Silverside Deli doubles Sugar House space, plans menu expansion

Overview

Updated Sep 19

Silverside Deli, the Sugar House sandwich shop whose weekend crowds left customers hunting for tables, is moving around the corner into roughly double the space. The larger room at 2122 S. Highland Drive lets the kitchen grow the menu and pursue a liquor license for beer and wine.

The move lands as Sugar House, Salt Lake City's most walkable commercial district, absorbs a long street-rebuilding project and rising rents that have squeezed independent shops. Silverside is also opening a downtown outpost at 270 S. Main St., testing whether its following reaches beyond the neighborhood.

Why it matters

If Silverside's bet pays off, Sugar House keeps an anchor independent restaurant; if it stalls, the district loses another local institution.

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Key Indicators

Planned floor-space increase

The shop moves from 2121 S. McClelland St. to a larger room at 2122 S. Highland Drive.

Locations in the works

The Sugar House relocation plus a new downtown outlet at 270 S. Main St.

1-2 months

Reported wait for downtown opening

A store manager said the Main Street spot would open in one to two months from early August.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Zach Wojdula

Chef and menu creator at Silverside Deli

Running the current shop and planning the expansion

Organizations Involved

Silverside Deli

Restaurant

Expanding to a larger Sugar House space and a second downtown location

A Sugar House sandwich shop known for gourmet sandwiches and monthly specials.

Timeline

August 2026 September 2026

2 events Latest: September 19th, 2026 · 2 months ago

September 2026
Sugar House expansion detailed
Latest Business

Tribune reports the new Sugar House space doubles the deli's size, with menu expansion planned.
September 19th, 2026
August 2026
Downtown outpost announced
Business

Tribune reports Silverside will open at 270 S. Main St. and relocate its Sugar House shop to Highland Drive.
August 8th, 2026

Scenarios

Silverside opens both new locations by spring 2027

Likely Resolves by Apr 1, 2027

Discussed by: Salt Lake Tribune food coverage

If construction and licensing stay on track, the Highland Drive Sugar House shop and the downtown Main Street outpost both open, and the kitchen adds menu items with beer and wine service following license approval.

State approves liquor license for the new Sugar House shop

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services

Silverside has applied for a liquor license tied to the relocated Sugar House space. If granted, the deli could serve beer and wine, a new revenue line that helps justify the bigger room.

Downtown outpost abandoned by end of 2027

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Common second-location risk in local restaurant coverage

The downtown spot could stall on construction, permitting, or post-opening costs, leading Silverside to shelve or close it while keeping the Sugar House shop running.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1850s

The Sugar House sugar beet experiment (1850s)

Early settlers planted sugar beets and built a mill to process them into sugar, betting the arid valley could grow the crop commercially. The venture collapsed within a few years.

Then

The mill closed and the sugar business folded.

Now

The name 'Sugar House' stuck to the district, a lasting reminder of an early commercial gamble that failed.

Why this matters now

Silverside's expansion is another commercial bet on this district, which has seen such bets fail before.

2020s

2100 South corridor rebuild (2020s)

Salt Lake City rebuilt the main Sugar House corridor, a project that ran far longer than planned and cut access to storefronts for years. Independent shops reported sharp sales drops, and some closed.

Then

Several businesses struggled or shut during construction.

Now

The rebuilt street is meant to make Sugar House a destination rather than a pass-through corridor.

Why this matters now

Silverside is expanding right after that disruption, betting the rebuilt corridor now draws more foot traffic.

2001-2015

Shake Shack's growth from a cart to a chain (2001-2015)

Shake Shack began as a single hot dog cart in New York City's Madison Square Park in 2001, added a kiosk in 2004, and grew into a burger chain that went public in 2015.

Then

The kiosk's popularity justified more locations in New York.

Now

One-park success scaled into a global, publicly traded chain.

Why this matters now

It shows the upside of a cult food following, though most neighborhood shops, like Silverside, aim for two or three rooms rather than international reach.