How a Park City Kid Brought the Döner Kebab to Salt Lake City: Inside Spitz's European Street Food Revolution

There's a vertical spit rotating in the back of Spitz, and if you know what to look for, you can see the juices caramelizing on the surface of the beef and lamb—that signature browning that makes döner kebab one of the most addictive street foods in the world. Park City native Bryce Rademan first tasted this Turkish specialty while studying abroad in Madrid, eating it nearly every day between classes, and he couldn't shake one persistent thought: why doesn't this exist like this back home?

Twenty years later, Spitz has become a Salt Lake City staple with six Utah locations stretching from downtown SLC to Park City, pioneering what they call "upscale quick-service" before anyone knew that term. One customer summed it up perfectly: "Mediterranean style menu and döner wraps and sandwiches are to die for. Add in the impressively designed, fun atmosphere, good drinks and trivia card games on the tables and you've got a serious hit."

From Madrid Street Corners to Downtown Salt Lake City

Bryce Rademan grew up working every hospitality job Park City had to offer—starting at Taco Maker when he was 13, then working his way through Windy Ridge, Grappa, The Chateau at Deer Valley, even operating ski lifts at the resort. By the time he headed to Occidental College in Los Angeles, the kid had restaurant experience in his bones, even if he didn't quite realize it yet.

During his semester abroad in Madrid, Rademan discovered the döner kebab—a popular European street food of shaved roasted meat—and ate it almost daily. The Turkish word "döner" literally means "rotating meat," referring to the vertical spit where lamb, beef, or chicken slowly roasts, the outer layer developing that crucial caramelized crust. The market for döner kebab in Germany dwarfs McDonald's and Burger King, yet somehow this phenomenon had barely touched American shores.

"That really led to the whole urgency of why I had to do this now," Rademan later explained. By his senior year at Occidental, he'd convinced his best friend Robert Wicklund to abandon their law school plans and sign onto the restaurant concept instead. The pitch? Take European street food, elevate it with California freshness, and create something that married fast-food convenience with upscale-dining quality.

Two weeks after graduating college in 2005, the 21-year-olds signed a lease in Eagle Rock near their alma mater. "We basically did everything. We prepped, we cooked, we ran the register, we cleaned. There was a lot of days of 16-hour shifts," Rademan remembered. The first Spitz location opened in April 2006, and the response was immediate.

Fast-forward to 2007, when childhood friends Josh Hill and Tanner Slizeski—who had also fallen for döner kebab while studying abroad in Europe—reached out to Rademan about bringing Spitz to Utah. The downtown Salt Lake City location on Broadway became Utah's introduction to döner kebab done right, and the state hasn't looked back since.

What Makes Spitz's Döner Kebab Different

Here's the thing about Mediterranean food in Salt Lake City—you can find plenty of gyros, sure. But döner kebab is a different animal entirely, even though the cooking method looks similar at first glance. At Spitz, the döner is made with half lamb and half beef, cooked at high heat on a vertical broiler, then a rotary knife shaves the meat into strips that are an eighth of an inch thick.

That vertical spit—which gives the restaurant its name—is where the magic happens. As the meat rotates, the outside layer gets crispy and caramelized while the inside stays tender and juicy. When you order, they shave off those perfectly cooked outer layers, meaning every bite has that crucial textural contrast that makes döner kebab so damn good.

For the last 20 years, Spitz has never changed one thing: every sauce is made in-house, chicken is fresh-cut and marinated, every veggie is freshly cut and prepped daily. They source their bread and meats from top-quality producers who craft everything to Spitz's exact proprietary recipes. And crucially for Utah's growing Muslim community and anyone seeking high-quality protein, the meat used in wraps and bowls is halal certified.

One DoorDash regular captured the Spitz experience perfectly: "Absolutely love Spitz! The Doner Basket is my go-to order item because you get a little bit of everything. Can't get enough of the Fried Pita Strips with Hummus or Cinnamon Sugar Pita Strips. Both are delightful!"

The Street Cart Fries Phenomenon

Look, I need to talk about these fries. You can get regular fries anywhere, but Spitz's street cart fries have developed an almost cult following across Salt Lake City. One Tripadvisor reviewer wasn't exaggerating when they said: "I always go there and try their street cart fries with lamb. That meal is so good I haven't picked any other item on the menu. Maybe I should one day. Till then, I will order the street cart fries till the day I die."

Here's what you're getting: a massive pile of crispy fries (you can go traditional or sweet potato waffle fries) loaded with your choice of döner meat, feta cheese, diced onions, green peppers, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, and finished with tzatziki and their house-made garlic aioli. One customer described their first experience: "We got the street cart loaded fries as well. The food is super good. I got the gyro it has fries in it, it looks dry in the picture, but it definitely has plenty of sauce."

Another downtown SLC regular breaks it down: "I typically order the street cart fries or a street cart döner! Price is also really friendly to the wallet and you get great portion sizes for what you pay!" The genius of these fries is that they're essentially a deconstructed döner wrap on a bed of carbs—all the Mediterranean flavors you love, but with that addictive crispy-fry texture throughout.

And if you're thinking sweet potato fries are just an afterthought, think again. Multiple reviewers specifically call out the Sweet Potato Fries as "amazing!!" and "Perfect for a quick healthy meal when visiting SLC!"

What to Order at Spitz Downtown & Beyond

The downtown Broadway location has that perfect fast-casual setup: order at the counter, grab a number, then settle into one of the communal tables or snag a spot on the outdoor patio. A visiting family recounted their experience: "My mom ordered a Greek salad, my son had the chicken wrap with sweet potato fries, and I had the feta wrap. They all were extremely delicious."

Let's break down the customer-verified hits:

The Zesty Feta Wrap: Customers consistently rave about the Zesty Feta wrap, which you can get with falafel, chicken, or döner meat. The combination of garlic aioli, fried lavash chips for crunch, fresh vegetables, and tzatziki creates this perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and crispy in every bite.

The Berliner Wrap: One reviewer called out both the Berliner and Zesty Feta wraps as "both delicious" after a morning of skiing, noting the vegan options available—a huge deal for a Mediterranean restaurant that actually understands plant-based eating.

The Döner Basket: This customer favorite includes salad and fries (your choice of regular or sweet potato) topped with tzatziki, feta, pepperoncini, crispy garbanzo beans, and falafel. It's basically a choose-your-own-adventure meal that covers all the bases.

The Remix Bowl: For the health-conscious crowd, customers love the Remix Bowl "for when I'm feeling healthy," which packs all the Mediterranean flavors into a grain-bowl format without sacrificing any of that Spitz flavor punch.

One thing that sets Spitz apart in Utah's Mediterranean food scene? The dietary inclusivity. They offer comprehensive vegan, gluten-free, keto, AND paleo menus—not just token options, but thoughtfully constructed meals that work for whatever way you eat.

Six Locations Across the Wasatch Front

Here's where Spitz gets even more interesting for Salt Lake City's food landscape. While the brand started in LA and has expanded to Minnesota, Oregon, and Colorado, Utah has become a Spitz stronghold with six locations (soon to be seven with St. George opening).

You'll find Spitz at:

• Downtown SLC (35 Broadway) - The original Utah location with killer outdoor seating for people-watching
• Sugarhouse (1201 E Wilmington Ave) - One regular drives to Salt Lake City once a month just for this location, calling it their "absolute favorite place to eat"
• Draper (12300 S. 62E)
• Lehi (3601 N Digital Dr) - Perfect for Silicon Slopes lunch breaks
• Jordan Landing (3763 W Center Park Dr, West Jordan)
• Park City (6622 N Landmark Dr, Kimball Junction) - A homecoming for founder Bryce Rademan, who searched for 10 years for the perfect Park City spot before opening next to Whole Foods in August 2024

Rademan's franchise model—which he calls a "fam-chise"—prioritizes local ownership by friends, family, or people who've worked with the company. "Restaurants are a long-term play. You need to be part of the community," he explained. It's why Brett Chamberlain, who owns the Cottonwood, Draper, and Lehi locations, also took on the Park City spot—these aren't cookie-cutter corporate outposts, but locally-invested operations.

The Atmosphere: Street Art Meets Mediterranean Energy

Walk into any Spitz and you're hit with bright neon colors, street and pop art, and a mix of patterns and textures specifically chosen to make each location unique. The design draws inspiration from Berlin's graffiti scene (where döner kebab was popularized in Germany's Turkish communities) and LA's mural culture.

One downtown regular describes the vibe: "The food is bright, colorful and oh so flavorful. The vibe is also just one that lights up your mood, you'll know what I mean when you go." There are board games at the tables, trivia cards, and a full bar featuring local craft beers, wine, sangria, and cocktails—additions Rademan made during the 2008 recession when he needed to "get out there, pound the pavement, get our food in front of anyone, anyhow."

The outdoor patios at most locations are dog-friendly (yes, your pup is welcome), and there's a kids menu that doesn't phone it in. It's this combination of thoughtful details that makes Spitz work for everyone from downtown office workers grabbing lunch to families post-ski day to date night with craft beer and loaded fries.

Spitz's Place in Utah's Evolving Food Scene

Twenty years ago when Rademan was perfecting recipes in his college kitchen, the concept of "upscale quick-service" barely existed. The blend of fast food and sit-down restaurants was uncommon when the first shop opened in LA in 2006. Now it's everywhere—Chipotle, Sweetgreen, the entire fast-casual category. But Spitz was already doing it, bringing European street food to America with California freshness before it became a trend.

For Salt Lake City specifically, Spitz pioneered the döner kebab concept starting in 2007, introducing Utahns to a style of Mediterranean cooking that goes beyond the Greek and Lebanese restaurants we already loved. The halal certification opened doors for Muslim communities seeking quality dining options. The vegan menu showed that Mediterranean food doesn't need to rely on meat and dairy. The paleo and keto options proved you can serve street food that works for every dietary philosophy.

Customer reviews consistently highlight Spitz's "commitment to quality, noting the use of fresh ingredients that elevate the flavors of each meal" and "the mixed meat wrap is celebrated for its juicy, flavorful beef and lamb, ensuring a satisfying experience that transcends typical fast food offerings."

One Wanderlog reviewer summed up what makes Spitz special: "Doners come a dime a dozen where we're from, so we were not expecting this incredible symphony in our mouths. The food is insane, have anything and you're gonna be blown away, a highlight was the loaded fries, but everything else was awesome."

Planning Your Visit to Spitz

Locations & Hours: Most Spitz locations in Salt Lake City are open Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, and Sunday 11am-9pm. The downtown Broadway location is perfect for lunch breaks or pre-event dining before hitting Temple Square or The Gateway.

What to Order:

• First-timers: Get the street cart fries with döner meat and a Zesty Feta wrap to understand what Spitz does best
• Vegetarians: The falafel options and Remix Bowl are legitimately good, not afterthoughts
• Health-focused: Döner salad or Garden Bowl with your choice of protein
• Sweet tooth: Don't sleep on the Cinnamon Sugar Pita Strips
• Drinks: House-made sangria to-go if you're at a location with a bar

Insider Tips:

• Outdoor seating at the downtown location is "great for people watching"
• All locations have board games—make it a thing
• The patio is dog-friendly if you're out with your pup
• Order the quinoa salad as a side—it's "good sized, I think two people could share it"
• Sweet potato fries provide better contrast to the salty street cart toppings than regular fries

Parking & Getting There: Downtown location (35 Broadway) has street parking and is walkable from most downtown SLC hotels. The Sugarhouse location (1201 E Wilmington Ave) has its own lot.

Follow @spitzrestaurant on Instagram for menu updates and location-specific news.

The Bottom Line

In a food scene that sometimes struggles to break out of its comfort zone, Spitz represents something Utah needed—authentic international street food executed with California freshness and made accessible through that upscale quick-service model. Bryce Rademan's vision of marrying "the speed and convenience and price of fast food with the upscale qualities" of fine dining works because the team never compromises on the fundamentals: quality ingredients, made-from-scratch sauces, halal-certified meats, and that perfect döner kebab technique that keeps the meat juicy while developing that caramelized crust.

Whether you're a downtown office worker who needs lunch in 10 minutes, a Park City skier refueling after a powder day, or someone who just wants loaded fries and a local craft beer while playing board games with friends, Spitz delivers. It's fast food that doesn't taste like fast food. It's Mediterranean cuisine that welcomes everyone regardless of dietary restrictions. And most importantly, it's that European street food experience that Rademan fell in love with in Madrid—finally available right here in Salt Lake City.

Next time you're walking down Broadway and you see that vertical spit rotating in the window, stop in. Get the street cart fries. Order a döner wrap. Grab a seat on the patio. And taste why Utah has embraced Spitz as one of its own.