http://auntiesanduncles.ca/

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Aunties and Uncles

by Sabrina Melchiori

Jan 2, 2007

Aunties and Uncles 74 Lippincott St. (416) 324-1375)

This College and Bathurst-area diner has a real community feel to it. People stop by to chat on the patio bursting with diners, and you get the feeling that they all know each other through six degrees of separation -- or less. It’s completely packed inside and out on a warm, late summer day. Inside, folk tunes play and the kitchen generates a load of heat, leaving diners hot and sweaty. Dog-eared greasy menus are passed out, with the usual brunch items all present.

The traditional diner-style ambiance includes items which may have once occupied someone’s basement at one point -- perhaps my own. Shelves are lined with old books, miniature cars and other toys which bring to mind decades long gone. The young casual staff, kept busy by the constant stream of diners waiting to get in, often disappear for periods of time. It’s casual to the extreme. A good place to meet a friend for a gossip session – or read a weekly mag while sipping a third cup of coffee.

On the menu: The usual brunch items and some new twists on the originals. Items include Belgian Waffles ($6.25), Cinnamon French Toast ($7.25), Omelette of the Day ($7.75). Breakfast Tacos ($8.50), Grilled Brie with Pear Chutney and Walnuts on Challah ($7.75), Granola and Yogurt ($6.75), Aunties & Uncles Club ($8.50).

The crowd: A neighbourhood-area staple for the young hipsters, area locals, as well as those who come from far and wide for the Belgian waffles (while they last). Local musicians Chantal Kreviazuk and David Usher have also been known to drop by for a fuel-up.

Brunch for two: $25. Brunch served weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.