Wanabees is a home away from home

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This article was published 22/05/2018 (2977 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For singles, going out for a meal can be a bit of an ordeal. Unless a convenient friend or relative emerges from the woodwork to provide companionship, people who spend much of their time alone in their day-to-day lives might find themselves feeling conspicuous as they eat solitary meals while families and couples enjoy visiting together all around them.

Wanabees Diner on Broadway is different from a traditional restaurant in that way, as in many others. Since it first opened in 1993, Wannabes has attracted many loyal customers, including people eating alone or with a friend and enjoying the casual, friendly atmosphere and good comfort food.

The proprietor, Karen Ashley, has served this same fare since she first opened the restaurant in 1993. Although the menu has not changed in years, the food remains popular. as comfort never goes out of style.

“People are always looking for comfort,” she said.

“You’re getting great home-style food at great prices,” said longtime customer Ken Lugg, who has known Ashley since before the diner opened.

The chance for a home-style meal is an attraction for singles, who too often settle for what is quick and easy rather than spending the time and money on cooking a complicated meal at home.

For customer Tim Diack, the restaurant is a “dignified” but unpretentious place where “everyone has a connection.” 

“It’s one of my favourite spots,” he said.

There is much to like about the diner at the corner of Broadway and Langside Street. The walls are covered with humorous sayings on plaques (“Who I am is on the wall,” Karen Ashley said), while the seating is spacious enough to accommodate small groups. 

The restaurant is unobtrusive but quite easy to find, and free parking on the streets nearby makes it convenient for people to come and spend an hour or two visiting with each other. Banter between the proprietor and her customers is part of the restaurant’s charm. Even questions about the history of the diner became a group conversation as longtime customers told their own stories.

About three quarters of the customers are regulars, drawn by the food, the sense of community, and the chance to eat in a comfortable atmosphere where most of the people know each other. When two customers came in, for example, Ashley immediately knew what they wanted and brought it to them without needing to be asked.

For newcomers and longtime customers, Wanabees Diner is a good place to visit.