I just came back from visiting friends and family in Toronto. Canada’s largest city might be a cultural hub and the country’s financial capital, but it is not particularly interested in fine dining. In general, Canadians are just not that fancy.
Because I spent most of my formative years there, this is kind of my gastro ideology too. On my trip, I did not have a list of new and “bougie” must-try restaurants to visit. Instead, I was constantly drawn to eating at those most quintessential of North American casual eateries: diners.
Across the United States and Canada, these popular venues serve up simple comfort fare. You might say diners are the North American equivalent of Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng.
Most true diners are neighbourhood hang-outs, often with an overly chatty waitress ready with another coffee refill, and a cook in a grease-covered apron preparing multiple meals at once on a flat-top grill.
Typical and iconic is a long, laminated sit-down counter, next to banquette booths that are the right mix of cosy and privacy. You could picture teenagers having their first dates here, sharing a milkshake with two straws.
A good diner is almost always open. In the southern US states, storm watchers even created something called a Waffle House index to judge the severity of any tornado or hurricane. The severity is graded by how many Waffle House restaurants close and how quickly they reopen afterwards. The diner chain is known for its commitment to opening 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
