Diners wait for the best Italian of their life at Di Napoli (courtesy Blake Snow)

In my capacity as a travel writer to all seven continents, I’ve eaten some of the finest food on Earth. Seven course meals on the tippy top of the Eiffel Tower. Michelin star restaurants in the Italian Alps. Amazing home-cooked meals in Latin America and Africa. Several “What delicious thing did I just eat?” in Asia. And some of the best food in all of America—in Wisconsin of all places.

Although biased, I can honestly say that my hometown of Provo, Utah lives up to its reputation as one of the best, most diverse, and original restaurant scenes in the western United States. This summer, my family has been on a mission to try the very best restaurants for a roundup guide I’m penning later this fall.

Until then, here’s an overview of some of my favorites so far:

Best Overall: Di Napoli

Just weeks into its Orem debut, Di Napoli has already drawn significant crowds. On the second Friday of their opening, the dining room was almost full. The reason: the fast casual, made-from-scratch Italian kitchen is outstanding.

With plates ranging from $16-22 (including homemade toscan bread), it’s also an incredible value for quality. Chef Tony’s in-house artistry shines through in hearty scarparellis, chicken parms, carbonaras, simple pomodoros, and his heavenly bread. If that weren’t enough, he also doubles as the in-house pastry chef. On the night we visited, there were eight fresh desserts for the taking. I was sad we could only eat three.

Di Napoli marks the brand’s third Utah location—and its first in the fast-casual category—alongside sister restaurants in New York, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and more. Fronted by managers Alma and Nino, the rapid service operation with a full-service kitchen and wonderful ambiance will make you want to sing, “Return to Me.” I’m honored that Tony & company chose to share their artistry with our community.

Pin your maps, people: Di Napoli is Utah Valley’s new Italian gold standard. (5/5 stars on Google)

Best Buffet: Govinda’s

You don’t have to travel to India to revel in wonderfully affordable and curry good cooking. Govinda’s Buffet in Spanish Fork (inside the Krishna temple) offers a warm, veggie-first buffet for $5 per kid or $10 per adult.

Featuring a generous and exotic salad bar, chickpea curries, nut and raisin quinoa, veggie medleys, potato filled naan, tasty quiches, fried mamosas, “more appetizing that is looks” saag, and zingy mint hot sauces, Govinda’s ties it all together and finishes with the best pineapple upside down cake since the dessert was invented 100 years ago. Rooted in the kind and devout Krishna movement, this open-to-the-public buffet is a culinary feast that feeds believers of all kinds.

If you crave comfort food with a global heart and vegetarian soul, Govinda’s is a hidden gem worth visiting. (4.8/5 stars on Google)

Most Refreshing: Bowls Superfoods

My friend says Bowls Superfoods is the most nutritious “ice cream” on Earth. He’s probably right.

These chilled concoctions of amazing acai include the best-selling Sunset and Lahaina bowls, both of which are perfectly flavored and topped with creamy, crunchy, sweet, sour, and even salty textures. I could eat a large bowl all by myself, as if it were a pint of frozen organic awesomeness. Other standout bowls include the chocolatey  Doheny, the morning springy Sunrise, and the tropical Pura Vida. Oops—I basically named all of their bowls, which are unabashedly fresh, handcrafted, and edible works of colorful art.

While the Aloha smoothie was tasty, I’ll come back for the standout bowls. Although pricey when compared to what a conventional “plate” or meal would cost in a fast-casual setting, you’re clearly paying for quality ingredients here. Goji berries, fresh cut fruit, and premium nuts aren’t cheap, after all. But they sure are delicious.In short: tier-one ingredients, tier-one refreshment. (4.8/5 stars on Google)

Best Cheesesteak: The Meat

Because I’m trying to improve my heart health, I try to eat meat sparingly. Unless, of course, you put a cheesesteak or steak fries from The Meat in front of me. Then I become a wild, ravenous jackal.

Not only are The Meat’s cheesesteaks the best in the valley, the beef is pristinely lean with just the right amount of grilled onions, American Swiss cheese (which pairs better than traditional provolone or cheese whiz), and grilled bread. Because of this, the meat lives up to its name and is the real star of the show. Founding couple Nefi and Shawnterra clearly love good food, and their hearts are as big as their food truck’s flavor.

If that weren’t enough, the steak fries might be just as good, if not better. And their “zesty sauce” is a punchy revelation that works well on either the meaty sandwich or fries. With a 4.9‑star devotion, this food truck is “cheese meat” perfection in portable form. (4.9/5 stars on Google)

Best BBQ: Asado

Let’s get right to it: this is the best BBQ in Utah County. Everything from Asado’s homemade chimichurri-dipped breads, fruit juices, appetizing salads, loaded fries, empanadas (beef or ham and cheese), meat pastry pies topped with delicious powdered sugar (it works, people—really), grilled veggies, and drizzling homemade desserts are a sensory and textural feast. But when it comes to the meat, you have to know how to order.

Thanks to restaurant manager Aitor and his generous staff, we did. So we got two “parrillada” grilled platters for around $60 each and substituted the blood sausages, sweet breads, and tripe for more beef and chicken (Picanha being our favorite cut). Each platter comes with three sides of your choice. But given that one platter would have fed our younger family of six, Asado is also be a great value. Or you could blow it all to hell and order everything I just mentioned for an indulgent feast for the ages, including several stellar desserts that we fully devoured: chocolate covered sandwich cookies, tres leches cake, tuxedo cake, and peach cake just because. A true celebration of succulent, Latin American BBQ. (4.4/5 stars on Google)

Best Value: Pitada Brazil

If Brazil had a culinary embassy in Utah Valley, Pitada Brazil in Orem would be it—no passport required. This unassuming gem dishes out a flavor parade that hits like carnival in your mouth.

The beef and chicken stroganoff are both rich and comforting, like edible hugs from a Brazilian grandma. Then there’s the feijoada—a black bean stew so hearty, it deserves its own zip code. Pair that with grilled steak, fried bananas, cheesy pão de queijo bread, and a salad bar that’s more than just leafy filler (we’re talking real toppings here), and suddenly your plate looks like the Brazilian flag: colorful, proud, and ready to party.

Don’t sleep on dessert either. The passion fruit mousse is tart and dreamy. The chocolate mousse? Mic drop in a cup. What really seals the deal, though? The price. For what you get—a full-on flavor bomb—Pitada is the best value in the area, and a reminder that great dining doesn’t have to be fussy or fancy. Just full of heart. And stroganoff. Lots of stroganoff. (4.9/5 stars on Google)

Best Sushi: Five Sushi Brothers

If sushi were a whimsical K-Pop band, Five Sushi Brothers in Provo would be it. Local legends call it the best sushi in town.

Rolls like the creamy “Friend Roll,” spicy-sweet “Mucha,” groupie favorite “Dylan from Vegas,” and flavor-packed curry gyoza appetizers flex some serious culinary swagger. Sure, wait times can be “Utah County legendary” (some Reddit users joke about 45-minute holds), but customers still show up weekly like clockwork. Why? Because the sushi’s legit—fresh, satisfying, and never weighed down with weird fillers or cheap tricks.

With inventive flavors, enough character to roll with, and prices that don’t guilt-trip your wallet, Five Sushi Brothers isn’t just a meal—it’s a habit. (4.5/5 stars on Google)

Best Bakery: Ambrosial Bakery

I don’t care if Ambrosial Bakery is gluten-free. I’m certainly not. So believe when I say the fine print doesn’t matter here. This is hands-down the best bakery in Provo—celiac-safe or not.

That’s because owner and head pastry chef Alisha is a baker first—one that tries to perfect some of the most popular baked goods of all time. Things like gourmet pop tars, French silk cookies, oatmeal cream pies, ding dongs, Nutella filled chocolate chunk cookies, lemon tarts. Heck, even savory additions such as pizza pockets and amazingly dense but still pillowy pretzels hit their mark. As do the chocolate ganache vegan cookies.

Whether you’re GF by choice, necessity, or “not at all,” Ambrosial bakes with zero compromise when it comes to sweet flavors and flaky textures. Again, this is the best bakery in town, gluten free or not. But don’t just take my word for it. It’s perfect user reviews are proof enough. (5/5 stars on Google)

Most Wholesome: Ginger’s Garden Café

Tucked inside a Springville herbal shop like a well-kept secret, Ginger’s Garden Café is a charming little oasis for plant-powered food lovers. Whether you’re craving light, leafy nourishment or something heartier (read: veggie-packed comfort food), Ginger’s delivers the goods with scratch-made flair.

The menu is a feel-good lineup of hummus platters, grilled veggie sandwiches, southwest vegan tacos made with sunflower seeds and dried tomato compote, “fake lettuce and tomato” sandwiches made with sun-dried tomato bacon that’s just as crunchy and satisfying as the real thing (without the gut bomb), and shoutout salads like the apple beet, curry salad, and the balsamic garden salad.

This is the kind of place where you walk in for lunch and walk out with better posture and a new favorite herbal tea. It’s not flashy or fussy. More like a warm hug from your neighborhood herb whisperer. Go for the nourishment, stay for the better ingredients and peaceful vibes. (4.7/5 stars on Google)

Best Fine Dining: Magleby’s

Magleby’s proves that legacy restaurants don’t fade—they evolve. For over 45 years, this fine dining classic has mastered the art of upscale comfort food—no reinventing the wheel here. Today that tradition continues with polished charm and raspberry-drizzled desserts that should come with their own applause track.

To start, my family enjoyed the warm parmesan table bread, artichoke dip, and surprisingly craveable lentil soups and garden salads that felt fanciful and familiar. Entrées like the blackened salmon, chicken marsala, gravy topped onion ribeye, and rustic penne walk the line between elevated and homey—like grandma’s Sunday dinner met a Food Network finalist.

But let’s be real: Magleby’s dessert steals the show. Their award-winning, ganache topped chocolate cake is the stuff of legend; the buttermilk pie is dangerously good, and the crème brulée—with its satisfying crack and fresh raspberry compote—is perfection. On top of that, Marcia, Milissa, and Halle deliver a level of service that feels both professional and genuinely warm. Come for dinner, stay for dessert, and enjoy the class without the pretense. (4.7/5 stars on Google)

Which one’s your next stop? Let me know—I’ve got a craving fueled and the forks are ready.