Find the Best Things to Do in Sugarhouse
By Christine Balaz
Salt Lake City Local Expert
About Sugarhouse
Photo courtesy of Edgar Zuniga Jr.
Sugarhouse is one of Salt Lake City's oldest neighborhoods. Established in 1853 by early Mormon settlers, Sugarhouse has gone through many colorful phases in its lifetime. Utah's first state prison stood there from 1855 until 1951. Subsequent decades saw it as Salt Lake City's central furniture district, and then as a crime-ridden slum in the 1980s. Today it is one of Salt Lake's hotspots for upper-middle class home owners and hipster shoppers. And Sugarhouse Park now occupies the former grounds of the razed Sugarhouse Prison.
See & Do
Sugarhouse has for decades been one of Salt Lake City's best – and only – zones of concentrated, locally-owned shops. Unfortunately, that situation changed dramatically with the purchase and demolition of its central block in 2008. Though many businesses were forced to relocate, and the new structure has yet to fill in this gap, this neighborhood has nevertheless survived as one of Salt Lake City's #1 go-to shopping areas. Here you'll find book shops, new and used clothing shops, furniture stores, and art galleries. When you need a break or some fresh air, head over to Sugarhouse Park.
Eat
Perfect for shoppers and neighborhood business persons alike, Sugarhouse has a smattering of hip, casual, and affordable eateries. For soup and a sandwich, head to The Soup Kitchen, which has nearly 10 varieties of soup and over a dozen sandwiches to choose from every day. For a beer and appetizers, check out Fiddlers Elbow or its neighbor, Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta, for a more filling, sit-down meal.
Party
Fat's Grill is one of the best nightlife gems in all of Sugarhouse – and is moreover one of Salt Lake's all-around favorite watering holes. Offering a full pub menu, beer, wine, alcohol, seven pool tables, and flat screen televisions, Fats provides an open and clean place to relax with friends. Or head back to Fiddlers Elbow watch a game over a huge plate of nachos.
Stay
If you're staying immediately in Sugarhouse, your hotel selection is quite simple. Sugarhouse's only hotel, Homestead Studio Suites, sits just south of 2100 South Street, and between 1100 East Street and 1300 East Street. Where it stands, it lies exactly in the center of the neighborhood, but is nevertheless tucked safely back from the traffic and commotion of these major streets.
Shop
Once known as Salt Lake City's primary district for locally-owned shops, Sugarhouse dramatically changed in 2008 when its central block was purchased and torn down. Today this area still stands vacant; nevertheless, the surrounding businesses have survived quite well in the aftermath. In addition to the box shops selling books, furniture, and clothing, you'll find local operations like Fishers Cyclery, Guthrie Bicycle, and Ten Thousand Villages.