Fill up on the healthy side at these Toronto vegetarian and vegan restaurants offering fresh flavours and global inspo.
Patio season means you get to try out a world of flavours in Toronto’s best summer months. It also means you get to try out something new. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or even a true-blue meat eater, Toronto’s vegetarian and vegan restaurant scene is one you’ll want to check out. I’m talking comfort food (like you can’t believe that’s not a "real" burger), to filling healthy salads that get you glowing, to crazy delicious brunch options—all on some pretty great patios. Here are some of Toronto’s best patio options for vegetarian or vegan food.
Fat Choi
Located in fun and trendy Ossington Village, Fat Choi is one of those spots that’s perfect for a pre-night-out snack and cocktail. A “permanent pop-up” located within Soos, their plant-based menu is mostly sharable small plates, and brings on tons of flavour and spice. The rotating menu keeps your taste buds on their toes.
On their typical menu, you can’t go wrong with the 20-ingredient Prosperity Salad with a yuzu plum dressing for a burst of freshness. The red chili cauliflower and broccoli (with lemongrass turmeric chili toss, peanut, sesame), is another winner. I’m also currently swooning over the special Mango Cashew Tofu and the Sambal Dhal and Roti.
Planta
Planta is one of those friendly vegan spots that can sway even your meat-loving friends. And it’s been a Toronto mainstay for years now.
Aside from their beautiful plant-based dishes, Planta restaurant interiors always wow, so no surprise that their patio situation is also on point. All Planta locations across Toronto have opened up their patios, but my favourite will always be the Queen Street West location.
I’ll be there on weekends for their Dim Sum Brunch… or on a week night noshing on the vegan sushi, Firecracker Wings, noodles and bowls—basically I’ll be eating the whole menu!
Eat Nabati
In the heart of Kensington Market you’ll find Toronto’s first 100% plant-based Middle Eastern restaurant, and it is definitely not one to be missed! The name Nabati is an Arabic adjective that means “made of plants” or “plant-based”. On the menu you’ll find vegetarian shawarma, falafel, Za’atar cauliflower (one of my faves!), and veggie kofta. You can get everything in either a pita or in a bowl.
Oh, and do not pass up on their incredibly creamy, dreamy custards—often with fresh fruit flavours that hit perfectly for summer. Their patio isn’t large, but the flavour and the food portions are, so go hungry and go early!
Fresh Restaurants
Easily Toronto’s most classic vegetarian and vegan restaurant, the Fresh locations are always bursting with people, good food and quinoa onion rings that will change your life. All their Toronto locations have patios open: Fresh on Crawford, Fresh on Spadina, Fresh on Eglinton, Fresh on Hurontario and Fresh on Bloor. Bowls of grains, noodles, rice, veggies, tofu and tempeh always make a satisfying meal—but you also can’t go wrong with the burgers and the smoothies. And trust me, you will want that order of onion rings!
—This story has been updated with new details since it was first published in June 2021.
