I made my way up to the Westcliffe Diner at Oxford and Young today in search of a good, cheap burger. I had read a review of the Westcliffe in The Coast a few months back that said the restaurant served delicious burgers made with homemade patties and was one of the cheapest restaurants in the city. I personally do not see the point in eating a burger that is not made with a homemade patty and I’m always excited when I hear about a diner that makes their own patties.
The interior of the Westcliffe is basic but comfortable, clean, and unconsciously retro. One wall displays framed photographs of Halifax and the area, including a lovely picture of the gazebo at the Public Gardens with everything in bloom. There is a small, old TV near the till that was showing a TV show about cats. There are only 2 booths in the place and we were lucky to nab one, but there is plenty of other seating. They have an unusual set-up for ordering. Each table has a menu propped up in a plastic display case and blank pieces of paper and a pen. You write down what you want on a piece of paper and bring it up to the counter. I ordered a cheeseburger and onion rings for $4.25 and Sarah ordered a cheeseburger and fries for $3.50. We both ordered milkshakes which cost $1.75 each. We also noted that a grilled cheese sandwich only costs $1.75 and they have a “Homecooked meal special every Thursday!” After we brought up our order the friendly couple who run the place asked us exactly what we wanted on our burgers. We asked for lettuce, tomato, relish, ketchup, and mustard.
Our meal was delicious and very filling. The milkshakes came in large glasses and were a good consistency. The burger patties were indeed homemade and quite thick. The onion rings were perfectly crispy. My only criticism is that the fries were made from packaged frozen fries and were nothing special.
The Westcliffe is open Monday – Saturday, 12-6. They serve breakfast all day. Actually, someone made a Facebook page for the Westcliffe that includes their whole menu, so you can check that out for more details.
I will definitely return to the Westcliffe next time I want a good burger and want to get super full for less than $5.