The Joseph Smith Memorial Building’s rooftop restaurant has reopened to the public on Temple Square.
Also, recent renovation work on the Salt Lake Temple includes new chandeliers in sealing rooms and progress on the sealing-wing addition and entrance buildings.
This Temple Square news was announced Nov. 14 on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Read more about these updates below.
The Roof Restaurant reopens
Originally opened in 1914, The Roof Restaurant was closed in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And now, following a substantial renovation, the restaurant has reopened on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building — overlooking the historic Salt Lake Temple.
Instead of its former buffet style, The Roof Restaurant is now a sit-down, a la carte dining experience. Its menu, inspired by local flavors, features Utah themes and favorites like Funeral Potato Bites and Beehive Chicken.
Other menu items include salads, sandwiches, burgers, wood-fired flatbreads, signature steaks, an alcohol-free beverage menu and a kids menu. Also available is the Utah Scone, made from a fried Lion House roll, and desserts implementing local honey.
Now open for lunch and dinner, The Roof Restaurant is taking reservations between 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit theroofslc.com.
Other areas of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building are already accessible to the public, including the lobby, the mezzanine and The Garden Restaurant, which is now on the lobby level.
Sealing wing and entrance buildings
Renovations continue on the Salt Lake Temple, with recent work including new chandeliers installed, completion nearing on a sealing-wing addition and construction progressing on entrance buildings.
New chandeliers have been installed in north-addition sealing rooms. Original chandeliers, recently restored, have also been placed in the assembly room. These chandeliers are designed to blend with the temple’s original 19th-century aesthetic.
The north side’s sealing-wing addition is nearly complete, with detailed stonework and the installation of new windows. To provide additional space for sacred ordinances, the temple will have in total 22 sealing rooms — 10 in the temple structure, including the sealing wing, with 12 in the north addition.
Construction is progressing on the North Temple entrance buildings, including progress with stone cladding and walkways. Landscaping is also taking shape.
Finish work is underway inside the main lobby area of the entrance buildings, including detailed trim and millwork.
Panels have recently been installed on the east side of the West Temple entrance building, to display the phrases “Holiness to the Lord” and “House of the Lord.” These were engraved in the stonework off-site, then the lettering’s gold gilding was applied after installation.
Previous interior renovation updates in 2025
Several interior renovation updates have been given for the Salt Lake Temple this year, including the following:
- Wood flooring was installed in the assembly room.
- Finish work was completed in several rooms, including bas-relief wallpaper added.
- The “Holiness to the Lord” panel was restored and regilded in gold leaf.
- Scaffolding was removed from the large assembly room.
- Chandeliers were added to the north addition’s sealing rooms.
- The original 12 cast-iron oxen were reinstalled in the east baptistry.
- Using advanced laser technology, crews were removing old varnish from the circular stairway paneling inside the temple’s corner towers.
- Workers were restoring and replicating the ornate wood paneling, beams and stenciling, including reapplying gold leaf, adding detailed stencil designs and repairing aged wood elements.
- Finish work was underway for the north addition sealing rooms, celestial room and adjoining original sealing rooms.
Then-Church President Russell M. Nelson also announced in a Feb. 14 social media post that the Salt Lake Temple will hold a public open house from April to October 2027. He wrote, “We warmly invite our friends to come and learn about God’s plan for His children and rejoice in the love of Jesus Christ.”
