Susie’s Rise and Dine opened in early 2025 at 539 College Street in the heart of Toronto’s Little Italy. Created by four friends, the restaurant offers a playful, contemporary interpretation of the classic American diner, combining familiar comfort food with Asian flavours and influences.
Although Susie’s has become known as a popular brunch destination, it is much more than an all day breakfast restaurant. It is open Wednesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu that goes well beyond pancakes and eggs.
I thought they did an excellent job of capturing the retro diner aesthetic. The restaurant has a cute, nostalgic quality and feels like a polished, modern interpretation of a traditional greasy spoon, except considerably cleaner and more stylish. The dining room is decorated in shades of grey, white, green and black, with plenty of thoughtful details. It is obvious that just as much consideration went into creating the décor as into developing the food.
The staff were extremely welcoming and helpful, particularly when we were trying to decide what to order from the rather extensive menu. Portions are generous, making many of the dishes ideal for sharing.
Let me begin with the absolute must order: the pancakes. They were quite simply the best pancakes I have had in my life to date, and I do not say that lightly. They were beautifully crisp on the outside, remarkably fluffy on the inside and wonderfully buttery and flavourful. Whatever else you decide to order, do not miss them.
The breakfast rice was another winner. The portion was so generous that we took the leftovers home and enjoyed them for breakfast the following morning. I also loved the aromatic Kung Pao fish, featuring roasted black cod covered in a delectable sauce.
I did not love everything we tried. The Tokyo Caesar was far too salty for my taste, and I was not particularly fond of the Bangkok fritto misto. To the restaurant’s credit, the fritto misto was removed from our bill, which I thought was both thoughtful and admirable.
There are still several dishes I would like to return to try, including the Filet O Shrimp patty, General Tso’s buffalo wings and the Cheeseburger Royale.
Dessert continued the restaurant’s playful take on nostalgic comfort food. The banana pudding reminded me of the famous version at Magnolia Bakery in New York, and that is most definitely a compliment. We also enjoyed warm chocolate chip cookies accompanied by a melted vanilla milkshake for dipping, an indulgent and rather fun combination.
Susie’s also offers a selection of low proof cocktails that are particularly well suited to the brunch crowd. I loved my refreshing drink made with gin, elderflower liqueur and muddled blueberries.
The most memorable example of the hospitality came when we asked for chamomile tea. They did not have any in the restaurant, so someone actually went out and bought it for us. Now that is what I call customer service.
Susie’s Rise and Dine is a great casual choice for a date, a meal with friends or a family outing. The atmosphere is lively and nostalgic, the menu is creative, the portions are generous and the hospitality is exceptional. I will certainly be returning to try more of the menu.
And once again, make sure you order those pancakes.
Recommended.
Happy dining,
Shanea
09/08/2026
