Gourmandise, SLC, chocolate mousse B+
7. The Roof, SLC chocolate mousse, flavor A, texture C+, overall B+
8. Le Caille - chocolate mascarpone (flavor is A-, texture is B-) B/B+
9. Vanilla Bean, Orem, as one of the components of "Triple Heaven:" B/B+
10. Whole Foods Markets deli, SLC B/B+
11. Black Sheep, Provo - chocolate B (it used to be the only A in the state until mid 2013 when their chef, Dario, left; since then it has gone to a B, which is still good)
12. LaJolla Groves, Provo - triple chocolate B-
13. Talisker, Park City - Valrona choc mousse with pistachio flavor. B-
14. Bistro 412, Park City - liquor mint choc mousse. B-
NOT GOOD:
15. Enliten, Provo - chocolate C+ (but their fruit tarts rate an A. Great cream filling) (They have strawberry and mango mousse as well, both rating Cs.)
16. Appleby's. D

Historical note:  Best ever was at Black Sheep before mid 2013: it was the only solid A. Also good: Spark in Provo went out of business June 2013. 

Best other-flavored Mousse in Utah
a. Lavender mousse: Purple Sage, Park City: A - (with berries: A)
b. passion fruitmousse: Gourmandise, SLC (is mostly cake) B/B+
c. chocolate raspberry mousse: Gourmandise, SLC, mostly cake B+
d. white chocolate mousse, Vanilla Bean, Orem C+ (this is contained within the dessert, "Triple Heaven," which also contains choc mousse and choc cake, with the package grading at B/B+)

Best Chocolate Pudding in Utah 
FIRST 4 ARE BASICALLY A TIE:
1. Copper Onion, downtown SLC, dark, A
2. Cafe Terigo, Park City: A (they call it "chocolate creme brule" but it's like a great pudding; should be eaten same day - not as good next day!). A
3. Pizzaria 712, Orem A
4. Ruth's Diner, Emigration Canyon, SLC, light, A-
5. The Roof, SLC: chocolate custard, cold B+
6. Trader Joe's (buy in container), dark Belgian, B
7. Kozy Korner (in containers at many grocery stores), light, C (best of the store-bought brands by far, except Trader Joe's) B-
8. (Not truly a pudding:) Brown Cow chocolate yoghurt (at macey's and other markets) C

Best Panna Cotta in Utah 
From northern Italy, this dish (when rarely made right, such as the Top 3 places below make it) is made from cream, milk and sugar, with some amount of gelatin. (El cheapo versions, which most are, go heavy on the gelatin and light or non-existent on the cream, using milk probably.)

1. Pago, SLC. Chocolate (VERY similar tasting to chocolate mousse, but, as stated above, under "chocolate mousse," panna cotta has no egg whites in it) A
WARNING: THIS one from Pago IS THE ONLY DESSERT IN THIS SECTION THAT MUST BE EATEN WHEN SERVED - It DOES NOT last  - at least if it is out of the fridge for long and then refrigerated and eaten the next day -  because it collapses and turns.to a bad texture, unlike the others. So eat while fresh!

2. Terra Mia, Orem, SLC

3. Pizzaria 712, Orem (tangy but yummy, with an amazing thin, real fruit sauce). A

4. Harvest, Alpine, buttermilk panna cotta withberries: alone: A - -. with berries: A

5. Vanilla Bean, Orem (2017) B+
(with strawberry topping: B/B+)

6. Oregano Grill, Provo. Get the cherry flavored one if they offer only two the day you go; not the pistachio. B

NOT GOOD:
7. Enliten, Provo: C-

HISTORICAL NOTE: One of the best ever was at Spark, Provo, but out of business since June 2013.

Best Creme Brulee in Utah 
1. The Garden, SLC. Caramel creme brulee A+
2. Cafe Terigo, Park City, chocolate creme brulee A
3. Wahso Asian Grill, Park City, coconut creme brulee A
4. Franck's, Holiday, butterscotch creme brule A
4a. Red Rock Grill, SLC creme brule (inner portion, below burnt top C++), total, with burnt top: A
5. Oregano A
6. Ruby River, Provo A; another test B+/A-; another test A-
7. Whole Foods Market, deli section: the one in a ceramic dish that you take home A-
8. Target's Archer Farms (sold pre-made) A
9. Sundance, Provo Canyon: vanilla: A- (this may be different now, as it was tested in 2013, and this place changes pastry chefs and goes up and down in quality) 
10. The Roof, SLC, 2016 December B+/A- 
11. Romano B++
12. Ruth's Diner, SLC Sweet and Savory, Orem: vanilla B+
13 Tucano's, Provo B; another test: B+; another test had strong pudding flavor, lowering the grade to B/B+
14. La Jolla Groves' Citrus Creme (note: their tangerene rated lower, below; also note the two hits against them is due to their pudding-like texture and their weak crust) B/B+; another test: B
15. Harvest Restaurant, Lehi (Point of the Mountain): vanilla creme: B (another test B-/B)
16. LaJolla Groves, Provo: tangerene:  B-
17. Snake Creek Grill, Heber (like pudding, not creamy enough): B-

Historical notes: One of tops in the Creme Brulee family we found was the Creme Brulee Cheesecake at Spark Restaurant, Provo; but out of business since June 2013. Savory and Sweet's vanilla creme brulee was very good at a B+ till they closed in 2016. Also gone: Madison's Gastropub in Provo in 2015, which had coffee caramel creme brule B-/B (but A texture). Out of business 2015: Chef's Table, Provo: cinnemon B+

ITALIAN DESSERTS, additional 
(in addition to those listed above in various categories)
Maxwells, SLC
a. Dessert Cannoli A
Carrabbas
a. mini cannoli B/B+
b. chocolate dream (very think layer of mousse, grade C, and mostly whipped cream and choc cake) total: B+
Olive Garden
a. Black Tie mousse cake A-
b. Lemon cream cake B+

Best cinnamon buns in Utah
Not including those at donut shops, in second list below:
1. Papa Johns A-
2. Hruskie's Kolaches, Provo. B+
3. Rockwell Creamery, Provo B+ 
4. Cinnabon. too sweet for some of us. B+
5. Marley's Sliders - house made (sometimes only on Saturdays - so call first) B/B+

FROM OUR SITE, "Best Donuts in Utah:"
a. Dunford Bakery A-
b. Donut Star, Draper, big, round A-
BYU Creamery's fried cinnamon bun was an A- but no longer seems available.
c. Avenue Bakery, cinnemon bun B/B+
d. Lehi Bakery, cinnemon raised roll B
e. Banbury Cross, cinnemon twist B
f. Banbury Cross, cinemon roll (inner part B/B+, outer part C), total: B
g. Donut Star, Draper, chocolate cinnamon twist B
h. Johnny O's Spudnuts, Layton, B-/B
i. Cowboy Donuts, Spanish Fork, fried cinnemon bun B-
j. Daylight Donuts, cinnemon roll C
j. Krispy Kreme C-/C

k. Provo Bakery C-


Best Dessert Pizzas in Utah

(also in our site, "Best Pizzas in Utah")
2017 Best Dessert Pizza

1. peach - Pizze Pie Cafe B+

2. Berries and cream - Malawai, when cold (better than room temp) B+

3. raspberry white chocolate, Malawai, when cold B+

5.  peaches and cream, if FRESH peaches - Malawai B+, if not fresh peaches B/B+

Fried bread and scones with butter
All A's, in this order:
1. Black Sheep (as tested in 2014), Provo
2. Slate (2014), Provo
3. Family Tree, Payson

Other Best DESSERTS in Utah

1. beet cake, Pago, SLC 

2. chocolate fudge brownie, Corner Bakery Cafe, national chain

3. n/a

4. Sweet Potato cheesecake - Sundance: A-

5. lime-filled cupcaeks: B++ at Sean's Smokehouse, Saratoga Springs (heavy, European style cake with decent lime filling)

6. praline pecan cookie - Kaiser's BBQ, Salt Lake City

7. Lemon meringue tart, Red Butte Cafe, SLC B/B+ (could be in "pies" category)

8. N/A

9. chocolate cake with raspberry chocolate truffle filling B, at ditto

10. dark chocolate strawberry ganache tart, at ditto (sour cream ganache, strawberry, pecat tart shell, with caramel sauce) B-

11. ginger peach cobbler, Slate, Provo B

12. peach cobbler, The Garden, SLC C+/B-

13. apple pie, Cafe 300, Provo B+

14. German choc cake, Cafe 300, Provo A-

15. bread pudding, Pizzaria 712 (chamomile creme anglaise, high west bourbon caramel) grade A
Note on bread puddings: this one and the bread puddings at the Eastern BBQ chain, "Mission," are the only two A grade bread puddings we have discovered.
Historical note: The dessert crepe with strawberries, ice cream, chocolate sauce drizzle at Savory and Sweet in Orem was an A. they went out of business. Also an A was their Bananas foster, 

16. Last Course, Draper/SLC: 
a. S'mores lava cake B+

b. German Chocolate Cake B+

Weak:
17. Outback: carrot cake, too sweet, too strong nutmeg? B-

CONTINUED BEST DESSERTS AT VARIOUS RESTAURANTS BELOW:

The Last Course Dessert Parlor, SLC and Draper
July 2018
PASTRIES:
a. caramel apple pie (caramel sauce: A, but pie alone is only a C, highly seasoned) Total: B/B+
b. S'mores lava cake B+
c. German Chocolate Cake B+
d. coconut cream pie (filling B+) total: B+
e. peanut butter pie (filling: A-, crust C/C+, choc shavings B/B+, choc cookie on top C+) total B+
f. carrot cake (cake alone C+, cream cheese frosting C/C+, cream sauce A-/A) total: B
g. cheesecake B++, with fresh strawberry sauce: A
h: seasonal (June 2018): chocolate brownie bomb (brownie base with white choc mousse. B/B+
i. chocolate stacker B
j. chocolate caramel lava (seasonal) B-/B 
k. chocolate bomb B/B+


ICE CREAMS:
a. dark chocolate ice cream (1st time, grade D, with a strong herb in it, probably a mistake; 2nd time:) B/B+
b. maple bacon ice cream B-
c. cheddar apple pie ice cream B
d. vanilla B/B+
e. rosemary and honey B-/B
f. horchata B-/B
g. malden salted caramel B/B+
h. key lime ice cream C-
i. brownie ice cream B/B+

2018: All desserts from Whole Foods, Market, SLC
DESSERTS AT DELI: 
2018, July:
chocolate cake B-/B, frosting B/B+, total: B/B+
chocolate cream pie B+
Gem City flourless chocolate torte C/C+
Pie in the Sky Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake C-
Best Ever Chocolate Explosion Cake:
a. chocolate cake B
b. chocolate frosting B-/B
c. chocolate mousse B
d. "Best Ever" cheesecake B++
Belgian chocolate mousse B - -
chocolate torte B/B+
TOTAL grade for "Best Ever Chocolate Explosion Cake": B+/A-
Pie in the sky cheesecake B-
Key Lime Pie from Pie in the Sky (too sweet) B
Key Lime Pie from Whole Foods Market deli (too sweet) C, later: B/B+
key lime tart C-
Lemon ice pie filling C-/C
50% whipped cream atop, alone B
total: B-
lemon ice tart D
fruit tart C - -
brownie tart (fudgie) C+/B-
chocolate frosting covered mousse tart B-
Rubicon double chocolate layer cake B-
Rubicon carrot layer cake C-
Zest chocolate hazlenut Italian torte, gluten free C-
flax 4 life muffins - wild bludeberry C-
2017, August:
Chocolate Eruption Cake B/B+ (for some reason it got lower grade when tested later and earlier)
chocolate mousse B/B+ (higher than below)
Tres leches B
Toasted almond cream cake C/C+
Chocolate parfait B+
2016, September:
chocolate cream pie B
2014:
a. Rubicon chocolate cake A-
b. triple chocolate mousse cake B+/A-
c. chocolate mousse portion of triple chocolate mousse: A-/A)
d. eruption cake: total: C (chocolate cakecenter: B-/B)
e. best ever chocolate explosion slice C+/B-
f. cheesecake part C+/B-
g. choc mousse C+/B-
h. choc cake B-
i. best chocolate milks in state, 3 brands A
j. orange glazed cheesecake A-
k. cheesecake alone C-
l. berry, apricot tart with almond cream B
m. Rubicon brand cinnemon bread (best brand, no longer there, is Greenlee) B+
n. "Best Ever" cheesecake (tied for best in state) A- 
o. house-made Key Lime Pie (nice strong flavor but texture is too dense) B/B+

p. "Pie in the Sky" brand key Lime Pie (graded higher than in 2018, perhaps was less sweet in 2014) B++

2017: Chocolate desserts only from Whole Foods Market, SLC (also included in above list)
2017:
a. choc cake B-
b. Rubicon chocolate cake A-
c. triple chocolate mousse cake B+/A-
(chocolate mousse part: A-/A)
d. eruption cake: total: C (chocolate cakecenter: B-/B)
e. bestever chocolate explosion slice C+/B-
cheesecake part C+/B-
choc mousse C+/B-
gem city flourless choc cake A-

Other desserts from Whole Foods Market, SLC
2017 (also included in above list)
a. apple pie B-
b. pecan pie B-
c. "Best Cheesecake in the World" A-
d. house key lime pie abt. B
e. pie in the sky key lime pie abt. B+

Best desserts from Cheesecake Factory, SLC
Cheesecake Factory, national chain
Note: We have tried most of their 30+ cheesecakes, including all their chocolate ones, and all their non-cheesecake cakes. These are their only 3 notable desserts. 
2015:
a. key lime pie (A-) (BUT NUMERO UNO IS AT COSTA VIDA)
REGULAR CHOC CAKES
a. raspberry chocolate cake B
b. tower truffle B+ (cake alone C)
c. Linda's Fudge Cake B - - (cake alone C)
d. Black out cake B - -
e. choc tuxedo cream B
f.  8 layer choc cake, yellow, nut topping B-/B
g. choc chip topping, 8 layer: B-/B
h. another cake with chocolate chip topping and mousse or choc frosting between layers: B++
i. 50th anniversary (German Chocolate with coconut) B
j. Chris's (2 white layers of 1/2 inch and 2 chocolate layers of 1/2 inch) C+/B-
CHEESECAKES
a. Godiva Cheesecake B+
b. plain B
c. Chocolate mousse cheesecake (upper 1/3 is darker; shavngs on top) B+
d. pineapple upside down cheesecake C-, with cream B-/B
e. Hershey's with almonds (top half regular choc cake, lower half Hershey's choc cheesecake) B
f. mango key lime cheesecake C- 
2016, OCTOBER: DESSERTS:

a. banana cheesecake B-, added with real banana slices B/B+

Gourmandise, SLC
DESSERT PASTRIES:
2018
a. chocolate raspberry mousse, white and choc cake layers with 1/4 inch fluffy raspberry mouse B+
b. passion fruit mousse, 2 thin layers of 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch layers of white cake. B/B+
c. jalousse cup: top of 1 inch choc cream pudding, then 1/2 inch choc cake, then 1/8 inch raspberry jam, then 1/4 inch cream and 1/4 inch choc cream and 1/4 inch choc cake. BB+
d. cheese cake with berries C
d. pallehin: 1/2 inch chocolate mousse top, then 1/3 inch hazlenut crunch, then 1/2 inch choc cake C-
2017
pecan roll, room temp C, warmed B
chocolate mousse B+
chocolate decadent cake C+/B-
tartiette mixed fruit (fruit and custard tart - normally one of our favorite pastries, but not great here) C
passion fruit mousse cake B
chocolate mousse cake B
dusty chocolate mousse cake C-
berry layered cake with mousse bottom B/B+
"Mille Feuille straberre" (gold topped, layered, croissant style cake and cream and strawberries) B+

The Current fish and oyster house DESSERTS, SLC
2018
a. choc torte C+
b. apple torte: buttery pastry shell with flower, poppy seeds, great apples, yell cream B+

c. hummingbird: roasted pineapple with mango buttercream (B++ alone) layers in spice cake. total: B/B+

Gandolpho's Deli, Provo
2016
a. mousse cake B/B+

The Roof, SLC
for more items, see our site, "Best Restaurants in Utah"
creme brule B+/A- 
flan, cold B-
chocolate custard, cold B+
chocolate mousse, flavor A, texture C+, overall B+
bread pudding with caramel sauce B+
pumpkin cheese cake B/B+
chocolate ganache peppermint cake B+/A-
chocolate tart (in pastry shell) B++
jelly roll B-
chocolate squares C+
orange poppyseed A
holiday pudding and lemon sauce C+/B-
pecan pie B+

key lime pie C

Vanilla Bean, Orem
July 2017 test:
(some of these are repeated above in various categories above)
a. cheesecake B-
b. Triple Heaven, consisting of:
choc mousse B/B+
choc cake B-/B
white choc mousse C+
package: B/B+c. key lime parfait C+/B-
d. panna cotta B+ with strawberries atop B/B+
e. frozen hot choc: served frozen B+/B-, served mostly melted B+
cookies
f. oatmeal raisen C
g. peanut buter B-
h. choc chip C+

A Little Taste of Britain, Layton
BRITISH TREATS SOLD IN THEIR MARKET:
2018:
a. McLeans - Sticky Toffee Biscuits C+/B-
b. Ultimate - English Maple Fudge B-/B
c. Walkers Ecclefechan Tarts C-

Trader Joes, chain
2016, October test
Belgian Chocolate Pudding B
Decadent Chocolate Cake B
Pecan Chocolate Pudding B-
Handmade chocolate ganache torte B - -
Dark Chocolate Ganache C+/B-
Chocolate lava cake C+

Whole Foods Markets deli, chain
chocolate mousse B/B+
chocolate eruption cake B/B+
Chocolate payent? B+
Tres Leches B
Toasted Almond cream cake C/C+

Rockwell Creamery, Provo
PASTRIES:
2018:
1. cinnemon bun (one of best in Utah): inner part: B+/A-, frosting A-, outer part, stale, C-), total: B+
2. brownie B-
2015:
1. hummingbird B
2. koek sisters B/B+
3. mini cheesecake B/B+
4. black forest bomb B/B+
5. peanut butter doey goey B/B+
6. carmelita B/B+
7. sticky toffee B+
8. milk tort B/B+
9. brownie B-/B

OUT OF BUSINESS 2021: It's About Thyme, Provo
DESSERTS:
1. choc chip cookie B
2. choc nutella cookies B/B+
3. pecan bar (buttery and too rich) B/B+
4. peach cobbler square B/B+
5. chocolate cake C










OUT OF BUSINESS IN  2017: Deserts from Gloria's Little Italy, Provo 

They offer 4 chocolate cakes (we tested them all) of their many cake varieties; their best is "Duomo Cioccolato: A- and "Turtle," also an A-
Note: 7 of Gloria's Little Italy Cakes are good (of their 11 that we tried). (note that #1 and #5 below are in the chocolate cake category above): 1) Turtle [a chocolate cake with some mousse, moist but needs more choco flavor] A-, 2) Strawberry white cake with Italian cream and chocolate covered strawberries on top B++, 3) Lemon-raspberry white cake 4) Fragosa chocolate cake with raspberry filling and Italian cream 5) Duromo Cioccolato (moist, but needs stronger chocolate flavor) A-, 6) tarfuto C+ but if warmed: B+, 7) tiramisu B+/A-
8. dulche de leche (white cake plus raspberry inside) B/B+
9. Vulcano (dry, no cocoa flavor) C-
10. Fiochi (2/3 white cake and 1/3 choc cake with nutella) A
11. lemon raspberry cake B+/A-
12. blackberry cake  (thin layers of white cake, thin cream layer) B-/B
13. Frago (choc cake with no choc flavor C, plus raspberry filling and italian cream) total B+

See our site, "Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in Utah." 

Other Cookies Ratings
2018

Baked Bear, American Fork and several Utah locations
a. Mexican chocolate (with cinnamon) B
b. brownie (non cookie), one of the best! B+
c. oatmeal/raisen B
d. milk chocolate chip, per our other site that lists all the best ones we've found A-
e. cookies and cream C+
f. peanut butter B/B+

Smart Cookie, American Fork, Farmington, and Midvale
a. peanut butter B+/A-
b. double chocolate B/B+
c. oatmeal raisen B+
d. milk chocolate chip B+
e. milk chocoalte chip with walnuts C+
f. semi sweet chocolate chip B/B+
g. semi sweet chocolate chip with toffee B++

Vanilla Bean, Orem
a. oatmeal raisen C
b. peanut butter B-/B
c. choc chip C+
 - check out our ratings on the Best Pies, Cobblers, and Ice Cream in Utah!