Toronto’s selection of vegan bakeries is one solid reason for anyone to love this city. The downtown is home to more than nine bakeries, but there are two that we find to be top options for anyone looking to try out some new food delights. Don’t worry, you can bring your vegetarian friends to these places if you don’t feel like heading to a vegan restaurant on your own. Vegan does not have to imply exclusive!
- Apiecolypse Now! (735 Bloor St.)
This cute vegan shop is unique because of it’s expansive menu, offering delicious baked goods but also breaking free and offering some of the city’s best homemade pizzas. While the food is quality and super nourishing, the menu even reminds us that people don’t always go vegan for the health benefits. Sometimes they want to enjoy deep fried goodies like the next guy and indulge in some deep fried donuts. Forget the figure, this is just a treat for the tastebuds. Check out their popular Simpson’s donut. It’s easy to feel bummed out when you go out for dinner with non-vegan friends only to discover no vegan items are on the menu. Well, turn the tables and imagine how these non-vegan friends could feel if they came to your fav vegan bakery. This stellar shop offers non-vegan options for people who are frightened by the lack of animal products in baked goods, pizza, and sandwiches. We don’t have to understand their fear, we just have to accept it.
- Cosmic Treats (207 Augusta Ave.)
Meander into this retro bakery adorned with outer-space imagery and a retro flare. Cosmic Treats is here to tell the world that, contrary to what many believe, vegan food doesn’t have to mean a lack of flavour. Their dishes are packed full of flavour, even their ice cream bar is out of this world. We can’t help but notice how vegan options are commonly marketed as substitutes for specific meat options, like tofurky and tofu jerky. Cosmic Treats follows this marketing trend. There are ͞chicken pot pies͟ made of ͞vegan chicken,͟ but any true hearted vegan won’t be chasing chicken taste-a-likes. So who is this menu item meant to be attracting? We aren’t sure. Perhaps meat-eaters in transition, but that doesn’t stop the vegan chicken from tasting absolutely divine.