Ruth's Diner

Ruth's Diner is a local favorite located about five minutes up Emigration Canyon just east of the city. The restaurant is housed in a refurbished Salt Lake City trolley car. The city had a trolley system from the turn of the century initial the 1940's. Ruth (yes there actually was Ruth) bought one of the cars for her restaurant and built a small apartment on the back of it to live in. Ruth was a fascinating character who passed away in 1989 at the age of 94. When the city passed an ordinance requiring all restaurants to include a nonsmoking section, the fiercely independent Ruth placed a "No Smoking" sign over a single stool at the end of the bar and called it the no smoking section. She herself didn't switch to filtered cigarettes until her 80's.

The restaurant has been expanded and modernized over the years, but the original rail car is still part of the restaurant and the two successive owners have stayed pretty true to Ruth's original vision. They have a wonderful back patio that is truly a great experience on warm summer evenings, or lazy Sunday afternoons. If you're planning a trip, pay them a visit. http://www.ruthsdiner.com/