Guy Fieri may have American diners covered when he hits the road in Guy’s All-American Road Trip. But Canadians know how to serve up a delicious diner experience, too. Whether you’re looking for a greasy spoon or an elevated take on your classic burgers and breakfasts, here’s a top diner pick for every province and territory across Canada.
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Northern Café and Grill
Address: 1640 East Kent Avenue South, Vancouver, BC
This beloved diner has been crafting homemade family recipes since 2008, combining classics with Canadian and Chinese spins. The menu includes eggs, sandwiches and burgers, but it’s also the place to go if you’re craving wonton soup or potstickers.
At first, Northern Café can be hard to find since it’s at the top of a building next to a lumber yard. But step inside, and you’re met with downright comfort and ambiance, which is why this place was named the top place to eat in Canada last year according to Dished.
True North Diner
Address: 1658 Bedfird Highway, Bedford, NS
Step back in time when you visit this 1950s-inspired diner, with its vintage 1956 jukebox, neon strip lights, and checkered floor. The menu is just as nostalgic, thanks to the juicy smash burgers and frothy milkshakes. You can also enjoy all-day breakfast items like bennies, handhelds, and griddles
Regulars love the large portion sizes and fun ambiance, but they also rave about the low prices and ample parking space.
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Hometown Diner
Address: 210 20th Street W, Saskatoon, SK
If you’re looking for a more modern experience, Saskatoon’s Hometown Diner offers the same communal vibe you get from a diner but with fresh decor that includes exposed bricks, pops of white, and tons of greenery. The locally sourced menu includes daily fresh donuts and riffs on classics like eggs, fried chicken and pancakes. However, you can also order plant-based options like the Mediterranean Bowl or avocado toast.
White Star Diner
Address: 258 Kennedy Street, Winnipeg, MB
Head to Winnipeg’s Exchange District to visit this diner and its bright, retro atmosphere, which fits in perfectly with the area’s arts and culture crowd. There’s a mom-and-pop feel when you settle into the red booths and bite into a meatloaf sandwich or a pulled pork-smothered burger. Top it off with an old-school float or some homemade iced tea.
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Bob’s Corner Take-Out
Address: 74 Catherwood St, Saint John, NB
There aren’t many seating options inside this time capsule of a restaurant, but the food and ambiance make up for the lack of space. Old-school video games, plastic-covered picnic tables, and stuffed mallards on the wall are all a part of why this diner is so charming. As for the food? Well, that’s what has kept the establishment in business for decades.
You can choose from a selection of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, clams, and scallops. The handwritten menu also includes orders like fish sandwiches, poutine and hot turkey.
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Galaxie Diner
Address: 1413 – 11 Street SW, Calgary, AB
Bottomless toast, hash browns and coffee keep the regulars returning to this Calgary diner since its launch in 1996, but patrons also rave about the legendary breakfast burrito and sourdough French toast. The comprehensive all-day breakfast menu will fill your tummy, but you can also order smaller or vegetarian portions.
Meanwhile with an open kitchen, bar stools and vintage booths, the decor is straight out of a 1940s diner.
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Maid Marian’s Diner
Address: 7 Ellis Road, Charlottetown, PEI
This diner has been an Islanders’ favourite for over thirty years, despite a devastating fire in 2009 and a change of ownership in 2017. Today, the restaurant continues to receive rave reviews and is a fan favourite on Trip Advisor. Plus, it’s started selling its own merchandise.
The expansive menu includes everything from an all-day breakfast to themed dinners, like Friar Tuck’s Deluxe burger or Prince John’s fish and chips. Maid Marian is also famed for its roster of homemade pies, which are crafted from a top-secret family recipe and include flavours like cherry, apple and coconut cream.
Pop’s Diner
Address: 29-31 Rowan Street, St. John’s, NL
A family-run restaurant with a nostalgic vibe, Pop’s Diner is like walking back in time to the 1950s. There, a classic jukebox, old-school diner décor and pops of teal against the black-and-white checkered floor await. You can also sit at the bar and watch while cooks whip up diner classics like waffles and eggs. Or, you can indulge in regional fare like fish cakes or Toutons, the pancake-like fried dough Newfoundland is famous for.
The George Street Diner
Address: 129 George Street, Toronto, ON
George Street Diner
Classics are at the heart of this downtown Toronto diner, which boasts tiny red booths, a long counter with stools, and an open-concept kitchen. You can order a slew of greasy spoon options, from Croque Monsieurs to smash burgers, but the diner also specializes in Irish comfort food. Think soda bread, traditional Irish breakfasts and more.
The George Street Diner has topped many of the best diners in Toronto lists and has become so popular with the TO crowd that it now offers merchandise and Irish novelties like Guinness chocolate bars and tea cakes in its tuck shop.
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Deville Dinerbar
Address: 1425 Stanley St, Montreal, QC
What would happen if you combined the old-school diner experience with a modern cocktail bar? You’d get this offering in downtown Montreal. The menu is inspired by American comfort food but elevated with modern ingredients. Think boozy milkshakes, a hot Korean chicken sandwich, or umami steak frites.
Indulge in snacks, seam-busting meals, or craft cocktails while taking in the equally alluring atmosphere, which includes modernized booths, neon signs, and wallpaper featuring classic diner images.
The Snack
Address: 163 Nipisa Street, Iqaluit, NU
Whether you’re craving a greasy bite or a late-night snack, this aptly named resto in Nunavut has you covered. Locals and visitors rave about the selection of French fries, pizzas, sandwiches and burgers, which they serve until 3 a.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays.
The Snack has been operating for more than 30 years, warming guests up inside with its red décor, framed photos and retro-diner-inspired booths.
Burnt Toast
Burnt Toast Cafe
Address: 2112 2nd Avenue, Whitehorse, YT
This New York Times-recommended restaurant features all-day fare and a cozy atmosphere thanks to its vintage photographs and black walls. The menu is comprehensive and impressive, with various creative burger stacks and breakfast items. At night, the diner turns into a wine bar, catering to the snacking crowd with its hearty poutines and Moroccan veggie bites. It’s like an old-school diner meets tapas bar, with plenty of delicious plates to choose from in between.
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The Wildcat Cafe
Address: 3507 Wiley Road, Yellowknife, NT
Yellowknife’s latest iteration of this popular diner just opened in June 2024, continuing the building’s tradition of hosting people since the 1930s. Over the years, this place has been a cafe, ice cream parlour, and even a bathhouse. Now, the city-run establishment transforms into a cafe each summer, so long as the menu aligns with the original one.
This year, chef Niki Mackenzie is operating the place, offering diner takes made with local fare like Klik (a version of Spam) and Slave Lake trout pastrami, as well as delicacies like bison meatloaf, baked beans, and cod spaghetti.