An iconic New Westminster restaurant has reopened across the river.
The Waffle House, first founded in New West in 1955, announced in October 2022 that it would be moving to Surrey, and it closed the doors of its Sixth Street premises at the beginning of 2023.
Now, the newly rebranded Waffle House Diner has reopened in Surrey’s King George Hub development.
The new location offers an updated menu and a “retro diner atmosphere with a modern twist,” the eatery’s website says.
Its new menu features mains including Turkish eggs, breakfast poutine and fritatta, along with an array of Bennies and, of course, the waffles that made it famous so many years ago.
On the waffle front, you can indulge in decadent flavours including a fruit waffle, a breakfast waffle, a brulée banana waffle, a strawberry cream waffle or chicken and waffles. There are also sandwiches and a variety of lighter breakfast options, plus diner favourites including milkshakes (boozy or not) and ice cream floats.
“I just want everyone to feel welcome and feel cozy like they’re at home eating at their kitchen table,” Waffle House manager Gagan Basi told the Record in October 2022.
“That’s the kind of esthetic and vibe that we’re trying to create there. We’ve been really happy that we were able to be here for the amount of time we were here and be a part of this history. It’s such a beautiful thing to be a part of, and we’re really hopeful that one day we will reopen up shop here (in New Westminster).”
The Waffle House was founded in 1955 by Susan (Susie) Chew, who decided to open up a little restaurant at Sixth and Sixth. The eatery quickly became famous for its waffles and served as a hangout for local radio and newspaper reporters.
Chew herself became the subject of a national news story when she and a roommate were refused a suite at a new apartment building in New Westminster because she was Chinese. (You can read more about that in a two-part series the Record ran in 2017: The Unbreakable Susie Chew Part 1 and Part 2.)
Chew died in 2021 — but her legacy of breakfast and community lives on.
Meanwhile, the Sixth Street block where the Waffle House used to be in uptown New West is becoming the home of a 29-storey tower with 338 rental units, plus street-level retail. A groundbreaking for that project by PC Urban Properties Corp. was held last week.
Where to find the new Waffle House in Surrey
Waffle House Diner is at 13660 George Junction, Unit 110. Call 604-496-1117, see their website for details or check them out on Instagram.
You can catch them for breakfast or lunch starting at 8 a.m.
