My introduction to Salt Lake City’s dining scene began at a Gastronomy Inc. restaurant. It was 1992, and I was being shown around by a recruiter who aimed to convince me that Salt Lake City was a place I could call home, a significant relocation from New York City. She chose Baci Trattoria, and it was an excellent introduction to what Gastronomy Inc. offered.
By that time, Baci Trattoria was one of Gastronomy’s newer ventures, having opened its doors in 1989. Gastronomy Inc. had already established itself with The New Yorker in 1978, followed by the original Market Street Grill in 1980, and the Market Street Oyster Bar launched on New Year’s Eve of 1981. These establishments were followed by Cafe Pierpont in 1986, and then Baci. Later expansions included Market Street Broiler near the University of Utah, and further Market Street Grill locations in Cottonwood, South Jordan, and Salt Lake City International Airport. They also operated at least three Market Street Fish Markets.
Market Street Grill Downtown Restaurant Front
It’s clear that downtown Salt Lake City owes a significant part of its character to Gastronomy Inc. Their pioneering spirit paved the way for a thriving restaurant scene and encouraged other businesses to flourish in the area.
Gastronomy Inc., initially conceived by business partners John Williams and Tom Sieg, saw potential in the then-neglected New York Hotel on Market Street. They transformed this location, which also housed a Salvation Army Soup Kitchen, into the acclaimed New Yorker restaurant. For many years, The New Yorker was the premier fine dining destination in downtown Salt Lake City. It was a place where elegance was at home, where evening gowns and tuxedos fit perfectly into the ambiance.
In 2005, I described The New Yorker’s success as rooted in “a blend of traditional and contemporary American cuisine paired with outstanding service in an almost timeless ambiance, resulting in happy customers coming back year after year.” Chef Will Pliler at The New Yorker remains one of the most talented chefs to have worked in Utah, and his culinary skills are still missed. Sadly, The New Yorker closed its doors in October 2018.
In 1980, Tom Guinney joined Williams and Sieg as a partner. This trio revitalized downtown SLC by repurposing historic buildings into vibrant restaurants like Cafe Pierpont, Baci Trattoria, and Market Street Oyster Bar. These partners, now deceased, were also known for their support of Utah Opera and the fine arts, showcasing local artists’ work in their restaurants.
Alaskan King Crab Legs at Market Street Grill
Today, fresh seafood in Salt Lake City restaurants is common, thanks to establishments like Takashi, Nom, Current Fish & Oyster, and Harbor. However, it was John Williams and Tom Sieg who initiated this trend in the late 1970s. They began by flying fresh salmon to SLC via Western Airlines, now Delta. This initial effort expanded into daily shipments of fresh cod, halibut, oysters, shrimp, crab, and more. Chef Greg Neville, a former Gastronomy employee, recalls airport runs to pick up these fresh seafood shipments. What we now take for granted as the norm was revolutionary in 1978, establishing Sieg and Williams as pioneers in the local fresh food movement.
Crab and Shrimp Louie Salad Market Street Grill Downtown
Gastronomy Inc. at its peak operated ten restaurants, including a short-lived Asian restaurant named China Star, along with numerous fish markets, employing around 700 people. John Williams estimated that Gastronomy restaurants indirectly led to the creation of over 100 other eateries by former employees. Countless chefs, servers, managers, and bartenders trained and worked within Gastronomy’s restaurants have since launched their own successful ventures. As Chris Redgrave once noted, Gastronomy’s downtown restaurants were “one of the first successes of Downtown Rising before it was Downtown Rising!”
Market Street Grill Downtown Interior Dining
Currently, following the passing of Gastronomy Inc.’s founders, only the three Market Street Grill locations and the Market Street Oyster Bar remain. Yet, enjoying freshly shucked oysters with chilled white wine at the Oyster Bar remains a favorite pastime for many, and hopefully will continue to be for many years to come, cementing Market Street Grill Downtown’s legacy as a cornerstone of Salt Lake City’s culinary landscape.
