Dairy Lane Rating: ****
319 19th St. N.W.,
(403) 283-2497
dairylane.ca
Dinner & drinks for two: $40
Signature Dish: Breakfast burrito
Signature Drink: Grand Trunk cocktail
Open in 1950, Dairy Lane is a jewel in West Hillhurst, doing a humming daytime business that attracts steady lineups especially on weekend mornings.
Free-range eggs are always made to order and hash browns are consistently salty and crispy, but this is far from a greasy diner.
Vegetarians have lots of choices including a gluten-free breakfast tostada ($12.75) where tortillas keep their crunch and sweet bell peppers mingle with the hot banana variety. It’s filled with black bean corn cilantro salsa, avocado and scrambled eggs.
The thick French toast ($12) stuffed with cinnamon cream cheese and homemade field berry compote is a real treat for sweet tooths. Savoury fans can get it stuffed with bacon and gruyere.
The tiny diner is now open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday so you can enjoy breakfast for dinner (aka brinner). Dairy Lane also does fabulous beef, turkey and veggie burgers.
The locally sourced peppered pork burger ($15) is a large, moist patty of spiced ground pork with banana peppers, gouda, and sweet pepper mayo on a fresh cheese bun. Pair it with chilled cucumber gazpacho (and a beer) on a warm summer day, and you’ve got a divine dinner.
