Susie's Rise & Dine packs a wallop of nostalgia into a gleaming Little Italy space. Welcoming and rarely quiet, it's the place for modern takes on endlessly alluring diner staples.

At Susie's Rise & Dine, what begins with fresh-pressed orange juice might end with a Breakfast Plate and an undeniably familiar Apple Hand Pie.

Or, you might take a less breakfast-y approach, quietly decimating a Bodega Chopped Cheese and a classic Malted Chocolate Milkshake ($8) at the counter. Neither path is wrong, and both will land you in the same place—at the crossroads of memory and novelty, feeling utterly, thoroughly satisfied.

"Growing up, we used to eat diner food all the time," says co-owner Matthew Chow. "We noticed that there was a lack of diners in the city. We just wanted to put our fun little spin on it."

Along with Tyler Tanabe, Adam Lore, Liben Bihon and head chef, Kelvin Ng, the team designed an ode to family, and a simpler time, in restaurant form.

"Susie's is named after Adam's grandma," explains general manager Bihon. "When we think of our grandparents, it was always warm welcomes. You can never be a surprise guest. You never had to wait for an invite. You're always welcome, any time of day, at any hour, any day of the week. That was kind of the essence of what we were trying to do."

To capture the spirit of Susie's, the team turned to North Office Architects to create a room with plenty of classic diner hallmarks (think an illuminated sign, lashings of chrome, Formica tables, et al.) along with gentle nods to Grandma Susie herself (the muted green palette was inspired by her jade bracelet).

Opened in late April, the diner is "an all-inviting space that welcomes everyone," says Bihon. "We just want people to come in and enjoy good food at an affordable price."

That parade of comfort fare jumps from shared plates and sweet and savoury morning mouthfuls, to heartier options and a handful of desserts. "They're simple items, but they require a lot of proper technique," says Chow.

"Drink names," explains Bihon, "were based on things you would say at someone's house."

So, instead of ordering an espresso martini, for example, you'll have to ask for a What You're Having ($14).

For a grassy green juice shot through with reposado tequila, you'll want the Something Healthy(ish) ($14).

The Something Bubbly ($13) will appease brunch babes looking to pair their sustenance with a little effervescence.

Scan the menu, and it will immediately feel familiar. Take a closer look, and you'll find an intriguing array of Asian ingredients scattered throughout.

"Adam, Matthew and Kelvin are all Chinese. Tyler is Japanese. All of those influences kind of trickled into the menu," says Bihon.

Find them in Mapo Frito Pie ($15), where a medley of savoury, peppery seasonings take dry-aged beef chili far from its Texan roots.

That Caesar salad? It's actually a Tokyo Caesar ($15), its crisp romaine leaves coated in miso sesame citrus dressing, then served under an umami-rich flurry of furikake and parmesan cheese.

As for the Big Trouble Breakfast Sandwich ($16)? A riff on the standard, it's made here with scallion milk bread (from Pâtisserie Gâteau), soft-scrambled egg, house hash brown and char-siu glazed Vietnamese nem nuong sausage. "The nem nuong is actually a secret family recipe. We had to ask one of the aunties for it," admits Tanabe.

 Yuzu-kissed Japanese tartar sauce coats sturdy morsels of fish in the team's tuna melt ($17), though it's the twang of pickled celery and crackle of seasoned kettle chips that are most likely to grab your attention.

Packed with the subtle sweet comfort of blush-coloured crustaceans, Filet-O-Shrimp ($18) is a welcome upgrade to the squishy, simple, creamy and crunchy Mickey D's bait it was inspired by.

This being a diner, the team is well-versed in frying. For their General Tso's Buffalo Wings ($15), they coat meaty flats and drumettes in a mixture of flours then aggressively crisp them up in hot oil before sousing them in a sticky, bold and tangy fusion sauce.

Hit with warm spices and beer-battered, a fat tower of onion rings ($7) is a must-have on every table.

As are hash browns ($8) that best resemble the crispy French fry nuggets waiting to reward you when you reach the bottom of the bag. A labour of love that take two days to make, they're made from potatoes that are julienned, mashed, pressed and molded before they're set free to swim in a scalding pool of oil.

With caramelized edges protecting downy insides, Pancakes ($15) are served with lemon zest, burnt honey maple syrup and optional berry compote. For sweet-toothed guests, or as a final hoorah for the table, they're every bit the satisfying diner staple they're meant to be.

"It's all about nostalgia here at Susie's," says Chow of the restaurant's appeal. "It's a fun space. We don't take ourselves too seriously. The food is great, the prices are reasonable and affordable. People come back wanting more, because the menu is so diverse."

Susie's Rise & Dine is located at 539 College Street.