RICHFIELD, Utah — A restaurant in central Utah is giving new life to a historic building while serving up comfort food with a modern twist.
Severo, located on Main Street in Richfield, combines locally sourced ingredients, familiar flavors and a historic setting that reflects the community’s past.
“We kind of coined the term modern frontier dining because we wanted to do a modern twist on comfort food using local ingredients,” owner Joseph Mecham said.
The restaurant sources ingredients from local farms when possible and even has a partnership with a local high school where students grow herbs and other ingredients.
But Severo’s story is about more than food. Mecham said his path to opening the restaurant in Richfield was also shaped by love.
When he began dating his now-wife, she made it clear that she planned to return to Richfield.
“She said, just so you know, if you’re going to date me, I’m moving back to Richfield,” Mecham said.
After years of working in other restaurants and developing recipes he loved, Mecham saw an opportunity to bring his long-held dream to Richfield.
“My dad owned restaurants all growing up. It’s what I’ve always done, and I kind of tried to get out of cooking a couple times in my twenties, and I just always came back to it,” he said. “I love making people happy with food.”
The building itself also has a story of its own. Severo is housed in a historic building that dates back to the late 1800s. The first portion was built in 1889, with the remainder completed in 1903.
Over the years, the building has served different purposes, including a bank and a hospital, before becoming home to the restaurant.
“People will say, ‘Oh, my grandmother was born upstairs,’ and this is so cool you got this building back up and alive,” he said.
As the restaurant continues to grow, Mecham said Severo is beginning to outgrow its current space and he is looking toward the future. For now, visitors can still find the restaurant serving elevated comfort food on Main Street in Richfield.
“I hope they come hungry and leave full and happy,” he said.
To learn more about Severo, including its menu and hours, visit this link.