Want me some pastrami!

For all of you Hawaii residents who think Salt Lake City is best known for hitting the snowy slopes in the winter, there’s much more to the Beehive State than you think. Enter the warm and juicy pastrami burger that spots eateries across the state — think, the popularity of poke in the islands. The smoked, cured and flavorfully seasoned deli meat is a Utah comfort food. To complete your tasteful journey in Salt Lake City, you’ll want to fill up at these favored joints before heading back home.

For all of you Hawaii residents who think Salt Lake City is best known for hitting the snowy slopes in the winter, there’s much more to the Beehive State than you think. Enter the warm and juicy pastrami burger that spots eateries across the state — think, the popularity of poke in the islands. The smoked, cured and flavorfully seasoned deli meat is a Utah comfort food. To complete your tasteful journey in Salt Lake City, you’ll want to fill up at these favored joints before heading back home.

1. Lucky 13 Bar & Grill
135 W 1300 S, Salt Lake City
801-487-4418
lucky13slc.com

Holding down the pastrami burger fort for 10 years now, Lucky 13 is an award-winning favorite in the Salt Lake City region. Owner Rob Dutton shares the restaurant has won multiple local recognitions including Best of Utah for nine years straight — with voting for year 10 currently in session. Take a wide bite out of its Pastrami Swiss burger boasting a 7-ounce fresh chopped chuck patty served on a bed of fresh spring mix, and stacked with fresh tomato and onion slices. It is then piled high with the eatery’s smoked pastrami and topped with melted Swiss cheese.

“To hold this monster of a burger together, we stuff it in a French rosette bun that we have baked fresh every day from a local bakery,” says Dutton.

While this location is for customers 21-years-old and over, Dutton divulges a second location is opening up for all ages in Jordan Landing shopping center, approximately 30 minutes out of the city, later this year. PHOTO COURTESY LUCKY 13 BAR & GRILL

2. Crown Burgers
377 E 200, South Salt Lake City (plus six other Utah locations)
801-532-1155
crown-burgers.com

It doesn’t take a professional foodie to figure out if Travel Channel’s Man v. Food paid a visit to a certain restaurant that there’s more than enough portions to go around. That’s exactly the case for Crown Burgers, whose pastrami sandwiches, and burgers in general, have been critically acclaimed by both customers and the popular TV show.

The spotlight at this joint shines on none other than its Crown Burger that is decked out with a quarter-pound burger, onion, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, a heap of the restaurant’s seasoned hot pastrami, and beautifully slathered with Thousand Island dressing — don’t forget your bibs! PHOTO COURTESY CROWN BURGERS

3. Woody’s Drive-In
6172 S 1300 E, Murray
801-266-6934
woodysdrivein.com

Located just minutes out of Salt Lake City, the city of Murray is home to a pastrami burger gem, Woody’s Drive-In. Celebrating its 30-year anniversary this month, Woody’s has served as a long-time community favorite and classic among locals and visitors.

As is true classic drive-in fashion, diners can still find owner Pieter “Woody” Wouden working hard in the kitchen, ensuring customers have a quality experience. The crowd favorite, according to Woody, is the Woody Burger with Pastrami.

Any burger aficionado will surely enjoy this sandwich that packs a quarter-pound fresh, never frozen hamburger patty topped with American Cheese and thin slices of lean and juicy pastrami and garnished with the diner’s popular Fry Sauce. As is tradition, a slew of complementing vegetables of lettuce, pickles and tomatoes join this burger party. PHOTO COURTESY WOODY’S DRIVE-IN