Dining on the Avenue

There’s great charm in finding a local diner you can make your own — a place where the cooks know your name, your order and the rest of your family. Avenue Diner (222 Davenport Rd.) isn’t this place for me (yet), but it clearly has a place in the hearts of its many loyal patrons.

This was my first visit to the diner I’ve passed many times and always said: “I’ve still got to try that place.” Aside from the six tables and 10 stools along the counter, the interior is filled with signed headshots of celebrities, branded apparel hanging for purchase and kitschy old-school Coca-Cola paraphernalia.

The other visitors were not first-timers like me. An older women went straight up to the cooks to say hello before taking a seat at the front table and other guests were greeted by name. For a few moments, I actually felt a bit like an outsider, but then the server took my order with a smile and I found I was already pre-planning my next visit.

On this Saturday, brunch started with an order of Fries. These are everything you’d expect from a good diner; Crispy, lightly golden with a couple drops of oil collecting near the edge. Add a long squirt of ketchup and dig right in.

Classic diner food begins and ends with a club sandwich. The Avenue Club ($8.25) comes with slices of white-meat chicken, crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato with a side dollop of mayo.

For those who need something more breakfast-y, try the Toasted Western Sandwich ($5.75). Add a slice of processed cheese (way better than real cheese in this case) to the egg, ham and onion, and you’ve got a magnificent start to your day.

Even if you normally like breakfast at home, thanks to the friendly atmosphere and very reasonable prices, Avenue Diner is the kind of place that will make a loyal customer out of anyone.

Avenue Diner / 222 Davenport Ave., Toronto
416 924 5191