Dairy Lane Café

This place is a cute little diner! I’ve been here quite a number of times for brunch and have quite enjoyed my experience. I try to come here during their non peak hours but it seems like they are always quite busy. So first tip is to be prepared you may have to wait. The ambience is clean and I’d describe as a modern diner/​café… Seating is close to others. The servers I’ve had in my visits are always friendly and cheerful which is nice, because often times I’m dealing with stressed servers during brunch hour at other places. I always order the all in omelette which is delicious! They also serve up different jams for their toast every so often. Which I quite enjoy. Overall it’s a cozy brunch spot with good food and service. No complaints!

The Bison Chili is DOPE! I loved it and you will too :) Someone in the kitchen knows what’s up. Service was awesome too!

This place is my favourite spot for brunch in Calgary, with the only negative being that there is always /​at least/​a 15 minute lineup. The food and service are both awesome– I have never had a bad dish there. %100 recommended.

What a lovely café/​diner!!! Service was spot on… not annoying nor were we ignored. We went on a Saturday evening and it was not too busy. Nice selection of food and bevies.
They even know what Vegan means! Wonderful not having to explain that Vegan is not Vegetarian nor is it Gluten free! Thanks for your knowledge.
We both ordered a different Vegan burger… with fries!!!
The only comment I make is that the burger needs more juiciness with its fixings. Maybe pickles in the burger or more mayo… some zip… the patty was ok… held together nicely wasn’t crumbly or dry… a very nice dark bun… and the fries were thin and tasty.
I am always looking for the perfect vegan Burger… this might be a ⁶⁄₁₀.
Add some mushrooms??? A vegan Cheese slice? Bread and butter pickles? more tomato? Something to juice it up…
On the up side I am happy that it was Vegan and I did not have to alter the order and ask a million questions to determine if it was ok for us to eat!!!
THANK YOU DAIRY LANE!

Love their burger and fries! The burger is nicely charred and the fries are fantastic!!! Service is always so warm and friendly. Sadly, this place only seats 20 so it’s very hard to get a table. Be prepared to wait outside.

The breakfast fare is hearty and delicious, though not unique or stellar enough for five stars. What is stellar is the house coffee. A special Dairy Lane blend by Fratello, this is hands down the best medium/​light roast coffee bean I have ever had. I go out of my way to refill my supply be will be taking as much as customs will allow back with me to the States.
If you like dark, rich (bitter) coffee, this may not be the blend for you, but pour through drip or French press on this bean is outstanding. I can’t believe they got the chocolate and hazelnut tones on this roast without adding flavors.

This is my go too restaurant, small environment. smiling faces. the only reason im not there everyday is A) my they would have to drag me into the gym B) im a student atm so gotta be frugal with my money

The novices in north american cuisine we are tried for the first time the famous eggs benedict, and it was absolutely delicious! I prefered the ones with spinach and sautées mushrooms, I think that the smoked salmon hides the taste of the eggs and the hollandaise sauce. The hash browns were well cooked and soft inside, the grapefruit was tasty. The presentation was nice. On Saturday morning-​lunch, it seems really busy (they put you on the list and you wait for 30 – 40 min) until 1 am.

#147
I was trying this out with much enthusiasm based on the reviews.
Twenty-​five minute wait was muted by the delicious coffee.
Great service during the entire visit.
Gluten-​free options for the gluten-​sensitive!
I had the Seared Tuna tostadas which come with 3 of those and a huge portion of BC Kennebunk fries. Very very delicious.
So, by now, you are wondering why only three stars?
Automatic two (2) star reduction for low quality condiments (no exceptions).
The cost of the higher quality condiments even in Canada is negligible and yes I have checked on the retail side.
Condiments are the Gordon Food Service (GFS) brand which have High Fructose Corn Syrup (glucose-​fructose in Canada). How do I know? A search on Google revealed zero (0) results saying otherwise. Nothing on the GFS website listed anything for ingredients or natural claims.
It is 2015 and with all the different brands of condiments such as Safeway, Annie’s, and Heinz has a line of condiments without this garbage in it, there are zero (0) excuses for a place of this caliber to have such low quality condiments.
Don’t agree, then gluten-​free should not exist either. Take me out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner and let me have some of the low quality condiments and see how sick I get.

We found this place on Unilocal on our last day in Calgary. We arrived around 10:30 and the wait was only about 20 minutes… which I thought was great for a Saturday morning. I ordered the smoked salmon & avocado benedict. My boyfriend ordered the cheese burger. My benedict was excellent and my boyfriend enjoyed his meal too. The only gripe I had was that our food took awhile, when compared to the tables who ordered before/​after us.

I think I’ve finally figured out how to enjoy brunch. Over order. Simple but genius right? Well, it was a Sunday so being in Calgary, we obviously had to go for brunch. I still can’t get over how much Calgarians adore brunch — it reminds me of Montréal so much. We decided to check out Dairy Lane Café, which apparently has been in the Hillhurst area since 1950! Wow, 65 years and going strong.
The place is tiny and packed. DLC is one of those places where you’re right in the grill of your table neighbours but the chatter is loud enough that you can carry on a conversation without feeling like others are eavesdropping on you. People were constantly putting their names down on the wait list. Crappy weather meant the patio was closed and inside can fit about 20 people or so.
Arriving around noon (way too late), we were told the wait would be about an hour. At least they give you coffee/​tea on the house while you wait outside. Or more like death stare the people sitting by the window and will them to hurry up and finish their last piece of toast!
— Stuffed French toast ($ 13.50) — two options to choose from (sweet vs. savoury) — we went with sweet. Cinnamon cream cheese and field berry compote on French bread with a side of local potato hash. We were both a little skeptical about cream cheese in French toast but the dish was well executed. Just enough that you could taste the cream cheese without it being overpowering. The French toast is huge with two slices topped on one another. The hash was good — nicely seasoned.
— Eggs benedict ($ 15.00) — three options to choose from (bacon/​grilled tomato, smoked salmon/​avocado or spinach/​garlic mushrooms). We went with the smoked salmon! Two poached farm fresh eggs, english muffin, house hollandaise with a side of local potato hash. The eggs were perfectly poached. Smoked salmon and avocado is a great combo. Add that with the heavenly hollandaise sauce, you have a killer eggs benny.
— Marinated prawn tacos ($ 15.00) — this was on their featured menu. Three prawn tacos filled with roasted poblano pepper and avocado creama, cabbage, black bean pico di gallo, queso fresco and cilantro. It also is served with a side of BC kennebec potato fries. In hindsight, we should have asked to sub one of the sides for something less carb heavy (so many potatoes!) but all good, we know for next time. The tacos were excellent. The shrimp had a great flavour and the addition of beans gave the tacos additional heartiness. We had to fight over the third one, I won.
Another good spot in town to grab brunch. Heck, they’re even open for lunch and dinner. Get there early or else be prepared to wait. Tip — you can wait inside if you walk around the back near the washrooms. Hopefully, next time we’ll be able to sit out on the patio.

First time to this restaurant. In town on a business trip and found it on Unilocal.
Had the smoked meat hash from the features menu. It was ok. The ingredients were fresh which was awesome but I thought the dish could have been a little more epic considering the reviews for the restaurant. The GF bun as a substitute for toast was terrible. Huge and doughy. GF bread would have been better. But their homemade jam was fantastic and the coffee was awesome.
Service was also good. Obviously a popular place as there was a short wait. Service is quick.

Tried it today and will now be a regular.
Upon entering I was made to feel at home and I was very comfortable. The staff were professional and the service was first rate.
I ordered a pork and chorizo burger with a side of black bean and corn soup. The flavours were vibrant and tasty without being overwhelming.
As information, the inside of the restaurant seats 25 or so people, and another 20 or so on the sidewalk patio. That said, the tables seem to turn over fairly quickly and those waiting were given coffee by the staff. Nice touch.
They serve wine and beer, and seemed to have a nice selection of desserts.
I can’t wait to go back. Give it a try.
…and back I went for a late afternoon lunch.
Note: Kitchen closes at 4 PM for 30 minutes.
I had the Dairy Lane burger with bacon and fries. It was terrific. I noticed the list of Alberta suppliers on the wall. The local sourcing of food combined with the care and attention it gets in prep make for great results.

Found this place on Unilocal of course :) it is super cute inside and the staff are friendly with a chill attitude. Service was really quick which was good as I was super hangry. I had the tomato basil omelette and coffee and it was so tasty! The potato hash was delicious the prices are a bit high but the quality of food is totally worth it.
Also– gluten friendly!

Needless to say, this place lives up to all the hype in the reviews. I am hesitant to leave another glowing review for this place, as it’s already hard enough to get a table here, but it is soooooooo good. I don’t think I’d wait an hour though. I won’t wait an hour for anything as there are plenty of good restaurants. But if you can hit this place and only have 30−45min wait, and good company to chat with while waiting, it’s worth it!
Everything is sourced somewhat locally. You know exactly where the food you are eating comes from as it’s on their chalkboard. I’m sure you can try anything on the menu and be happy. I will say though, go for a milkshake or lemonade. The milkshakes are old fashioned deliciousness, and the lemonade was perfect! Not that sugary crap, just perfectly refreshing.
I can’t wait to be back!

We came to Dairy Lane solely based on Unilocal reviews (God I LOVE Unilocal!)
And as always we were not disappointed!
I Enjoyed the Eggs Benedict w back bacon and Tomato, and my companion the breakfast Sammy.
We both loved our meals and the hand cut potatoes are cooked perfectly!
The coffee was delicious and the cups never got below ¾ full when the servers asked if you needed a refill!
We will definitely be back!

Meh… Nothing special. Will try again though… second times a charm?
They need some friendlier servers, maybe? It wasn’t too busy and they just didn’t seem to care about the service they provide. Happy to give them a second chance if someone else wants to go for brunch though

Full disclosure. I’m not a brunch person. I usually sleep in on weekends. And I don’t like lines. Whew, now that I’ve gotten that off my back, let’s get this review started.
I came here on a Saturday morning around 9:45AM aka prime time for brunch with two other friends. I was expecting the typical 30 min — 1 hour wait before getting seated, but lo and behold, we were seated within 20 minutes. Hmm not bad so far.
When we arrived, the waitress gave us a biggest smile ever and kindly asked if we wanted coffee while we wait for our table. Why yes, of course. Anything to make the time go by faster.
Soon enough, we were seated inside. First impression. Cozy. Comfy. But very homey. I’m starting to like this place so far.
Dining friend #1 ordered the Stuffed French Toast. The French toast comes in either a savoury version or a sweet version. She ordered the savoury version and it was absolutely divine.
Dining friend #2 ordered the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and avocado and the eggs were poached perfectly. Another plus!
I broke out of the brunch norm and ordered the Dairy Lane burger after having read so many raving reviews about this burger. At first bite, I could also taste the smoky and delicious char on the outside of the burger. A sign of a great grilling temperature. Next, the bun. It was toasted just right. Simply delicious.
«More coffee?»
«Of course!»
My coffee was continually topped up by our waitress and never went below the 50% mark. It was as if she received a notification on her phone every time my coffee was running low. Magical.
Oh and the service throughout the meal was spot on. What a win.
Dairy Lane. You get the coveted 5 stars.

I stopped in this cute café for breakfast before leaving Calgary, and I’m really happy that I made it one of my stops while I was in town. It’s a charming and intimate space with very friendly servers and a great menu. I honestly wanted everything on the menu but I settled for the Mexican omelette with chorizo. It was HUGE. I loved it, and sent some of it back to the kitchen because I could not eat it all. But the really wonderful and hospitable touch here was the complimentary coffee which was delicious. I was offered a coffee upon entering, and they generously kept providing me with coffee throughout my meal. Everyone was so nice, and they even gave me a coffee to go.
Love it. Keep up the good work.

If the Community Manager recommends this, that’s golden ;)
So what better way to start the morning than with their signature back bacon tomato eggs benedict, and this was worth the price of admission, a pricey one too so this isn’t for the folks who are used to eating at Knight & Day or Denny’s lol. The hollidaise sauce also just right, not too heavy and rich, in fact, would even say it was a bit on the lighter side, so bonus on saving those calories.
Eggs as fluffy as can be, chose medium.
Hashbrowns – indifferent to me, in fact, way too much, almost like American-​size portions.
Easy repeat.
Thanks Dale for reminding me to write their 100^th review ;)