Ruth's Diner

Ruth's Diner holds the distinction of being Utah's oldest continuously operating restaurant, founded in 1930 by Ruth Evans — a former Salt Lake City nightclub singer who parked a converted streetcar in Emigration Canyon and began serving simple American meals to canyon visitors. The diner has remained in operation ever since, through ownership changes, expansions, and renovations, while retaining the informal canyon spirit Ruth established nearly a century ago. The setting is exceptional: the original streetcar still forms part of the dining structure, and a shaded creek-side patio stretches along Emigration Canyon Creek just twenty minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, making the experience feel genuinely removed from the city. Breakfast and brunch are the kitchen's strongest suits. Ruth's mile-high biscuits — tall, flaky, served with house gravy or jam — have become the restaurant's signature item, appearing in Utah food writing for decades. The breakfast skillet, loaded with eggs, vegetables, and hash browns, and the chicken pot pie at lunch and dinner are among the most consistently ordered plates. The menu is broad enough for families: classic pancakes, burgers, soups, and sandwiches cover the full range of comfort-food needs. Brunch draws particularly strong weekend crowds from Salt Lake City, and waits of twenty to forty minutes at peak hours are common and accepted. The atmosphere is genuinely unpretentious — picnic-style outdoor tables, mismatched charm, servers who have worked the canyon for years. Beer and cocktails are available. Ruth's Diner is as much a Salt Lake City institution as any restaurant in the state, and a visit to Emigration Canyon without stopping constitutes a missed opportunity.