In Rexdale's ever-changing landscape, few old fashioned mom and pop diners have been in business as long as Burger Boy Restaurant.
Located at Humber College Blvd and Highway 27, Burger Boy Restaurant first opened at this location back in 1978. Long time patrons may also remember
when Shanghai Restaurant and BiWays was part of this plaza.
Beyond the collected banter of the regulars, lone pictures of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe adorn the back of the restaurant. This simple aesthetic gives
the impression that Burger Boy Restaurant was aiming for a 50's diner approach.
Coincidentally, Rexdale had
another 50's style diner (for a short period of time) back in the late 90's.The restaurant's name wa Nickels, and was located at
Finch and Highway 27. Like many repurposed stores in the area, the structure for Nickels remains, but was converted into an Indian restaurant (Desi Heat),
and soon to be repurposed yet again as an Indian sweets shop.
But I digress.
Big Boy Burger's grand opening ad from April 17th, 1978. Photo courtesy of Eugenio Arcilesi.
Admittedly, my goal for travelling from the east end of Scarborough to my old stomping grounds was to sample Burger Boy's fries and gravy.
In the
Vintage Rexdale facebook group, I heard that the staff at Burger Boy once operated a food kiosk at the Albion Mall called 'Snack Shack'..
Snack Shack was located next to Silver Dollar (now Dollarama) and the Finch exit leading to No Frills.
As a kid, I used to frequent 'Snack Shack' on an almost daily basis. Back when Albion Cinemas used to play Hollywood movies, an era before
Albion's food court, and a time when Kmart was still a major anchor at the opposite end of the mall, Snack Shack was my instant go-to for a
quick bite after school.
By the late 90's, Albion went through a series of renovations and Snack Shack was eventually removed for good. So, with rumours on hand,
I ordered a plate of fries and gravy in hopes of recapturing some of my Albion Mall nostalgia from 26 years ago.
Unless you ask, your fries and gravy are handed to you on a plate without a fork or napkins. The fries were pipping hot, made to order
and brought mall visits and long-gone Rexdale restaurants from ages ago.
With only three people working the counter of the tiny diner, Burger Boy orders were shouted every few minutes. So, for those preferring a more
relaxed atmosphere when eating, I recommend ordering your grub to-go.
