Spotted: Polka-dot Cath Kidston paper plates in spring green, pink and blue

Good For: A cheery salad at the shower or a whimsical slice of birthday cake, of course. Polka dots don’t need explaining, do they?

Where: On Occasion (6910 S. Highland Drive #4, Cottonwood Heights)

How Much: Approximately $4 – $12, depending on size

Here’s the thing: Spoons ‘N Spice (4700 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City and 788 E. 9400 South, Sandy) might not carry the most interesting or artistic kitchen goods, unlike the shops we’re usually drawn to. But if you’re on a search for the perfect spatula, need the right hand juicer, or are after a good breadbox, chances are this all-things-kitchen shop will come in handy.

This place has just about everything. So much so that the Spoons ‘N Spice tagline, “Everything Kitchen,” feels true. We figure this is the kind of local shop that every up-and-coming Salt Lake cook should know about. (If you’re not local, check out the impressive online inventory). As its name suggests, Spoons ‘N Spice is a comfort shop; it even smells good.

It will certainly appeal to the baker in you, with its wall-full of cookie cutters, every-color-of-the-rainbow sprinkles and off-the-hook selection of wooden spoons. And lots of other things. A baking-loving friend just spotted the perfect rotating cake-decorating platter to accompany her mechanical cake decorator. See what we mean?

It’s not all “business” at Spoons ‘N Spice. There are some items fit for gifting: colorful teapots, creme brulee-flavored coffee beans and bright latte bowls. We also like that Spoons ‘N Spice isn’t too cramped or over-cluttered like baking/cooking supply stores often tend to be by nature. Better, the prices are usually reasonable.

The Salt Lake store isn’t quite as vast as the Sandy location, but both offer a nice mix … and mixer.