Blue Star Diner

Though Blue Star Diner in Bridgeland serves an elevated take on diner food, at its heart, the eatery is a simple mom and pop operation. No greasy spoon, its interior is bright, and its menu features breakfasts, burgers and tacos made with fresh, often locally grown ingredients. It also serves a carefully curated cocktail, wine and whisky selection. The young, hip and socially conscious mom and pop of the place are owners by Shayne and Jodi Perrin, who also operate Dairy Lane Café in Kensington.

Like Dairy Lane, Blue Star is a relatively small establishment, the kind that regularly has a line of eager patrons snaking out the front door, willing to endure the wait because the food is so good. Shayne Perrin knows that he could probably feed more people more cheaply if he lowered the bar when it comes to food and service, but part of what makes the Blue Star Diner so popular is the Perrins’ dedication to quality over quantity.

“We were one of the first family-style restaurants that had a focus on sourcing things locally and organics,” he says. “We started doing it 10 years ago at Dairy Lane, and the only other places in town that were doing it were higher-end restaurants. The whole idea was to make good, wholesome, locally sourced food accessible to everyone.”