T O R O N T O
The Curious
Keeping tabs on Toronto’s plant- based food and culture
Halloween weekend is almost here, and I’m somewhere between wanting to head out in costume and settle in over a plate of dumplings. Luckily, there’s room for both.
What I love about putting this newsletter together is seeing how much our community has going on and how often the best finds start with someone sharing a tip or asking, “Have you tried this yet?”
That’s also the idea behind a new section this week: taking a question from the community and bringing the answers together in one place.
There’s so much collective knowledge out there, far more than I could offer on my own, and I’d love for this newsletter to help connect those dots.
Hopefully, you’ll discover a recommendation or a little local gem you might otherwise have missed.
Here’s what’s caught my attention this week. 👇
I N T H I S E D I T I O N (TL;DR)
🌱 VegTO’s Food & Futures event—and a 15% discount for you
🥟 The dumplings we keep going back for at Vege Delight
👀 Bad Attitude Bread signed a lease—and it’s looking east
🍫 A Costco chocolate chip update, Prime Roots roasts, and more local finds
🌭 Where to find vegan hot dogs and sausages, according to the community
🎃 Halloween karaoke, costume parties, and Canadian wine at Hawker
S P O T L I G H T E V E N T
📅 Sunday, November 1 · 12–6 p.m.
📍 Artscape Wychwood Barns, Toronto
🎟 Kids 16 and under get in free · Save 15% with code “Sustain”
Part market, part festival, part science fair—VegTO’s Food & Futures event is bringing together plant-based eats, local makers, and practical ideas for a more sustainable everyday life. It’s a family-friendly afternoon to explore how what’s on our plates connects to our health, animals, and the planet, without needing to have it all figured out before you arrive.
Come hungry for plant-based food and baked goods, including Beyond Meat Steak Tips samples at the So Daam Korean booth. You can also get a head start on holiday shopping with sustainable goods, skin care, and handmade finds from local businesses.
Beyond the food and shopping, there’ll be opportunities to chat with sustainability and climate experts, take an electric vehicle for a test drive with Plug’n Drive, and drop off small electronics for proper recycling with 1-800-GOT-JUNK.
A little extra incentive to book ahead: online ticket holders receive a special gift from Beyond Meat, Yves, or Maison Riviera and can skip the ticket line at the door. As The Curious subscribers, you can get 15% off tickets with code Sustain at checkout.
W H A T ’ S O N O U R P L A T E
Dumplings
Vege Delight · 173 Dundas St. W.
Vege Delight is one of our favourites for dumplings, so it’s probably no surprise they made it onto the table again this week. We ordered the mushroom and bok choy dumplings ($15.98), alongside the sweet-and-sour lion’s mane mushrooms ($18.98) and house special soup pot ($24.98).
If you haven’t been, it’s worth keeping in mind the next time you’re around The Eaton Centre. Vege Delight is vegetarian rather than entirely vegan, but the menu clearly identifies which dishes are vegan, making it easy to find your options.
W O R T H N O T I N G
Dairy-free Costco chocolate chips? 🍫
Someone in the vegan Facebook group spotted a possible change to Kirkland chocolate chips: milk is reportedly no longer listed as an ingredient, though a “may contain milk” warning remains.
Honey's Ice Cream: pumpkin spice latte milkshakes in Leslieville
Honey's Ice Cream has pumpkin spice latte milkshakes at its Leslieville shop and for delivery on Uber.
Prime Roots roasts at Good Rebel 🌱
I’ve wanted to try Prime Roots for a long time, so I’m excited to see its vegan ham and turkey roasts at Good Rebel! The company makes its meat alternatives using koji mycelium, a fungi-based protein that provides a naturally savoury flavour and meaty texture, without soy or gluten.
New Brunch Spot
Bellona Kitchen will be bringing Sunday Brunch to their college location soon.
Rumour has it 👀
We’re back with more news on Bad Attitude Bread’s new location: the owner shared on Instagram that they’ve signed a lease, with a shout-out to the “east end baddies.” No address or opening date just yet, they’re still keeping things mysterious for now, but we’re watching this one.
Q U E S T I O N S F R O M T H E C O M M U N I T Y
“I find it appalling that not a single vegan restaurant in this city has a veggie dog or even a sausage on their menu.
(Please Correct me if I’m wrong, I really want to be wrong lol)”
Best Answers
1
“not fully vegan but left field brewery in liberty village has 3 different types of vegan hot dogs!”
2
“There is a whole vegan sausage company that often is at farmers markets and events. Check out Sausage Party Toronto”
3
“One star bar has veggie dogs”
4
“The Vegan Danish Bakery on Queen West just past Dufferin has these phenomenal faux-sausages in a pastry with some seeds on top. I always get it with their phenomenal Danish mustard. Literally one of my favorite foods out there - get the mustard if you try! It is revolutionary!!”
5
“The veggie pogo at Pennie’s is so yummy!”
WHAT’S HAPPENNING
📅 Friday, October 30 · 9 p.m. ($5 cover after 10pm)
📍 Soy Boys · 1056 Queen St E, Toronto
Celebrate Soy Boys Leslieville’s first anniversary with a Halloween karaoke party! Come ready to sing and dressed for a chance to win a $100 gift card for best costume.
📅 Friday, October 30 · 6:30–9:30 p.m.
📍 NUTTEA · 637 Bloor St W, Toronto
🎟 Free · Food and drinks available for purchase
It’s the monthly social time from the Toronto Vegan Meetup Group. Meet some new faces over nut-milk teas, coffee, and vegan baked goods and expect a lively evening of mingling rather than a quiet sit-down gathering.
📅 Saturday, October 31 · 10 p.m.–late
📍 13 SUNS Ethiopian Café & Eatery · 74 Hymus Rd, Unit 4, Scarborough
🎟 $40 · RSVP required
Sunset Sessions takes over 13 SUNS for a Halloween party with DJ Sponz spinning dancehall, Afro, hip-hop, and R&B. Come in costume for a chance to win a $500 Air Canada travel credit, plus door-crasher prizes.
📅 Monday, November 2 · Doors at 6 p.m.
📍 Hawker · 291 Augusta Ave, Toronto
🎟 Wine tasting $65 · Wine + six-course food pairing $125 · Prepaid
Join Hawker and Stratus for an evening exploring vegan wines with Canadian roots, guided by Stratus’s Morgan Rock, Hawker’s sommelier, and special guests. Taste a Blanc de Blanc, a biodynamic wine, a Canadian winemaker’s work from abroad, and ice wine to finish, with the option to add a six-course tasting menu from Chef Leah’s kitchen.
On The Horizon
📅 Thursday, November 12 · 6–8:30 p.m.
📍 108 Dundas St W, 2nd floor, Toronto
Join Animal Justice for the premiere of two short documentaries examining farm-industry influence on Canada’s animal welfare standards and public opinion. The evening includes light refreshments, a facilitated discussion, and a chance to connect with others interested in animals, food, and corporate influence.
📅 Sunday, November 15 12-3pm
📍 1610 Eglinton Ave. W.
🎟 Limited spots · Contact [email protected] or 647-207-7395
Learn to prepare lentils, greens, tibs, shiro, and more in a hands-on celebration of African culture, ancestry, and connection. Cook together, share stories, and finish with a communal meal, breaking injera together. All are welcome.
📅 December 10 · 5–9:30 p.m.
📍 Location TBA, Toronto
The Vegan Night Market is returning to Toronto for a holiday edition! Save the date for December 10, with the venue and more details still to come.
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Thanks for reading 🙌
Stay curious 🌱
Jonathan · Plant Curious