Susie’s Rise and Dine is a new Asian fusion breakfast diner from childhood friends who have turned their memories of grandma’s cooking into Toronto’s warmest brunch spot. Located in the heart of Little Italy, this all-day diner serves up comforting, family-style dishes that blend nostalgic North American classics with bold Asian flavours.
The brainchild of three Asian-Canadian childhood friends from Vancouver—Adam, Matthew and Tyler—who grew up eating around diner tables, each brings years of restaurant experience to the venture.
Every corner of the restaurant is steeped in nostalgia, soul, and quiet tribute. The name is a nod to co-owner Adam Lore’s grandmother, whose influence is woven throughout the space—from the menu to the mood. That spirit of comfort, care, and connection is what the trio set out to recreate.
“Growing up all in North America and all Asians, we really wanted to incorporate the flavours that we grew up with,” Lore says. “We ate a lot of diner food together,bwhether it was family gatherings or birthday celebrations. That was close to home for us”
The story behind Susie’s isn’t just told through the food — it’s built into the space itself.
“We all spent time in our grandmothers’ homes, Lore says. “We have floral prints throughout the bathrooms downstairs, and my grandmother wore a jade-green bracelet. That was kind of her staple item—so that set our colour tones. Different shades of green, deeper rich colours, all tied to earth.”
Much of the menu at Susie’s Rise and Dine comes courtesy of chef Kelvin Ng, whose global culinary background spans acclaimed kitchens in Australia, Hong Kong and New York. Ng was instrumental in translating the owners’ memories and ideas into a cohesive menu that balances innovation with familiarity. Like the trio behind Susie’s, he grew up in a Cantonese household while also loving Western diner fare, making his approach to the kitchen feel both intuitive and heartfelt.
“We’re doing a mapo Frito pie,” Lore says. “Mapo tofu is a traditional chili-braised tofu and pork dish. We kind of did a fun twist on it by making it more meat-forward and with a bag of Frito chips.”
There’s also a fried shrimp sandwich, made in the style of classic Cantonese shrimp patties—breaded, crispy, and reminiscent of a nostalgic filet-o-fish. And then there’s the Big Trouble Breakfast Sandwich, named after the film Big Trouble in Little China.
“That was actually one of the movies my grandmother used to always watch with my brothers and me,” Lore says. “So we kind of paid tribute to her through that breakfast.”
Their pancakes have already become a crowd favourite: crispy-edged, golden brown and fluffy inside—offering Toronto’s answer to the now-viral search for a dupe of honey butter pancakes at Golden Diner in New York, another Asian-inspired spot that blends cultural roots with diner classics.
At its heart, Susie’s Rise and Dine is built for connection.
“We would love to offer what diners offered their guests back in the ’60s,” Lore says. “Aside from a very nostalgic dining room, we’re playing music that appeals to people who grew up in the ’90s and early 2000s—because that’s what a diner did for the people who grew up pre-’60s.”
The menu, too, is designed with that same spirit in mind.
“We wanted to be that spot, ” Lore says. “A place where everyone can hang out. We have a lunch counter so you can see the chefs preparing your food in front of you. And we wanted to bring that counter banter back to life.”
Susie’s Rise and Dine is located at 539 College St.
