Brant Street Cafe

I go here about once a week for lunch during work. Either the special of the day or the regular hamburger and fries. The great thing about Jon and Mama is the way they interact with you. I still remember my first time there and they were very kind while interacting with their regulars and soon enough I became one of those regulars as well. If sometimes I’m not feeling like anything on the menu, they’re willing to make something custom exactly how I want it. Can’t go wrong with the breakfast either… even when I ask for fries instead of potatoes. Simple diner with amazing service!

For about a year, I’ve lived around the corner from this place and decided today was the day to try it out. It’s a diner, through and through. No pretentiousness, no frills, nothing that doesn’t need to be there.
The gentleman behind the counter could tell we were first timers and let us know about the specials and gave a brief synopsis of the various foods they have there. Seriously, it’s a huge range of items. We ordered and were told to take a seat until our orders were up. I noticed there was also a fridge and a large ice-​cream fridge (which I don’t think had any ice cream in it), but I guess those were self serve. There’s no prompting to pay either, so we settled up after eating.
So I had a club sandwich and stole a few of my dining partner’s fries. It was exactly how a club sandwich at a diner should be — crunchy lettuce, ripe tomato, crispy bacon, the right amount of mayo. I thought my sandwich was a bit steep, price-​wise, but with the addition of fries, it would have been about right. The proprietor and a couple of construction workers chatted over their lunch about the local sports teams and other manly things. I can sense there’s a large appreciation for regular clients.
I really liked it here. The atmosphere and food were great. In a city where every dining establishment seeks to have an intentional ambiance, adopts gimmicks and experiments wildly with what should be classic dishes, Brant Street Café is functional, appropriately bland and satisfying. You can bet I’ll go back.

A cozy mom and son shop with delicious, simple diner food.

This diner is right near my work so I thought I’d give it a whirl. Here’s the pros and cons I experienced.
PROS: Tasty, tasty, tasty. Ordered a BLT on whole wheat with fries so that really could have gone either way (it’s a middle ground, plain jane sort of order for when you don’t want to eat anything too healthy or too bad for you haha). I’ve eaten a lot of tasteless sandwiches in my day, but this one was really good. The fries were deep fried fresh, so again, very tasty. Also, you get served quickly. Price was fair too: for my sandwich and fries plus a coca-​cola, it came to $ 8.05. I handed the guy a $ 20 (but I didn’t have 5 cents on me) and he gave me back an even $ 12.
CONS: It’s a small café/​diner. Very hot inside because the kitchen/​grill is just behind the counter. Not a lot of seating and what’s there is usually occupied by regulars who chat back and forth with the owners behind the counter. They are definitely much more friendly with their regulars. That’s not to say they were rude but it all felt very rushed, like they wanted me out of the way so they could focus on chatting up their regulars. They were in such a hurry they almost didn’t charge me and I don’t think they would have at all if I hadn’t stayed put and made sure they got my cash.
Worth going back? Definitely. The food has a homemade touch that gives it a yummy competitive advantage over generic chains like Tim Horton’s.

This is a great Mom ‘n Pop type place. But instead of the Pop, it’s the Son. So, it’s Mom ‘n Son.
Home-​cookin’ if you don’t feel like cookin’ for yourself. You’ve got your familiar dishes like mac ‘n cheese, an assortment of sandwiches, chips ‘n snacks, fish ‘n chips, veggie and regular burgers, salads and good olé frickin’ soup.
I drop in here if I feel for a grilled cheese on whole wheat and a side of fries for $ 5-​something. Or a club sandwich for $ 6.20.
The dining environment is so easy going. I bet you can spill something on yourself and nobody will care.
A real diner without that typical Toronto hipness with those typical gouge-​your-​eyes-​out prices. Friendly, affordable and a nice little getaway from white-​collar stress.

John and ‘Mom’ have been running this small café for as long as I can remember. I live around the corner, and go here often, coffee with breakfast for under $ 5!
They have a steady and loyal clientele from the attached office building, nearby schools, and property managers.
Johan and ‘Mom’ are both very friendly, and it is amazing to see how they know every single customer’s names!
They have all-​day breakfast, typical burger/​sandwich fare, and daily specials like lasagna, souvlaki, and mac’n’cheese.
Friendly service, good food, great prices. your basic cheap and ceerful staple.
Closed weekends