One of my favorite rituals when I visit my guy M in Salt Lake City is going for an afternoon ride in the mountains. On my last visit, we headed for the town of Oakley, UT for lunch at the Road Island Diner.
We cruised through the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and down a single lane road, passing several small towns, farms and pastures. By the time we reached the diner, we had worked up quite an appetite.
We parked our bikes out front, and Chef Steve showed us to a table with its own remote jukebox. The orignial diner car was built in 1939 and was transported to Oakley, UT in 2007 for preservation. It has been carefully restored from photographs to closely resemble its factory form.
The menu offers a modern twist on classic diner fare, “slow” food made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. As a starter, we ordered the silver dollar crab cakes. For lunch, I enjoyed the house made meatloaf sandwich with marinara sauce. After my first bight, I told Steve, “It’s so good!” He corrected me, “It’s slow good.”
For dessert, we devoured one slice each of Steve’s coconut cream and strawberry pie topped with homemade peach and blackberry ice cream. What a treat!
Our summer day trip turned out to be a feast for all of the senses, from the fresh mountain air to the savory meatloaf sandwich. Whether you live in Salt Lake City or you are just visiting, I highly recommend a day trip to the Road Island Diner, open Thursday thru Sunday only!
Road Island Diner
- Address: 981 West Weber Canyon Rd, Oakley, UT 84055
- Phone: 435-783-DINR
- Hours: Thursday thru Sunday 7:00am to 9:00pm
- Scenic Directions: I-80 East to 189 South to Browns Canyon Rd. Take 32 S to W Weber Canyon Rd.
- More Scenic Directions: In the words of my friend Blake: “Bearing south out of SLC hugging the foothills of the Wasatch range, we knew it was going to be a mountainous journey. As we approached the mouth of this diverse canyon, chills of thrills ran rampant through our veins. Gliding through the switchbacks of Big Cottonwood Canyon was only the beginning. We crested the canyon at Guardsmans Pass then advanced on the descending access road into Heber City. The scenic traverse along the water’s edge of Jordanelle Reservoir called to us with a brisk high mountain tone of enchantment and curiosity. And there we were, Gods country as they say, entering the city of Oakley where our majestic little train car lay arrest.”
