Food and Restaurant News

Discount Profile: Flower Lantern Vegetarian Restaurant

For those who still think all the good veg options are only in the downtown core, you obviously have not yet been to Flower Lantern Vegetarian Restaurant at Finch and Islington! I recently visited for the first time and was blown away by how flavourful and delicious everything was, not to mention the generous portions at a very affordable price! We started with two appetizers. The fried wontons came with a delicious, soft filling to contrast with the crispy, fried shell. We also delighted in the shredded mock meat rolls. The shredded mock meat was wrapped in a soft, rice paper roll and stuffed with plenty of lettuce too, which meant that even though it was a “meaty” dish, it tasted fresh and light. My partner and I almost laughed when the two main dishes we ordered came to the table because they were so huge! How were we going to finish so much food? Well, it turns out it was just so tasty we couldn’t stop ourselves and finished every last bite. The Huey-Style Vermicelli Bowl is actually a spicy soup with a wide assortment of veggie meats, vegetables and noodles too. It had a nice,… Read More

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Discount Profile: Veggie Planet

Veggie Planet takes the idea of fusion cuisine to a whole new level. I knew they put an Indian twist on the American pizza and burger, but I was absolutely blown away by the number of options to choose from on their enormous, unique menu. First we had to choose a pizza, which was no easy task. Would it be the Indian Masala Pizza, the Kawa Topped Pizza, or the Chaat Pizza? We decided to go with the Pav Bhaji, which featured spicy vegetables, chilis, garlic, and vegan cheese, all atop a perfectly thin yet crispy crust. Next we chose a burger, of which we narrowed down to choices like the noodle burger, vada burger, or samosa burger. We decided on the Timi Burger, which had a vegan fish patty topped with more veggies and vegan cheese. But there were too many enticing dishes to stop there. We also ordered the Planet Special Poutine which was out of this world! Imagine warm fries topped with not just the usual vegan cheese and gravy but also masala flavours, crispy onions, olives, and kawa. They were not light on any of the toppings. This was a luscious, gooey mess. Everything we ate was incredibly… Read More

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April Veg Guide Updates!

Happy Spring! We are bringing you two Veg Guide posts this month–there’s so many great new places to check out, I didn’t want to wait until after Easter to let you know about them! Look for my Easter post coming up a little later in the month! Without further ado, here’s the new places to look out for this month. Animal Liberation Kitchen 717 1/2 Queen Street East In addition to having the cutest logo ever, Animal Liberation Kitchen also serves up smoothies, sandwiches, mac and cheese, desserts and more from their new storefront at Queen and Broadview. You might have had their yummy food at one of the vegan festivals around the GTA, but now you can have it anytime! “At Animal Liberation Kitchen, our goal is not to pressure people into feeling guilty about eating meat. We simply intend to offer a healthy and tasty alternative. We are trying to prove that meat is not necessary for a delicious and wholly nutritious meal.” Chawpati Indian Cuisine 950 Wyandotte St. W., Windsor  If you’re in Windsor looking for some veg food, the newly opened Chawpati Indian Cuisine can definitely help you out! Everything… Read More

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Discount Profile: Away Kitchen

If you’re looking for either a sunny, stylish cafe to dine in for lunch, or a nice place to go for date night, Away Kitchen’s new Queen Street location will fit perfectly for either. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the beautiful artwork and living gardens on the walls, and how big the space was with a full dining room. But of course, a restaurant needs to not only look good but serve delicious food, and this place certainly blew me away. I had been to Away’s College Street location before and enjoyed the refreshing sandwiches and soups. I had come to Queen Street to try something unique at this location: their pizza. It was some of the best pizza I’ve had in the city (or ever?!). The crust was light yet crispy, and held up well considering the fact that the pizzas were loaded with their unique toppings. This ain’t your Italian grandma’s pizza. My partner and I shared the Mediterranean which was topped with their own homemade cashew mozarella cheese, a balsamic reduction, and artichokes. The Romana was a burst of different flavours and textures, including a cauliflower… Read More

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The Tipping Point is Here

Care of Barbi Lazarus, Donor and Volunteer Resources Coordinator I’m starting to feel like a broken record, but I just can’t stop sharing my excitement about all the signs that we’ve reached a tipping point with the popularity and awareness of vegan food in Toronto. Earlier this year, popular local Italian chain Il Fornello launched their huge, plant-based menu complete with arancini balls and agnolotti in “butter” sauce, and not long ago we learned that famous local chef David Lee decided to close his popular omnivorous restaurant Nota Bene to replace it with a second location of the vegan restaurant Planta. But make sure you are sitting down because you won’t believe the news I’m about to share with you. You may have already heard from us that the Toronto Vegetarian Association won Best Food Activist Group in this year’s Now Readers’ Choice Awards. We are so humbled, grateful, and excited about this incredible achievement! (Thanks so much if you voted for us!). But we weren’t the only vegan establishment that went home with an award this year. Check out this list of plant-based businesses that won in a dozen categories! And again, we’re not just talking about winning in a vegan category. These businesses won best… Read More

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Discount Profile: Cinnaholic

It’s no secret that I have a huge sweet tooth. So, of course, the opening of an all-vegan cinnamon bun shop almost right around the corner from home sent me running soon after Cinnaholic opened their first GTA location in the Promenade Mall in Thornhill. Yes, you heard that right. Vegans now have their own version of Cinnabon, but better. Why is it better you ask? Because Cinnaholic goes over the top with creative concoctions well beyond the classic cinnamon bun. The first time I went, my father and I split two flavours. One was The Cookie Monster, which is topped with, among other things, raw cookie dough! On my second trip (yes, there has already been a second trip…) I got the Hot Cocoa, which is topped with chocolate brownies and vegan marshmallows. Choosing just one or two flavours is a very difficult decision. There were flavours such as Blueberry Pie, Nuts About Maple, Strawberry Dream, and so many more. To make things more complicated, you can also choose from 17 flavours of frosting such as cake batter, banana cream, and hazelnut, and 20 toppings such as coconut, pretzels, various fruits, and caramel sauce, to create your… Read More

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Discount Profile: Boon Burger

Care of Danielle Kirshenbaum A day in downtown Barrie is always a must-do for my husband and I while staying at my in-laws nearby cottage over the summer. We love walking along the gorgeous waterfront, wandering along the famous Dunlop street where you’re always sure to see a variety of quaint coffee shops, casual and more upscale restaurants, juice bars, groups of people enjoying cold beers on patios – and now – my new favourite reason to venture to this bopping downtown mainstreet: Boon Burger Cafe is here! For those of you who have never been to this little piece of vegan heaven, the menu for this burger joint is entirely plant-based and most of the ingredients are prepared in-house. The atmosphere is quaint with picnic benches and adorable pics of animals adorning the walls. Gems from the menu include the Surf’n turf burger with bbq sauce, vegan cheese, bacon, veggies and sriracha, peach chutney & tartar sauce – surprisingly spicy but delightful; and of course my personal favourite, the Greek Almighty on the chick’n patty with Boon’s out-of-this world olive tapenade. The poutines are delicious too – as my non-vegan poutine-loving friends have… Read More

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Veg Guide Updates: Thanksgiving Specials!

Thanksgiving is nearly here! And we’ve got some great specials here from our Veg Guide advertisers. If you’re a new vegan looking to bring a meal for yourself to your family’s all meat dinner, or you’re looking to make a full vegan feast, we’ve got options for you here!   Away   Look for this yummy Thanksgiving plate available from Thursday, Oct 4 to Monday, Oct 8. It has marinated portobello mushroom, roasted sourdough stuffing, fingerling potatoes and veggies, with mushroom gravy and cranberry sauce for just $15! If that doesn’t fill you up, you can add a slice of pumpkin or apple pie, for just $5! Alternity   This harvest holiday Alternity wants to warm your tummy with a cozy vegan meal, The Harvest Gratitude Special. the special includes a hearty homemade Pumpkin Soup, Half Falafel Wrap, and a Spicy Golden Chai Latte for $15.55 + tax ($19 value).   Better Cookies.ca   Better Cookies.ca is offering our Veg family a private 10% off special for Thanksgiving for any Toronto cookie delivery. This discount is good until October 15, 2018. Please enter GIVINGTHANKS in… Read More

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July Veg Guide Update!

It’s summer! And we have some great new places for you to check out! New Vegan / Vegetarian Restaurants: Blossom Vegetarian It’s finally happened! There is an all you can eat vegetarian buffet in Toronto! Blossom is a newly opened restaurant on Leslie in Richmond Hill that is entirely vegetarian. Vegan options (of which there are plenty!) are marked clearly throughout. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with takeaway and dim sum and tea offerings, Blossom looks like an awesome addition to the GTA!       FGF Vegan This newly opened vegan restaurant in Oshawa looks like a great addition to Durham! “We have an amazing selection of popular traditional foods made vegan including vegan fish and chips, Yorkshire puddings, seitan sausages, burgers, ribs and pepperoni pizzawith cassava cheese. A good selection of desserts and many GF options. We are aiming to serve vegans, vegetarians and others who are curious and skeptic about this fantastic diet.”     Veggie Friendly Businesses:   The Big Carrot — New Location! This longtime East end mainstay has opened up a second location at Danforth and Kingston Road!   Bark & Meow Pet Supplies This pet… Read More

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Discount Profile: Away Kitchen and Cafe

Care of Barbi Lazarus Walking into Away Kitchen and Cafe in Little Italy is like walking into a garden, with living walls and a bright, airy decor. But before sitting down we wandered up to the counter to place our order and see what pastries were on hand that day. From the menu, my partner and I ordered the sweet potato empanada, and two sandwiches: lemongrass seitan and a pulled “pork” style sandwich made from king oyster mushrooms. The filling of the empanada was just sweet enough with a delicious, warm crust. The sandwiches were both delightful yet totally different from one another! The lemongrass seitan sandwich was light and refreshing, with cold, chopped carrot and daikon, while the pulled mushroom sandwich had a delicious BBQ sauce and was warm and hearty. We couldn’t resist grabbing a couple of items from the case. First up was a quiche, whose pastry was so perfect, flaky and light. And to top it all off was dessert: a beet cake which was incredibly moist and soft, without being overly sweet. With a new patio, and YamChops pretty much right across the street, do yourself a favour and make an afternoon to Little Italy your next weekend jaunt. Read More

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