Best lunch counters! No silly, not that kind...!

[Cave Carson]

Here is a list, from east to west, of a dozen of my favourite restaurants where you are not likely to impress a lady friend but where you can get a very good meal at a reasonable price:

Original Bo Peep - Kingston Rd. near Cliffside

Lakeview Fish & Chips - Queen St. E. just west of Victoria Park

Goof Restaurant - Queen St. E. near Balmy Beach Blvd.

Anchor Fish & Chips (Double the fish of most places for the same price!) - Kingston Rd. east of Woodbine

The Tulip (Tremendous steaks for the price!) - Queen St. E. at Coxwell

Logan Grill - Gerrard St. at Logan

Victoria Coffee Shop - Queen St. East at Victoria

Lindy's Restaurants (Inexpensive but decent steaks!) - Yonge St. south of Carlton

Coach House Restaurant - Yonge St. north of Wellesley

Avenue Coffee Shop - Davenport St. at Avenue Rd.

People's Foods Restaurant - Dupont east of Spadina

Bloor - Jane Restaurant - Bloor St. east of Jane

The restaurants I miss the most are A&W Drive-Ins, the Nag's Head on King St. near Yonge, Diana Sweets/Joe Birds Lounge on Yonge near Richmond, Elias Bros. Big Boy on Yonge near Queen and the Dairy Dell on Annette just east of Jane which some evil wretch converted to another me-too Irish pub just last summer!


__________________

[Astroboy]

If you ever have a mad craving for steak, check out T-Bones on eglinton near midland....24/7 baby, if your there at like 3am enough LE to chill with :)

[Sheik]

How could anyone miss Duckworth's Fish n Chips across from the Bo Peep?

Or the now defunct Bobby Rubinos place for ribs...

Alice Fazoolis downtown...

Honorable mention: The waitresses at Hooters downtown (the food sucks but the beer and babes make up for it)

[james t kirk]

The big slice on Younge and Gerrard.

Still the best slice in town.

(When it's hot)

Also, the Black Dog Pub in Pickering just south of the 401 off Port Union Road.

THE BEST FISH AND CHIPS.

[Astroboy]

Mamas Pizza, on Dawes Road, north of Danforth, but be careful when he asks how big you want your calzone!

[Hepcat]

Kirk!

You have me confused! I believe Port Union Road is entirely in Scarborough not Pickering.

Astroboy!

Mamas Pizza sounds like my kind of place. I'll check it out this weekend!

If you are ever in London, make a point of visiting Mario's on Clarence St. downtown or Tony's on Dundas Street east of Quebec St. opposite the Western Fairgrounds for some panzerotti. I believe that one of these two places "invented" this delicacy - a deep-fried pizza! The size of the panzerotti at Tony's is so incredible that you don't believe you have any chance of finishing the whole thing! Definitely for the young man!



:)

[Sheik]

Black Dog is indeed in Scarborough, not Pickering.

[Captain Bly]

As is the mad dog???

[luckyjackson]

Best Steak and Veal Sandwiches,

San Frans on Clinton, (not the other imitation places by the same name), and very honourable mention to California Sandwiches around the corner.

Hot Steak, small olives...and a Brio.....aaaahhhhh best thing after a trip to your favourite MP

[Hepcat]

Astroboy!

So I strolled up to Mamas Pizza (which is actually over a kilometre north of Danforth) early Saturday evening for some calzone and it was closed! For good!

:mad:

[Girlwatchr]

Three Restaurants that may not classify as lunch counters but can still provide an excellent lunch at very reasonable cost are:

1) IL Paesano 396 Brown's Line--South of Evans Avenue, North of I & P Studio, on the west side of the street--best Pizza in the West end of the city.

2) The Grill 1596 The Queensway, East of 427 on the north side of the road right across from Licks.-- Great burgers and Steak.--What a burger joint used to be!

3) Miller’s Country Fare 5140 Dundas Street West On the north side of the road about a block east of Islington --Great chicken fast service

I was saddened to hear of the demise of the Dairy Dell—One of my last connections with high school in the early sixties and almost totally unchanged.

[Fine Wine]

that the learned members of this board have not nominated Mars Restaurant on College Street for best lunch counter, because it wins, hands down. When I first came to TO in the 60s, I was introduced to Mars and it became my home away from home. I moved away and returned again in the 80s and visit there regularly when I ventured down from the rolling country side. For breakfast you can't beat their corned beef hash and for lunch or dinner you will die for their liver, onions and bacon. Mars has been going for over 50 years and I highly recommend it to fellow board members. Regretably, they do not serve...


...Fine Wine...!

[Cave Carson]

Wino!

I'm well aware of the Mars Restaurant! I had a late lunch there of a ham steak just today! The problem with Mars is it has become a parody of itself i.e. the prototypical diner! The result is noticeably higher prices than the other similar diners I've mentioned! Also, the mashed potatoes at Mars taste like they've been made from an instant mix!

[Foxhound]

Watcher!

I love Miller's Country Fare Restaurant! It's sort of like a Swiss Chalet but it's not part of an impersonal chain and it has a slightly more varied menu. Try the country sausages or tourtiere or just get a combination plate!

Here are some more diners that belong on this list:

Dundas Street Grille - near Kipling

Goody's Diner - Sherbourne at Dundas

Jim's Best Westerns Restaurant - Queen St. East near Leslie

Rib House Restaurant - Woodbine St. north of Lumsden

Wimpy's Restaurant - Kingston Rd. east of Warden


:cool:

[Cave Carson]

Another diner I really miss is the Rainbow Cafe which was in the southeast corner of the basement level of the downtown Bay store on Queen Street. It was moved to the southwest corner and renamed the Coffee Shop perhaps seven years ago but it lost something in the transition (besides the wonderful name). The Coffee Shop was closed as well perhaps six months ago.

:(

[Foxhound]

TERBites journeying to enjoy some ballet in Niagara Falls may want to stop off at Hutch's on Van Wagners Beach Road in Hamilton. This place is an absolute classic lost in time! Hutch's is set on the beach and the original neon sign dating back to the twenties is sure to catch your eye. Weekly cruise nights are held in the summer. The burgers by themselves are worth the trip (but avoid the fish and chips)!

The eateries I miss the most are the lunch counters in Kresge and Woolworths stores where I could often get my mother to buy me a metal dish of ice cream. The banana splits were far too much to ask for and I had to content myself with gazing wistfully at the cardboard cutouts on the wall picturing these fabulous syrupy treats!

;)

[Jenn_angel]

House of Tae... On Weston Rd just below Finch... 30$ to feed 6 people...

On Bloor by Perth Ave... There is this little grocery store/deli... Homde soup to die for! I used to get a sandwich on a fresh baked roll the (6 inches long or so) Loaded with what ever you wanted for dirt cheap... I think I pay $3.50 For that and a can of Brio... The woman who runs it is ultra sweet! Don't ask me the name... I can't remember... The sign is too faded to stand out...

[shack]

Veal sandwiches are my favourite and I must agree with Monsieur Jackson as to San Fran's and California.
I think the west end of town is being left out and must say that the Texas Longhorn Cafe on Dundas in Mississauga has the best fajitas anywhere.

[Hepcat]

Among the tiniest and the best lunch counters around is Euro Burgers on Pape St. just north of Bloor. I've been going there for years. Very cozy!

Personally I love any place that has either a Campbell's Soup display or a Kellogg's Cereal display! Either of these provides a nice "homey" touch adding to character/atmosphere. A liquor license intrinsically detracts from atmosphere and the clientele attracted by the liquor license further detracts from the comfortable lunch counter atmosphere!

[iguana]

If you're in the Shep/Vic PArk area try "Delicioso". It's a house, just before a plaza on Vic Park between Shep and Finch.
Also I think the Black Dog is in Pickering.

[peteeey]

How about Country Style (the restaurant, not the doughnut chain) on Bloor between Brunswick and Bathurst for hardy schnitzel and a moderate price? I think the only one left of many great Hungarian restaurants in that area.

[shack]

I used to love the wooden platter at The Continental across from Country Style. It was the best. The Shmenges (SCTV) used to eat there.

[Cave Carson]

I was delighted to discover a diner yesterday that I could add to my list of Grade A approved eateries - the Purple Onion Steakhouse on the east side of Keele Street just south of St. Clair! Both the building and the decor are perhaps unchanged from the fifties, right down to the counter and the Hamilton Beach milkshake mixer. An inconspicuous print combining images of the Three Stooges, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin has at some point been added in an effort to reinforce the "diner" image with yuppies incapable of appreciating the real thing.

I found the breakfast plates combining either bacon, sausages, pancakes and homefries with eggs or else bacon, sausages, ham, hamburger pattie and homefries with eggs extremely tempting but I was determined to compare the quality of the steak with that of the Tulip Restaurant on Queen Street East. I wasn't disappointed! The garlic bread and mashed potatoes included in the price were an added plus but the coup-de-grace was the side order of fried onions and mushrooms to which I treated myself! Mmm, mmm, good! A tough meal to top indeed!

What troubles me, however, is that a gem like the Purple Onion should have been mentioned sooner! Some of you TERBites were clearly holding out on the rest of us!

:mad:

[eggman]

Hey Captain!

I respectfully disagree about the Big Slice. I used to go there
a few years back and I swear I almost broke some teeth
on those slices LOL... they were a liiiiitle tough. The cleanliness
was not the best either ( I won't get into that).

Over and out...Beam me up!

[k57]

Originally posted by Sheik
How could anyone miss Duckworth's Fish n Chips across from the Bo Peep?

Duckworth's used to be good Sheik, but the quality of their fare, not to mention the size of the portions, has gone downhill. A run of the mill restaurant in a run-down strip plaza had something going, but the fame went to their head.
Mind you, I haven't bothered going there in a couple of years because I was displeased with their fare: has it improved back to its days of glory?

[t_dot]

after reading all these post i'm surprised that some of my favorite places have been left out. here is a selection of my faves:

1. harbourd fish and chips. deffinately the best around. the only problem is they have no indoor seating, so unless you live close you'll need to sit on the pick-nick tables.

2. and what about the vesta lunch counter? i'm a huge fan of the hollywood sandwich at this place. plus if you see april the indy it's convienently located at dupont and bathurst for you.

3. as for pizza, i agree with the poster that dissed the big slice. that place is for '905ers' that made the trip down town. if you want a real pie, check out vesuvio on dundas west.

4. dupont chicken restaurant, has anyone been here? if you like portougese style chicken it's probaly the best value in town. $5.50 for a half chicken with lots of rice and potatoes. plus it's right down the street from the famous nona at dupont and symington.

i have more but i'll stop there. enjoy.

[Cave Carson]

Good stuff Dot! We need more TERBites posting their favourites. One person can't possibly know every single neighbourhood in the city!

:D

[revolver]

For greek food, Asteria on Danforth a couple blocks east of DVP on north side. Good food and good prices.

Mayday Malone's on Bathurst just south of Dupont, pizza and the like. They have a very good pizza and salad special for lunch.

[Shrugged]

Kirk!

You have me confused! I believe Port Union Road is entirely in Scarborough not Pickering.

Astroboy!

Mamas Pizza sounds like my kind of place. I'll check it out this weekend!

If you are ever in London, make a point of visiting Mario's on Clarence St. downtown or Tony's on Dundas Street east of Quebec St. opposite the Western Fairgrounds for some panzerotti. I believe that one of these two places "invented" this delicacy - a deep-fried pizza! The size of the panzerotti at Tony's is so incredible that you don't believe you have any chance of finishing the whole thing! Definitely for the young man!






I'm from London originally and would dine on these panzerotti as often as possible! They also came with a delicious meat sauce to dip in.

I have searched high and low in the city and I just cant find a decent panzerotti!? or even a place that offers the sauce to go along with it.

If anyone knows a good place, please, please, let me know!

Bonus points if they deliver ;)

[TheShadow]

Wow!Another 6 yr old thread.Funny reading old posts and seeing how many people are now banned,or just not here anymore!

[hickorysticks]

TERBites journeying to enjoy some ballet in Niagara Falls may want to stop off at Hutch's on Van Wagners Beach Road in Hamilton. This place is an absolute classic lost in time! Hutch's is set on the beach and the original neon sign dating back to the twenties is sure to catch your eye. Weekly cruise nights are held in the summer. The burgers by themselves are worth the trip (but avoid the fish and chips)!


Yes Hutch's on the Beach still remains one of my favourite spots... it's so lovely for stopping off after a romantic walk along the strip, and sitting on the rocks gazing out at the water watching the sun set.

[Inferno]

I have searched high and low in the city and I just cant find a decent Pavarotti!? If anyone knows a good place, please, please, let me know!

Pavarotti's dead; I think you mean panzerotti/panzerotto, aka calzone.

Can't recommend a good one - just the thought of deep-fried pizza makes my arteries harden - but a few Italian fast food restaurants still serve it.

[Shrugged]

Pavarotti's dead; I think you mean panzerotti/panzerotto, aka calzone.

Can't recommend a good one - just the thought of deep-fried pizza makes my arteries harden - but a few Italian fast food restaurants still serve it.


Thanks! wow, cant believe I wrote that! I dont function that well in the morning!