“I see potential in people and in places.” Lavanya Mahate has been doing exactly that for much of her life. She has seen possibility in neglected buildings, in fledgling businesses, in women beginning again, and in herself. Over more than fifteen years, she has opened restaurants, cafés, and culinary ventures across Utah and even as far away as London. Today, she owns Central by Saffron Valley, Saffron Valley in Sugar House and Bix at Kiln Gateway, while continuing her work with RISE Culinary Institute.

“When I go to markets in other places, it gives me a snapshot of the culture of that town.” For Scott Evans, that idea became the inspiration for Sugar House Station, which opened in March 2025, the newest venture in a restaurant career that has taken him from Pago and Finca to Casot and Emigration Cafe. This time, however, Scott was not setting out simply to create another restaurant. Along with his partners, he wanted to build a place that could showcase a collection of Utah’s independent food and drink businesses under one roof.