Are you vegan? Have you thought about going vegan? Or simply interested in consuming more plant based food?

The past few months I have tried to cut down on my meat and dairy consumption. There are obvious health benefits but I am interested and fascinated at how delicious plant based living can be.

Let me preface, I am not vegan or vegetarian BUT I love being able to find spots around Toronto that offer vegan/veg food. Some days meat and dairy is really not something I want or crave but I still want to enjoy my food and feel satisfied.

A couple weeks back I went on a mini vegan food crawl to some popular vegan/veg spots in Toronto. I had some rules if you will, 1. NO SALAD 2. Find alternatives to my favourite foods 3. Be adventurous with my choices.

This day I visited two popular spots: Hogtown Vegan and Almond Butterfly Bakeshop   Both establishments are loved my vegans alike and have rave reviews for their delicious offerings.

Hogtown Vegan is known for its causal, comfort food picks which range from the unChicken Burger, wraps, and mac ‘n cheese.

I decided on the Southern Combo which features crispy fried unChicken, mouthwatering vegan mac ‘n cheese and collared greens on the side and homemade BBQ sauce.

I rarely order fried chicken meals in general, so I decided to get the vegan version to see how it compares to actual chicken. Also, was very curious to see how their mac ‘n cheese compares to the cheesy and decadent non vegan version.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The “chicken” was crispy and wasn’t too greasy which I really appreciated. The texture was almost spot on to chicken which was a plus. The mac ‘n cheese did not disappoint, although the texture is not equivalent to the cult classic (they use vegan cheese alternatives) but still delicious none the less. I am not the biggest fan of collard greens but they were seasoned well and added to the dish overall.

Next up!

Almond Butterfly Bakeshop is an ALL gluten-free bakeshop with vegan, vegetarian and paleo options. Can it get any better than that? Their spread includes, cupcakes, cookies, bagels and they offer brunch.

I opted for the vegan chocolate peanut butter cupcake which is both gluten-free and vegan. I had never tried a fully gluten-free/vegan dessert before so I was curious to see the sweetness level, texture and overall flavour.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This cupcake was one of the best I have EVER tasted. To me there is nothing worse than an overly sweet dessert. The chocolate cupcake was the perfect texture: soft but still had density. The frosting which I usually love or hate, was absolutely delicious. The peanut butter flavour was light, airy and did not taste overpowering. An added bonus was the peanut butter cookie crumbles on top. If I had not known that this cupcake was fully vegan, I would have no idea.

What are your favourite vegan foods or spots in your area?

Until next time,

Lauren