Northern Utah Restaurants That Opened in 2025
Here are some of the restaurants that opened last year (or late 2024) in northern Utah. Some were already familiar brands that expanded to more locations — Ramblin’ Roads, Weller’s Bistro, Taboo Pizza and Warrens, for example. We also saw the re-opening of The Oaks in Ogden Canyon. Let’s hope it sticks this time. For the sadder side, check out my list of restaurants that closed here..
O-TOWN EATS, OGDEN
O-Town Eats at 227 25th Street, was opened by chef Geraldine Sepulveda, who also owns Stella’s just two doors down. The two are very different: Stella’s serves Italian classics, and O-Town Eats serves brunch and lunch.
Amid breakfast standards such as omelets, eggs Benedict, breakfast skillets, and avocado toast, O-Town Eats patrons can enjoy a mural-covered wall showcasing Ogden and the surrounding Weber County.
MORTY’S CAFE, Syracuse
Morty’s Café, a popular Cache Valley burger spot, opened its Syracuse location in January 2025, at 1863 W. 700 South. Known for its creative burgers, Morty’s also serves breakfast sandwiches, salads, shakes, and “scone fries.”
Preston Parker, a Utah State University professor, co-founded the first Morty’s Cafe in 2014 with one of his students, Ty Mortensen. (He bought Mortensen out three years ago.) Now it has four locations — two in Cache Valley, plus St. George and now Syracuse.
HEARTH AND HILL, SUGARHOUSE
Hearth and Hill opened a second location at 2188 Highland Drive in Sugar House in March 2025. It’s part of the Hill Top Hospitality restaurant group that includes Hearth and Hill and Hill’s Kitchen, both in the Kimball Junction/Park City area, and Urban Hill in downtown Salt Lake. The Sugar House menu is similar to the Park City Hearth and Hill, with a few tweaks. Co-founders are David and Brooks Kirchheimer.
The Park City Hearth and Hill won many accolades, including Salt Lake City Weekly’s “Best Restaurant in Park City” in its 2023 and 2024 readers’ polls. Click here for my previous story about the Park City location; and here for my story about Hill’s Kitchen cafe & catering.
LAYNE’S CHICKEN FINGERS, Clearfield and Herriman
Layne’s Chicken Fingers, a Texas-based chicken-tenders chain, opened its first Utah location in Clearfield at the end of January, and a second in Herriman in November. It’s a fast-casual, order-at-the-counter format, with a simple menu of chicken fingers, Texas toast, fries and shakes. Owners Scott and Heather Davis said they plan to add 14 more locations in Utah in the next several years. Hey, that’s not just chicken feed.
WARRENS in Plain City
Warrens added to its 70-year-old restaurant dynasty with a Plain City location in January. Manager Katelyn Dean is the daughter of Kirk and Leigh Dean, who own eight Utah restaurants. There are currently Warrens restaurants in Roy, South Ogden, Syracuse and South Jordan; Dylan’s restaurants in Ogden and Kaysville, and Warrens Craft Burger on Historic 25th Street in Ogden.
All of Warrens’ burgers, fries, salad bar, shakes, and those famed lime rickeys can now be enjoyed at 3645 W 2600 North, Plain City.
ALL ABOUT TACOS, OGDEN AND WEST HAVEN
All About Tacos, a fast-casual tacqueria, opened two new locations this year. Owners Gerardo Guzman, Jenny Osorio, and Kaleb and Jenny Kidman opened their first spot on 2421 Kiesel Avenue a couple of years ago. This year, they opened a second location just a few blocks away, on 25th Street. The goal was to attract more of Ogden’s locals, with greater visibility among Historic 25th Street’s shops, restaurants, bars and community events. Then in September, they opened a third location at 1970 W 2550 S, West Haven, which has a drive-through window — a huge plus in today’s food industry.
The owners specialize in trompo-cooked tacos. A trompo is the Mexican version of the Greek gyro or Turkish doner kebab — a vertical rotating spindle where the meat rotates as it’s slow-cooked. Slices of the seasoned steak or pork are tucked into tacos or burritos or nachos. It’s an authentic Mexican cooking method Guzman and Osorio experienced while in Veracruz, Mexico.
RAMBLIN’ ROADS
Ramblin’ Roads did a lot of rambling this past year. The long-time Bountiful restaurant opened two locations in downtown Salt Lake, giving it holdings in Ogden, South Ogden, Layton, Midvale and Salt Lake all within the past six years. The iconic Lamb’s Grill was one of Utah’s oldest restaurants — 98 years old when it closed for good in 2017. After sitting empty for years, the building at 169 S. Main was taken over by Ramblin’ Roads, known for hearty all-day breakfast and comfort food classics.
The family-owned business also moved its Layton location to 802 W 1425 North (former home of the late BlueFin Sushi and before that, Iggy’s.)
Although the Covid pandemic was hard on many restaurants, it actually spurred Ramblin’ Roads’ expansion, according to owner Christine Celia.
“Restaurants were going out of business, and we were able to get into buildings that the owners just wanted rented and maintained,” Christine Celia said.
And, the public had been cooped up during the pandemic and wanted to go out.
“People wanted to get out of their homes, and to have a meal, even if they had to sit six feet apart,” she said. “We were what people were crying for. It was a lucky time.”
WELLER’S BISTRO, OGDEN
Ogden fans of Weller’s Bistro don’t have to travel to Layton anymore to enjoy German cuisine like Das Schnitzel or goulash. Last summer, a second Weller’s Bistro opened in Ogden, at 455 25th Street, in the Monarch building location that most recently was WB’s Eatery. The new Ogden restaurant, which has about 30 percent more seating, should ease up the waiting times at the popular Layton location.
Weller and partner Jessica Wolford spent many months overseeing renovations and expanding the kitchen before opening. Although much of the menu – such as the best-selling Das Schnitzel —is the same at both restaurants, there are a few differences. Ogden has a signature Chicken Döner Kebab, which has been popular with the Weller’s food truck.
THE OAKS, Ogden Canyon
The Oaks, that iconic Ogden Canyon landmark for over 100 years, re-opened in November. It was great news for those who have missed enjoying a burger or ice cream in the scenic mountains next to the Ogden River.
The new owners, Cora and David Neal, had hoped to start out at a slower pace, to let the staff ease into a routine. But business was so brisk that they ran out of food the second day they were open. It’s a small kitchen to be pumping out breakfast, lunch and dinner, six days a week (closed Mondays). But Neal — a former culinary instructor at the Ogden Weber Technical College — has training and experience on his side.
The restaurant serves full breakfasts like pancakes, hash browns, and breakfast burritos. Burgers are the mainstay of the lunch/dinner menu, rounded out with salads and sandwiches.
The Neals kept the long-time tradition of Farr’s ice cream.
TABOO PIZZA, OGDEN
Taboo Pizza’s new location at 1877 Washington Boulevard aime to elevate the typical pizza parlor experience. Owners Jeremy and Jennifer Holmes offer the same fan-favorites from their carryout pizza shop at 3017 Harrison Boulevard, such as the IDK Pepperoni, The Cluck ‘n Oinker, the O-Town Philly, and the Sassy Chick.
But they wanted to raise their game when they opened a full-service restaurant in the former home of Slackwater Pizzeria.
The Holmeses spent months remodeling the space next to the Ogden River. They had a “soft” opening in May to give the staff time to “get their legs underneath them,” as Jeremy described it. “When you go from 13 to 90 staff members, there’s a training period.”
FIRST WATCH, Layton
First Watch opened in November in the former Denny’s building near the Layton Hills Mall. This was the third First Watch in Utah, with others in St. George and Pleasant Grove.
First Watch is calls itself a “Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients.” It’s open for breakfast and lunch.
Specialties include several variations on eggs Benedict, the Quinoa Power Bowl®, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast, Chickichanga, Morning Meditation (juiced in-house daily), and its signature Million Dollar Bacon (Bacon baked with brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne and a drizzle of syrup.)
Lemon ricotta pancakes at First Watch in Layton. Photo by Valerie Phillips
The restaurant chain is apparently growing rapidly. As of May 2025, there were 585 locations across 32 states. The concept is majority-owned by Advent International, according to a company press release.
Other menu highlights are Double Bacon Parmesan Hash, and classics like pancakes, waffles and french toast. It sounds like you can go healthy with a Kale Tonic Fresh Juice, or decadent with Cheesecake Holey Donuts with Nutella.
Salad and sandwich combo at First Watch in Layton. photo by Valerie Phillips
Although this is obviously a breakfast/brunch kind of place, there are seven sandwiches (including a turkey burger and veggie burger) and four salads.
Those are a few of the openings from 2025. What are some of your new favorites that opened last year?
To see some of the restaurants that closed in 2025, click here.
