Utah's Most Iconic Food & Drinks Bingo Game
- Jul 26
- 6 min read
Whenever we go on adventure rides to new states or countries, trying unique local food & drinks becomes just as much a part of our trip as finding the best roads. We have collected cherished memories (and photographs) of us sharing street food, high-end dishes, desserts, and custom cocktails on our trips around the world.
Utah’s food scene gets a weird rap, but if you know where to look it’s actually a pretty interesting story. A large part of what makes it unique traces back to the state's founding. When Latter-day Saint (aka Mormon) pioneers settled the Salt Lake Valley and surrounding regions in the mid-1800s, they brought a their traditions of self-reliance, close-knit communities, and hearty, low-cost comfort meals designed to feed big families. That heritage paved the way for things like Dutch oven cooking, meals based on preserved local fruits & grains, and affordable potluck staples like funeral potatoes.
Later on, global missionary work and manual laborer immigration brought even more people from places including the Pacific Islands, Mexico, and northern Europe to Utah with their unique food traditions that have became integrated into local culture.
What to try?
We created this Bingo card to give you a fun way to taste the state while you explore it on your motorcycle. This is just a starting point, and we hope you find something not listed here that becomes your new favorite.
Download the PDF at the bottom of this page and save it to your phone, or print it out and keep it in your luggage. Mark things off as you give them a try, and let us know what you think when you return your rental!
Row 1
Funeral potatoes: A comforting dish made popular by Mormon church luncheon potlucks or, yes, funerals. It's a cozy combination of shredded potatoes, cheese, cream soup, and sour cream topped with a crispy layer of cornflakes.
Dirty soda: For Utahns that don't drink booze, super sugary drinks have become their addiction of choice. You'll see lines of cars waiting to get their fix of fountain sodas spiked with flavored syrups, fruit purees, and sweet cream.
Navajo taco: A hearty, savory dish featuring seasoned beef, beans, and fresh taco toppings piled high on warm, fluffy Navajo fry bread.
Stephen’s hot chocolate: Instant powdered hot chocolate in a variety of rich flavors, including caramel and mint. A favorite in winter
Bear Lake raspberry treat: This region of the state is known for their delicious, locally-grown raspberries, so you'll find a variety of treats with this sweet/tart flavor: milk shakes, taffy, jams, syrups, and more!
Row 2
Utah scone: Unlike a traditional, triangular scones made with a dry dough, this is a large piece of deep-fried yeast dough slathered in honey, butter, and/or honey butter!
Green River melon: Sweet, exceptionally juicy melons grown in Green River's hot desert soil, which you can find at roadside stands every late summer. As a bonus, attend their annual Melon Days festival!
Local honey: Utah backs up its Beehive State nickname with delicious honey, found at a variety of farms and stores
A campfire dinner: Does anything taste better than a hot meal cooked over an open fire after a long days ride?
Green jello: An iconic Utah side dish that still makes an appearance at family potlucks, but we can't tell if it's tongue-in-cheek or not. Bonus points if it includes carrot shavings!
Row 3
Sweet pork burrito: A Utah-Mexican fusion featuring tender pulled pork slow-cooked in a sweet, spiced brown sugar glaze, wrapped in a giant tortilla. Don't forget the cilantro-lime ranch dressing!
USU Aggie ice cream: Rich, ultra-creamy ice cream crafted on campus by the USU dairy science department
Fry sauce (Free spot!): Available everywhere French fries are sold, you must try Utah's most well-known condiment
Brigham City peaches: Prized, exceptionally sweet peaches grown along northern Utah's mountain benchlands
Lion House rolls: This is a favorite of older generations, soft buttery rolls that are best enjoyed hot & fresh from the oven. They get their name from being served at the Lion House Restaurant, located in a popular tourist stop in Temple Square, Salt Lake City which is currently closed, but you can find similar rolls served in restaurants across the state
Row 4
Locally-brewed beer: Surprising to some, but Utah has a long & rich history brewing beer in the valley going back to Brigham Young himself. Try a brew from Squatters, Kiitos, Fisher, and more. For teetotalers, find a glass-bottle "Mexican" Coca-Cola while you're out & about - it's made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup!
Ruby Snap cookie: Artisanal, gourmet cookies made in Salt Lake City featuring delightful flavor combinations and quality ingredients. They sell them frozen if you want to take & bake them for later.
Dutch oven cobbler: A classic campfire dessert of sweet fruit and cake batter slow-cooked over glowing coals.
BYU chocolate milk: Rich and creamy chocolate milk bottled locally on Brigham Young University's campus. Try their cookies & cream version - it's especially good!
Street cart tacos: Authentic, affordable double-tortilla tacos with your choice of traditional or uncommon proteins (beef tongue, any one?). Found in parking lots and street corners in any urban area. Try ordering in your best Spanish for an extra challenge.
Row 5
Gifford Homestead pie: Freshly baked single-serve fruit pies served out of a historic farmhouse inside Capitol Reef National Park, with some fillings grown right on the property's orchards. They tend to sell out, so grab one early in the morning if you can.
Hawaiian BBQ: Utah has a sizeable Pacific Islander diaspora, so you can enjoy traditional island-style plate lunch meals featuring grilled pork, white rice, and macaroni salad without the long flight.
Cache Valley cheese: Farm-fresh cheddar and squeaky cheese curds produced right in northern Utah's dairy country, found in grocery stores state-wide.
Soft-serve ice cream: Not particularly unique to Utah, but nothing hits in summer like a small cone from a drive-in, diner, or even grocery store (Macey's).
Something from a roadside farmstand: Summer riding season will take you past all sorts of farmstands - some occupied and others operating under the honor system. Treat yourself to fresh fruit, cut flowers, eggs, and more.
Must-try restaurants
Still looking for more recommendations? Here are some of our favorites across the state:
Mahider's Ethiopian: Rich, aromatic spices and incredible injera flatbread served family-style in Salt Lake City, where the welcoming owners regularly pop by your table to make sure you are well taken care of.
Curry Pizza: A unique flavor fusion pairing rich Indian dishes like tikka masala and butter chicken onto pizza crusts, it works even better than you can imagine. Locations in the Salt Lake Valley as well as in Bicknell right outside Capitol Reef National Park.
Himalayan Kitchen: Excellent Nepalese food in downtown SLC, with a lunch buffet. Riders recommend the bison momos
Hell's Backbone Grill: Located in Boulder along the famous Route 12 byway, this farm-to-table icon is a multi-time James Beard Award semifinalist serving hyper-local, seasonal dishes grown right on their own six-acre farm.
Spanish Valley Vineyard & Winery: One of Utah's rare wineries, tucked into the red rocks just south of Moab. It is the perfect post-ride stop to kick back on the patio with a wine flight and live local music.
Chuck-a-Rama: OK, hear us out on this one... Founded in Salt Lake City, this restaurant isn’t about high-end culinary arts. It’s a glorious temple of pure American all-you-can-eat comfort foods. Carved roast meats, mashed potatoes, a wall of desserts, and hot Utah scones dripping in honey butter. It’s noisy, unpretentious, and you might regret your choice later, but it sure feels great in the moment.
If you need more recommendations, just ask us. We don't like to gatekeep, so we're happy to share what we know and have experienced on our loops around the state.
Frequently asked questions
Cash or credit? Both are widely accepted across the state. Chip & tap are the standard these days. Even small vendors at farmers markets can take credit cards. But for roadside stands using the honor system, you'll need to provide cash.
Drinking alcohol in Utah: Not all restaurants can sell alcohol, and state law won't let you only order a drink at certain establishments (restaurants vs. bars). You will be required to show a photo ID to purchase, so consider carrying your passport with you as foreign drivers licenses sometimes confuse waitstaff.
Tipping: Common & expected, it's customary to tip 15-25% on your pre-tax totals. Tip expectations are lower for places with counter service (where you are standing to order & pick up your food)
Sales Tax & Menu Prices: The price you see on a menu or price tag is not the final price you pay. Sales tax (usually totaling around 7-9%) will be added to your bill at the end.
Alcohol Consumption Limits: Utah enforces a 0.05% BAC limit for driving - the strictest limit in the United States. If you plan to sample local beers or cocktails at dinner, please keep this limit in mind
Download & print your own Bingo card!
Click to access the bingo card file below so you can save it to your phone or print it and bring it along on your adventure!
Image credits
All images courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism and the following photographers:
Pie fix sign: Juanita Ah Quin
Orchard: Austen Diamond
Hells Backbone Grill: Andrew Burr
Raspberries: Marc Piscotty
French fries: Adam Clark
Taco cart: Jeremiah Watt
Fruitstand: Marc Piscotty Box Elder
Comments