Davlyns Restaurant and Tinkers Damn

By Lynette Robertson

Davlyns Restaurant & Tinkers Damn

Davlyns restaurant came into existence in 2006, situated in the industrial area of Onoway, “cos every industrial area has a ‘café’”. But we decided to make it more than just a greasy spoon café.

From the beginning we have welcomed workmen, seniors, families, businesspeople, tourists & ladies out for lunch. We don’t mind if you're in your Sunday best or your Monday scruffs, our homemade burgers, made to order sandwiches, full breakfasts & homemade pies are delivered just the same.

It's been a labour of love getting to where we are these days, with a loyal customer base that has helped ensure we continue to weather the ups & downs of our Industry. Some fantastic & colourful staff have, and continue to be, the secret ingredient to our longevity.

The economic downturn that Alberta has experienced over the past few years, with the added gut punch of the covid pandemic, has, as with many others, forced us to tighten our belts & expand our imaginations.

As food trends have changed & evolved, we have tried to move with them. Old favourites like the traditional clubhouse sandwich continue to top the orders but with new taste trends emerging, it’s bought us new favourites like the pepper jack burger, donair & many sweet treats like skor bars & the confetti square. Although, you still can’t beat a fresh banana cream pie or carrot cake.

The introduction in 2017 of Tinkers Damn to our business model was one of our “reinventions” and a major stretch, for a non techy brain, was the introduction of the website as of January 2021.

Décor in Davlyns is the Domain of Tinkers Damn.

Originally it was a means to fill empty walls & soulless corners with excess personal collectables & treasures accumulated over the years. When people started asking to purchase the treasures it created an excuse to look for more, like an excuse was needed!

It has morphed into its own business over the intervening years & necessitated the addition of an outside “store” to house the bigger items that can’t be displayed in the restaurant. Now you will find everything from fine china, vintage clothing, snow shoes, vintage jewellery, colonial hutches, trunks to old cycle wheels & everything in between. The name is a salute to my Irish heritage & also to the tinker’s age old maintenance of the battered but loved tools of everyday life. To hold these items in your hands & wonder at their previous lives & what they meant to the people that created them is a simple & enriching feeling far divorced from our throw away modern society.

“Things Have A Life Of Their Own, The Gypsy Proclaimed. It’s Simply A Matter Of Waking Up The Soul.”

Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

At Davlyns, our multi national team look forward to welcoming you to our sometimes crazy home from home. Our food is made to order, made fresh, and made by one or all of us, so we work hard to make sure it pleases us as much as we want it to please you.”

You can find us at 5212 Lac Ste Anne Trail North, Onoway, ABPhone in orders & enquiries… 780 967 4981

Davlyns Restaurant Tinkers Damn