Before a day of sightseeing, we like to properly prepare ourselves with a hearty meal and Frankie’s Modern Diner seemed like the ideal spot to tuck into a traditional no-fuss breakfast. The large wooden booths provide the mood of a diner, but I can see why they describe it as being modernized with the well-spaced fixtures, whimsical touches, and the French windows that open to create a lovely airy environment.

Normally, I like to keep it simple and order off the menu, but with all the ingredient choices, I opted to create my own omelette ($10) so that I could get pico de gallo paired with spinach (additional $3). The egg was beautifully prepared to a lovely uniform thinness and was filled to the brim with the vegetable toppings.

Unsure about the asiago cream sauce & parmesan cheese the menu describes as covering the home fries, I requested it on the side and found it was more shaved cheese than cream sauce – great for tucking into the omelette for some extra decadence. And you certainly won’t leave hungry with the amount of home fries that comes with the meal, all well-toasted but also overly salted.

Yet, what cinched the meal for me was the ability to choose a pancake or toast as a side… who would pick toast when pancake is an option?! And it was a good pancake to boot – fluffy and soft (but not sticky) with a lovely crust that acted as a barrier against the pancake becoming a syrup sponge as well as creating a pleasant chewy texture. The meal was the perfect combination of an egg-based main with bressert (breakfast dessert) that I love.

Frankie’s had us thinking about lunch not long after finishing our meal as we made our way back to the entrance where their enormous cakes and pies were in full display. If only we were in Victoria for longer, I’d certainly give Frankie’s another visit.