Go Back to Basics with Frankie's Breakfast

A big part of our attraction to Frankie's breakfast, a homestyle diner in Toronto lies in the variety of clientele it attracts. On any given weekend, half of the booths are filled with hungover hipsters. The other half are filled by grey-haired men drinking beer who look like they've been there since approximately 1980. 

As you can imagine, this makes for some interesting people-watching. (This makes Tatiana happy. Sometimes they also play soccer on the TV, so Jian has something to do too.) 

Something else about Frankie's breakfast that makes both of us happy: no lineups. Every time we've shown up here, we've been able to sit down right away and get right to picking our meals. (As you can imagine, this is great as a hangover cure.)

Plus, they serve breakfast all day, meaning even if you roll up in the evening you can have some delicious eggs. (And who doesn't love all-day breakfast?)

Frankie's is one of those diners that can be found in most neighbourhoods: nothing pretentious, nothing fancy, just good, solid food. It's also not the kind of place that we (okay, Tatiana) ever feels the need to dress up for--you can just roll out of bed and go. 

Tatiana's pick: Spinach & Feta Omelette

This is what I usually order when I come for breakfast at Frankie's. They use a lot of spinach, and a lot of feta: exactly what I look for in an omelette. The eggs are also well-cooked (which, if you've read this blog at all, you will know is a Big Deal for me) and a little bit crispy around the edges. The toast is also well-buttered and not too crispy. 

The best part, though, their home fries are top-notch. Crisp and fresh and well-cooked... mmmm. It's not a particularly original breakfast or brunch choice, but it's certainly a tasty one.  

Jian's pick: Frankie's Original Breakfast

This is a solid breakfast pick. It's decently portioned, well-cooked, and not too expensive--basically, what I expect to get for this price at a place like this. The home fries are good, and so is the bacon... it's nothing particularly special, but it's solid. 

Frankie's breakfast at a glance: 

• You can find their menu here
• Good for: couples or groups 
• Parking: on the street only
• A few vegetarian options, not vegan-friendly
• Brunch hours:
  • all day everyday, or more specifically...
  • 8am-12am Monday-Wednesday
  • 8am-1am Thursday
  • 8am-2am Saturday
  • 8am-6pm Sunday