“Throwback Thursday” may be the social media darling when it comes to posting nostalgic photos from our youth, but there is such a thing as “Flashback Friday”, too. Especially when you find yourself on a Friday morning in Niagara Falls driving on Lundy’s Lane looking for breakfast – or in my case, driving down “Memory Lane”, because it turns out that is exactly what our impromptu visit to Lundy’s Lane became.

Why Lundy’s Lane?

It was completely by accident that Henk and I even ended up on Lundy’s Lane on this particular Friday. We had been in Niagara Falls for the opening of Niagara Parks’ newest attraction, the Tunnel, the night before, and we were both craving a hearty breakfast before heading out to do more exploring in the area. Always on the hunt for hidden gems, and thanks to TripAdvisor, we were directed to the number one ranked non-touristy breakfast place in town, which turned out to be a homey diner called Scoops on Lundy’s Lane. (more on Scoops later)

So off we went in search of our diner, passing under a huge sign near the Drummond Hill Cemetery that identified Lundy’s Lane as the site of an historic 1814 battle. Until now, I had had no idea that this street had played such a vital role in pushing back American forces when they were trying to expand their borders. Yet this battle turned out to be the deadliest battle fought on Canadian soil, which is why the city placed the sign here in 2014 to commemorate its 200th anniversary.

While the sign may have been new to me, before long the street itself started to look more and more familiar as restaurants and motels started to pop up. Even after six decades, Lundy’s Lane still has some of those old-school motels – you know the type, with the in-ground swimming pool right out front to lure families with kids as they drive by.

It might have been the sight of people swimming in one of those motel pools that triggered a memory, because I soon began to realize why this street felt familiar…

Lundy’s Lane Then: the Gateway to the Falls

Fuzzy memories of road-tripping as a child started to come back to me, and even though my family hadn’t visited Niagara Falls often, I remembered that Lundy’s Lane had always been THE strip that signalled we were getting close to our destination. Those motels and swimming pools seemed exotic at the time and had me rubber-necking in the backseat, trying to take in all the flashy touristy signs and souvenir shops on both sides of the street. I can even vaguely recall a drive-in restaurant that looked like a flying saucer, which prompted 10 year-old me to plead that we eat there. (Ironically, ‘grownup me’, who loves unusual accommodations, would probably want to STAY there today instead.)

The Scoop on Scoops

A growl from my stomach reminded me to push aside my nostalgic reminiscing and concentrate instead on locating Scoops, which turned out to be an unassuming restaurant in a pretty ordinary-looking strip mall. Henk and I were beginning to doubt the accuracy of the high praise we had read online about the place, but we were soon pleasantly surprised, not just with the food but with the service.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, the staff welcomed us like we were regulars, even though this was our first visit. Multiple servers spotted each other to wait on us, all of whom were attentive and friendly and seemed to take a genuine interest in whether we and all the other patrons were enjoying our food – that is, when they weren’t topping up our mugs before we even had a chance to think about asking for a refill.

The menu didn’t disappoint either, with breakfast options galore including 9 variations on Eggs Benedict. I chose the ‘Eggs Niagara’ scramble that included a creamy spinach-with-real-bacon hollandaise and a side of delicious home fries seasoned with Scoops’ own proprietary mix of spices. (It photographs like a hot mess – hence no picture – but it eats like a dream!)

The reviews were correct on every front, including the fact that this was definitely not a tourist trap, but instead a warm, family-style local diner that seemed to fit in perfectly with the nostalgic mood that Lundy’s Lane had sparked in me.

Lundy’s Lane’s Hidden Gem

Now that our breakfast mission was complete, Henk and I had time to retrace our steps and get a better look at one of Lundy’s Lane’s hidden gems that we had just stumbled upon by accident: the Ontario Power Generation Canal that flows right through here.

This 100-year old canal, originally named the Sir Adam Peck Power Canal is a man-made channel cut deep into the Niagara limestone that channels the water of the Niagara River to the hydroelectric generating stations nearby. More than just a functional part of the historic hydro-electric system here, this 13.7 km-long waterway is beautiful, with its turquoise-coloured water and lush greenery flanking both sides. There’s even a parkette that connects with the Millennium Trail that runs alongside it on the north side.

TIP: The best place to see or photograph the canal is from the bridge that runs over it, just east of Brookfield Avenue. Do NOT stop on the bridge with your car, however. Park nearby, use the sidewalks on the bridge and be very careful of traffic if you are crossing the divided lanes on the bridge.

Lundy’s Lane Now and in the Future

Lundy’s Lane today is definitely not the same strip that it was decades ago and it likely isn’t on most tourists’ radar, especially for those visitors who want to be as close to the Falls as possible. Clifton Hill, with its riot of neon and sideshow-style attractions and hotels next to the Falls have wooed many visitors away from the more laid-back Lundy’s Lane.

But the city of Niagara Falls has big plans for Lundy’s Lane now and in the future. The Canada One outlet mall built here several years ago already attracts local shoppers and out-of-town visitors, and a planned Streetscape Master Plan by the city will revitalize the street with defined walkways, landscaping, and the addition of public recreational areas and spaces for local events, festivals and gatherings.

Lundy’s Lane’s Last Surprise

Our Friday morning drive down Memory Lane had one delightful surprise left in store for me as we began making our way back to the highway and home: there on the side of Lundy’s Lane was the Flying Saucer Restaurant that had so fascinated me as a child!

Not only was this UFO restaurant real, and not a figment of my childhood memory/imagination, it had just celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2022! Like the rest of Lundy’s Lane, the restaurant has undergone its own upgrades over these past five decades, but its quirky popularity seems as strong as ever, even attracting visitors from around the globe (although no extraterrestrials, so far). And just like Scoops, the Flying Saucer is also a favourite amongst the locals when it comes to breakfasts, consistently ranking in their top ten.

Lundy’s Lane and Memory Lane

It may have been a craving for bacon and eggs that had led Henk and I to Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls, but we ended up discovering more than a great local breakfast place: we were re-introduced to a street that is as resilient as it is historic. From a deadly battle that was fought here 200 years ago, to an Instagrammable waterway that has helped keep the lights on for a century, Lundy’s Lane has always played an important role in the city of Niagara Falls. And with future plans to keep this street as relevant and vital as ever, it looks like Lundy’s Lane will be here to make more memories for years to come.

I mean, if a UFO-themed restaurant can adapt and thrive here for over 50 years, Lundy’s Lane most certainly will, too.