Top 5 diners in Toronto
Published February 7, 2025 at 3:40 pm
Diners in Toronto are filled to the brim with history and character. Some of them have been in business for many decades, and have seen other kinds of restaurants surrounding them come and go. Often operating early in the morning or 24 hours a day, these places can be a refuge for partygoers and those who work odd hours.
Strong coffee, good food for fair prices and tight booths are all hallmarks of a great diner. They typically serve all-day breakfast, along with other staples like sandwiches, soups, salads, fries and traditional plates like meatloaf, liver and onions and even steak.
Here are some of the top diners in Toronto.
5 – Aris Place
This Roncesvalles spot flies under the radar despite their glowing old-school orange signage. Inside, you’ll find table seating instead of booths, but there’s still a classic diner feel with a neon sign and staff cooking right in the front window of the restaurant. This place owes its nostalgic vibe to its long history stretching back to 1975.
Their three-egg breakfasts and mega breakfasts are some of their most popular items: smorgasbords of meats, eggs perfectly cooked to your liking, and pancakes, waffles or French toast. Of course, there’s always obligatory home fries and toast on the side.
They also do great burgers as well as hot open sandwiches and souvlaki.
The history of this 24-hour diner extends back to 1940, and even before that, the family behind it had been operating diners since 1918. The restaurant opened its College and Yonge location in 1950 and its location across the street from Massey Hall in 2004.
Their claim to fame is having invented the legendary Banquet Burger with cheese and bacon, which was actually originally named the Forest Hill Burger. It’s still a reliable favourite to this day, with a generous half-pound juicy AAA Canadian house-made burger patty and melted Canadian cheddar cheese.
Some of their other classic options are their all-day breakfasts, meatloaf, shepherd’s pie, orange chicken and spaghetti.
The motto of this diner on Dundas West is “always open,” and the look of the restaurant is so iconic that they’re occasionally closed for film shoots so the space can be used as a set. There’s a long counter for seating and lots of booths with classic coat stands attached.
Their famous handshake sign is a beacon to those stumbling along Dundas or Ossington late at night in search of one more beer or a big greasy platter of food to soak up the evening’s drinks.
They’re known for their staples like poutine, Eggs Benedict, burgers, omelettes and sandwiches, especially the Lakeview Club made with their signature cornflake chicken and soft toasty challah. Milkshakes here are also not to be missed.
You can easily spot this King East diner thanks to its eye-catching neon sign. Built in the 1950s, this restaurant has been family-owned since 1967 and stepping inside feels like travelling through time.
Construction workers and couples sit shoulder to shoulder at a counter behind which all the cooking takes place out in the open, or people squeeze into tiny booths with coat racks.
Traditional breakfasts, triple-decker sandwiches, hot sandwiches and burgers are always on the menu but come on Fridays for their meatloaf with gravy and potatoes that feels like a soft, warm hug. Take care to note, their ancient register still only accepts cash.
Named for the downtown street where it’s located, this tiny bright red diner is the place to go if you want a genuine full Irish breakfast. George Street Diner also has a look that’s earned its status as a film set with the typical booths on one side, counter on the other, and grill behind.
Their massive Irish breakfast comes with two free-range eggs, Irish link sausage, an Irish back bacon rasher, Belfast ham, Irish black and white pudding, sauteed mushrooms and onions, seared tomato, baked beans, potatoes and their Farrelly’s famous Irish soda bread.
It’s an opportunity to try a little of everything: the black and white puddings are crumbly but rich, and the soda bread is like toast with a twist, buttery and crunchy.
The best way to wash the whole thing down is with a massive mug of Barry’s Irish tea. If you’re looking for other Irish snacks and products, they’ve got some of those in stock, too.
