Salt Lake City’s Ballpark Neighborhood

Aerial view of Smith's Ballpark in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
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There’s nothing like a night on the town in the Ballpark neighborhood. One of my favorite things about Ballpark? Food trucks! Yes, food trucks create their food court with diverse ethnic dishes. It’s crazy and fun. This community has an awesome night scene. I love the way residents co-exist and it’s so diverse.

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Joel Carson, REALTOR®
Salt Lake City's #1 Agent
Joel Carson dark jacket photo
Urban Center
Electric Vibe
Smith’s Ballpark Home
Famous Food Trucks
Green Space
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Home architectural styles in Ballpark are almost as diverse as its residents

This community is decidedly urban and it’s in the center of shopping, dining, parks, and colorful ethnic art displays. Here, I sense a raw, inspiring vibe. It’s always exciting and crazy refreshing.

Homes for Sale in the Ballpark Neighborhood, Salt Lake City

Enjoy An Eclectic Urban, Artsy Vibe in Ballpark

If you love an urban lifestyle and crave the aromas of delicious ethnic foods wafting through the air, Salt Lake City’s Ballpark Neighborhood is for you. If you enjoy a festive atmosphere, you’ll score big in Ballpark! The vibe is electric and the food trucks here are famous for a wide variety of foods inspired by diverse cultures that come together here.

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Ballpark is a small but very important community. The centerpiece is the Smith’s Ballpark, “Home of the Bees.” The Bees have played baseball here for 30 years. That will be changing soon as the Bees are moving to South Jordan and will play there beginning in the 2025 season. The area’s community council is exploring ideas that will use the park in the best way possible in the future.

The population of Ballpark is about 9,000. Growth and revitalization help make this area extremely popular. The majority of people who live here rent their homes, so if you’re looking for an investment/rental home, this is a good place to buy.

Ballpark is located in a densely-populated space between 900 South and 2100 South, and from Interstate 15 to State Street. Public transportation is readily available here. The North/South TRAX line runs through the neighborhood along the existing railroad line at about 200 West.

Who Lives in Ballpark?

The Ballpark population is fairly young with 28 percent of residents between the ages of 25 and 34. Children under the age of 10 only make up 10 percent of the population. Senior citizens ages 65 and up represent seven percent.

Males make up 52 percent of the population in Ballpark and 48 percent are female. Young families and young professionals live here and people tend to express moderate political views. About 31 percent of adult residents have some college education or a bachelor’s degree.

Youth are served by some of the best schools in the state through the Salt Lake and Granite school districts. The median household income is $47,548 (the national median is $75,149). Niche.com, a company that gathers and publishes statistical and other information about U.S. neighborhoods and ranks them with grades. Ballpark earned a “B” overall, with an “A” based on ethnic and economic diversity, commute, and outdoor activities. It scored an “A+” for its jumping night life!

Entrance to Smith's Ballpark in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Aerial view of Smith's Ballpark in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Acme Camera Company entrance in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Granary Live music venue in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Templin Family Brewing in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Bicycle Collective in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Orchid Dynasty in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
9th Street Coffee and Donuts and More in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Classic truck parked in front of apartments in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Vertical Diner in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Kahlert Youth Media Arts Center in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Central 9th Local Market in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Metal sculpture on the side of the Central 9th Local Market in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City
Shopping center in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Challenger School in the Ballpark in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah
Modern condos with stores on the first story in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City
Aerial view of the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City Utah with mountains in the background

Ballpark Neighborhood Highlights

Urban Center

Ballpark is urban central with restaurants, night clubs, and plenty of recreation spaces. Young professionals and families especially love this part of Salt Lake City. The majority of residents here are renters. There are newer apartments and townhomes in Ballpark, but most of the homes are 50 years or older built post WWII. There are also many businesses here and a little industrial. Newer, modern homes and multi-family properties are added to the landscape regularly. The mature shade trees make Ballpark one of the coolest communities around.

Electric Vibe

The Ballpark neighborhood is known for its diversity. The colorful vibe here is visually expressed through massive murals and other artistic expressions. People tend to mingle and share their cultural expressions at community gatherings. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and electric. This was an area where artisans gathered many years ago. They were shoemakers, weavers, and carpenters who lived there. The tradition carries on today with many other artists who love sharing their work with residents and visitors in the area.

Smith’s Ballpark Home

Ballpark is home to the famous Smith’s Ballpark where fans have been entertained for decades by the sounds of roaring crowds, the scent of hotdogs and popcorn, bright lights and the excitement of the game. The Ballpark stadium is about to undergo a major over-hall in what the city calls “Ballpark NEXT.” The Salt Lake Bees, a team that has been playing there for 30 years, is moving to a new site in South Jordan. Residents are waiting to hear what magical transformation will take place in the park – an issue yet undecided.

Famous Food Trucks

Not even kidding, Ballpark is known for its food truck scene. It’s authentic ethnic dream food to die for. People come from miles around to dine in the laid-back atmosphere. The community even hosts a Food Truck Festival annually. A few of the restaurants on wheels you will find here are Los Panchitos Mexican, Kona Ice, and Italian and Japanese dishes prepared by the 789 Project.

Green Space

Find Peace in Ballpark in any one of several parks and green spaces including Jordan Park with the International Peace Gardens featuring rare outdoor displays from multiple countries. Residents also enjoy the Ida M. Cottens Park, Jefferson Park, Jefferson’s Rectangle Park, and Washington Square Park among many others spread throughout the community. The sense of community is powerful in a place where residents help one another and come together to celebrate life often.

Live Entertainment, a Cold Brew, and a Little Baseball Go a Long Way

There are endless forms of entertainment in Salt Lake City. The downtown urban environment is thrilling and everyone should experience it. Connect at a Granary Live outdoor music event, grab a brewski brewed right on site at Templin Family Brewing, and keep your eyes opened for big (yet to be announced) changes in Smith’s Ballpark. Maybe flower shopping is more your style? Budding botanists love the Orchid Dynasty. Photo enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to the local Acme Camera Co. for expert advice and quality equipment and supplies. No matter what interests you, “Salt Lake has some of that!” Following are just five of the scenes I find worth mentioning but I could go on like this all day. Enjoy your time in Ballpark.

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1. Granary Live – Live Music Venu
742 S 500 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Granary Live is the newest outdoor music venue in Salt Lake City and it is rocking the Wasatch Front. Surrounded by mountains, history, art, and diversity, this place connects. It connects people with the artists they love, with nature, history, art, and each other. The scenery is magnificent and the vibe is so alive.

Experience music from Cavetown & Mother Mother, Pecos and the Rooftops, Colby Acuff, The Movement, and more!

The venue was built to accommodate 7,500 fans comfortably. Food and water are easily accessible. There’s plenty of parking on the street, and in a paid parking lot. Granary Live is named for a historic (and one of the oldest in Utah) neighborhood called The Granary District. The neighborhood had fallen into disarray when Granary Live found the perfect location for their venue and breathed new life into the tired district.

2. Templin Family Brewing
936 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

While you’re in the Granary District near Ballpark to see a show at Granary Live, Stop in at Templin Family Brewing. This local brewery specializes in lager beers, but they offer some homemade barrel-aged beer too. Looking for variety? You’ve got it! Here you can get IPA’s, Sour Beers, and a “small rotating selection of wine/cider and spirits,” according to the company website.

A different food truck arrives on scene every day of the week beginning at noon. Expect to encounter local favorites like Balabe, El Mini Taco, Burgers on Wheels, and Raclett. You might also catch Jamaica’s Kitchen, Tacos Costa Grande, and Dawgs-N-Leenks.

Co-owner Kevin Templin came to Utah in 1990. He was a transplant from Maine. He met his wife-to-be, Brit after he arrived. Together they are building their own Utah family and heritage as husband and wife. They’re also growing a killer brewery in the center of one of the hottest scenes of the city.

3. Orchid Dynasty – Orchid Grower
365 W 900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Oh, the scent of sweet Orchids! This flower and garden store is clean, bright, well-organized and the staff is so knowledgeable. Orchid Dynasty has been making the world smell and look better one flower at a time for nearly 25 years.

Even if you’re not in the market for a lovely orchid, tropical plant, floral arrangement or touching gift, this is a fun and fascinating place to visit. The greenhouse is filled with stunning plants and is filled with an aroma you will never want to leave.

The orchid experts here can tell you all you need to know about growing and maintaining this delicate plant species.

4. Smith’s Ballpark
77 West 1300 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84115

The Ballpark is in a period of transition. The Salt Lake Bees, a Minor League Baseball team affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels, leased the sports venue 30 years ago. It was a 30-year lease. The buzz is that the Bees have found a new home in South Jordan and played its last game at the Smith’s Ballpark when it closed the 2024 season.

That’s the bad news. The good news is, civic leaders have no intention of letting the valuable venue sit empty. Donors have already come forward to help finance project, Ballpark NEXT. What that entails is still under consideration but many great ideas have been bandied about.

The park was new in 1994 when it opened as the Franklin Quest Field with a seating capacity of 15,400. It was the largest venue in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). In 1998 the field was renamed the Franklin Covey Field. It underwent another name change in 2009 when it became the Spring Mobile Ballpark. It became the Smith’s Ballpark in 2014.

The Ballpark site (including a parking lot) is about 13.5 acres. The Larry H. and Gail Miller Foundation has pledged $22 million to help with redevelopment of the site. The Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City is leading the charge to create a space that will benefit the community. The RDA is including residents, educators, students, and business owners in the process.

5. Acme Camera Co.
1388 S 300 W suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 84115

A camera store? Well, yeah. Once in a while, a person walks into a store and thinks, “Everybody should know about this place.” That’s Acme Camera Company. If you want to take professional photos, or even just really great pics for yourself, you have got to hit up Acme Camera Co. I love the fact that Acme has cameras, lenses, film, and all things photography-related. What you really get when you visit this store is the expertise of its staff members. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a beginner, you can get the information you need here.

I appreciate the fact that students can rent great cameras here for a university semester so they don’t have to invest hundreds (thousands?) on a new camera to participate in a photo class.

Take a Food Vacation in New Orleans, Greece, Afghanistan Without Leaving Salt Lake

Restaurants focused on flavors from around the world abound in and around Ballpark! Get a taste of New Orleans, Lebanon, Afghan, and Mediterranean/Greek in Historic Downtown in this electric urban area. Open your mind to different cultures with flavors, aromas, and tastes that tell ancient stories. Don’t worry, there are plenty of eateries like The Copper Onion that offer all-American fare and fun atmospheres.

If you need a boost to your mind, body, and soul take a food vacation! You can taste the flavors of other countries without ever leaving Historic Downtown Salt Lake City.

1. The Bayou
645 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Cajun and Creole faire, burgers, pizzas, pastas and beer, beer, beer (some call this Beervana). This is an adult bar and restaurant for people 21 and older. It has one of the best and most extensive beer lists in the state. Download the Bayou app and you can watch the list update in real time based on sorting and filtering capabilities. This place features a full bar. Get a taste of New Orleans in one of many cocktails on the menu. Traditional cocktails are available too.

In addition to The Bayou, Mark and Kileen Alston own The Beer Nut, a store for wine making and home brewing. Mark opened his first shop in 1994. By 2012 they teamed up with Del Vance (of Uinta Brewing fame) to open Utah’s first craft beer bar, the company website says.

The Bayou opened in 2002. The company history online says The Bayou served the first draft beer from Belgium ever poured in Utah in 2019. That year, the Bayou started pouring draft beers from a unique system designed by Mark. “[It] allows us to pour our beers using various gas blends and perfect pressures to each keg and makes cleaning easy and quick.”

If you like an upbeat, urban atmosphere, The Bayou is a great place to start.

2. Laziz Kitchen Central 9th
152 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Imagine an airy atmosphere and the smell of baking pastries. Bring a friend because the Lebanese shareable plates and pastries here are to die for. You can get a great cup of rich coffee here in addition to beer and wine. Laziz offers outside dining which only boosts the modern ambiance. This is a women-owned business and it identifies as LGBTQ+ owned.

Customers rave about dishes like Meatball Shashuka, Croissant Beignet, Side Hummus, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Baklava, Pita, Beignets, Baba Ghannouj, and Sweet Potato Fries. The stunning atmosphere features magnificent art likely to make anyone’s day brighter.

Lunches range from about $10 to $20 per person. Dinner dishes are more like $20 to $30 each.

3. Spitz Restaurant Downtown Salt Lake City
35 E Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Spitz Restaurant primarily offers healthy Greek and Mediterranean dishes commonly known as Mediterranean street food. I would call the vibe here, trendy!

Spitz is a chain restaurant, but it offers ethnic food worth mentioning! The eatery is named after “ … the classic vertical method for broiling proteins that ensures a flavorful rich taste, Spitz has grown to be more than just award-winning food, great drinks, local craft beer and vibrant street art – we’re now a part of the community,” the company’s website says.

This restaurant features a bar and a full vegan menu. Some local favorites are Street Cart Fries, Berliner Fries, Doquitos, and the Doner Basket. Gyros are also a hit here. The atmosphere is fun and modern. Expect to pay $10 to $20 per meal.

4. Afghan Kitchen
1465 S State St #10, Salt Lake City, UT 84115

Get a taste of the Middle East right in Downtown Salt Lake City. Authentic Afghan food and a Middle Eastern atmosphere make this the perfect place to experience the food, the flavors, and the culture. Vegetarians will be delighted to find a full vegetarian menu.

Visit this restaurant when you’re very hungry because you are going to want to try the delicious appetizers, a main course, and authentic Afghan dessert. The food here is certified halal. That means a third party has inspected and certified that a product is manufactured in accordance with Islamic law and is free of “forbidden” components.

Lamb Shank is one very popular dish here, eggplant, and garlic naan are popular too.

Don’t be fooled by the strip-mall appearance of Afghan Kitchen! When you step through the door you will enter a whole new world.

Expect to pay $20 to $30 per plate in this delightfully unusual restaurant.

5. The Copper Onion
111 E Broadway #170, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

The Copper Onion boasts “locally sourced New American fare, cocktails, and brunch in a modern setting.”

Customers rave about the magnificent Beef Stroganoff here. The Wagyu is another favorite and you can’t get that just anywhere. Wagyu beef is a type of cattle originally bred in Japan. It has a rich flavor and marbling so fine it makes the meat melt in your mouth. The Copper Onion also serves Duck, Pork Belly, and scrumptious Chocolate Pudding.

Brunch is bountiful here and the place is usually packed. That just adds to the upbeat atmosphere.

Expect to pay $40 to $100 per plate here.

Antiques, Princess Dresses, and Ski Equipment, Ballpark Shopping Has Got it All

Ballpark offers essentials at big box stores like Wal-Mart, RC Willey, Costco, WinCo, Best Buy, Sam’s Club and Target Grocery in 300 West Town Center. I encourage you to go off the beaten shopping path and experience some unusual, eclectic, and kinda “out-there” stores that will wow you with a collection of goods you don’t even know you need yet. Whether you love to shop for antiques, sporting goods, groceries, or second-hand treasures, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Ballpark.

Looking for a princess dress? JouJou has just the one you’re looking for along with fine toys and games

1. Capital City Antique Mall
959 S W Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

It’s like a perpetual swap meet but much better. This large indoor antiques market features multiple sellers and antique dealers specializing in vintage clothes, toys, records and furniture.

The best thing about Capital City Antique Mall? It is new every time you visit. The variety enriches a menagerie of wonderful items you won’t want to leave on the shelf.

Customers rave about the selection and service at this unique shop and the prices aren’t half-bad! This isn’t the kind of place you rush into and back out again. Plan to spend at least an hour longer than is necessary to browse the jewelry, household goods, and decor.

2. Beehive State Souvenirs
214 W 600 S, Suite B, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

You will find all things Utah in Beehive State Souvenirs. Hats, jackets, keychains and more. Customers rave about the high quality of items in this bright, clean store. You might even want to take home a bottle of Utah Jalapeno Jelly!

Whether you’re looking for a fun, silly, funny, kind or memorable gift that represents Salt Lake City and/or Utah, this is the place you want to be.

3. Lillies of The Field
1401 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115

This unusual thrift store is a great place to spend the afternoon! The store identifies as black-owned, woman-owned, and LGBTQ+ friendly.

The friendly owner and staff are what make this little emporium a huge hit in Salt Lake City! Prices here are extremely reasonable. The store features a vast array of home decor, clothing, and unique gifts. Take a friend along. Thrift shopping is so much fun.

4. JouJou
555 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

This beautiful toy store is located in the Grand America Hotel at 555 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. The presentation of items in a dreamy old-world scene. If you’re shopping for a gorgeous gift for a youngster in your life, any present from JouJou will be a hit.

Here you will find handcrafted items for toddlers through teens. The shop’s inventory includes “classic games, books, and whimsical goodies,” the Grand America shopping website says. The store encourages play with a scene to catch a fairy, a place to build a robot, make beautiful music on the candy organ or spend some time with the digital monsters. It’s such a fun place to be.

You will find other shops in this classic, historic hotel too.

5. Level Nine Sports – Downtown
660 400 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Local skiers love this place! With some of the greatest snow on earth less than one hour up the canyon, outdoor recreation enthusiasts shop here year-round to keep their gear in shape and in top working order. But wait, there’s more. Level Nine is also a bike shop.

This retail store sells new and discounted outdoor equipment and features quality used gear and consignment goods. If you want to bike or ski, but don’t want to buy, Level Nine has got you. Just rent from their varied equipment stash. This is a great place to have maintenance and repairs made to your gear.

The Scoop on Schools in Ballpark

Ballpark youth are served by some of the best schools in the state through the Salt Lake and Granite school districts. Five top-rated public schools serve Ballpark including: Canyon Rim Academy, Academy for Math, Engineering & Science (AMES), Salt Lake Arts Academy, Beehive Science and Technology Academy, and Channing Hall Charter School.

Popular Points of Interest Near Ballpark - Salt Lake City