Locovoracious 

• Alex Springer

I long for the day when Utah has a vibrant, walkable, 24-hour dining district with a strong emphasis on street food and cheap alcohol—and I think food halls may be the key to making that dream a reality. As with most any cool hospitality concept, you've got to show the state's legislative nannies that it will make money in order to push the needle in any meaningful way.

I've seen how each of our local food halls has helped our social dining scene take new shapes, and my experience with The Local (310 E. 400 South, 801-413-1360, thelocalsaltlakecity.com) represents another step in the right direction. We're still far off from the street food dining culture that I think Utah deserves, but I could see our food halls leading the charge to a world where I can hang out and eat all night with a bunch of lightly inebriated strangers.

The Local opened its doors back in February, occupying a sumptuous space on the ground level of The Exchange Apartment Complex. Its wall-to-wall windows and comfortably hip furnishings, coupled with its location next to Library Square, make The Local an ideal place for a quick lunchtime get-together or a dinner destination in and of itself.

The X-factor that The Local brings to the table is Good Bar, which is open from lunch to dinner and serves a mix of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Integrating the bar space with the food hall proper gives The Local a hangout potential that other food halls lack.

I've had the chance to try a bit of everything from each of The Local's vendors, and there is plenty to be happy about. The periodic table of casual fare is well-represented; pizza, burritos, burgers, barbecue, sandwiches and ice cream are all available. Though you can't go wrong wherever you end up, the three spots that really won me over were Lamb & Feta, Hog & Tradition and Green Chile House.

Lamb & Feta specializes in Greek food with a capital G—and their gyro ($12) in particular is a firecracker. It's everything you love about a traditional gyro, but everything from the seasoning of the lamb to the tzatziki sauce has been dressed to the nines. It's an almost unexpected pop of dill, lemon and lamb hot off the skewer, and it's delightful. Lamb & Feta is also one of the few local joints where you can get galaktoboureko, a classic Greek dessert that layers creamy custard between sweet and crispy sheets of phyllo dough. If you're looking for something to slap you around with flavors and textures, Lamb & Feta will take care of you.

Right across the aisle from Lamb & Feta is Hog & Tradition, a barbecue spot that takes its cues from the Carolina playbook—their golden, mustard-based sauce is delightful on anything and everything. Their foundational meats of pulled pork, brisket and chicken are all smoked to rich perfection, and each of them can be served on one of Hog's different sandwiches, as well as in a traditional barbecue combo with a few sides.

I am always a fan of multi-meat combo plates whenever I get a hankering for barbecue, but the sandwiches at Hog & Tradition are nothing short of legendary. There's a spectrum from simple ($12.99) to stacked ($15.49), but each of them transcends what a barbecue sandwich typically offers. On top of their classic barbecue game, their sides include experimental awesomeness like cornbread made with ube, a purple yam popular in Filipino cuisine. When your cornbread arrives, that deep purple hue is normal and delicious.

From there, we move on to Green Chile House, a Mexican food spot whose claim to fame is their green chile pork, which can be served as a protein on tacos, burritos and nachos. Fans of good chile verde will have a bit of context as to why Green Chile House's pork is so decadent: There's an acidity from the chilis and tomatillos, along with whatever closely-guarded secrets have made their way into this magical brew. I think the nachos are the best way to experience Green Chile House, as their homemade tortilla chips are excellent green chili pork delivery systems.

Wood-fired pizza fans will want to check out Luna Pizza for some Neapolitan pies, those craving a nice burger will dig Pop's Burgers, and Crave's sandwiches are great for a breakfast and lunch. For dessert—or a nostalgic breakfast—you can check out Cereal Killerz Kitchen for some breakfast cereal-inspired milkshakes. The Local also doubles as an event space, so those interested in renting it out for a party of their own can check out the details on The Local's website.

I think my early impressions of food halls were skeptical, but food halls look to be here to stay. After spending a bit of time with them, I can see them leading the charge to more socially oriented dining experiences.

A street food-inspired nightlife in downtown SLC is just around the corner thanks to places like The Local.