Festive Meals Out

African Palace (834 Bloor St W, at Shaw, 416-588-7819) will be offering a special 3 course vegetarian meal for $9.99 on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25th. The meal will begin with a samosa appetizer, followed by a vegetarian combination plate (which includes 8 different items plus salad and injera), and then ends with fruit salad and traditional Ethiopian coffee. For New Year's day, January 1, they will be offering an all you can eat vegetarian buffet from 11-4 for only $11.99. They will be closed on Christmas Eve but will be open for dinner on Christmas Day, Friday, the 25th.  *Note that their vegetarian dishes are also suitable for vegans and they offer a gluten-free option of rice instead of injera.

Annapurna (1085 Bathurst St, www.annapurna.ca, 416-537-8513) is serving a Xmas season vegetarian dinner on Tuesday December 22 consisting of savoury panfried tofu with maple roasted squash, savoury stuffing, cranberry sauce and steamed broccoli.  They have been serving South Indian and macrobiotic dishes since 1974.

Commensal Vegetarian Restaurant (655 Bay St (n. of Dundas, enter on Elm), www.commensal.ca, 416-596-9364)  is serving Tofu Pot Pie and Grilled Apple and Vegetables, served with Vegan Gravy and Cranberry Sauce. For side dishes, we have Butternut Squash Puree, Brussel Sprouts dressed with Red Pepper Garlic and Olive Oil, Refried Bean and Cheese Yellow Corn Tortilla, Cheese Yellow Corn Tortilla and the Cinnamon Spiced Sweet Potato. For the dessert buffet: Maple Syrup Pie, Nuts and Raisins Pie, Yule Log made with Belgian chocolate and hazelnut cake; and a fruit cake that is free of colours and preservatives. There are also party platters for people to celebrate at home or the office. The holiday menu is available from mid Dec to mid Jan. They are closed Dec 25-26 and Dec 31-Jan 1.

M & B Yummy - Classic Ethiopian food (1263 Queen St W, at Brock, 416-516-2798) is serving an Ethiopian vegetarian holiday feast. The menu includes: My Gramma's small pot recipe, pumpkin stew, red lentil and carrot soup, potatoes slow cooked with traditional Ethiopian gravy, and Ethiopian lasagna (dairy & animal free) with FREE My Gramma’s herbal tea. Dinner for two is $16.99, Dinner for four is $35.99 and Dinner for six is $52.99. Available only between December 11 to January 5th . They'll be closed on December 25th and closed on New Year’s Eve after 9 PM

Rainbow Tree Healthy Deli (925 Yonge St, n. of Davenport, 647-427-4758) have a special meal combo from December 18th until the 24th.  Specials include a festive season combo meal vegan tofurky with wild rice stuffing, yams, orange casserole, veggies and vegan mini-mincemeavt pie for $8.99 or yam shepherd's pie, MiniChik'n' pot pie, veggies and dessert. They also have a special for vegan butternut squash soup with sandwich for $5.75. They serve quick and healthy vegetarian meals to go. Egg-free. Breakfast items. Vegan pastries.

Saravanaa Bhavan (4559 Hurontario St, at Eglinton Miss., 905-290-0769) writes about their Winter Menu: "This season we wanted to try combining dosa with spinach, cheese and spicy lentil powder. We came up with Palak paneer dosa, lightly spiced spinach puree spread on the dosa and topped with grated cottage cheese. While introducing these and many varieties to the menu, this time we also wanted to create options for kids and therefore a platter for kids is there too."  They serve authentic South Indian cuisine from Tamil Nadu. 

Vegetarian Haven (17 Baldwin St, www.vegetarianhaven.com, 416-621-3636) will be selling tofu turkey, made in house, starting immediately and continuing throughout the holidays. It is $25, including 2 drumsticks and should serve around 4 people (1kg).They will be closed from the 24th to 28th, reopening the 29th. They serve “Asian Fusion” cuisine featuring over 100 flavourful vegan dishes served in a cozy dining room and with friendly service and lunch and dinner specials.

Green Earth Vegetarian  (385 Broadview Ave (n. of Gerrard), 416-778-9199) Didn't get back to us about their holiday plans but we got a note via veg.ca saying; "I really appreciate that you provide seasonal updates on where we can get seasonal veggie fare.  However, I have noticed that your list of December specials does not include Green Earth Cuisine who  have a dinner special on this week as well."

Goodies to bring home

Boardwalk Chocolates (Vegan, fairtrade & handmade, boardwalkchocolates.com) has created  gift baskets, boxes of chocolate, 3D figures with prizes inside, and for a limited time - chocolate mint fudge! Soft, melt in your mouth chocolate mint with organic candy canes crushed on top. Chocolate and Mint is ALMOST as good as Chocolate and Peanut Butter. Wouldn't you agree?? They are a being sold at: Panacea ( 588 Bloor St W, West of Bathurst) Update!: "Candy, unlike cooking or baking, IS very precise and scientific. I was carefree and did not respect the fudge. It turned into caramel. Come to Panacea for limited amounts of big chunks of Maple Walnut Caramel that will feed the kid's table. I will try and put the chocolate mint caramel into a truffle before the holidays, but if not - you will have an new tasty chocolate to celebrate New Years! :)"

Khalsa Pizza (470 Chrysler Dr, Unit 7, Brampton, 905-799-1800) has 2 great holiday deals! First, get a large pizza for only $7.99 on December 19th and 20th, with a coupon wfrom their Facebook group under “I heart Khalsa Pizza ”. Second, mention you saw this write up on Veg.ca between December 25th and 31st to get a special discount or a free gift! They are an all-vegetarian pizza place and burger joint with rennet-free cheese and many vegan options. Delivery, take-out and eat-in counter.

Rainbow Tree Healthy Deli (925 Yonge St, n. of Davenport, 647-427-4758)  You can order your Christmas tofurky with wild rice stuffing (frozen) with gravy and cranberry sauce for $25.00. They serve quick and healthy vegetarian meals to go. Egg-free. Breakfast items. Vegan pastries.

Ying Ying Soy Foods has a ready-to-serve Stuffed Tofu Roast that is made of "layers of specially flavored organic tofu sheets and authentic turkey stuffing." It is available at their St. Lawrence Market location and many places around Toronto such as the Big Carrot, Noah's, Evergreen, Ambrosia and Pusateri's.

Wild Earth Cafe and Bakery (2142 Queen Street East, at Glen Manor, 647-348-0202) have a few special items for the holidays. They are doing a vegan pumpkin pie ($14.99) and vegan mince pies ($17.99) and special sweet trays for the holidays. Anyone interested in ordering should call the store ASAP at 647-348-0202. They will be open throughout the holidays except for Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Note: Many restaurants are closed for several days during the holidays. Best to call ahead.

 Whether it is Christmas, Solstice, or Kwanzaa – enjoy a vegetarian feast. See our complete holiday page for links to the best recipes, tips on what to serve, gift suggestions and E-card links. Plus, find out how to avoid stress when vegetarians and meat eaters will be at the same meal.