Sage's Café
 |
473 E. 300 St. (Broadway)
Salt Lake City, UT 84102
801-322-3790
SagesCafe.com
Hours
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday dinner: 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Friday dinner: 5 to 10 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Ever since they began serving food at the local farmers’ market, summer concerts, and other events, chef Ian Brandt and his wife, Kelsey, have been dedicated to bringing healthy, seasonal, locally grown, organic foods to the masses. For six years, they have owned and operated Sage’s Café (named in honor of their son Sage), which has attracted a dedicated following in Salt Lake City and beyond and garnered numerous awards.
Growing up in Pennsylvania, Ian learned to appreciate fresh produce on his grandparents’ farm, where he helped harvest and cook peas, beans, apples, corn, strawberries, and other fruits and vegetables. He prides himself on preparing fresh, innovative, all-vegetarian cuisine made to order, without the use of microwaves, fryers, or heat lamps. Ingredients—including herbs and vegetables straight from the restaurant’s own garden—are all grown locally during the spring, summer, and fall months. Specialties of the house include fresh-made tortillas, Mushroom Stroganoff, an eggless soufflé called Shiitake “Escargot,” Carrot Butter Pâté, Vegan Tiramisu, and a raw-food four-course tasting menu featured on the last Friday of every month.
Sage’s Café is located in a charming Victorian house, complete with a grapevine-draped porch, that was converted to a restaurant in 1969. Ian and Kelsey restored the building to its original character, and the dining rooms are filled with classic touches like hand-blown glass light fixtures, vintage chairs, and handmade and antique tile tables. As part of the Brandts’ dedication to sustainable living, 40 percent of the restaurant’s electricity is provided by wind power. The views outside the restaurant’s windows include the breathtaking snow-capped peaks of the Wastach Mountains and the restaurant’s lush perennial garden.
