Hearth and Hill - Sugar House — Restaurant in Salt Lake City

Finally, a place in the neighborhood for oysters and wine!

We’re so excited that Hearth and Hill has opened in SugarHouse—it’s exactly the kind of spot we’ve been waiting for. Elegant but relaxed, modern and welcoming, it already has the kind of vibe that makes you want to linger over a glass of wine and something delicious.

We popped in on a Monday night just for cocktails and apps, and the place was already lively. The bar area was perfect for us (shoutout to the amazing host who seated us there!), and we loved getting to stroll through the beautiful dining room. There is a seating counter that provides a view of the kitchen.—definitely a spot we’ll try next time to watch the magic happen up close.

We started with oysters from Washington State—clean, salty, and fresh, with just the right hit of cocktail sauce. So good, we’re already plotting a regular “oysters and bubbly” night. I had a glass of Vincent Crémant sprakling wine, which was crisp, elegant, and perfect with the oysters. My other half enjoyed a lovely glass of Primarus Pinot Noir. The wine list is excellent, especially for this side of town—definitely a welcome addition.

We also shared the Caesar salad, which had those parmesan crisps we all secretly hope for. And the gyoza appetizer? Perfectly pan-seared and served with a wonderful dipping sauce that brought everything together.

The bartender doubled as our server, and he was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and knew his stuff. While the kitchen closes at 9 (a bit early), we’re hoping that might extend as SugarHouse continues to grow into its foodie era.

One thing I really appreciated: a small 2% fee is added to support the non-tipped hourly kitchen staff. Ours came out to just over a dollar, and I genuinely liked knowing that a bit of our experience was giving back to the people behind the scenes who help make it great. It’s a thoughtful touch that reflects the kind of values more restaurants should embrace.

We can’t wait to come back for the poke bowl, and the rack of lamb is high on our list. Hearth and Hill feels like the kind of place that’s going to be a regular part of our rotation. Welcome to the...

An unforgettable evening.

To start: the decor of the restaurant is urban, a sleek industrial touch with a hint of organic flare. Dark moody ambiance, with warm undertones. Not stuffy (no white tablecloths) a modern kind of classy.

So much thought has gone into the design of this restaurant, right down into the small details, even the dinnerware was special.

The dinner menu was not overly complex, an amalgamation of intentional and considerate options. We ordered the baked Brie to start and were engrossed by the earthy undertones enhanced by the vibrant and bright fig and nutty pistachio. I wanted to lick the bowl. Even the wedge salad was special, with delicate herby nuances and crisp savory bacon. For the main course we ordered the lamb, and pork chops. The presentation was lovely and worthy of art. While I did not love the lamb I was struck with delight by the pork chop. It was drizzled with an unforgettable berry compote and cooked to perfection. I do not think I have ever loved pork this much. My mouth waters at the thought.

The service was outstanding, as Karen the server was attentive and quick to please. I also met the chef, Jeff, who seeing that I was not in love with the lamb, was kind enough to replace my lamb with my own pork chop. He was gracious, in spite of myself. I left impressed. I have not enjoyed such a meal in a while. The flavors were creative, new and exciting. As someone who works in the field of art, I was reminded of how when done right, the culinary arts can be just as worthy of an experience. I was captivated. My only regret was leaving without having time for dessert, but alas the opera...

A disappointment across the board. We had a table for 9 for a special celebration, and were told we'd be in a private room (we weren't). It is a good looking space, but quite loud, like many modern eateries.

Service was not great: repeated failures to provide cutlery, major spills by staff without cleanup, no wiping of table between courses, long periods without any staff support at all. Serving a whole fish for two on a single plate, with no cutlery for example. Obvious stuff that a restaurant this expensive should have caught. Servers had long fake fingernails, not something food handlers should wear.

The food was also disappointing. Appetizers were decent, significantly better than mains. Several items were sickly sweet. We were told the $45 steak was served with a demi-glace; it was instead served atop a very spicy sauce. No replacement was offered. The pork chop was served atop mushy, almost fermented panzanella. The rock shrimp pasta sauce almost immediately separated, leaving a thick layer of oil atop very overcooked pasta.

Finally, dessert options were fairly limited. You can choose between an insanely sweet cookie served with (refrozen) ice cream or a largely flavorless citrus tart that tasted somewhat like mild orange.

For a special occasion, Hearth and Hill was a massive...