Morty's Cafe St. George: Where Cache Valley's Award-Winning Burgers Meet Southern Utah Soul

There's a moment that happens at Morty's Cafe on St. George Boulevard when the server sets down a basket of scone fries – these golden, puffy strips of fried dough dusted with powdered sugar, served alongside tiny containers of honey butter and raspberry cheesecake dip. Tourists from the East Coast pause mid-conversation, genuinely confused. "Wait... these are scones?"

Welcome to Utah, where scones aren't what the rest of America thinks they are.

And welcome to Morty's Cafe St. George, where a USU professor and his former student brought Cache Valley's decade-long burger dynasty south to the red rocks, complete with award-winning burgers and a Utah cultural education you didn't know you needed. One TripAdvisor reviewer summed it up perfectly after their group of eight stopped in post-hiking: "Morty's hit the spot. The restaurant was jammed early (530pm), but service was super fast. Everyone enjoyed their burgers. Don't go and miss the Utah Scones (otherwise known as beignets)."

From Campus Corner to Cache Valley Legend: The Preston Parker & Ty Mortensen Story

The best businesses start with people who have no business starting businesses.

In 2014, Preston Parker was a communications professor at Utah State University with a bachelor's degree, two master's degrees, a doctorate, and exactly zero restaurant experience. His student, Ty Mortensen, approached him with an idea that made no sense on paper: open a gourmet burger joint next to campus, in a town where several burger places had just closed down.

Parker did what professors do. He researched.

He tracked down the owners of those failed burger restaurants, asked them why they'd closed, looked at the data, and came to a conclusion that contradicted everything the market was telling him: a really good burger, done right, would work in Logan. Neither he nor Mortensen knew how to run a restaurant, so they found a group of people with different culinary perspectives, threw ideas against the wall, and came up with what would become known as the Best Burger in Cache Valley – a title Morty's has won every single year since 2014 from multiple award organizations including Cache Valley Family Magazine, Herald Journal Reader's Choice Awards, and Logan Foodies.

They even funded the whole thing through a Kickstarter campaign, raising over $12,000 from locals who believed in the vision.

The original location opened in September 2014 on Darwin Avenue, complete with a rooftop garden where Parker – a fifth-generation produce grower who also owns Parker Produce – grew basil for the pesto sauce and tomatoes for the romesco. "Most people are excited to have locally grown produce even if it's on a rooftop," Parker told the Herald Journal in 2015. "They want to eat local because they know it's naturally grown; no pesticides and only organic fertilizers."

Fast forward to 2017, and Parker started eyeing Southern Utah. The St. George location opened at 702 East St. George Boulevard – an old Maverik gas station transformed into what would become Morty's most successful location, even outselling the original Logan spot.

"People appreciate higher quality food there," Parker explained in a recent interview. Two years ago, he bought out Mortensen's share of the business and opened Morty's to franchising, expanding to Providence, Syracuse, and North Logan. But it all started with a professor who knew nothing about burgers and a student with a wild idea.

The Best Burgers in St. George Utah: Hand-Pressed Perfection Meets Global Flavors

Let's talk about what makes these burgers worth the decade of awards.

First, there's the baseline: the Iconic Burger. Simple. Unadorned. Just a hand-pressed beef patty on a toasted bun with Morty's signature sauce. One traveler who made it a rule to only eat at local, one-of-a-kind restaurants wrote on TripAdvisor: "I had the 'Iconic Burger,' which was their unadorned, basic burger and it was very good and satisfying." Another reviewer called it "divine" with the note that their 9-year-old said, "Say in our review, do you like delicious food, or Morty's because it's the same thing."

But where Morty's really gets dangerous is with their creative burger combinations. The Hawaiian – one of their most popular offerings – features pepper jack cheese, bacon, jalapeños, house-made pineapple jalapeño relish, and Korean barbecue sauce. It's spicy-sweet chaos in the best possible way. Multiple reviewers specifically called it out as a standout choice.

Then there's the Yucatan with an egg on top – a customer favorite according to Restaurantji reviews. One local noted: "Morty's Cafe in St. George is known for having the best burgers in town, especially the Yucatan with an egg on top."

And the Mortician? That's the beast. Morty's signature loaded double burger that will test your commitment to finishing what you started. It's the burger that earned them their Instagram bio bragging rights: "Home of the Mortician Burger."

For those seeking something lighter, the Buddha Burger comes with a nice kick from the dressing, and the Mediterranean salad gets consistent praise for being "huge and delicious." The quinoa salad with added chicken is another generous serving that keeps the health-conscious crowd coming back.

What ties it all together? Locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, hand-pressed patties, and buns that actually matter – they use brioche and flour-top potato buns depending on the burger. And yeah, you can substitute chicken on any burger, which is a flexibility move that doesn't get enough credit.

Utah Scone Fries: A Cultural Education Served with Raspberry Cheesecake Dip

Here's where we need to pause and have a conversation about Utah food culture.

If you grew up anywhere other than Utah (or a few select pockets of the Mountain West), a scone is a dense, biscuit-like pastry you eat with tea and clotted cream at a British café. But in Utah, scones are something completely different: puffy, golden pieces of fried dough served with honey butter, powdered sugar, or – in Morty's case – an addictive raspberry cheesecake dip.

They're basically beignets. Sopapillas. Fry bread. Deep-fried pillows of joy.

Morty's serves them as "scone fries" – bite-sized strips of fried scone dough that come dusted with your choice of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, accompanied by honey butter or that raspberry cheesecake sauce that multiple customers rave about. One TripAdvisor reviewer wrote: "Great food. My favorite is the breakfast sandwich and scone fries. Oh my goodness, those scone fries with the raspberry cheesecake dip is phenomenal."

Another customer who ordered takeout specifically called out: "We had a great carryout meal which included 1/3 pound cheeseburgers, onion rings with a great dipping sauce, and scone fries which had a great raspberry cheesecake sauce! We will definitely be back."

The scone fries are a Utah cultural artifact – a nod to the LDS pioneer heritage where fried scones (sometimes called "Mormon scones") became a breakfast and celebration staple. For many Utah families, scones represent childhood memories of camping trips, family breakfasts, and community gatherings. At Morty's, they've taken this tradition and made it fast-casual accessible, turning it into the perfect shareable side that confuses and delights out-of-state visitors in equal measure.

Fast-Casual Dining Done Right: The St. George Blvd Experience

Walking into Morty's Cafe St. George, you'll find a space that splits the difference between fast food efficiency and casual dining quality. You order at the counter, grab a number, and within minutes – seriously, the speed gets mentioned in nearly every review – your food arrives.

The interior is clean and casual with local artwork displayed on the walls. "The restaurant area is clean and offers local art work for sale," noted one newcomer to St. George who was immediately impressed by the helpfulness of the staff answering all their questions about the build-your-own sandwich options.

The outdoor seating is dog-friendly (confirmed by multiple reviewers), which makes it perfect for pre- or post-hike meals when you're coming back from Snow Canyon or heading toward Zion National Park, just 45 minutes northeast. The location on St. George Boulevard puts you near Utah Tech University, making it a popular spot for students and working professionals during the lunch rush.

Service is consistently fast. One delivery customer wrote an all-caps rave: "MORTY'S HAS SUPER FAST DELIVERY, I THINK THEY SENT IT TO OUR RANCH HOUSE WITH A DIRT BIKE MESSENGER! ASKED FOR EXTRA SAUCE AND THEY SENT IT TOO!"

Several reviewers mentioned that the staff is genuinely helpful and kind, with one calling out an employee named David specifically for making their experience "awesome" with top-notch service.

Beyond Burgers: Breakfast Burritos, Reubens & Dietary Flexibility

Here's what makes Morty's more than just another burger restaurant: the menu has actual range.

The breakfast burrito game is strong. The Morty's Burrito – stuffed with two scrambled eggs, bacon, french fries, American cheese, ketchup, and sriracha – is a local favorite that Parker himself says is one of Morty's best-kept secrets. "People don't think of it as a breakfast place, but the sandwiches and burritos are so good," he told the Standard-Examiner.

And here's a weird St. George-specific trend: the Syracuse location's general manager noticed that their St. George spot gets more orders for Reuben sandwiches than any other Morty's location. It's made with pastrami, sauerkraut, provolone, Swiss, and house-made spicy Russian dressing on marbled rye bread. Multiple customers mentioned it, though one noted the meat was "very tough" on their visit.

For vegetarians and vegans, there are real options here – not just sad afterthought salads. The Three Bean Burger and Little Buddha veggie burgers both get solid reviews, though one customer did note their 3 Bean burger "crumbled apart" and was "too dry," suggesting it needed a better binding agent. Morty's also offers gluten-free buns, with multiple celiac customers reporting safe experiences when they mentioned it was an allergy rather than a preference.

The quinoa salads are genuinely generous portions, and you can add chicken to most salads if you want some protein. Sweet potato fries get consistent praise and are often preferred over the regular fries by reviewers.

St. George's Gateway to Greater Zion: Why Location Matters

Morty's Cafe St. George sits at an interesting geographic crossroads.

You're on St. George Boulevard in Utah's fastest-growing metro area, in a city that's become the retirement and recreation capital of Southern Utah. You're 45 minutes from Zion National Park's south entrance, making Morty's a perfect fuel-up spot before a day of hiking Angels Landing or The Narrows. You're in a college town with Utah Tech University students creating constant lunch demand. And you're on the I-15 corridor that funnels travelers from California, Nevada, and Arizona through on their way to Utah's Mighty Five national parks.

One reviewer captured this perfectly: "Our group of 8 was looking for some good burgers after a long day of hiking. Morty's hit the spot."

The St. George location has thrived partly because it serves locals who want quality fast-casual food and partly because it catches tourists who are done with chain restaurants and want something authentically local. When you're coming back from a morning at Snow Canyon State Park or heading out to explore the Greater Zion area, Morty's represents the kind of locally-owned, quality-focused dining that makes a trip memorable.

Parker noted that the St. George location has actually outperformed the original Logan spot in sales, suggesting that Southern Utah diners and visitors appreciate the higher-quality ingredients and creative approach to comfort food.

Planning Your Visit to Morty's Cafe St. George

Address: 702 East St. George Blvd, St. George, UT 84770

Hours:

• Monday-Friday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
• Saturday: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Phone: (435) 359-4439

Instagram: @mortyscafestg

What to Order:

Based on customer reviews and recommendations, here's your hit list:

1. The Yucatan with an Egg – Consistently called out as the best burger on the menu
2. Utah Scone Fries with Raspberry Cheesecake Dip – Non-negotiable. This is the Utah cultural experience
3. Hawaiian Burger – The house-made pineapple jalapeño relish is special
4. Morty's Burrito – If you're there for breakfast, don't sleep on this
5. Onion Rings – Multiple reviewers called them some of the best they've had anywhere

Pro Tips:

• Arrive early during peak times (5:30 PM seems to be when it gets packed)
• The Iconic Burger with fries is Thursday's student special for $6 – you don't actually have to be a student
• Parking can be limited on busy days
• They deliver through DoorDash if you're staying nearby
• The outdoor seating is dog-friendly
• If you need gluten-free, mention it's an allergy and they'll take extra care

Pricing: Burgers run around $8-12, with most combo meals landing in the $12-15 range. It's fast-casual pricing for quality that punches above its weight class.

Why Morty's Matters to Utah's Food Scene

Ten years of winning "Best Burger" awards doesn't happen by accident.

What Preston Parker and Ty Mortensen figured out in 2014 is the same thing that makes Morty's work in St. George today: people want quality food that doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. They want locally sourced ingredients when possible. They want creative flavors that respect the burger as an American staple while pushing it somewhere new. And they want it fast, affordable, and consistent.

The fact that a communications professor with no restaurant experience researched his way into creating one of Utah's most successful small burger chains is the kind of story that only makes sense in retrospect. Parker even grows some of the produce himself through Parker Produce, maintaining that connection to the land that Utah's agricultural heritage demands.

But more than the food, Morty's represents something about Utah's evolving food culture. It's the bridge between pioneer traditions (those scone fries) and global flavors (Korean barbecue sauce on a burger). It's locally owned but franchise-ready. It's a Cache Valley success story that traveled south and somehow got even better.

As one reviewer put it simply: "The food was great again. Ready on time and so delicious. The servers are very nice."

Sometimes that's all you need.

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The Bottom Line: Morty's Cafe St. George delivers award-winning burgers, Utah's best-kept secret side dish (those scone fries), and fast-casual dining that respects your time and your taste buds. Whether you're a local looking for your new lunch spot or a tourist fueling up before Zion, this is what good American comfort food looks like when a college professor decides to do the research.

And yes, those scones are fried dough, not what you're thinking. Trust the process. Get the raspberry cheesecake dip. Thank me later.

Find Morty's Cafe St. George at 702 East St. George Blvd, or follow them on Instagram @mortyscafestg for seasonal specials and daily updates.