Fran's

Fran's Restaurant has its own Wikipedia entry. A "Toronto Tradition" (their words, not mine) for nearly 70 years, Fran's is a classic, 24-hour diner that serves up massive plates of diner food: burgers, fries, omelettes, waffles, soup, chili, sandwiches, and every variety of fried food. And booze.

Best of all, the College Street location is right in the heart of downtown -- just north of College Park (directly across the street, in fact) and only a block or two from several popular hotels, including the Days Inn and Delta Chelsea. I've eaten at least once at Fran's every time I've been to Toronto. It's a great place to drink coffee and read the paper on a lazy morning, and a perfect spot to talk film late into the night.

One tip: If you go for breakfast, get the home fries. You won't need to eat for the rest of the day.