The Blue Plate Diner is one of those places in Downtown Edmonton that seems like it has been around forever. Located on 101 Ave and 104 Street, it is just off Jasper Ave, in the heart of downtown. This leads it to being a consistently busy place for the lunch crowd, and you can always expect the small restaurant to be quite busy.
And the reason for that is that it is consistently good.
With a small menu, they really have perfected their dishes, and whichever one you try, you can expect something tasty. In my visits there, me or my group has tried and loved a good number of the dishes there, from the veggie burger, the elk/bison burger, the meat loaf, tuna melt, or good old macaroni and cheese. Everything gets positive reviews, and there has never been a complaint about the food any of the times I have been there.
The prices are pretty good, for a sandwich or entree, you are looking at spending between $12-$18, which is pretty much the constant price for food in Edmonton.
Seating is limited, as it is a small place, so be prepared to get there a little bit before the big lunch crowds, or be ready to wait. The good thing is that they have designed their meals around the brief lunch break, so it is usually very quick service, and you won’t need to be there for hours waiting for your food. They know that their clientele is business people who need to eat and get out of there.
The restaurant itself has a good personality, with simple tables, rickety old chairs, and eclectic art adorning the brick walls. Despite the small area, the design is nice in that you aren’t crammed up against other tables, allowing you to converse with the people you are with, instead of being forced to overhear everything that the other patrons are saying. They probably could have thrown in more tables just to make more money, but the comfort of the patrons is important here, which is great.
The staff is always very friendly, and there is some vegetarian, vegan, or Gluten-free options (like asking for Gluten free bread with your burger) to keep the variety of eaters happy.
The Blue Plate Diner is definitely a worthwhile place to eat if you are spending some time downtown, or if you work in the area. And due to the quality of the food, you can pretty much try anything and walk away satisfied.
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