Bonnie & Clydes: How a New York Entrepreneur Brought East Coast "Food Thievery" to Downtown Salt Lake City

Walk into Bonnie & Clydes on a Wednesday morning and you'll find Greg Castro behind the counter, probably chatting with a regular about their usual order. The vintage interior with cozy music playing in the background makes you feel like you're transported to the 1920s, but the story of how this downtown Salt Lake City sandwich shop came to be is thoroughly modern—and distinctly American in that restless, entrepreneurial way.

Castro grew up between New York and Connecticut, and spent a decade in New York City proving his restaurant chops as an investor in multiple delicatessens in New Jersey. But it wasn't ego that drove him to open Bonnie & Clydes. It was a simple observation during a Park City summer: "One of the things I noticed was that you couldn't get a sandwich anywhere. I just wanted to go for a hike and get a chicken Caesar wrap somewhere and I couldn't."

That's the thing about Castro—he's a fixer, a builder. His life as a serial entrepreneur began at a young age with a lucrative lemonade stand, and he's never lost the desire to launch new ventures. So when the pandemic hit and he made Park City his home base, he did what any self-respecting New Yorker would do: he brought the deli to the mountains.

The "Food Thieves" Philosophy: Stealing the Best Ideas from Big Cities

Here's where the Bonnie & Clyde theme becomes more than just aesthetic. Castro explains: "We've done research, taken inspiration from the best dishes from the best restaurants, and incorporated them into our menu." Not exactly a sensational crime spree, but this downtown Salt Lake City breakfast spot proudly wears its "East Coast food thieves" badge. The menu is inspired by flavors found in big cities like Chicago, New York and Boston, recreated with quality ingredients and attention to detail that would make any New York deli proud.

The Park City location took off—because really, who can resist a Turkey Pesto and side of cajun fries? But Castro quickly learned that mountain resort towns have their challenges. When he found competition from resorts and the seasonal swings to be too much, he decided to turn his eyes to the valley. The timing was perfect. A newly-built space at 611 South Main Street was ready for its first tenants, and Castro saw an opportunity to bring his concept to downtown professionals and the residents of the nearby 6th and Main luxury apartments.

The Best Breakfast Sandwiches in Salt Lake City (According to People Who Came Back Every Day)

The menu at this downtown Salt Lake City coffee and sandwich shop reads like a greatest hits album of American cafe culture, and customers have strong opinions about what to order. One visitor loved the vibe so much they came back a second time the next day, trying both the Becky breakfast sandwich and the breakfast burrito—both earned rave reviews.

"Our first bite of the wrap was accompanied with a chorus of wows," wrote another customer who ended up eating breakfast at Bonnie & Clydes every single day during their Salt Lake City visit. That breakfast wrap—with scrambled eggs, chorizo, pepper jack, breakfast potatoes, and baby spinach wrapped in a flour tortilla—has become the most ordered item on the menu.

But it's the lunch sandwiches where Castro's "food thief" philosophy really shines. The house favorite Turkey Pesto features house-roasted turkey (not deli-sliced mystery meat), white cheddar, sliced avocado, pesto, and oven-roasted tomatoes on toasted ciabatta. The sandwich is a generous portion and meets a nice balance of flavorful and light.

Then there's The Clyde—the sandwich that shares a name with the cafe itself. A breaded chicken cutlet with balsamic, arugula, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and balsamic reduction on a semolina hoagie. One regular notes the balsamic can be a little overpowering, but "love the chicken cutlet, and great bread. Everything is presented so nicely."

The Club House Massacre—house-roasted shaved turkey, candied bacon, butter lettuce, tomato, red onion, Swiss cheese, and juniper aioli on toasted sourdough—brings a sophisticated twist to the classic club. And the Caesar wrap? Simple romaine lettuce, chicken breast, croutons and a delectable caesar dressing that one reviewer called "decidedly my favorite".

One customer who moved from Chicago declared: "Fantastic food. Best sandwiches I've eaten since leaving Chicago and coming to Salt Lake. Good portions too. Worth every penny. I'll be back."

Specialty Coffee Downtown Salt Lake That Actually Competes with the Coasts

Castro didn't just focus on the food. One regular who brews their own pour over at home tried both the medium and dark roast drip coffee and found both delivered on quality and taste. The matcha latte program deserves special mention—served with "the cutest foam art" according to multiple reviews.

The cafe latte has earned an 88% approval rating from customers, which in the notoriously picky coffee world of 2024, means Castro sourced good beans and trained his staff well.

French Pastries That Made Someone Order a Second Cronut the Next Day

Here's where Bonnie & Clydes gets unexpectedly sophisticated for a sandwich shop. The baked goods counter offers freshly-baked items like Pain Au Chocolat, ham & cheese croissants and Kouign-Amanns—those buttery, caramelized Breton pastries that most Americans have never heard of but will immediately become obsessed with.

The cronuts—available in maple and chocolate varieties—have developed their own following. "Everyone needs to try one of their cronuts too… I had the chocolate and maple- you cannot go wrong!" wrote one enthusiastic customer. Another simply declared: "Cronut was top notch."

These aren't afterthoughts. Castro understands that a great cafe needs great pastries, and he's delivering French bakery quality in downtown Salt Lake City.

The Hidden Speakeasy Behind the Bookcase (Because Why Not?)

Now we get to the delightfully theatrical element that sets this downtown Salt Lake City restaurant apart from every other sandwich shop in Utah. Next to the cafe's entrance, a brightly-colored bookcase installation features a curated collection of vintage books and trinkets sourced from local thrift treasures like Capital City Antique Mall and Utah Book & Magazine. The bookcase—designed by Castro's girlfriend Madeline—is an art piece in itself.

But here's the thing: it's also a hidden door.

Behind it lies Hide & Seek, a speakeasy that opens when the cafe closes for the day. The sultry space comes complete with a full bar and posh decor, and will serve an entirely new menu of rotating shared plates like ceviche and tartare. It's 21+ only, obviously, and the kind of place where you'll want to make reservations for after-work cocktail hours or private parties.

The speakeasy element isn't just gimmick—it's a logical extension of the 1930s Bonnie & Clyde theme, executed with the same attention to detail that Castro brings to his sandwiches.

Why Downtown Salt Lake City Needed This Place

The sizable cafe sports floor-to-ceiling windows, a cute walk-up counter, and plenty of tables for city-slicking professionals and nearby residents to post up with their laptops. Multiple customers mention it's perfect for focused study while others are there with friends, with both casual and formal seating options available.

This matters in downtown Salt Lake City's evolving food scene. The neighborhood around 6th and Main has been transforming, with new luxury apartments bringing residents who want quality breakfast spots within walking distance. Business professionals need reliable lunch options that don't sacrifice quality for speed. Remote workers need laptop-friendly cafes where the coffee is good enough to justify the second visit.

Castro's vision was to combine the style of a New York delicatessen with elements from various restaurants he's eaten at around the world, with an overall emphasis on quality ingredients. And he's delivered on that promise. This isn't commissary food or a corporate concept testing well in focus groups. "Most places that are run by or owned by a chef can be very ego-driven about the food. We're not ego-driven—if something's not selling, we'll take it off the menu and replace it with something that does," Castro explains.

Planning Your Visit to Bonnie & Clydes

Location: 611 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 (Downtown, in the Peoples Freeway neighborhood)

Hours:

• Monday-Saturday: 8am-8pm
• Sunday: 8am-6pm

What to Order:

• First-timers: The Wrap (breakfast) or Turkey Pesto (lunch)
• For the adventurous: The Clyde sandwich with Cajun fries
• Sweet tooth: Maple cronut and a matcha latte
• Classic comfort: Club House Massacre with Parmesan fries
• Build-your-own option: Custom chop salad

Insider Knowledge:

• Hour parking is available in front of the venue and additional guest parking in the nearby apartment building
• Come early on weekends—the breakfast crowd knows what's up
• Try both the Cajun and Parmesan fries (they're thick cut and seasoned perfectly)
• Ask about the speakeasy if you're planning a private event

Connect: Follow @bonniexclydes on Instagram for updates on the Hide & Seek speakeasy opening and seasonal menu specials

Why This Place Matters to Utah's Food Scene

In a state where chain restaurants still dominate and authenticity can be hard to find, Bonnie & Clydes represents something important: an independent operator who cares deeply about quality, brought East Coast standards to downtown Salt Lake City, and didn't dumb anything down for a perceived "Utah palate."

Castro isn't trying to be the next big franchise. He's building a neighborhood gathering place where the coffee is legitimately good, the sandwiches use house-roasted turkey instead of processed deli meat, and the French pastries would hold their own in Manhattan. The 1930s aesthetic isn't Instagram bait—it's a cohesive theme executed with vintage books sourced from local thrift stores and a genuine speakeasy that respects the era's clandestine spirit.

"Rylee was super sweet when handing me my coffee and wiping tables and picking up stuff - she has the second most beautiful smile in the world and was so kind," wrote one customer. That's the real tell. You can steal the best food concepts from New York, Chicago, and Boston, but you can't fake genuine hospitality.

Stop by Bonnie & Clydes in downtown Salt Lake City. Order the breakfast wrap that made visitors come back every day of their trip. Try a cronut that's actually worthy of the hype. And keep an eye out for when that bookcase swings open to reveal Hide & Seek—because the best secrets in Salt Lake City's food scene are the ones hidden in plain sight.