One of my favorite childhood memories of growing up in Layton in the early 1980s was our family’s occasional trips to eat at the diner inside Layton Drug. 

Likely one of the last holdouts in a bygone era, Layton Drug (sadly it closed in the early ’90s) was the place to hang out — whether you settled onto your favorite barstool for your morning cup of coffee, grabbed a fresh-cooked burger for lunch, or enjoyed sharing a handmade milkshake and order of crispy French fries with your classmates after school. It was clear that Layton Drug hearkened back to the drug stores of the ’50s and ’60s where you could enjoy a Coca-Cola or maybe even splurge on a Black Cow or Root Beer Float while also waiting to pick up a prescription. 

That flood of childhood memories came rushing back as I walked into Parley’s Place Diner, located inside the Salem Hills Pharmacy in Salem. 

This diner is the perfect recreation of the ’50s charm, a charm that has been lost amid all the fast food chains that dot our restaurant landscape. 

Black-and-white checkerboard floors lead you into the diner where you are greeted by “soda jerks” working behind the bar. Sidle up to the bar on one of the candy apple red twirling barstools, grab a menu and let the decision making begin. As you wait for your meal, enjoy the throwback decor, admire the diamond-plated accents and gaze at the silver, blinged-out pendant lights. 

The menu at Parley’s Place is loaded with tons of delicious, hot-off-the-grill options — double cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, footlongs, chicken malibu sandwiches, and much more. Add fresh-cut French fries and a drink for a great combo meal. You can also substitute a side salad in place of those fries. 

With my husband and kids out hunting for the night, I was enjoying a bit of a “deer widow” solo dinner, but still wanted to try a couple of different items on the menu. Whatever I didn’t eat would make great leftovers for the boys when they got off the mountain, so I ordered both the Ryan’s Burger — a huge bacon, Swiss burger topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms — and two of their Sliders with added cheese, both meals loaded with fries.

The Sliders were delicious and packed with flavor. Gooey with cheese these filling-yet-bite-sized burgers were laced with a zesty special sauce and a pickle or two.

The Ryan’s Burger was another tasty surprise. I was a little nervous, with all those delicious ingredients piled onto a bun, that it would become a soggy mess. I was wrong. First off, the bun was perfect — not too dry yet hearty enough to keep the burger together. And every ingredient on that patty, even down to the lettuce and tomato, were easily distinguishable. I could fully enjoy the melty Swiss cheese, taste the smoky bacon, while also delighting in the mushrooms and sauteed onions. Burger success in my book.

The French fries, dipped in either fry sauce or tangy sour-cream-based white sauce, were fresh, crispy and piping hot, just what you would hope for from a hometown diner.   

Even though I tried really hard to resist the allure of the milkshakes at Parley’s Place, I caved and with the helpful suggestions of a sweet “soda jerk,” she and I decided the Cherry Cordial Shake would be a great option. With maraschino cherries, fudge and marshmallow mixed into the ice cream, it was a delicious treat. 

Parley’s Place has one of the most diverse milkshake flavors list I’ve ever found. Amid the traditional fruity, chocolately, caramely and even candy bar favorites, it also boasts bacon, coffee, red passion fruit, red sangria, cupcake, watermelon and mojito mint. I could easily envision someone enjoying a maple bacon shake or maybe a coffee brownie combination. 

Parley’s also suggests a few of its signature shakes like the Lucky Charms featuring actual Lucky Charms cereal and the Parley’s Samoa filled with Oreos, caramel and coconut. 

If you are looking for a fun new place to take the family, or even just want to relive your own ’50s style diner memories, Parley’s Place Diner is a great option. 

PARLEY’S PLACE DINER

Where: 118 N. Main St., Salem

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Prices: Shakes $2.79-$4.99, entrees $5-$10. Daily lunch special is $3.99. 

Info: salemhillspharmacy.com/parleys_place.html, (801) 844-8980