photo: thepurelife.ca
Meet tops the list. It is Gastown’s dedicated meatless emporium of veggie/vegan/gluten free awesomeness where the food is genuinely delicious. All of their burgers are amazing, with fresh cut fries and side salad. You can get onion rings on top of the patty and their coconut bacon is addictive. Highly recommended are The Corn Fritters with spicy chipotle mayo dip, The HOCUS-POCUS – fries & onion rings together with chipotle mayo & house cashew gravy dips and THE LOVELY – a bowlful of authentic almond satay sauce & shredded carrots over organic brown rice, marinated organic tofu, wilted organic kale, broccoli, roasted red pepper & toasted coconut bacon.
Pourhouse has created some amazing vegetarian fare. Tell your alternative diet friends you decided to say “To heck with it! I’m having a steak!”. A Cauliflower Steak that is! Served with Stewed Lentils, Romesco Sauce and Crispy Kale. Also delicious are the Herbed French Fries with Maple-Mustard Aioli.
photo: vancitybuzz.com
You can never really go to Birds & Beets too often. It is always inviting, perpetually welcoming and forever feels like home. There’s many a fine vegetarian based plate or bowl to be found here. A popular and delicious item is the Charred Veggies Sandwich (Rotating Seasonally) along with The Sprouted Grain and The Little Green Salad. Breakfast is fresh with homespun goodness. Try the Avocado & Slow Poached Egg Brioche Sandwich or the Whole Grain Granola & house made Filmjolk Yoghurt.
photo: vancitybuzz.com
When you ponder Gastown’s restaurants, it’s hard not to think of Chill Winston. It’s a fantastic place with great food, a huge patio and friendly, efficient staff. And they love vegetarians! Check out their Spaghetti Squash – roasted Earthwise squash, chili oil, basil almond pesto, sunflower seed butter and the Cauliflower Tartare –pan-roasted cauliflower, pickled carrots, beets, chimichurri, & Thai chili, with corn tortilla & pickled nectarines. We also like the Fried Farro –fried farro with roasted cauliflower, summer succotash, & vegetarian sausage. And if you love sharing plates, order the Earthwise Platter – Handpicked organic vegetables from the Earthwise Farm; grilled, pickled, roasted, with parmesan emulsion, harissa, & blue corn tortillas.
New this year to Gastown, Kofta Meatball Kitchen offers a number of really interesting vegetarian dishes. They source all their ingredients from locally based, sustainable farms and suppliers. You can customize your bowl and for herbivores, we recommend the Vegan Lentil with choice of roasted potatoes, quinoa & rice or zucchini noodles, adding sauce – three cheese, mushroom gravy or garlic cashew crème and then one of four garnishes – shaved asiago, pickled jalapenos, herbed parm panko or cabbage & radish.
photo: westernlivingmagazine.com
From humble beginnings, as a small food truck on the magical shores of Tofino, Tacofino in Gastown is one popular joint. There are tons of options and variations for vegetarians and they’re all delicious! Try their VEGETARIAN BURRITO – rice, black beans, cheese, sour cream, chipotle mayo, cabbage, salsa fresca, flour tortilla or the VEGAN BURRITO – rice, black beans, guacamole, salsa fresca, flour tortilla. Of course the Nachos are great, as well as the SQUASH and CAULIFLOWER TOSTADA – kabocha squash, pickled cauliflower, queso fresco or the VEGETABLE SCRAPPLE TACO – squash and chickpea fritter, tomato herb salad, lime crema, verde.
photo: everydayisafoodday.com
Bauhaus is one of Gastown’s higher end restaurants and it’s an experience that all foodies must have. The service is exceptional and Chef Stefan Hartmann creates food that no one else in the city is making. He has a following and it’s growing daily. Start with the Smoked Cauliflower Soup then for the main course, try the Cheese Spatzle with greens or the Gnocchi with arugula, artichokes and pecorino. Indulge in a third course and go for the deconstructed Quark Cheesecake – fresh graham crumble and berries.
