Angelo’s

Ann Arborites, University of Michigan students in particular, and those affiliated with the neighboring U. of M. Medical School have had a love affair with Angelo’s for more than 50 years. The family-run corner diner has expanded over time and now sports an “Angelo’s on the Side” annex featuring coffee drinks and pastries, but it remains a straightforward breakfast-and-lunch cafe where prices are reasonable, portions are large, and toast is rightfully famous.

Baked here daily, Angelo’s bread loaves — either white or raisin — are dense and yeasty and make for toast that is in and of itself significant. It dunks beautifully into the yolks of fried egg, coming out sopped with yellow and yet still good and chewy. You can have French toast made from this bread cooked either normally in a skillet or deep-fried, the latter method resulting in hefty slices with a crisp edge and custard-soft insides.

Angelo’s corned beef hash is a little too much about the potatoes and not quite corned beefy enough for my taste, but the beef did have a good spicy flavor and the chunky potatoes into which it was laced were diner classics.

The pancakes were disappointing — too thick and absorbent — and the apple fritter I got next door to accompany some excellent espresso tasted like it had been made the day before.