Delicious Vegan Burgers in Toronto

Did you know that every time you choose a veggie burger over a meat burger you are not only saving animals, but also helping the environment as well? Animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the entire world’s transportation systems combined. It has been proven that plant-based food is more sustainable than eating meat, and animal agriculture is the number one cause of water pollution.

My son Noah and I are vegan for the animals, but we are also very concerned about the environment and the impact the meat and dairy industries have on our planet. There are so many reasons to make your next burger a vegan one! So whether you are craving the new Beyond Meat burger made with pea protein and beet juice that is now readily available at multiple restaurants, or hearty plant-based patties packed with lentils, soy, rice, beans, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower mushrooms, or tempeh – there is a burger for you in Toronto.

Banquet Burger at Fresh

The delicious banquet burger at Fresh is made with high-protein almonds and grains and comes with tempeh bacon, garlic mayo, pickles, alfalfa, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a tasty vegan cheese sauce on a whole wheat bun. You can customize your mouth-watering burger with a side of fries, poutine, soup, superfood salad, or sweet potato dragon fries. Fresh has five locations in Toronto including their newest restaurant on Front Street. Their vegan friendly menu is packed with plant-based food and the company is committed to sustainability, which includes using biodegradable and compostable packaging for all take out orders.

Broccoli Burger at Parka Food Co

Staying true to their mission, Parka Food Co on Queen Street West makes it fun to eat vegetables. They have several unique burgers including the broccoli burger that is served lightly battered in a bun with cashew cheese sauce, dill pickles, sautéed onions, roasted garlic, lettuce, and their special aioli sauce. You can also choose to dine on cauliflower, eggplant, Portobello, or potato burgers. Everything is made from scratch using high quality ingredients including their famous mac and cheese. Not only is Parka completely vegan, but the owner is too.

Bacon Avocado Burger at Live Organic Food Bar

This plant-based haven is also organic, gluten and refined sugar free. Live Organic Food Bar is completely vegan and they never use preservatives. They are committed to serving their guests fresh and locally sourced whole food ingredients whenever possible. Their healthy and delicious Bacon Avocado Burger is a lentil black rice patty served with arugula, tomato, guacamole, coconut bacon, and BBQ sauce on a gluten free bun. It comes with house made slaw and tangy pickles. Other burgers on their menu include their Mushroom Melt Burger and Southwestern Chik’un Burger. If you still have room try their superfood smoothies or cold pressed juices

Bacon Double Cheeseburger at Mythology Diner

Mythology Diner located in the vibrant Parkdale neighbourhood (Or “Vegandale” as many people call the area consisting of ethically minding stores and restaurants with vegan themes) serves up your favourite classics vegan style. Enjoy two signature patties topped with melted cheddar cheese slices, soy bacon strips, BBQ sauce, mayo, pickles, and lettuce on a brioche bun while you admire the vegan décor and messages all around you. Complete this delicious meal with your choice of chunky potato wedges, creamy coleslaw, or daily soup. Not only will you not find any animal products at Mythology, but all Vegandale shops are cruelty free.

California Burger at Planta Burger

Planta promotes environmental sustainability by using quality ingredients from ethical suppliers, and all meals are made without harming animals. Following the success of upscale Planta in Yorkville, the spin-off Planta Burger opened in the financial district. They have six meat-free patties to choose from in addition to salads, sides, and desserts – all plant-based. The California Burger is a mushroom and lentil patty served with queso, pb sauce, pickled peppers, lettuce, red onions, avocado, tomato and pickles, it also comes with their famous truffle fries.

Beyond Meat Burger at A & W

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine eating a vegan burger in a popular fast food restaurant. (We have never even been inside McDonald’s or Burger King). Yet there I was with Noah shortly after A & W announced they would be the first national burger restaurants serving the now famous Beyond Meat burger. We were a bit uncomfortable and I felt guilty dining there at first, but I really wanted to support this positive change. Order this burger carefully as it comes with non-vegan items. Confirm you want it without cheese, mayo, and Uncle sauce – I actually brought my own Vegenaise in a small container. All their burgers are cooked on the same grill, so to avoid cross contamination with meat I kindly asked the staff to clean the grill before making ours, and they didn’t mind at all. (I also confirmed they would use separate tongs).

On our second visit to A & W I decided to do some activism and encouraged people in line to try the Beyond Meat burger instead of ordering meat. So many people that would have ordered animals that day got the vegan version and loved it! The Beyond Meat burger was so popular when it first launched they struggled to keep up with demand and completely sold out across the province. Success!

Please let me know what other vegan burgers I should check out in Toronto.

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