By Courtney Buell
Photography by Cody Buell

Until last week, diners weren’t a big part of my life. In college, I might have stopped at a 24-hour chain in a fit of desperation brought on by an all-nighter, but it was never much to get excited about. It’s kind of like fast food on a plate and the comfort food they serve up is consistently short of comforting.
So when we saw Utah’s own Blue Plate Diner featured on the Food Network for its homemade spin on eclectic comfort food, we knew we had to finally give it a try. This place is all a diner should be, and offers something for everyone—from breakfast, lunch, or dinner to vegan, vegetarian or meat-loaded, you’ll find something to satisfy.

At this retro-inspired outpost, veggie or beef burgers can be ordered with a variety of unlikely but delicious toppings like fresh mozzarella, havarti and homemade hummus. Our classically-prepared bacon cheeseburger did anything but disappoint, and it came with a jumbo portion of steak fries. Breakfast choices are especially plentiful, with eight omelette combos as well as build-your-own options. Eggs benedict, on the other hand, come five different ways, one of which includes smoked-on-the-premises salmon. We tried the classic benedict with poached eggs, tomato and Canadian bacon on an English muffin. The accompanying homefries came in handy for soaking up every last drop of delicious and buttery hollandaise sauce.

This diner does dinner, too. The menu includes classics like homemade meatloaf, chicken fried steak and roast turkey dinner with cranberry sauce. Save room (if you can) for one of their tasty malts or a slice of pie a la mode.
The fact that almost everything is made from scratch at the Blue Plate Diner multiplies its appeal. The kitschy decor and friendly staff don’t hurt the score, either. They might not be open 24 hours, but they don’t need to be. With charming appeal and good flavor, this diner can handle the prime time competition.
{Feeling Blue}
Blue Plate Diner
2041 S. 2100 East
Salt Lake City, Utah
(801) 463-1151
Open Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
www.myspace.com/blueplatediner