Primo, a popular spot in Cottonwood Heights for reliable, reasonable-priced Italian dinners, now offers lunch at its new deli called Benvenuti.

Located at 2354 E. 7000 South -- next to Primo -- Benvenuti's menu includes typical lunch fare: soups, salads and sandwiches and a $11 gourmet burger topped with mozzarella, tomato and basil.

But it is the pastas that look the most intriguing. Guests can choose either spaghetti, linguine, tortellini or penne and have it topped one of 10 different sauces from carbonara and primavera to meatball and marinara. Pasta entrees range from $6 to $8.50.

Benvenuti also has it priorities straight. On the website, the menu it lists desserts -- tiramisu, cheesecake and crepes --- first.

Open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 801-944-2466.

Labels: dining, restaurants

Utah’s original T.G.I Friday’s restaurant near the now-demolished Cottonwood Mall, will close following dinner service Saturday (March 28).

Blame the demise of the 2o-year-old restaurant at 4805 S. Highland Drive, on stalled mall construction and a slumping economy.

“This is a business decision laced with a great deal of emotion and nostalgia,” Scott Slaymaker, president and CEO of The Slaymaker Group said Friday. The company which the T.G.I. Friday’s and Winger’s Restaurants throughout the Intermountain West.

“The Cottonwood Mall location was the first T.G.I. Friday’s our company opened, and to many Utahns it was their first exposure to the brand," he said. "But the business conditions surrounding the Cottonwood Mall location have simply made it impossible to continue operation.”

The Slaymaker Group is working to place employees in its other restaurants. They also may be rehired when the company opens a new T.G.I. Friday’s location near Valley Fair Mall in August. Two employees, Trent Okleberry and Barbara Bown, had worked at the Cottonwood Mall location since it opened.

Labels: closings, restaurants