TO's Top 25 Vegetarian Restaurants

I've been eating less and less meat -- ever since my wife. She takes care of my health better than I do -- tuning my stomach to things I had never heard of before, such as flax, fibre, and omega-3, 6 & 9. Lately, the only meat my stomach has had the opportunity to rejoice to has been chicken, turkey and fish. Nothing else. Which isn't all that bad. I was never a big beef eater -- but occasionally, I have been tempted by a burger, which I have managed to resist for so long, that I can no longer remember the last time I've had one.

So when NOW magazine recently published their top 25 list of vegetarian restaurants in Toronto, I flipped to it, intrigued. I am interested in trying every one of them in the next several months or so, including some restaurants that weren't on their list, but were in the ads in that section. So, with the help of NOW, here are the restaurants I'm going to have a go at.

1. Café 668 | 668 Dundas W., at Denison, 416-703-0668.
   Updated: Nov. 6, 2006
   Friends, my wife and myself went out to Café 668 last week Thursday. It was different -- great different. The food was amazing, and we didn't even notice there was no meat. We ordered four dishes, which we shared, and also had appetizers of hot and sour soup and spring rolls. The restaurant is extremely small. In the cramp quarters, there is room only for about 24 people. When we got there, a party of 12 had just arrive, so most of the restaurant was already full. We had to wait about 20-minutes for a table to be free. The staff is family -- or so it appears. A husband and wife team, with a son who helps. Our friends had never been to a vegetarian restaurant, let alone a Thai restaurant. Comments about the 2x4s (chopsticks) and cups without handles were flying, but did not distract from the food. If you're looking for great vegetarian Thai, Café 668 is a nice place to drop by -- even if it is a bit out of the way. Oh, and remember to bring cash. The establishment does not take any other forms of payment.
2. Live Organic FoodBar | 264 Dupont, at Spadina, 416-515-2002.
3. Fressen | 478 Queen W., at Denison, 416-504-5127.
   Updated: March 29, 2008.
   This is a bit late in coming, but, I've been to Fressen twice, both times with the family. Once for lunch, late last year, and then again in February, for another lunch. Fressen is great for serving vegan organic meals. They manage to take what usually starts out as simple ingredients, and make something artistic and tasty. Couple of things you have to be aware of with Fressen: make reservations, as they are quite popular with the vegan crowd -- and also appeals to a wider swath of consumers. Second: the later you come, the greater your chance of finding them running out of ingredients. There aren't many places where you can find organic and vegan ingredients. As they run out, the menu shrinks, and tables close.
4. Organiclicious | 258 Dupont, at Spadina, 416-513-0479.
5. Wanda's Pie in the Sky | 7 Yorkville, at Yonge, 416-925-7437.
6. Narula's | 1438A Gerrard E, at Ashdale, 416-466-0434.
7. Pulp Kitchen | 898 Queen E, at Logan, 416-461-4612.
8. Boom Shiva | 1180 Queen W, at Northcote, 416-538-1300.
9. Tinto | 89 Roncesvalles, at Marion, 416-530-5885.
10. Urban Herbivore | 64 Oxford, at Augusta, 416-927-1231.
11. Get Real | 135 Ossington, at Argyle, 416-532-4564.
12. Simon's Wok | 797 Gerrard E, at Logan, 416-778-9836.
13. Govinda's | 243 Avenue Rd, at Roxborough, 416-922-5415.
14. Sunny Cafe | 322 Bloor West, at Spadina, 416-963-8624.
15. Bo De Duyen | 254 Spadina, second floor, at Sullivan, 416-703-1247.
16. Kissan | 1411 Gerrard E, at Hiawatha, 416-466-9777.
17. Vegetarian Haven | 17 Baldwin, at McCaul, 416-621-3636.
18. Udupi Palace | 1460 Gerrard E, at Rhodes, 416-405-8189.
    Updated: March 29, 2008.
    I was here last month with the family. The food was great, especially considering I hadn't a clue what I was ordering. It was amazing how fast the place filled up. The decor is simple, but the food is just such a great distraction, that you won't notice -- or care.
19. Buddha's Vegetarian Foods | 666 Dundas W, at Denison, 416-603-3811.
20. Kensington Natural Bakery | 460 Bloor W, at Brunswick, 416-534-1294.
    Updated: March 29, 2008.
    Another late update -- this is a restaurant my wife and I visited for a quick bite last year. It's small, and a bit of a hole in the wall in Bloor West Village. It's not a fancy place, more of a little cafeteria. It's good if you're looking for a snack, and don't mind the decor. The food wasn't bad.
21. King's Café | 192 Augusta, at Baldwin, 416-591-1340.
22. Annapurna | 1085 Bathurst, at Dupont, 416-537-8513.
23. Camros Organic Foods | 25 Hayden, #6, at Yonge, 416-960-0723.
24. Full Moon | 638 Dundas W, at Denison, 416-203-1210.
25. Naturally Yours | 100 King W, at Bay, 416-368-0100.

Updated: October 15, 2006
And here's a couple other restaurants I'd like to try -- they're not necessarily vegetarian.

• Fish Shak | 193 Baldwin St, West of Spadina, Kensington Market, 416-599-7425.
• Lalibela (Ethiopian) | 869 Bloor Street West, 416-535-6615.

There are a few restaurants that I frequent on a regular basis because I really enjoy their food ... they're worth a try.

• Bombay Bhel | 230 Commerce Valley Drive E, Thornhill, 905-771-6957.
• Jaipur Grill | 2066 Yonge Street, 416-322-5678.
• Indian Garden | 32 Eglinton W, 416-485-3377.
• Nando's Chickenland | 9625 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, 905-508-6500.