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70 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto ON 416-961-4333 www.flosdiner.ca Map Approx $20 per person Local Food? some local ingredients Local Wine/Beer? very small selection |
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner Mon to Wed: 7:30am to 8pm Thu & Fri: 7:30am to 10pm Sat: 8am to 10pm Sun: 8am to 8pm |
Another searing hot summer afternoon echoes across the streets, leaving its sticky impression on our vulnerable bodies. Like any temporary tattoo, it has its novelty, which eventually fades to a blasé acceptance of the print on our skin; it’s meant to be enjoyed while it lasts. The best way to maximize summertime enjoyment is of course, on a patio. My friends and I choose Flo’s Diner as our designated lunch spot; it’s in Yorkville, and has a fabulous second floor outdoor patio.
I’m sitting with my shoulders exposed to the sun, a napkin barely covering my lap, but the heat is intense; we go through seven or eight glasses of water during a sixty-minute period. An overhead umbrella provides only partial shadow, making me feel very much like a well-hydrated, but unprotected, snowman in the desert. For such a blazing hot afternoon, traffic at Flo’s is surprisingly busy, and the servers are trying their best to keep up. Occasionally, a glass of water is forgotten, extra napkins never make it to the table, but on the whole, service is friendly, helpful, and well timed.
Accessible via a spiral staircase, Flo’s is deceptively located on Yorkville Ave across from Café Nervosa. In typical diner tradition, you’ll find omelettes, home fries, salads, sandwiches and all day breakfast items on the menu, at reasonable prices. The mushroom burger is particularly good, as are any of the omelettes, and I’ve also fallen for the guava juice.
A diner in every intended aspect, Flo’s is an otherwise anomalous presence in Yorkville, but the quality of the casual fare stands on its own, and the cozy patio, overlooking Yorkville Ave, heightens the allure even further. Well-priced and well enough served, it’s an excellent meeting ground for informal encounters and unfussy lunches. Turns out, it’s also a great place to get a very attractive tan.
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