Ivy & Varley

Downtown SLC's Most Civilised Evening Destination

Ivy & Varley occupies a particular place in Salt Lake City's dining landscape that no other downtown restaurant quite fills. The 21+ policy — enforced across both Ivy (the restaurant) and Varley (the craft cocktail lounge and bar next door) — creates an atmosphere that is simply unavailable at the family-friendly restaurants that dominate the bracket. The outdoor terrace, the largest downtown, is the definitive place to be in SLC on a warm evening: animated, well-lit, and calibrated for the kind of conversation that benefits from being outside.

Executive Chef Bobby McFarland runs a contemporary American menu that is ingredient-led and sensibly scoped. This is not a destination for composed fine-dining plates — it is a restaurant that understands exactly what it is and executes it with skill: eclectic American cuisine built around what is fresh and seasonal, presented at a price point that allows guests to drink well without rearranging the bill. The cocktail programme at Varley is the genuine draw alongside the terrace; the two complement each other in a way that makes the venue more than the sum of its parts.

Ivy and Varley — Two Experiences, One Block

Ivy is the dining room: ingredient-led American food, brunch through dinner, with a menu broad enough to handle the range of appetites and dietary requirements that characterise a mixed group. Varley next door is a craft cocktail lounge and bar explicitly designed for the downtown executive, the urban local, and the out-of-town guest — positioned as a serious evening destination in its own right rather than merely the bar adjacent to the restaurant. The two spaces operate together for groups that want to move between dinner and drinks without changing venues, which is the correct approach for a team dinner that does not have a fixed end time.

The combination also makes Ivy & Varley the most credible option for the business dinner that begins with cocktails, moves to the table for a meal, and ends back at the bar for a drink that extends the conversation. The floor team manages this transition naturally, which is not universal even in restaurants that technically offer the same structure.

Why It Works for Team Dinners and Post-Deal Drinks

The 21+ policy eliminates the family-dining atmosphere that undercuts the professional register of many mid-range downtown restaurants. The terrace handles a group gracefully and the noise level is managed in a way that permits actual conversation — not universal on a terrace. The price point means a team can drink properly without a constrained bill, and the Varley cocktail programme gives a group something interesting to navigate together after dinner. Compare to the more formal team dinner options at Bambara or the sharing-plate dynamic of Manoli's — Ivy & Varley is the choice when the evening needs to breathe and the group needs room to extend.

For a close-a-deal dinner where the deal has already been closed, Ivy & Varley is the natural follow-on to a more formal main event at Urban Hill or Spencer's — the post-dinner destination that marks the occasion without requiring a second major meal.

Practical Notes

Ivy & Varley is located at 55 W 100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 — in the heart of downtown, walkable from major hotels and the convention centre. The 21+ policy applies across all areas of both Ivy and Varley. Open for brunch, lunch, and dinner with extended evening hours. The outdoor terrace is the primary draw in warm weather — arrive early for terrace seating on weekend evenings. Reservations available via OpenTable. Expect to spend $40–$65 per person for dinner with cocktails — significantly less if the evening moves to Varley for drinks only.

Also Great for Team Dinner in Salt Lake City

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