Cancel

Open app

Search

Sumac Cafe

4.8 (283 reviews)
ModeratePersian/Iranian
Closed Closed

Sumac Cafe Photos

Business Info

SUMAC CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Intimate
Romantic
Good for groups

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Sumac Cafe

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Lilly K.

I love this place! They accommodate large parties, have wonderful proportions and the servers are all so kind. Excellent authentic iranian food, ive been back many times and love it. They do a beautiful haftseen for nowroz (persian new year)

Hummus and yoghurt cucumber mint
Erica L.

Lovely spot with a homey and cheery and cozy interior, friendly and attentive staff, and a wonderful menu. We shared: - * yoghurt with cucumber mint garlic and salt (a nice accompaniment to the meal, refreshing, yet rich, though the pita that comes with isn't great) - hummus (good, but standard, interestingly came with a Tabasco like hot sauce around the edges, and the likely think store bought pita wasn't great) - beef eggplant yellow pea stew on the tahdig as an appetizer (tahdig was an inch thick and really fried, much more so than I've had before at other Iranian places, and almost hard to chew, stew is a bit salty but overall pretty good and the eggplant was smoky and tender) -*koobideh minced chicken kebab and minced beef kebab (super flavorful and delicious and tender, the real standout, with basmati and a roasted tomato--salad wasn't the freshest and the roasted onion was still half raw) All in all, very much enjoyed our meal though there were a few elements that could have been better. We would still happily come back!

Chicken Koobideh Kabob
Mario T.

I've been going here for years and wow the food is so so good! Service is fast and helpful, and it's a quiet setting. Highly recommend for authentic Persian food

Chris C.

I was lucky enough to die in here on New Year's Eve for lunch with my very best friend. We had such an amazing and lovely experience here. My friend is very familiar with Persian and Iranian food. She grew up with a friend with that background. So, she has learned how to pronounce a lot of of their food dishes with quite a specific and apparently very spot on accent. When we arrived at the restaurant, the manager, or maybe she was the owner, I am not sure.. she seated us at a small table by a window. The restaurant itself is not very large. There wasn't a line out the door or anything, but they were pretty busy. They had a couple of larger groups on one end of the restaurant and on the opposite side were a few two top tables. The manager welcomed us and asked where we were from. We had to bring our luggage with us since we were going to be leaving directly from the restaurant and heading to the airport afterwards. The manager asked where we were heading and whether or not we were just visiting Utah. She casually made Malta with us and she was just the absolute sweetest. My friend asked for her recommendations about different dishes that they offered. The manager was so over the moon and delighted by my friend's pronunciation of Persian/Iranian words. She quickly gave her a hug and they had a good laugh. You could tell they were both so happy. That really set the tone and vibe for our meal. It was fantastic. My friend ordered three different dishes, all of them, her favorites from growing up. The first of her three was the pita bread with that I believe yogurt based spread. The second of her three was the saffron rice with the beef stew on top. And the third of her dishes was the lamb chops. I ordered the one that shows two kebabs with rice and the charred onion and tomato. I did have a nibble of the saffron rice with the beef stew. That was very flavorful. I really liked the consistency and texture of the meat as well as all of the flavors that went along with it. I am not big on lamb so I did not try the lamb chops. I can't tell you that the kebabs that I had, both of them the ground beef, were absolutely fantastic. I actually wasn't able to eat more than half of my food. I ended up taking it home to my kiddo. They absolutely loved it. And I have to say, this was the best kebab that I've ever had. There is a spot that we considered to be a family favorite over in Glendale, but this top that for sure. The texture, flavor, juiciness, it was all too good to be true. If ever I bring my family with me again to visit Utah, I will be sure that we stop here. My Andre was about $20. It was definitely well worth it. If I had thought about it earlier, I probably would've asked the manager for more of the tomatoes and onions. I love both of those. She says that is the number one thing that she ends up, throwing away from people's plates, the charred tomato and chard onion. I love that. My dish also came with a charred, sweet pepper. I am particularly sensitive to peppers, especially ones that are related in anyway to any colored bell pepper. So, I did not take a chance on it. The manager did ask us to try it. So, my girlfriend took a big bite out of it. She said it was very sweet and very good. I had to trust what she told me. When my friend asked the waitress where those peppers were from or what type of variety they were, the manager actually came out to tell us that it's one that she buys from a store nearby. And although we were only two girls having lunch before catching a flight, I can definitely say everything that I had here was amazing. The flavors, the textures, the tenderness of not only the meat, but the rice and the pita bread, everything was amazing. If ever I return to Utah again, next time with my family, I will definitely make it a point to stop here. The kebabs were so good. I know my little one would just eat this up, no problem. They actually would probably kill the whole dish in one sitting. Although they do accept cash, and they definitely take card, cash for a change with something very difficult for them to scrape up. So, whenever possible, just reach for your card. They are much more easily able to handle that. Walking in we were just a party of two but I did notice that the restaurant filled up with slightly larger groups as time went on. We didn't need a reservation when we came, but it would be smart to make one if it all possible. Or, call and give them a heads up. I noticed it's a few other parties seemed to call and do that. It reduced their wait time. Would I come eat here again? I'd jump on a plane to do it!!! 10 stars!!! Thank you so much

This is a great Persian restaurant. The food quality is really good. Staff were very friendly. I ordered soltani kabob ands Persian tea. I'm very happy with my experience. Highly recommend.

Tiramisu
Aaron S.

Delicious food, attentive service, outdoor seating (and dog friendly). We were impressed at the amount of food given with the kebabs, and the flavors were fantastic. The lemon chicken kebab was our favorite, though they were all good. And the tiramisu for dessert was a perfect finish. We'll definitely be back!

Lunch menu
Jaz L.

Good Persian food, clean, fast service. My only complaint is how high they have raised their prices. $27 for vaziri (chicken and meat plate) is a bit much specially for lunch.

Hummus
Cameron P.

Lunch at Sumac Cafe was an amazing time. The service was fast and friendly, and they were able to help us understand some of the menu options. The inside was nicely appointed--you can tell they put time and effort into the decorations and settings. The food itself was outstanding. The food was flavorful but light, perfect for a lunch before going back to work. The chicken barg tasted as though a grandma was cheffing it up in the back because of how comforting it was. Nothing was oily at all, and the chicken was juicy. What an amazing find, and I will be back soon!

Fesenjan
Douglas T.

Heard about this place from a friend and it did not disappoint! It was decently packed when we arrived around 8 o'clock. The parking lot here is a bit tight but there's plenty of street parking just across the street. The service was great! And the food was even better!! The place felt a little more upscale but nothing you truly have to dress fancy for. I would highly recommend coming here if you want to try Authentic Persian Cuisine!! The lamb shank and the fesenjan were delicious!

Ha B.

One of the girls in our group took us here as this is her favorite spot to go to. The food didn't disappoint and I finished my plate with no crumbs left behind!!! We also tried the mint yogurt drink that a lot of people were getting but didn't expect it to be savory?! (we left those drinks almost untouched but maybe it's a personal preference thing). Want to try other dishes next. Parking lot is tiny btw so be crossing your fingers for a spot if you come during peak hours. *edited to remove a star... since my credit card was charged more than the total amount. It's going to be resolved by the cc company but still annoying to deal with an unauthorized charge.

Kebab plate
Cole D.

This place was super fun to eat at. The friendliest Persian staff. They answered all our questions with a smile every time. We got the eggplant hummus dip as an appetizer. It was OK. I like the walnuts in it. Then we got a kebab grill plate. This place comes with tons of rice. I would make sure to eat here if you are very hungry, like I was. The roasted tomato is fun. The kebab meat was soft and really fun to experience. Then we got a stew which had crunchy little small french fry-like toppings. This was our favorite part of the meal. I think because everything felt so dry, so a saucy stew with meat was really tasty. All came out to about $50 or so.

Lamb shank
Phoebe L.

The atmosphere is lovely and the servers are all so nice, and the food really blew us away! We started with the kashke bademjan. The eggplant was incredibly flavorful and perfectly complimented by the walnuts. Our favorite entree was the lamb shank because of how juicy and tender it was! The beef soltani was yummy too, and I really enjoyed the koobideh. The gormeh sabzi was good too and I can appreciate all the effort that went into it, but I think the flavor profile was too different for my palate. Definitely don't skip on dessert, and our favorite was the saffron ice cream!

Feb 2025
Pauline S.

Sumac Cafe sparked our interest when we saw that it has 5 stars with over 200 reviews. After eating here, I completely understand why. Also, you know that this is a good Persian restaurant when you see lots of Persians eating here! Parking: Small parking lot outside but when we went at 4pm on a Sunday, we had no trouble finding a spot. Ambiance/Service: It's a pretty big restaurant with two different rooms. I can see this place getting packed during a normal dinner rush though. The designs in the room we were in were very light and grand. Not sure what it looked like in the other room though. Our server was attentive and our food came out fairly quickly. Food: -I ordered Chicken Soltani($27): includes Chicken Barg, Koobideh Kabob, and saffron rice. Let me tell you, the kabob was probably the best I've ever had. It was so soft and tender and the flavors were just amazing! -My husband ordered the Beef Soltani ($30) which included Beef Barg (filet Mignon) and the Kabob. He really enjoyed his plate too. -For dessert we ordered Baklava ($5): also a must get! Overall: We were very impressed with this restaurant and wish we lived closer!

Shirazi Salad

See all

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 days ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 days ago

Food was excellent, but portions way too large. Prompt and pleasant service. Good neighborhood spot.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 1
Photo of Armen Y.
0
310
1658

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Aaron S.
205
47
143

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jaz L.
2
203
55

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 1

8 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Ha B.
273
498
1028

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Cole D.
494
1564
2941

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Waited for much too long for lunch. They have one menu for lunch and dinner. And, the food was just okay, not inexpensive either.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Alan L.
593
253
67

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Hang W.
156
369
4366

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of KT T.
7
211
124

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Toni E.
844
20
36

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Greeted promptly seated quickly, and food was good overall great experience and will be going back!

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Debra J.
151
22
26

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

I love middle Eastern food and was craving a good one. This place has such great food, chill vibes. Their kibeh is amazing

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Rachel R.
1299
88
23

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 8

Ask the Community - Sumac Cafe

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Persian/Iranian 352 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Zeitoon  Cafe

Zeitoon Cafe

4.7
(69 reviews)
2.9 mi
$$

Food was great. They gave big portion. I ordered the chicken kabobs with bread and it was…read morefantastic. I personally afraid to order chicken since most restaurants I went to always comes out dry, but the chicken was cooked perfectly. I would definitely come back when I visit Salt Lake City again. A lot of parking space. I think most people order to go, but they have a lot of tables to sit. They also have booths where the table is low and looks like you can sit on the floor.

I think they changed their name to Aria Palace with the new ownership, so I'm going to cross post…read morethis under both. This was REALLY outside of my comfort zone, but I'm trying to push myself to try new things. When I walked in, I was warmly greeted. The whole place felt very inviting. It was fairly empty for lunch on a Friday but more people did filter in throughout my meal. They are a Pepsi establishment, and my Diet Pepsi was pretty good! I ordered the mix koobideh kabob which comes with one chicken and one beef kabob. It also comes with rice, onion, and basmati rice. I also ordered a side of plain naan since they were out of garlic. The meal comes with soup. The soup smelled amazing and looked nutritious with lentils and vegetables. I'm personally not a soup person because I don't like mushy foods, so the texture was hard for me but I thought the flavor was great. The kabobs smelt AMAZING and the flavors match it. The meat on both was incredibly tender and juicy. The flavors really came through nicely. I also really enjoyed the grilled tomato. Overall, this was a really good experience for me especially since it was so far out of my comfort zone.

Photos
Zeitoon  Cafe
Zeitoon  Cafe
Zeitoon  Cafe

See all

The Med

The Med

4.0
(351 reviews)
7.0 mi
$$

The food was delicious. We had kabobs and chocolate dessert to share. Service was amazing. Looking…read moreforward to going back!

From the moment you walk in, you're transported to a Mediterranean garden oasis--complete with…read moreflowing water features, statues, and blooming flowers. It's like dining in a sun-soaked courtyard by the sea. Yes, it's a little kitschy--but in the best way. It totally adds to the charm. I've been here a few times, and every visit's been a win. It has a true mom-and-pop vibe, the staff is always warm, and while things can slow down when it's busy, that just means everything's made fresh--and worth the wait. (I don't mind. I came to enjoy, not rush.) This round: We started with a crisp, fresh salad and their classic hummus with pita--simple, bright, and the perfect kickoff. I had the Koofteh Meatballs--jumbo Persian-style beef meatballs stuffed with apricots, simmered in a tangy tomato sauce and served with basmati rice. The meat? Tender. The sauce? A whole flavor moment. My other half went with the Bagala Polow, a slow-stewed lamb shank served on dill basmati rice with lima beans and a side of lamb au jus. That dill rice? Unexpected and so, so good. Bonus points for the community vibes: While we were dining, someone celebrated a birthday--and they shared their mango cake with the whole restaurant. Such a sweet surprise that shows the spirit of the place. Final thoughts: Decor - Slightly kitschy, totally charming. Like eating in a postcard. Food - Flavorful, fresh, and made with heart. Community - The kind of place that turns strangers into dinner party guests. Our go-to for Mediterranean eats--highly recommend!

Photos
Funky decor
Funky decor
Chicken kabob
Chicken kabob
Indoors

See all

Indoors
Layla Mediterranean Grill And Mezze

Layla Mediterranean Grill And Mezze

4.1
(331 reviews)
3.9 mi
$$

Let me just start by saying, I love this place. The staff are amazing and well versed with their…read moreofferings, you can tell they genuinely care about their craft. Every item on the menu is carefully made with love and absolutely delicious. The coffees and teas on the menu complement the food items perfectly and make the experience even more special. The seating area is on the smaller side, but rather than feeling cramped or overcrowded, it felt intimate. I cannot wait to return to Layla's!

My wife and I stopped in for an early dinner on a Saturday. They had New England Clam Chowder as a…read morespecial and we ordered a bowl to share. I ordered the Beef Shawarma and my wife got the Musakhen with fries. The Clam Chowder was good. I've certainly had better, like at Market Street in town or at the Brigantine in the San Diego area. The server was kind of stumbling over his words when he described it and until it arrived I wasn't sure if it was going to be New England clam chowder or Manhattan. He proclaimed that it was the best clam chowder you'll ever get at a Middle Eastern restaurant and I can't really argue about that. The Beef Shawarma is served in a wrap that is open at both ends and cut in half. They put a small portion of pickled items on the plate and dust everything with sumac powder. The beef is thinly sliced. I really didn't enjoy the flavor. The greens in the wrap were extremely bitter and in my opinion it made for an unpleasant flavor. Maybe I just got extra bitter greens on mine but it was overwhelming everything else. I didn't like that the wrap was open, I had to lean over my plate as I ate because the sauce was dripping out and I didn't want to get it on my clothes. Eventually I gave up and used my fork to pull the meat out of the other half so that I could avoid the bitterness. The Musakhen (that's how it is spelled on the menu) was also a wrap. I tried a bite and I liked that better than the beef Shawarma but I still didn't really like something about the flavor. The fries were nicely crispy and fresh but there is a seasoning on them that really wanted to be on my fingers more than it wanted to be on the fries or my napkin. Like no matter how hard I tried to wipe it off there was still some of it on my fingers. Once again there was something about the flavor I didn't really like. My wife eventually offered up some of the aioli and it made it a little better but once again I didn't really like the flavor of the aioli. So for whatever reason the flavors there just aren't for me. My wife on the other hand was very excited about everything and was talking about all the things she was going to try the next time we visited. I didn't want to be a negative bummer during the meal but I was thinking she was going to have to come back with someone other than me. The restaurant is nice and they have very good service. There were a few other tables of large groups and it seems like this is a place that works well for get togethers. Parking is not adequate at all. We got a spot but only because we got there at 4:50 for dinner. I overheard other people talking about the trouble they had finding a spot.

Photos
Bar area looks quieter than the main dining area, but the tables are high tops
Bar area looks quieter than the main dining area, but the tables are high tops
Hummus
Hummus
Lovely interior

See all

Lovely interior

Sumac Cafe - persian - Updated July 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...