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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: Copper Branch Thornhill and Brooklin Locations

Copper Branch seems to be taking over the world! Originally from Montreal (with several locations there), they started with one location in downtown Toronto and are now invading all the suburbs throughout the GTA so you can get your plant-based fix wherever you are! I had tried their burgers before at various veg fests but when I went for my first sit down meal at their Thornhill location, my jaw dropped. My mom and I started by splitting the spicy buffalo wings. They had a delicious, slightly crispy skin and the aioli to dip them in was so creamy and flavourful. Even the little side of purple coleslaw was a refreshing, crunchy treat (spiced with sriracha! Yes please!). It was too difficult to choose just one entree so we also split two bowls: The General Copper and the Aztec. Both blew our minds when they arrived at the table. The portions were so generous, and the bowls were so colourful with so many different components. In addition to their famous ooey, gooey general tao chicken (made from shitake mushrooms), the General Copper had a bright purple coleslaw, fresh and bright green broccoli, and cubes of creamy avocado. The Aztec was… 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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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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Discount Profile: Parka Food Co.

Late last year Parka Food Co. opened up a permanent location on Queen St., just west of Spadina. As I work just a couple blocks away I’ve been lucky enough to eat my way through most of their menu. My go-to lunch is the potato burger and cauliflower fritters. The burger consists of a few potato fillets that are fried and crispy along with pickles, coleslaw and a tartar sauce. Those are stacked on their enjoyable dense and sturdy buns. The cauliflower fritters are lightly fried and come with a creamy aioli. The list of sandwiches on their menu reveals their intentions: Mushroom, Eggplant, Broccoli and Potato. They are taking vegetables seriously, making them anything but boring. The broccoli sandwich showcases the vegetable with a light batter, frying it and then smothering it in mac sauce. They use that mac sauce to create a variety of mac and cheese combinations. They also have a variety of soups. Fries and onion rings join the caulfilower fritters on the sides portion of the menu. They’ve been adding to their menu pretty steadily over the past six months and have started posting some secret menu items around on social media. 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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Discount Profile: Boon Burger Burlington

Care of Sherry Bowman On a nice crisp day, we can walk around downtown Burlington and and enjoy the hustle and bustle of activity near the Lakeshore. Due to their long hours, we can visit Boon Burger for lunch or dinner any day of the week. This is a good, casual place to relax with friends, enjoy some music, sign in for free WiFi, and delight in any food items on the menu. The community/family table is busy and there are a couple of high chairs still available. One of the bathrooms is wheelchair accessible, while the other is a good size for those with mobility issues to maneuver. A couple of concrete support columns have been painted black and have been chalked on by staff. There are panoramic black & white photos of farm animals hanging on the walls. My favourite is the photo of a cow that takes up most of the back wall – truly a noble creature. We order at the counter, and are given an animal figure to take back to the table. Although the word vegan is not used anywhere is the restaurant, you can be assured that… Read More

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Discount Profile: The Social Gardener Cafe

Care of Jeanette Cabral The east end of Toronto doesn’t always get the spotlight when it comes to vegan options, but if you venture east of the DVP, you’ll find gems like The Social Gardener Cafe ready to feed you. Located on Gerrard east of Greenwood, The Social Gardener sits between two changing neighbourhoods – Riverdale to the west, and the Gerrard India Bazaar to the east. This is truly a community space that is not just concerned about their bottom line. The cafe itself is part of the Riverdale Hub, a social enterprise that also boasts an art gallery, a rooftop garden, meeting and work spaces, environmental initiatives and serves as a  training ground for marginalized women and youth. The Social Gardener also supports the Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre, which shares the building with the cafe. When you visit, you know you are supporting a business that is doing good work. The first thing you’ll notice in the cafe is the space. Large wooden tables, an exposed brick wall, textiles, a cozy couch, books, and lantern style lighting fixtures give the cafe a “welcome home” feel. The surroundings… Read More

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Discount Profile: Tori's Bakeshop in the Canary District

Care of Florence McCambridge I’ve been waiting for the new Tori’s Bakeshop location to open for what seems like forever, but now vegans in Toronto’s east end have something to celebrate, because everyone’s favourite organic bakery is now open! While I’m more than happy to hop on my bike and ride over to Tori’s lovely shop in the Beaches, their new location in the Canary District is within walking distance from my house, so you can understand my excitement. Just like the original location, Tori’s Bakeshop in the Canary District is bright and charming with that recognizable green and white colour scheme we all know and love. And with plenty of greenery lining the open shelving and the abundant sunshine coming in from outside, this location is sure to be busy in the summer months ahead. One thing I’ve always loved about Tori’s is that they have such an amazing selection of savoury items to go along with the sweets that make them famous. If you’ve ever enjoyed their focaccia at the Veg Food Fest, you know what I’m talking about. I decided on a Veggie Pâté Sandwich, made with mushrooms and sunflower seed pâté,… Read More

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