Banjara Indian Cuisine is a dietary-friendly spot in The Annex, Toronto.
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.
Must 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.
Address: 796 Bloor Street W, Toronto, ON M6G 1L7
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.
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.
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.
