The foodie scene in this Canadian city is bursting with creativity, so we wanted to suss out the top seven vegan restaurants in Toronto.
There is little doubt that 2019 has been very much the year that veganism has spread into the mainstream. The shift in eating habits has come to Toronto with some incredibly inventive plant-based cooking. Who needs anything else when vegan dishes taste *this* amazing? These are our top picks of both dedicated vegan restaurants and places doing their bit to promote plant-based choices on their menus.
You really will be spoilt for choice as a vegan in Toronto…
Vegan pizza? We’re big fans of this small-but-mighty bakery/pizzeria. They serve up vegan sweet treats and incredible pizzas, poutine and other tasty dishes. The pizza here is suberb: the secret being the “vegan magic” smokey faux-bacony coconut grease. Toppings include bbq soy curls, vegan bacon bits and cheesey ‘notzzarella’. Yum.
This spot is all about down-home comfort food classics like unchicken & waffles, phish & chips and chili “cheese” fries, which make Hogtown Vegan a trusty destination for a full-flavoured, hearty meal.
For the ultimate end to your meal, make sure you save a little room for dessert. Our fave? The caramel-chocolate cookie dough, battered and deep-fried, with a scoop of vanilla oat ice-cream.
Planta is a top spot for something a little fancier – it’s proper upscale plant-based dining. There’s four locations across the city, all serving up some of the best vegan grub in Toronto. Highlights include a mushroom Bolognese with almond parmesan and truffle, a juicy ‘Planta’ burger and a beetroot “tuna” tartare.
You’ll find Doomie’s inside Vegandale Brewery, a vegan brewery (duh). The menu is 100% plant-based, with proper cheat meal food. Their classic burger is a take on McDonald’s Big Mac, while a Philly Cheesesteak has all the flavour with none of the dairy or meat. Add on an order of their garlic butter fries for the perfect feast at one of the best vegan restaurants in Toronto.
Parka Food Co. is a fun and innovative vegan restaurant that has all sorts of comforting dishes on the menu. Chow down on delicious and unique classics that everyone can enjoy like the Portobello Burger, Potato Burger, and Truffle Mushroom Mac (n ‘Cheese’). 100% vegan, 100% downright delicious. We’re drooling already…
Fresh has been serving up amazing vegan food in Toronto since 1999. So it’s fair to say that they’re true pioneers in the city’s vegan scene. Their food is full of colour and tastes just as good – if not better – than it looks. We love the nachos, with cashew queso, mushroom & artichoke chorizo, pico de gallo and jalapeno crema. Their juices are a must-order too.
Vegan donuts = perfection. Bloomer’s bake fresh vegan donuts (think: wild raspberry or Boston Creme) and other sweet treats. There’s almond butter cups, gooey chocolate brownies and plenty more. On the savoury side, they do amazing bagels with vegan spreads and a full restaurant menu for lunch and brunch, with the shop itself open ’til 7pm.
We recently released the list of The 50 Best Vegan Restaurants In The World