By Jennifer D'Agostino
This year, many of Toronto’s top restaurants are including vegetarian options on their Winterlicious menus! From classic Italian cuisine to modern Japanese dishes, there’s plenty of choice. Here are the best vegetarian menus for Winterlicious 2018. [Photo of Lena ©Yellow Pages / Pages Jaunes]
7 Numbers
7 Numbers on Danforth has created a delicious dinner menu this Winterlicious and the good news is, it’s vegetarian friendly! Vegetarians can find a great prix-fixe meal that showcases authentic Southern Italian cuisine. The dinner starts with a pureed roasted vegetable minestrone or arancini, continues with a choice between mushroom and truffle risotto or and eggplant and noodle salad, or pan-fried eggplant. Dessert offers key lime pie, biscotti or upside down cheesecake.
Banu
Banu offers a family-style meal for everyone this Winterlicious. Vegetarians can dine on delicious eats like vegetable and fresh herb stew with saffron basmati rice, barley, legumes and fresh herb potage, smoked eggplant, lentil and scallion salad and more. For dessert they can grab Death in Venice gelato, baklava and saffron rice pudding.
Yuzu No Hana
Japanese restaurant, Yuzu No Hana has kept the city’s vegetarians in mind when it comes to the Winterlicious menus. Some of the menu items includes miso, daikon salad, kaki age udon with julienned winter vegetable tempura, zen gohan, with assorted vegetables and rice. Their desserts include the decadent sake cheesecake, green tea tiramisu and a selection of ice creams.
The Shore Club
This Winterlicious, vegetarians can look forward to a delicious prix-fixe meal at The Shore Club. With lots of options to choose from, vegetarians can expect a delicious meal for a great price. Items include potato and leek soup, mushroom risotto, spinach and arugula salad with candied walnuts, cranberries and maple vinaigrette. For dessert choose from s’mores pie, butter tarts and sorbet.
R&D
Asian fusion is at the forefront on R&D’s Winterlicious menu, and it has included some stellar vegetarian options. The vegetarian meal starts with a ratatouille stir fry, continues with Korean stir-fried glass noodles with shiitake, bell peppers and carrots, and ends with a choice between milo panna cotta, yuzu meringue tart or upside down mandarin cake, with five-spice poached pears.
Mezze Notte Trattoria
Italian restaurant, Mezze Notte Trattoria is showcasing authentic Italian cuisine on its Winterlicious menu. The chefs have made sure to include some delicious options for vegetarians, including arugula, radicchio, Belgian endive, salad, arancini, eggplant parmesan layered with mozzarella and tomato sauce For dessert guests can grab either lemon sorbet, vanilla bean ice cream or ricotta cannoli.
Luma
Located on the second floor of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Luma has become one of top spots to dine in the Entertainment District. Vegetarians can enjoy delicious eats for Winterlicious including kale and mozzarella salad, sweet potato soup, baked celery root with mushrooms, Swiss chard and crisp sourdough, and squash mafalda with sage apple and pecans. For dessert diners can enjoy grasshopper pave with mint, chocolate and vanilla cream, honey sponge toffee and apple fritter.
Lena
Lena, opened its doors in 2016, and introduced Toronto to some vibrant South American cuisine. Chef Anthony Walsh has created delicious vegetarian options on both of Lena’s Winterlicious menus! Vegetarians can dine on stacciatella soup, capellini paella with piquillo pepper, charred leeks and almond, and garlic aioli. Dessert options include orange and almond cake, quince tart with sour cream ice cream, and cheese and honey.
Lbs. Restaurant
Lbs. Restaurant may be a seafood restaurant, but this Winterlicious it’s serving up some delicious dishes for vegetarians. The meal starts with the option of bitter greens salad or radicchio and candied citrus. The mains include sweet potato tacos and spaghetti al pomodoro. For dessert, take your pick between ice cream sandwiches, vanilla panna cotta or berries and sorbet.
