In 1930, Ruth Evans opened Ruth’s Hamburgers in the old Meredith Building at 120 East Second South in downtown Salt Lake City. When the building was scheduled for demolition in 1946, she purchased an old Utah Light and Traction Company trolley car and moved her business rather than close it. In the spring of 1949 she had the trolley car hauled up Emigration Canyon on a flatbed truck and set it down on a vacant lot where it has been ever since. Ruth lived in the small apartment below the trolley for nearly 40 years, surrounded by her Chihuahuas and a haze of unfiltered cigarettes, until she passed away in 1989 at age 94. Ruth’s Diner appeared in Season 5, Episode 4 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Places You Sent Me,” which aired December 1, 2008. Guy Fieri found biscuit-baking legend Ines Monreal, who had by that point made nearly 3 million biscuits, including some blindfolded. He devoured the fluffy biscuits, tried the braised chicken and deep-fried mac and cheese, and found what he described as an institution worth the drive up the canyon. Ruth’s is Utah’s second-oldest restaurant.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Ruth’s Diner
City: Salt Lake City, Utah
Cuisine: American / Breakfast / Diner
DDD Season: 5
DDD Episode: 4
Episode Title: Places You Sent Me
Original Air Date: December 1, 2008
Address: 2100 Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Phone: 801-582-5807
Website: https://ruthsdiner.com
Status: Open
About Ruth’s Diner
The original trolley car is still the visual centerpiece of the restaurant, surrounded by decades of expansion including creek-side patios with canyon views that fill up every summer. Erik and Tracy Nelson, who met while both working at Ruth’s in the 1980s, purchased the diner in 2007 and have invested significantly in the kitchen and infrastructure while preserving the historical identity of the space. In the busy summer season, Ruth’s serves roughly 4,000 people a week with Sundays drawing close to 900 guests. The biscuits are what Reddit and TripAdvisor both describe as “next level,” which is a designation that tends to be accurate.
What to Eat at Ruth’s Diner
The Mile High Biscuits are the signature and the first thing every table gets on arrival — light, buttery, served with house-made raspberry jam. The Banana Walnut French Toast tops the breakfast chart. The Grandma Claire’s Baked Mac and Cheese is the side dish most regulars add to every order. The Braised Chicken was one of Guy’s highlights during filming. The Deep-Fried Mac and Cheese is the indulgence worth ordering once. The Santa Cruz Omelet — black olives, avocado, sour cream — is the creative breakfast option that surprises first-timers. For lunch and dinner, the Green Chile Cheeseburger and the rotating pie and homemade ice cream selection are the other items worth planning around.
Bring Ruth’s biscuit energy home with Guy Fieri’s Kitchen Textiles to properly outfit your morning kitchen, and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip with Recipes for the broader inspiration.
Plan Your Visit
Ruth’s Diner is open Thursday through Monday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The canyon drive takes about 10 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. Expect a wait on Sunday mornings. Find a Salt Lake City hotel on Booking.com — Ruth’s is a 10-minute drive up the canyon from most downtown hotels.
Address: 2100 Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Phone: 801-582-5807
Website: https://ruthsdiner.com
Status: Open
Flavortown Approved
Ruth’s is Utah history and Triple D history in one stop. Stream the Places You Sent Me episode on Amazon. Salt Lake City has three excellent DDD stops — Ruth’s, Red Iguana, and Lone Star Taqueria make a full day worth planning around.
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Ruth’s Diner appeared in Season 5, Episode 4 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Places You Sent Me,” originally aired December 1, 2008. Ruth Evans founded the original restaurant in 1930. Ruth’s is Utah’s second-oldest operating restaurant.