A Millcreek Culinary Journey 

Millcreek has so many delightful eating establishments to choose from for even the most discerning palates. The tasting crew, which consisted of this reporter, a 10-year-old girl and her 6-year-old sister, set out to find four different restaurants in Millcreek. One for breakfast, one for lunch, one for dinner and by popular demand by the youngest member, one for dessert! Some of the criteria used in our selection was that each place had to be kid friendly, modestly priced and located in Millcreek. 

Breakfast

Over the Counter is the place where our group decided to eat breakfast. This diner is a staple in Millcreek right off of 3300 South and has been in business since 1985. 

Over the Counter diner in Millcreek has been serving locals for 40 years. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

It’s a friendly place that attracts families, friends, coworkers and appeals to boomers, Gen X, millennials, Gen Z and Gen alpha. Basically, all generations love this place. 

Ten year old Lily ordered the spicy sausage hash with sourdough bread and said, “It was very spicy and really good!” We were also served hot coffee, a Shirley Temple along with a tasty green omelet which included avocado, greens, artichokes, feta and came with a side of real breakfast potatoes.

“We serve breakfast and lunch. We have really good sandwiches and cheeseburgers," said  server Bustos. 

The green omelet has avocado and artichokes along with real potatoes on the side served with hot coffee (if you desire) to help start your day. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

"We are open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week and we are busy all the time,” Bustos, who has been working at the diner for eight years. “Our busiest times are on Saturdays and Sundays.” Door Dash keeps them busy too.

A popular item on the menu is, “The Train Reck, it has bacon, sausage, vegetables, meats and they pile it up with eggs and we put gravy on the top. It is the signature plate here. It is really good,” said Bustos. 

“People keep coming back because of the food and the ambiance at the diner,” Bustos added.

“We also have really good pancakes and French toast and the spicy sausage hash is really popular too.”

Over the Counter showed us friendly service that kept our drinks filled and tummies full to start our day.  

Lunch

Millcreek Common was our selection for lunch where family members enjoyed skating, rock climbing, shopping and a splash pad which all helped burn some calories. The activities really worked up our appetite for the gourmet pizza choices at the Millcreek Pizza House (MPH). 

Conveniently located at Millcreek Common, Millcreek Pizza House (MPH) offers delightful gourmet pizzas seven days a week where you can eat and then burn calories skating and playing at Millcreek Common. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

Owned by Stacy and Jim House, the pizza style is heavily influenced by Stacy’s experience growing up in Chicago.

“We have way too much to choose from and on top of that, you can customize anything you have to have on the pizza,” said Abram, who is part of the wait staff at MPH. “There is a T-rex for meat lovers and there is little miss figgy. I am sure, we are not the first place to put figs on a pizza. It has pesto, figs, prosciutto, brie and hot honey. Then there is the papa Smurf which has roasted garlic, alfredo sauce and caramelized onions on it and the white buffalo, which is buffalo chicken pizza.”

Pizzas come in a 10-inch and 16-inch pie selection and during Millcreek Common events, they will offer pizza by the slice. The menu has vegetarian selections along with a gluten-free crust. 

An inside look of Millcreek Pizza House’s dining area. The restaurant has been open since March 2024. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

“We offer mostly pizzas and salads like heirloom tomatoes salad, classic Caesar, and you can build your own salad and pick your own toppings. There is garlic bread and caprese bites,” Abram said.

If you haven’t yet experienced Millcreek Pizza House (MPH), well treat yourself and others. Eating in or takeout is available. The servers are friendly and helpful. “Of course enough can’t be said about our location, location, location,” Abram added. 

MPH is open 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and during the summer until 10 p.m. seven days a week and Abram added, “We serve wine and even local beers.”

Dinner

Gary’s Asian Bistro located in Olympus Hills shopping center was where our crew went for dinner. It opened recently and is owned by Gary Lee.

Gary Lee owns Gary’s Asian Bistro which is located in the Olympus Hills Shopping Center and is a recent addition to the area. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

“I am a chef and I am a restaurateur,” said Lee who has been in the business for over 30 years. Lee started out at Ocean City in 1993 at the Cottonwood Mall then left to start his own restaurant, Asian Star.

“I founded Asian Star in 1998 at the Canyon Racquet Club then later moved to the Union Park location in 2006. I decided to retire two years ago. I sold everything, land, building and business. I was thinking I could retire. But no. Some of us are not made to retire. I just need to work so I am semiretired. I opened this up and it gives me a sense of purpose to get up in the morning,” Lee said. 

Pork potstickers and delectable sauces served at Gary’s Asian Bistro. (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

Lee brought over the chef and some of the staff from Asian Star to this new bistro. Many of the  items on the menu are old favorites from Asian Star like walnut shrimp, General Tso’s chicken and kung pao stir-fry.

We had excellent service from Colby and we all enjoyed family style selections. There was even a kids’ menu and chopsticks along with chopstick helpers and, of course, a fortune cookie which pleased the littles. 

Open six days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and until 9:30 p.m. on weekends and closed on Sundays. 

Sweet Ending

With Utah’s summer heat, it is hard to pass up a chance to eat ice cream. Luckily, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is located in Olympus Hills shopping center too. 

A young server at Handel’s ice cream shop in Olympus Hills Shopping Center serving the good stuff! (Jolene Croasmun/City Journals)

“We have been open for three years now. We are always busy,” said the young cashier at Handel’s. The proof was in the line that had formed in the lobby.

Handel’s was started in 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio by Alice Handel and this store in Millcreek, like all Handel’s shops, offers their own unique flavors of homemade ice cream. 

“We sell cones and dishes and our most popular flavor is probably graham central station,” said the server. Our family settled on sticky fingers, coconut cream pie and blue monster for our evening indulgence after a long hot summer day. It was just yummy!

Handel’s is open seven days a week from noon to 10 p.m. and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.