Small Town Burger Drive-Ins Serve Up a Taste of Nostalgia

As Utah’s summer sun beats down and the open road calls your name, we encourage you to uncover some of Utah’s hidden culinary treasures.

Heather L. King

August 15, 2024

Tucked away in corners of Utah you might not have explored yet are the spots where the burgers are juicy, the shakes are thick, and the locals have been coming for generations.

Hop in as we take a delightful detour to some of the state’s best-kept secrets — small town, long-established drive-ins that serve up more than just nostalgia.

Granny’s Drive In: Heber, Utah

Centrally located in the middle of Heber’s Main Street, Granny’s Drive In is a beloved local institution. Since its inception in 1982, Granny’s has been serving up classic American fare seven days a week in the warm seasons, making it a must-visit destination for both locals and road trip travelers alike.

The menu at Granny’s is filled with fan favorites like loaded fries and their best-selling jalapeno pepper jack burger. Equally popular are the special of the month and beer-battered onion rings.

The most iconic offerings at Granny’s however, are their signature sky-high shakes. Thick, creamy, and available in 10 flavors, they are the stuff of legend and childhood memories. Whether you opt for a traditional raspberry, or venture into more adventurous territory with a flavor like Grasshopper, Rocky Road or Delta First Class, you’re in for a treat that embodies the essence of a classic drive-in experience.

On any given summer’s day, you’ll find families and friends enjoying a meal and sharing a laugh around the bright red picnic tables outside. It’s the place where high school students celebrate victories and couples have their first date together. For anyone visiting Heber, stopping by Granny’s is a tradition that’s good to the last bite.

Merlin’s Drive Inn: Garden City (Bear Lake), Utah

If there’s one thing that every visitor is told to do when they arrive in the vicinity of Bear Lake, it’s getting a Bear Lake raspberry shake. With several old-school drive-ins to choose from in Garden City, Merlin’s Drive Inn has been flipping burgers and spinning shakes for decades in this quaint town.

Choose from indoor or outdoor seating, all with a stunning backdrop of Bear Lake across the road. Then dig into your thick and creamy over-the-top Bear Lake raspberry shake. Merlin’s has mastered the art of incorporating this local berry for the perfect blend of tart and sweet. Several dozen other flavors of shakes are also available.

If you can’t resist the sound and smell of sizzling burgers, try the Merlin or mushroom options. Both comforting and satisfying, Merlin’s is a delightful journey into the heart of Utah’s drive-in culture, promising hearty food and a slice of Americana with every bite.

Milt’s Stop & Eat: Moab, Utah

If you’re heading to Moab, Utah, where red rock formations dominate the landscape, you’ll want to make sure to plan a meal at Milt’s Stop & Eat — a cornerstone of Moab life.

Satisfying appetites since 1954, Milt’s Stop & Eat is Moab’s oldest restaurant — celebrating its 70^th anniversary this year. The iconic burger drive-in is a beloved institution that transports diners to a simpler time and evokes the charm of mid-20th century America.

Milt’s began as a small burger joint founded by Milt Galbraith, who aimed to create a friendly gathering spot where locals and tourists could enjoy delicious, hearty meals. Over the years, its look has remained much the same as it always has, becoming a celebrated landmark known for its classic drive-in fare, friendly service, and a nostalgic atmosphere that keeps patrons returning.

The star of Milt’s menu is undoubtedly the hormone-free, grass-fed burgers crafted with high-quality beef from K Bar Ranch in Green River. Each burger is grilled to perfection, packed with flavor and served with all the traditional fixings. Milt’s still continues their commitment to supporting local food producers — sourcing their honey and produce from Castle Valley Farms and the Moab Farmers Market.

For anyone visiting Moab, a trip to Milt’s Stop & Eat will allow you to become a part of Milt’s legacy. It’s a chance to form friendships, join the locals in catching up on the latest news and refuel after a day of exploring Moab’s natural wonders.

Photo courtesy of Sherald’s Facebook Page.

Sherald’s Frosty Freeze: Price, Utah

Located in Price, Utah, Sherald’s Frosty Freeze has been serving this Carbon County community with delicious frosty treats and more since the 1950s. Known for its ice cream creations as well as cooked-to-order burgers, Sherald’s offers a dining experience that takes patrons back to the golden age of drive-ins with vintage signage and small-town hospitality.

Founded as Sherald’s Burger Bar, the drive-in quickly became a popular spot for its friendly service and consistently tasty food. Today, Sherald’s continues to uphold this tradition for locals and travelers alike.

Sherald’s burgers are cooked to order and served hot off the grill. The signature Sherald’s Deluxe Burger, a fan favorite, features a 1/3 pound steak burger patty topped with savory ham, melted Swiss and American cheeses, crisp lettuce, pickle, onion, tomato, and their signature sauce on a toasted bun.

For those with heartier appetites, the double cheeseburger offers twice the satisfaction. While the burgers are well known, Sherald’s menu boasts a variety of other family-friendly meals including chicken sandwiches, salads, some Greek offerings and tacos and burritos.

Cool down in the summer with classic malts and shakes in a range of flavors with plenty of candy add-ins as well as Italian sodas and floats.

For anyone passing through Price, head to the window, place your order, and savor a piece of Price’s history at Sherald’s.

Shelle’s Drive-In: Gunnison, Utah

As one of the few spots open on Sunday in Gunnison, Shelle’s answers the call for diners looking to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner out seven days a week here. Situated in the heart of Central Utah, a visit to Shelle’s is a pleasant respite to sit for a while as you satisfy your hunger or your sweet tooth with a banana split or dipped cone.

The drive-in serves up casual fare like burgers, fries, shakes and malts, but also a fairly extensive menu of Mexican burritos and tacos, and a full breakfast menu, making it a great spot for the whole family at any time of time of day.

Often raved about, Shelle’s battered fries are hot and crispy. Pair them with other comfort food staples like hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and slushes on the way in or out of town.

From the famous raspberry shakes of Merlin’s in Bear Lake to the red rock mainstay of Milt’s in Moab, these five must-visit drive-ins will add delicious adventure to any road trip. So buckle up, grab your map, and get ready to discover the hidden culinary delights just waiting for you in Utah’s small towns.

Feature Image: Burgers, fries, and onion rings from Granny’s Drive In, Heber, Utah. Photo courtesy of Granny’s Drive In.

Community Relations, Hidden Utah, Small Towns

Heather L. King

Heather is a food and beverage writer and anonymous restaurant critic for a variety of publications in Utah. She’s happy to have reported on Utah’s changing food landscape for more than 20 years. When not dining out, you’ll often find her at local farmers markets shopping for fresh produce and meeting local vendors. During the pandemic lockdown, she spent her time perfecting gin cocktails — often using locally produced spirits and garnishes. She shares her love of great food with her husband and two Great Danes. Her passion for traveling is fueled by experiencing the food cultures of other countries and regions. She owns SLCLunches.com, and you’ll find her sharing her favorite dishes @slclunches.

Community Relations

Has Utah’s Soft-on-Crime Justice Reform Made Communities Safer?

Has this “soft-on-crime” approach resulted in safer streets?

SALT LAKE CITY — A decade has passed since former Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a massive justice reform bill into law in hopes that the state could reduce its prison population and manage low-level offenders through rehabilitation programs instead of incarceration. Has this reinvestment resulted in lower crime and recidivism rates?

According to the Utah Department of Corrections, that landmark Justice Reinvestment Initiative aimed to “continue holding offenders accountable and securing our communities, but in a way that considers individual risks and treatment needs.”

Are communities really safer when mental health and substance use needs are addressed through programs administered outside prison walls? The idea was to treat criminals differently based on their mental health needs and backgrounds. But at least one retired Adult Probation and Parole Officer, believes this “soft-on-crime” approach hasn’t resulted in safer streets.

LOOKING BACK

State Senator Todd Weiler, in that legislative role since 2012, helped drive the passage of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI), a massive bill that enjoyed broad-based approval among state officials and the Legislature as a whole.

In November 2014, Weiler attended the national summit on the issue in San Diego, an event hosted by Pew Charitable Trusts.

“I was very involved in it. We had a lot of high hopes,” Weiler, a Woods Cross Republican, said in a recent interview. “That was about the time we were finalizing plans for the new prison. And we actually said that because of JRI we don’t need as many beds because we’ll be incarcerating fewer people. So that new prison was designed with this idea.”

A key part of JRI dealt with adjusting sentencing for crimes related to addiction, dividing offenders into two basic groups: dangerous criminals who are a threat to society (that group goes to prison), and low-level offenders who get help kicking addictions through state-sponsored programs or private-sector rehabilitation.

“The ultimate goal was if we have an otherwise good person who got caught up in an addiction, and as a result committed crimes, they need to be punished for their crimes,” Weiler said. “It’s not that we’re going to overlook what they did, but we wanted to focus primarily on helping them overcome their addiction and [that means] getting them back to their job and their family.”

Before JRI, low-level drug offenders with felonies would spend years in prison, which wreaked havoc with their lives and future prospects. Addressing the root cause of their theft and property crimes through supervision and treatment made sense.

“We’re all imperfect people,” Weiler said. “So we want people working their jobs, paying their bills and raising their kids rather than sitting in jail and watching TV or playing cards.”

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