Global flavors shine at The Brick, a new restaurant in a familiar Salt Lake City location

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Hello, Eaters! If it’s made of bricks and shaped like a brick, you might as well name your restaurant The Brick, right? That’s how Jonas Piraquive, owner of The Brick at 779 E. 300 South in Salt Lake City, explains how he came up with the name for his new restaurant. It does have a nice ring to it.

Last week, I visited The Brick for lunch, and had a good chat with Piraquive about why Salt Lake City was ready for a restaurant like his.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jonas Piraquive at the Brick in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The origin story: Piraquive, who’s from Colombia, came to Utah for the first time in 2018. He met restaurateur Allan Galeano, who gave him his first job in Utah as a food runner in Park City. Piraquive later partnered with Galeano for The Brick, which Piraquive quietly opened in January where Cafe Niche used to be. This is the first restaurant that Piraquive has owned. “I’m living the dream right now,” he said.

The vibe: If it’s possible for a restaurant to be mellow yet energetic, The Brick is that. The dining room is divided into two levels of seating, in the same layout as Cafe Niche, Piraquive said. There’s lots of windows and warm lighting, and there are a few TVs on the walls. Check out the mural that Piraquive painted on the back wall, even though he had “no idea” how, he said.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Brick in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The menu: Piraquive said The Brick serves traditional American classics like omelets and French toast for breakfast and brunch, and then brings in international influences and an upscale look for dinner. You’ll see Spanish, Italian, Mexican and American dishes on the menu, with items like ceviche next to bruschetta caprese. With SLC growing, “there [are] more people coming and they want to take a risk and bring new [experiences] for the people” with food, Piraquive said. To read about my order, scroll down to “Dish of the Week.”

The hours: The Brick is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a break from 3 to 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, they close at 8 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) French Toast at The Brick in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

Pizza Madness update

(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)

You Eaters have narrowed the field in our Pizza Madness tournament to eight contenders. Here’s how last week’s voting went:

The Pie Underground beat City Creek Pizza, 91% to 9%.

Pizza Nono beat Pizza Bar at Sugar House Station, 83% to 17%.

Stoneground Italian Kitchen beat From Scratch, 76% to 24%.

Bricks Corner beat Baby’s Bagels pop-up (aka Pie Boy), 74% to 26%.

The Pie Hole beat Litzas Pizza, 59% to 41%.

Este Pizzeria beat Taverna Pizza, 59% to 41%.

Slackwater Pizza beat Secret Pizza Club, 56% to 44%.

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana beat Nomad East, 55% to 45%.

Voting is now open for the next round, the Elite 8. Click here to find the ballot. The deadline for voting is Sunday, 5 p.m.

Food News

Openings:

(Negley Stockman) 'Mina, a new restaurant on 900 South in Salt Lake City.

• ‘Mina Ristorante Siciliano opened Wednesday at 439 E. 900 South in Salt Lake City, across the street from the Milk Block development, in the space that previously housed Matteo and London Market, according to a news release. The restaurant features Sicilian-inspired cuisine and wines. To make a reservation, visit MinaSLC.com.

• Via Veneto Pizzarium is now open at 511 E. 900 South in Salt Lake City, where Beltex Meats used to be, according to an Instagram post. This spot from the folks behind Veneto serves Italian pizza al taglio, which are square slices with a crispy crust, sold by weight.

• Junbi is a new tea shop that opened last weekend at 464 S. 600 East, Unit A, in Salt Lake City, near the east entrance of Smith’s Marketplace. It specializes in matcha from Uji, Japan, which sits on the Uji river and is known for its tea.

• SLC Eatery, at 1017 S. Main in Salt Lake City, has reopened its dining room and is now taking reservations for parties of two people maximum, according to an Instagram post. The seating is communal, and the menu is small for now; for more information, email [email protected].

• Good Kitchen, a new Chinese restaurant at 3420 S. State St. in Chinatown in South Salt Lake, is having its grand opening, according to an Instagram post. This restaurant specializes in dishes like braised eggplant, sliced beef in chili sesame sauce, and braised pork belly.

Closings:

• The Grey Rabbit, a small bakery in Salt Lake City that would do popups in Bountiful and Millcreek, is “taking a break indefinitely,’ according to an Instagram post. “At this point, I need to step back for a bit and focus on my family,” the business said in the post.

• Arella Pizzeria in Ogden has closed, according to a Salt Lake Tribune editor. The restaurant was known for its fresh, wood-fired pizzas.

• Blue Copper 2000, at 401 N. 300 West in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade district, is closing March 31 for “a couple of months while we re-envision the space,” according to an Instagram post. Expect a new name for the revamped coffee shop, the post said.

Booze (and Drink!) News

• Quarters Arcade Bar at 5 E. 400 South in downtown Salt Lake City is celebrating the debut of its Perfect Pour PBR Edition arcade game with a Pabst Blue Ribbon-themed party on Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m., according to a news release. The game allows players to be a digital bartender as they hurry to “pour” beers and earn tips. There will be a raffle for the chance to win a one-of-a-kind PBR-themed bike and other prizes, plus giveaways.

Dish of the Week

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Panne cook with a Berry Fizz mocktail at the Brick in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

I’ve never had a dish that was more hobbit-coded than the panne cook ($21) at The Brick, and I loved it. It’s a crusty bread bowl filled with truffle alfredo sauce and your choice of meat (I recommend the sirloin tips), with a cup of fried parmesan cheese on top filled with pieces of crispy bacon. You can pretend you’re eating at the Green Dragon when you dump that cup of bacon on top of the bread bowl and go to town. (The Brick gets bonus points for presentation, with artful drizzles of basil and carrot puree.)

To drink, I sipped on the Berry Fizz mocktail ($7), a refreshing blend of mixed berries, lime juice and sparkling soda.