When you think of Utah, Mexican food probably isn't the first menu option that comes to mind. But one Mexican restaurant chain began its journey in St. George and has since grown to more than 160 restaurants across 11 states, including California, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill opened in 1997 when founders Steve and Patricia Stanley wanted to bring their take on Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors to southern Utah. Little did they know how big it would become.
There's something undeniably warm about walking into a Cracker Barrel. The scent of sizzling country-fried steak, stacks of golden pancakes, and biscuits fresh from the oven fills the air before you've even opened the menu. But one of the chain's made-from-scratch dishes keeps customers coming back for more than just nostalgia: the mashed potatoes with gravy. Brown gravy or sawmill gravy, your choice. Both are creamy, perfectly smooth, and deeply flavorful, with that rustic, homemade charm you just don't get from frozen alternatives.