Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and kosher options across Toronto.
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and kosher options across Toronto. including where to go and what to order.
Avelo on St Nicholas near Yorkville is chef Fernando Anrango's vegan fine-dining tasting-menu room, fermentation and house-made cheeses anchor the menu.
Order: The 5-course tasting menu plus a glass from the natural-wine list at Bar Avelo upstairs.
Tip: Wednesday-Sunday only, two seatings nightly. Bar Avelo upstairs runs walk-in vegan cocktails and small plates.
The Hogtown Vegan on College Street runs Southern comfort vegan since 2010, the city's reference vegan fried chicken and waffles, plus weekend brunch service.
Order: The Unchicken n' Waffles or the Notorious P.I.G. sandwich.
Tip: Weekend brunch lineups run from 11:00. Sister Bloor location closed; College is the original.
Fresh on Bloor is the original Fresh Restaurants location since 1999, owner Ruth Tal's plant-based juice bar and bowl-led menu that built the GTA chain.
Order: The Power Bowl with the dragon dressing or the Tantric Wrap.
Tip: Six Toronto locations now. Bloor original opens 09:00 for breakfast and juice; Front and Spadina locations carry the same menu.
Rosalinda on Richmond West is Grant van Gameren and chef Aldo Camarena's plant-based Mexican kitchen since 2018, vegan tacos and a mezcal program.
Order: The mushroom carnitas tacos and a mezcal flight.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The bar accepts walk-ins from 17:00; dining room books on Resy.
Udupi Palace on Gerrard East has run South Indian vegetarian since 1999, the dosas and uttapam from a Karnataka tradition the strip's reference plate.
Order: The masala dosa and a thali plate with sambar.
Tip: Cash and card accepted. Lunch buffet weekdays 11:30-15:00 the cheapest entry.
Fresh Queen and Spadina reopened as the chain's downtown flagship after the original Spadina closed, the Power Bowls and Tantric Wraps the city's reference.
Order: A Power Bowl or the buddha bowl with hemp dressing.
Tip: Sister locations citywide. The patio in summer the busiest seating; takeaway window the fastest entry.
Buddha's on Dundas West has run Chinese Buddhist vegetarian since 1985, mock meat and traditional Cantonese vegetable preparations across a 100-item menu.
Order: The mock beef with broccoli and the General Tao mock chicken.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Cash discount under $30. The mock duck the menu standout.
Kupfert and Kim is a meatless and wheatless fast-casual chain across Toronto since 2011, every dish naturally gluten-free, plant-based seasonal bowls.
Order: The dragon bowl on quinoa or a turmeric latte.
Tip: Multiple Toronto locations including PATH; the Spadina branch the most-stocked. Verify gluten-free certification with staff on each visit.
Indian Street Food Co on Bayview is Hemant Bhagwani's modern Indian kitchen since 2015, gluten-free options labelled and adjusted per dish on request.
Order: The chana masala or a tandoori chicken with rice in place of naan.
Tip: Closed Mondays. The kitchen's fryer is shared; celiac diners should call ahead for fully isolated gluten-free preparation.
Pho Hung on Spadina is a long-standing Vietnamese counter naturally gluten-free across the rice-noodle pho menu, fish-sauce-based broths and rice-paper rolls.
Order: The pho tai gluten-free with a side of fresh spring rolls.
Tip: Ask staff to skip the soy sauce in any custom dish; the standard pho is naturally gluten-free.
Iqbal Halal Foods in Thorncliffe Park has been Toronto's reference halal grocery and counter since 1993, the country's largest halal store with a hot bar.
Order: The chicken biryani with raita and a samosa from the counter.
Tip: Halal Monitoring Authority certified. The hot food bar runs 12:00-21:00; the grocery store stays open until 23:00.
Lahore Tikka House on Gerrard East is the Little India strip's reference Pakistani halal kitchen since 1996, hand-rolled rotis and tandoor-grilled meats.
Order: A platter of seekh kebab, butter chicken and a fresh naan from the tandoor.
Tip: Halal certified. The patio in summer the city's most colourful outdoor dining strip; bring cash for tips.
Paramount on Yonge is the Toronto-based Lebanese halal chain founded by Mohamad Fakih in 2007, mezze plus shawarma and tagines in the downtown core.
Order: The mixed grill platter with hummus and tabbouleh.
Tip: Halal certified. Multiple Toronto locations; Yonge the downtown flagship.
Banjara on Bloor West Village is the strip's halal-certified North Indian kitchen since 2000, butter chicken and lamb rogan josh from chef Raj's canon.
Order: The butter chicken with a fresh naan and a side of palak paneer.
Tip: Halal-certified across meat, chicken, lamb and goat. The lunch thali the cheapest entry point; closed between 14:30 and 17:00 weekdays.
United Bakers at Lawrence Plaza is the city's reference kosher-style dairy restaurant since 1912, no-meat menu serving fish, blintzes and split-pea soup.
Order: The split pea soup with a potato latke and applesauce.
Tip: Kosher-style, not certified kosher. Closed Saturday and most Jewish holidays. Founded by the Ladovsky family.
Dr Laffa on Bathurst is the city's reference COR-certified kosher Israeli kitchen since 2008, family-recipe laffa bread baked to order with shawarma.
Order: A laffa wrap with shawarma plus a side of hummus and a salad pickled radish.
Tip: COR Toronto kosher certified. Closed Saturday. Multiple GTA locations; the Bathurst flagship runs the longest hours.
Tov-Li on north Bathurst is the city's reference COR-certified kosher Israeli dairy counter, pizza, falafel and bourekas the Willowdale staples.
Order: A Sabich sandwich with extra amba plus a slice of the za'atar pizza.
Tip: COR Toronto kosher certified, dairy-only. Closed Friday-Saturday. Takeout and delivery the fastest entry; eat-in seats half a dozen.
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TableJourney's Toronto dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.