You could be forgiven for missing Taggart’s Grill, since all you can see from Interstate 84 is a lawn sign poked into the hillside, but you might not forgive yourself. Hidden in the narrows of Weber Canyon, where the river bends around a granite cliff face, this gem is a true family affair, serving housemade comforts in Utah portions. Peacocks strut in the yard outside a converted gas station with log-cabin vibes, among touring motorcyclists and tubing survivors still wet from the rapids.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be served by Melissa, a former accountant whose sister recently sold the place to her niece, who started working here as a teenager. Melissa will guide you through an expansive menu, perhaps starting with jalapeno poppers, oozing cream cheese, elevated by the spicy apricot jelly she made herself (most of the sauces and dressings and all the bread and desserts are made here). She’ll rave about the pitas — fluffy and so fresh you can smell the grill — that wrap all the sandwiches, including a French dip that riffs on a Philly cheesesteak, dotted with chopped peppers. The same pitas, when seasoned with garlic and parmesan, pair well with a salad of spinach, apples and crispy, flaky salmon.
You’ll be stuffed before Melissa suggests dessert, but don’t miss the carrot cake. She won’t brag about the beefy slab of spiced, nutty richness, covered in a shelf of sugarbomb icing. But as the first bite melts in your mouth, you’ll know why you arrived.
Taggart’s Grill
1105 Taggart Lane
Morgan, Utah