If you've been following the plant-based dining scene around the world, you might have noticed some troubling headlines in 2025. Closures were rampant, Beyond Meat stock fell and Eleven Madison Park started serving meat again. I even saw some of the best vegan restaurants in Toronto close or file for bankruptcy. While vegan food might not be as trendy as it once was, that hasn't stopped eateries across the city from doubling down on their mission to serve excellent plant-based plates. For vegans (like me!) or omnivores, Toronto's plant-based scene remains exciting, varied and bountiful.
Vegan food is intersectional, and so are the best vegan restaurants in Toronto. Some of these restaurants skip the meat on their menus for sustainability, or in the spirit of protecting animal rights; for others, it's part of their cultural fabric. Every year, when I stitch them all together in this list, I'm always amazed by just how varied and diverse Toronto's best vegan restaurants are. From a small takeout counter on Broadview serving dainty plant-based afternoon tea, to a venue-restaurant hybrid dishing colourful Ethiopian eats, a Montréal chain rolling boundary-pushing sushi and a diner stacked with Italian favourites, Toronto's plant-based restaurants run the gamut. And don't even get me started on the best vegan cafés in Toronto, with treats galore that are completely sans animal products.
These restaurants may not have Michelin Guide recognition (save Gia, the beloved plant-forward Italian stalwart on Dundas West), but that doesn't take away from the quality of their food. Plant-based cooking follows its own rules and requires different techniques, and the chefs who master them are incredibly dedicated to their craft.
Despite the closures last year, I've also noticed promising growth. One of the best spots for tacos in the city, Taqueria Vegana, is opening a second location in Bloorcourt; Soy Boys, the Church Street staple, has ventured into Leslieville with a bigger, better home; and Hawker, a hole-in-the-wall spot for small plates in Kensington Market, has a new executive chef who's already wowing us with her culinary creativity. As long as there's a hungry city out there, willing to try something new, Toronto's vegan restaurants persist, innovate and expand — and year after year, nothing makes me happier to see.
The best vegan restaurants in Toronto for 2026
27. VegeDelight Vegetarian Restaurant
173 Dundas St. W.
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This unpretentious spot at Dundas West and Chestnut Street shares its dining room with a Thai restaurant, so make sure you’re sitting in the right area before you order.
While the interior may be humble, VegeDelight's ambitions lie with its creative takes on Sichuan cuisine. Mounds of shiitake mushrooms are topped with shredded orange skin and crispy ginger; big colourful plates brimming with fresh vegetables are loaded with tender plant-based proteins, like tofu or veggie fillet. Skip the soups and go for mains like the braised veggie balls — floating in a shallow pool of spiced sauce, they’re tender and flavour-packed.
While most dishes are vegan, some are vegetarian, and the menu indicates when animal products are present.
27. Thien Tam
2907 Dundas St. W.
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Serving everything from pho to pad Thai and udon, this pan-Asian restaurant in the Junction has something for everyone — whether it's your first time trying Asian cuisines, or your thousandth.
26. V’s Caribbean Restaurant
1221 Weston Rd.
Christie Vuong
V’s Caribbean Restaurant owner, chef George Powell (who goes by Pong) serves plant-based food with a cause. Pong's homestyle Caribbean cooking is sans excess oils and salts to promote a healthier lifestyle in the Mount Dennis community he calls home. It’s all fresh, whole food that also happens to be delicious. The Pong Special is a platter with a little bit of everything on the menu — my favourites are the mac pie, fried plantain and the spicy mapo tofu. Or, opt for the Tun’up roti with maple jerk tofu — it’s *chef’s kiss.* V’s is cash-only, and there’s an ATM inside if you need.
25. Vital-Life Vegan
360 Broadview Ave.
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Slinging scrumptious non-GMO and organic Caribbean plates at Broadview and Gerrard, Vital Life Vegan will leave you feeling patting-your-belly satisfied. While $30 might be a little steep for the Everything Bowl, it's your best bet to sample all of the restaurant's sides like BBQ soy, curry chickpeas, fried plantain, jerk protein and stir-fry cabbage. You can get your stew stuffed in a roti, too.
24. Govinda’s
243 Avenue Rd.
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Dining at Govinda’s in Yorkville is an experience so immersive that it makes King West steakhouse-nightclubs jealous.
The small eatery is housed in a historic church where the ceiling is cavernous. Conversations stay hushed, and muffled singing from the conjoined Hare Krishna Temple often seeps into the round dining room. There’s a towering red curtain wall that I half-expect to peel back at any moment and reveal a live choir performance.
The rotating south Indian menu is carted out on a buffet every day — the thali, served with basmati rice, samosa and chapatti flatbread, is a must-try. A handful of dishes are vegetarian, not vegan, so double-check with your server when you order. Hot off the press: They have paneer-topped pizza now, too.
23. Guerrilla Burger
Multiple locations
This ghost kitchen out of Eva’s Original Chimneys Toronto locations sneakily serves the best vegan burgers in the city. Thick, soy-free, plant-based patties get stacked tall with outrageous toppings like butternut mac and cheese, chilli, kimchi and grilled pineapple. Arrive hungry, and bring napkins. If a classic burger is more your style, try the O.G. — it’s loaded to the brim with fresh veggies and smeared with a secret sauce — but our favourite is the Nashville Hot Chik’n Sandwich, with three plant-based tenders instead of a patty, and hot ‘hunny’ sauce.
Which vegan restaurant would you bring a non-vegan friend to?
22. The Hogtown Vegan
382 College St.
A bonafide Toronto institution, the Hogtown Vegan has been pumping out Southern-style plant-based comfort food in its iconic green dining room for over a decade. The eternal Kensington Market vegan restaurant is best known for its unChicken + Waffles — breaded vegan protein is fried and perched atop a fluffy waffle, then slathered with a cinnamon butter, drizzled with spicy syrup and served alongside a heap of garlic and bacon collard greens. First-timers should go for the soy pork nachos, and double-patty Big Hog burger. They even have phish n' chips — beer-battered, deep-fried tempeh primed for dipping in a side of tartar sauce.
21. Buddha’s Vegan Restaurant
666 Dundas St. W.
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Open since 1991, this humble vegan restaurant has thrived off of cult-like success with foodies (and anyone with taste buds, really) across the city. The dining room is often teeming with ravenous guests, so takeout may be your best bet to experience Buddha's drool-worthy vegan Asian meals. Their imitation meat offerings are vast — soya steak, veggie chicken, fake shrimp and mock duck are all seasoned to savoury perfection in steaming soups and on towering piles of tasty noodles or fried rice. Vietnam ex-pat and head chef, Sam Lam, is eternally friendly — say hi, and that foodism sent you when you stop by.
20. Greens Vegetarian Restaurant
638 Dundas St. W.
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This humble plant-based eatery turned completely vegan in 2015. The dining room is spacious, equally catering to dining in and droves of takeout orders, and the decor is simple. On the plate is where the magic happens, though. The vegan menu of Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai dishes is wall-to-wall hits. Tofu, seitan and other mock meats are tossed in sauces that pack huge wallops of flavour, then are piled high, awaiting your chopsticks. There’s a whole selection of stir-fried veggie dishes that are big, fresh and vibrant, and you shouldn’t sleep on the soups, either. The sweet and sour chicken is a highlight, too.
19. Saigon Lotus
6 St. Andrew St.
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A trickling waterfall, Buddha statues, soothing music, faux vines and an eye-catching ceiling mural of a bright blue sky (painted by a staff member) make Saigon Lotus feel tranquil, even when it’s packed with hungry patrons.
Long-praised for its substantial portions and wallet-friendly prices, Saigon consistently dishes mouth-watering vegan plates. Their popular bánh mìs, stuffed with pickled veg and your choice of tofu or vegan mock meat, are a great place to start if you’re stuck on what to order — but you can’t go wrong with anything on their stacked menu. Even their vegan pho, a dish notoriously difficult to get right, is delicious; the pho dac biet is packed with faux meat floating in a slurpable broth.
Vermicelli bowls are stacked with toppings like peppers in golden curry sauce, seitan and fresh veggies; steamed, meat-packed rice rolls are served with vegan fish sauce.
We’d also return just for the desserts and drinks. The Three Colours stacks sweet beans with coconut jelly and crushed ice; there’s crême brûlée; and you can choose from a thick and colourful strawberry, taro, honeydew or mango latte, overflowing with foam.
18. Soy Boys
Multiple locations
I'm pumped about the new Soy Boys Leslieville vegan restaurant. Larger and with more seating than their OG Church Street digs, it's poised to cement itself as a neighbourhood favourite. Sip from a selection of Leslieville-made beer from all six neighbourhood breweries, along with local Ontario ciders and VQA wine. The new restaurant will offer karaoke on Saturdays and $5 pints of Left Fields' Leafs Lager during every Leafs game, which will be played on a projector.
Both locations have perfected vegan fast food — think hangover-curing two-handers, chicken tenders, nuggets, waffle fries and even soft serve ice cream. They're a top contender for best veggie burger in Toronto. Pick either Impossible beef or a Lightlife chicken patty, then let the Soy Boys team dress it up with classic burger toppings and a lip-smackingly tasty house sauce.
17. Veggie D’Light
160 Baldwin St. #3
My stomach grumbles thinking about the weighty rotis on order at this small Caribbean spot that's tucked just below street level in Kensington Market. The chalkboard menu lists tons of non-GMO, organic ingredients like jerk seitan, curry chickpeas and moringa loaf. They're comforting and delicious stuffed into a dhalpuri shell (or a bowl, if you prefer).
Veggie D’Light first launched through the Stonegate Farmer’s Markets, then opened its doors in 2015. Everything is seasoned to perfection by chef Peter McKenzie. When you visit, chances are you’ll spot McKenzie whirling around the kitchen with a big grin on his face and infectious positivity.
Be careful when applying the complimentary scotch bonnet hot sauce cups to your meal — it’s set-your-hair-on-fire levels of spicy. Veggie D’Light is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so pop by after your weekend Chinatown grocery run.
16. Bellona
Multiple locations
Johnnie and Aggie Fusco are the husband-and-wife duo behind Toronto's most exciting new plant-inspired Italian restaurant chain. Currently, they operate locations on College, and Jane Street. Bellona, named after a small farming town north of Naples, serves vegan and vegetarian eats that feel distinctly homemade. The Fuscos veganize calamari (actually oyster mushrooms) and meatballs (cremini mushrooms and brown rice), and many of their in-house pasta plates, pizzas, sliders and one mouth-watering calzone can be made completely plant-based on request. If you aren't vegan, go for the rigatoni alfredo — tossed in a velvety cream sauce and finished with aged pecorino romano, it's pure comfort food perfection.
15. Tenon Vegan Sushi
486 Bloor St. W.
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This cult-favourite spot for plant-based sushi and Thai fusion will have you double, triple and quadruple-checking that their vegan salmon isn't real fish. Faux proteins abound, from unagi and ham to crab and shrimp.
The usual vegan-friendly suspects are here (tempura, asparagus, cucumber and avocado rolls), but soy meat substitutes open up a new range of flavours and textures to try. ‘Crab’ meat is deep-fried, tucked into maki, then drizzled with BBQ sauce; juicy cuts of faux fish wrap red dragon rolls. Dining in is essential to appreciate the ingredients at their freshest.
14. Animal Liberation Kitchen
100 Broadview Ave., Unit 202
One of the best vegan caterers in Toronto, Tanya and Siki Spasic's Animal Liberation Kitchen is also a small takeout counter and restaurant off a quiet strip of Broadview. It's best for weekend brunch; pick from hearty options like four Just Egg breakfast croissants, Beyond Meat gyros or chicken caesar wraps. Mac and cheese comes topped with kimchi and bacon, and the loaded avocado toast is schmeared with cashew cream cheese and topped with pesto and pickled red peppers.
ALK also runs a high tea every Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. For $50 per person, sample dainty sandwiches, delicate canapés, egg salad sandwiches, chocolate hazelnut croissants and much more.
13. La Vegan
1450 Danforth Ave.
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A hidden gem on the Danforth, La Vegan is owned and operated by executive chef Banchi Kinde, who also runs Danforth staple Rendez-Vous just a few doors down. Traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean plates are made completely vegan here, but you won’t miss the meat.
Kinde’s comforting East African cooking keeps me coming back for more. I’ll gladly confess to ravenously scooping tofu zigni, shimbra asa (baked chickpeas in spicy sauce) and dinich wat (potato in berbere sauce) into my mouth with fluffy injera, then unabashedly licking my fingers clean.
To fight off the post-meal drowsiness, order a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, freshly brewed and poured right at your table.
12. Planta Yorkville
1221 Bay St.
Sprint, don't run to Planta's Yorkville location to try their newly launched pepperoni-loaded and cacio e pepe vegan pizzas.
The dining room, with its clean white brick walls, wood floors and balconies of lush greenery, is gorgeous, but the food is what gives me pause. The menu, which is quite similar to the Queen Street location, ventures more into Italian favourites like spaghetti carbonara and spicy lumaconi with cashew mozzarella and nutritional yeast.
11. Fresh
Multiple locations
Lauren Wesanko
Lauren Wesanko
Ruth Tal started Fresh as a humble juice bar on Queen West in the 90s. Today, it’s grown to be one of the most popular plant-based restaurant chains in the GTA, with five locations in Toronto alone (don't tell anyone, but their Front Street location is our fave). They're all perfect spots to grab a nutrient-packed smoothie, a cold foam matcha latte, or a house-made soda on a sweaty summer day. Sit down with their chipotle-drizzled cauliflower tacos for lunch, or the protein-packed tofu bowl for dinner.
The quinoa onion rings are famous — and for good reason. Get them with chipotle mayo and garlic mayo, then slather the sauces on everything. Or, opt for the dragon fries, which are generously topped with miso gravy, banana peppers and chili oil.
10. Avelo
51 St. Nicholas St.
While Avelo gives vegan food the fine dining treatment, eating here is a pleasantly casual experience. The relaxed dining room, tucked in a Victorian-era townhome near Yonge and Wellesley, retains its homey vibe; there’s an exposed-brick wall, a beautiful flower mural, and a small cluster of tables. Servers whisk out chef Fernando Anrango's (Bloom) plant-based small plates, which often showcase his fascination with fermentation and beautiful presentations.
When you book a table (and you do need to make a reservation), you’ll select a five- or eight-course tasting menu, starting at $70 or $115 apiece on weeknights, and $85 or $135 per person on Friday and Saturday. Wine pairings range from $45 to $75.
9. King’s Café
192 Augusta Ave.
Before I went vegan, stumbling into this Kensington Market staple was my first real foray into vegetarian food. King’s Café has been keeping Kensington fed with excellent, affordable plant-forward cooking for decades. While the entire menu isn’t vegan, everything is clearly marked and easy to understand.
Their famous mock meats steal the spotlight in dim sum (the BBQ seitan in the gua bao is divine), sushi, curry and even a ‘beef’ wellington. Don’t skip the succulent ‘bone-in’ soy drumsticks; the fishy fried bean curd with a crispy seaweed crust on a bed of bok choy; and the spicy veggie crispy chicken with pepper flakes and bean curd, which must be an elixir for the worst hangover. All of their proteins are available for purchase in a small grocery tucked away in the back of the restaurant, too.
The menu is large enough to try something new every time you return, portions are hearty and prices are reasonable. The Combinations menu is excellent value — for under $20, get a protein-heavy main paired with a spring roll, two soy nuggets, salad and soup of the day. Wash it all down with a steaming cup of tea — King’s Café has over 30 different varieties to choose from.
8. Bar Avelo
51 St. Nicholas St., Second Floor
Toronto's only vegan speakeasy, Bar Avelo is the much more approachable little sister to the downstairs fine-dining, tasting-menu Avelo. I adore the setting for this bar: on the second floor of a Victorian townhouse, easily missed on the residential St. Nicholas Street, with an ornate ceiling, deep blue curtains and a glass-backed bar. Here, I feel like I'm imbibing and indulging in a rich friend's attic.
À la carte vegan tapas are a playground for chef Fernando Anrango's plant-based plate ideas. An empanada is stuffed with a triple threat of protein — T.V.P (textured vegetable protein), smoked tofu and lentil tempeh — and there's a selection of fresh, loaded flatbreads too. I'd return just for the mini cheese board, though, stocked with two vegan cheeses and other fixings.
There is a selection of signature cocktails, but I'd go for the goji-infused-gin negroni, a light twist on a classic that I could sip all night long.
Bar Avelo
I climb a floral staircase to discover the mysterious plant-based speakeasy above fine-dining restaurant, Avelo, where I snack on unbelievably delicious vegan cheese and imbibe classic cocktails.
Read moreWhat's your favourite vegan restaurant in Toronto?
7. Sushi Momo
1122 Queen St. W.
At most sushi restaurants, vegans are often relegated to avocado, cucumber or tempura rolls — and don't even get me started on the surprise mayo sauce that sometimes arrives slathered all over them. That couldn't be further from what's on the menu at Sushi Momo, the Montréal-based restaurant chain that opened at Queen and Dovercourt in 2024. They're not just serving sushi without fish — rather, bold and adventurous rolls that will satisfy and titillate even the staunchest seafood savant.
Chef Christian Ventura's take on Japanese cuisine doesn’t play by the rules. Classic plates get the plant-based treatment, like tartare made with three types of mushrooms, or tiradito made with a vegan protein. Ventura doesn't shy away from fusion, either: the Sashizza is a cheeky cross between sashimi and pizza where a crispy cracker-style base is loaded with melt-in-your-mouth konjac salmon, spicy mayo, fresh avocado and pickled onion. It’s delicate, with plenty of crunch, and the salmon is phenomenal.
Then there’s the Big M, a potentially polarizing “big mac” sushi roll that's made with faux bacon and "qp" mayo; and the Wellington, a pastry-wrapped maki adorned with a squirt of teriyaki-wasabi sauce and truffle paste. The Mr. Crunch futomaki, in all of its proud textural diversity, is one of my favourites — it's coated with a veganized tobiko arare, a Japanese snack that combines fish roe with crispy rice crackers.
Expect the unexpected at Sushi Momo, a delicious new vegan sushi spot
The first Toronto location of the Montréal-based restaurant chain is a chef-driven whirlwind of finely tuned textures, explosive flavours and unbridled creativity.
Read more6. Fat Choi
94 Ossington Ave.
Our favourite way to experience Fat Choi, a family-owned 'permanent pop-up' menu inside Soos on Ossington, is the FEED ME prix-fixe menu. For just $60, you're served a variety of Malay-Nyonyian small plates for the whole table: think rempah-spiced fried oyster mushrooms, with sambal hot 'honey'; char siu seitan bao; and a vibrant Prosperity slaw, with over 20 types of colourful veggies. There are a handful of large plates, too, but Fat Choi's 10-dish menu is an indecisive diner's dream.
Excuse us for thinking about dessert before dinner, but the five-spice and cinnamon-caramelized pineapple pie is topped with Honey's nut-based vanilla ice cream. Yes, please.
A nice bonus: Fat Choi avoids most cross-contamination with animal products by using vegan-only woks and separate flat tops.
5. Gia
1214 Dundas St. W.
White brick walls, punctuated with funky mirrors and potted plants are the backdrop to the vegetarian Italian eats whisked out to your table at Gia on Dundas West. While some dishes on the menu here do contain cheese and eggs, many dishes can be made plant-based on request. Gia was one of the first restaurants in Canada to be recognized by the Michelin Guide, and they confidently maintain their spot on the Guide to this day.
In-house pasta maker and bread baker Nico Jestadt is ready to ‘wow’ you from the first bite of thick and pillowy focaccia slabs made with Brodflour red fife, amply drizzled with rosemary oil. The tortelli di zucca are little bombs of butternut squash and nutmeg, and their plant-based take on casarecce salsiccia gets some serious protein from pinto bean sausages.
Gia's Sympatica prix-fixe menu is an all-star lineup of fan-favourites, all for just $47. The brunch menu is killer, too — semolina pancakes with whipped mascarpone and stone fruit compote are picture-perfect, and the eggs funghi is served on sourdough with pecorino.
They're also introducing a slew of new, health-focused dishes this year, including a spelt sunchoke risotto with hazelnut gremolata; vegan carciofi fritti with citrus aioli; and cabbage with miso vinaigrette, toasted pistachios and dates.
Gia Restaurant
The plant-forward Italian restaurant on Dundas West has once again landed on Toronto's Michelin Guide. I sample the menu and let Gia's forward-thinking approach to conscious eating blow me away.
Read more4. Taqueria Vegana
1543 Dupont St.
I don't live on a subway line, so I don't say this lightly: Taqueria Vegana is worth travelling to the Junction for. Stuffing loaded burritos, tacos, nachos and quesadillas with mouth-watering vegan seitan carnitas, birrira mushrooms, Impossible chorizo and soy carne asada, Cuernavaca ex-pats Karla and Abel are on a mission to keep their flavours and ingredients authentically Mexican. Their genius birria broth gets lots of fanfare, and for good reason, but dipping their loaded bites into their morita mayo, silken tofu chipotle cream, guac or salsa roja is just as delicious. First-timers should opt for the taco fly — think of it like a flight of beer, but with tacos. Sign us up, expeditiously.
Cool down the spice with classic taqueria drinks you’ll find at taco shops in Mexico, like sidral mundet (a.k.a. the best apple soda ever) and Boing! mango juice, plus local brands like Geez Louise, Burdock non-alc IPA and Zamalek (try the cola with hibiscus extract).
In 2026, Taqueria Vegana will be opening a second location in Bloorcourt, a godsend for transit-challenged folks like myself.
3. Planta Queen
180 Queen St. W.
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Though the future may be uncertain for this once-thriving vegan chain (in 2025, they filed for bankruptcy), Planta Queen is still dishing out some of the best vegan sushi and wok plates in Toronto. I love the luxe feel of the Queen Street location — the red trees, gorgeous wallpaper, wood floors and exposed brick never fail to impress. Mushroom lovers needn't look further than the Torched & Pressed maki roll, whose miso truffle glaze melts in your mouth. The steamed edamame dumplings and 1,000-layer "caviar"-topped potatoes are scrumptious picks, too.
The udon noodles are another Planta OG — thick, slurpable pasta in a truffle mushroom cream I'd bathe in if I could. Alas, I'll settle for mopping it up with the chick'n fried mushroom kimchi baos, and washing it all down with a sprightly kombucha mojito.
Planta's brunch is small but mighty. I'm currently salivating thinking about the banana waffle with hot fudge, or the cornflake-granola-topped French toast.
2. Hawker
291 Augusta Ave.
Recently under new management, Hawker — a hole-in-the-wall vegan restaurant in Kensington Market — has efficiently refined its menu concept, with resounding results. This is in part thanks to their new chef at the helm: executive chef Leah Steduto, who is undoubtedly one to watch. After cutting her teeth at Planta Yorkville, and working as head chef at Hawker for three years, the chef and co-owner has already taken confident command of the restaurant.
Hawker offers brunch, lunch (with appetite-conquering chickpea tofu sandwiches on a Spent Goods sourdough loaf) and à la carte dinner, but I recommend the six-course chef's tasting table — where you're seated at the bar counter overlooking the open kitchen — for the best value and overall experience. That's where Steduto, flanked by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable sommelier, Abi, shines not just with her adventurous and experimental plates, but also with her top-notch approach to service. She moves seamlessly between chatting with guests, asking thoughtful questions; presenting intricate, Michelin-grade dishes; and directing her kitchen staff with calm assertiveness — all while making it look effortless. The entire service feels harmonious; frankly, it’s pretty badass.
The all-Canadian, locally grown menu changes by the season. When I last visited, standout dishes like a braised cluster of grapes served with fermented cashew yogurt and crispy brussels sprouts; perilla leaf with pickled mushrooms, spicy cream and smoked cabbage; and fermented dandelion cavatelli took me on a wild ride of flavours and textures. For the vegan gourmand, nothing in Toronto beats this tasting experience. Add the wine pairing for Ontario and international natural vino that fits each dish like a glove.
Do yourself a favour and ask — nay, politely demand — the carrot cake cocktail for dessert. It's a vegan carrot cake that's sous vide and mixed into a cocktail, topped with a cream-cheese-icing cold foam. TLDR: heaven on earth.
This vegan restaurant is a food nerd's dream-come-true
Executive chef Leah Steduto's experimental plant-based plates defy definitions — but it's her harmonious approach to service that blows me away.
Read more1. Stefano’s Diner
1265 Dundas St. W.
It's not just the outstanding, nostalgic diner bites that keep me coming back to Stefano's Diner, sister restaurant to Jenny Coburn and Stacey Patterson's Gia. Nor is it the cozy-yet-spirited atmosphere, where friends and dates fill the green booths, and lively chatter masks enthusiastic clinks of forks and knives on plates. It's owner Coburn's clear passion for quality food, sustainability and her care for guests that keeps Stefano's Diner at the top of my list.
As far as plant-based restaurants go, Stefano's has everything I could ever want: protein-packed dishes I haven't enjoyed since I went vegan, served in sizeable portions; a lean but solid cocktail list, complemented by high-quality non-alcoholic options; stacked sandwiches; and house-made, melt-in-your-mouth brioche French toast with indulgent cashew butter for brunch. (Need I say more?) Dining here equally accommodates a casual affair or a special occasion.
Coburn is constantly fine-tuning and perfecting her plates, resulting in a menu that somehow gets better every time I visit — and she's not afraid to call in the big guns for help, either. This time around, renowned vegan chef Lauren Toyota has consulted on the menu.
First off: a standing ovation for the ripened nut-based brie, served with a seasonal compote, that lands on Stefano's small plates menu. No matter how hard I try, I cannot stop myself from exclaiming in delight every time I scoop a crostini full of this cheese into my mouth. For the lactose-intolerant, the mozzarella sticks (served with a house sugo for dunking) will make all your fried-cheese dreams come true.
The lasagna is decadent layer upon decadent layer of bolognese, ample pomodoro, bechamel, mushrooms, parmesan and veggies (ugh, my mouth is watering again.) The New/School Foods plant-based salmon (which won a foodism ICON Award in 2025) mimics fish so well, I maintain there must be witchcraft involved in its creation.
Stefano's has, hands-down, the best vegan sandwiches I've tried in Toronto. The stacked red fife focaccia sandwich teeters tall with layers of mortadella; house-made vegan meat swims in a sugo-flooded bread canal in the meatball sandwich; and the smash burger is crispy perfection.
People can't stop raving about this all-vegan Dundas West diner
Toronto's first fully plant-based diner, Stefano's wows with Italian plates and meaty two-hander sandwiches that will have you pinching yourself.
Read moreIn a time when meat is back in vogue, Stefano's — and Coburn at the helm — remains unflinching in its mission to provide the city with more sustainable bites, while still scratching Toronto's itch for satisfying proteins, comfort food and excellent value. It's an admirable commitment, and I eagerly await whatever the restaurant cooks up next.
