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Hot Beans
Category: Restaurants Vegan Vegan [Edit]
160 Baldwin StreetToronto, ON M5T 3K7
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
(647) 352-7581
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 8:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
33 reviews for Hot Beans
Review Highlights
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"...tasty tamarind-based hot sauce, and very meaty tasting TVP." In 13 reviews -
"...Chicken" Taco and Jackfruit "Pulled Pork" Taco with the..." In 3 reviews -
"...also do a peanut sauce/seitan burrito that rivals the TVP..." In 3 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
33 reviews in English
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Review from Angela S.
1/4/2012
Hot Beans.... I dream about you.
My boyfriend & I were roaming around Kensington Market when we stumbled upon Hot Beans... totally pulled in by the Vegan Burrito sign.
Now, Toronto rocks when it comes to the array of veg friendly restaurants... but this place seemed to stick out, plus I'm almost positive a friend of mine mentioned it... so we entered. It was really clean inside with bar style seats in the window so we could people watch.
The only downfall is the menu is a tiny bit pricy, but you do get a lot for what you buy.. so... meh.
I got the TVP, and he got the Black Bean Sweet Potato burrito. Both were about the size of a submarine, you could definitely get at least two (if not three) meals off one burrito. Absolute deliciousness! My omnivore boyfriend was drooling over the veg protein.
When we end up back in Toronto, we will definitely return.
In the meantime... Hot Beans... will you please deliver to Portland, Maine right now? -
Review from Sarah Louise F.
Calgary, AB
1/19/2012
I went to Hot Beans with promises of vegan donuts and didn't see anything of the sort!
Grabbing some hangover food before questing to the airport so that I could take a loooong plane home to Calgary, I went to Kensington Market, with high hopes of the best vegan junk food.
We were barely greeted by the too-hip burrito maker/cashier, but I forgive this as it was the middle of a beautiful day in Kensington market and he was stuck inside making vegan burritos. I requested an order of nachos, and two TVP burritos with guac- for myself and my omnivorous friend. The environment was a little too quiet and awkward for us to want to stay, so we took our order to go.
As we gorged on our vegan nachos; which included uncheese sauce, sunflower sour cream, salsa, guac, and black beans, the omnivore stated he didn't have high hopes for Hot Beans as he isn't a "vegan food" kind of dude, but was actually super stoked on them. I would have to agree as I think the nachos were amazing.
The TVP chunks in my burrito, I could have done without, and in fact would have almost preferred a burrito with only the fixings and none of the fake meat. I would give Hot Beans five stars for the nachos, but have to subtract two stars for the uncomfortableness, priciness, and absence of vegan donuts. -
Review from Mike E.
Toronto, ON
12/21/2011
A very tasty burrito, vegan or otherwise. I've always gotten the TVP with guacamole, brown rice, whole wheat wrap, home made "cheese". Very filling, to the point of being cold weather food.
Take out with a few bar style seats.
Hey, chef guy, smile :) -
Review from Mervin F.
Toronto, ON
5/21/2012
My friend and I went to this place in hopes of the best tasting tacos we could find. My friend ordered the Jackfruit taco with rice and beans. All I can say it had a distinct taste to it. By no means bad but really bitter to my liking, maybe because of the chunks of jackfruit. I ordered the TVP taco with coleslaw and it had a much better taste to it. With a mild flavor from the taco and a nice side of coleslaw to reset your taste. The coleslaw not being the best I've eaten (that title goes to Jerk King) it was a pretty big side to go with your meal. For roughly $9 it really filled me up and got me going through the day.
I wouldn't recommend this place to any of my friends, but it's a pretty good place to eat if you're into vegan food or a hipster. -
Review from Min Min T.
Scarborough, ON
12/16/2011
Most half of the people who've reviewed Hot Beans are my friends, but I can't seem to share as much love for Hot Beans.
While the gluten burrito is tasty and, as Garry C. reviewed, the portions are hefty, it doesn't have all the components necessary for a TRUE burrito. I feel as if I can't really even call it a burrito, which ought to have a fine balance between fresh cilantro, sour cream, tomatoes, beans - a melange of all these flavours coming together to create the perfect gustatory symphony. What you get at Hot Beans isn't that. It tastes mostly of tomato-flavoured gluten and is a bit harsh and acidic.
Don't get me wrong, it's still a good meal. But IMHO, it's NOT a burrito.
The ingredients are made fresh and the tortillas are beautifully made - not like the nasty El Paso sticky white-bread version you'd get in a plastic bag at your local supermarket. Just don't come here expecting to get Mexican food.
3/5 STARS -
Review from Peter M.
Toronto, ON
I am the "duke" of hot beans for a reason.
Any place that is entirely vegan is awesome. Any place with burritos and adventurous flavours wins my heart. A place offering baked goods that even my omnivorous girlfriend talks about. Those places are worth visiting. Those places are magnetic in nature. To combine all three and do it well enough that everyone keeps raving about your operation, even after the honeymoon period is over? That's bloody well magic.
Take for example, the jackfruit taco. Just sweet and tart enough, with a pretty great texture. If you leave any of the tacos a while, the shell gets wrecked, but what kind of person would intentionally do that?
The burritos are $8.50, but that's total. They're also packed with all the ingredients you actually wanted, not just rice and lettuce. So, I don't have to beg and plead for them to make my burrito properly. Some places make you feel like you're asking for a lung if you don't want a lettuce-festival in your burrito. So you do get your money's worth, not to mention they have a tendency to hand over burritos that could easily be mistaken for a newborn..
Now, the doughnuts. What can I say? I have been awaiting vegan donuts in Toronto for ages. They are a bit pricey, however I consider it a governing force to guarantee I am not eating a dozen of those buggers a day. The doughnuts are nice and chewy; a bit dense but not cake-y. I do wish they were a touch bigger, but again, I like to believe they're doing these things to protect my dignity (work with me, here).
All that being said, I am glad I work in the market, because then I obviously HAVE to get some food from hot beans. So should you.
Oh, and get the added nacho cheese sauce. Just have them pour it in your hand, and have it on the go. Believe me, once you try it, you'll understand. -
Review from j w.
Toronto, ON
10/25/2011
If you are near here, you are already in Kensington Market and the area is full of good food options - say Wanda's Pie in the Sky for example. Go to one of them. Get food you will enjoy.
$10 got me a TVP Burrito with "cheese" and guac served by a disinterested server. I was upsold on my food choices, otherwise ignored, and the food was just okay.
I was a vegan for almost 20 years, and now eat some dairy, so I do appreciate being able to get vegetarian/vegan food. What I would appreciate even more though would be being able to get good vegetarian/vegan food.
Meh. -
Review from Garry C.
Whistler, BC
Updated - 8/19/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Okay, I really should be deducting stars because I feel unwell after my visits - probably because the portions are so big! However, I'll add a star because sometimes gluttony is good! ;^p
In four visits, I've had three burritos and a vegan donut! All were awesome and almost more food than I could handle.
On my most recent visit, I had the breakfast burrito - a few hours after I ate breakfast. It was huge and equally as tasty. Photo here...
http://www.flickr.com/...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/3/2011
This place falls into the 'good value' and 'good for you' categories!
Burritos are aways good for… Read more »
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Review from Janine W.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2012
I've been here twice now. Both times I had the black bean burrito with guacamole.
Twice because I really like their burritos. I can taste it's not canned beans, so it tastes fresh to me. I think it was $8 or 9.50 with guacamole. Yes a bit pricey but I think the quality is there.
So I'll be back when I want some lunch. -
Review from Michelle G.
Toronto, ON
I'm late to the Hot Beans praising party, but not late in trying out their delicious tacos and donuts. Taking a bite out of one of their fresh lime coconut donuts makes me want to write poetry, but it looks like another reviewer has taken care of that.
So what can I say, I haven't eaten anything here I didn't like. The tacos are all delicious (though my favourite is the Yuba), and an order of nachos is filling and flavourful with spiced beans, cashew cream cheese, some kind of cheese sauce and veggies. I've been eyeing those burritos, but haven't gotten around to ordering one yet.
I'm happy to see a couple of different hot sauces on the side bench, along with a help yourself collection of water jugs. You might notice the lack of garbage can, well, everything is biodegradable. Which is awesome, but I can't help but be compelled to bring along a reusable container with me so I don't waste any more paper bags on donuts I inhale in 5 minutes anyway.
The limeade can be a bit too heavy on the agave sometimes, but otherwise I have no serious complaints. Service depends on the day and who's at the counter, but it's usually somewhere between decent and awesome.
The seating is limited to about 9-12 people depending on where you're sitting, but it hasn't felt crowded any of the (several several several) times I've gone in. There is a lot of foot traffic, people running in and out to grab a quick bite.
The simplicity of their menu and pricing scheme is appreciated, just enough choice, without too much choice. What you see on the board, is what you will pay (tax is included), and combining donuts and tacos or beverages results in a nice round number which nutty folks like me will appreciate.
I haven't checked them out for breakfast on the weekends, but it's definitely on my to do list. Breakfast burritos... tempting, tempting.
Seriously, vegan or otherwise, at the very least pick up a donut, you wont regret it, really, go. Eat.Listed in: Awesome vegan food in the GTA
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Review from Denise S.
7/10/2011
Stopped by for lunch in a big group (~15 people). The staff were cool and totally unphased by the sudden influx of customers. There were only 2 guys working, so it took a while for everyone's order to be ready but overall, I was impressed. Seating is quite limited, just a few stools, so we walked over the the park off Augusta and ate there.
I had the TVP Burrito that was recommended by a friend who eats here often. I added nacho "cheese" for $0.50. The burrito was super-filling and I couldn't finish the whole thing! They really pack them with a lot of filling. The TVP was interesting. I'm not vegetarian or vegan, so I generally don't pick faux-meat. But this TVP was pretty yummy. The texture is interesting and uneven, but didn't bother me. I did find it a bit salty overall though. The nacho cheese added a nice kick, although it is really drippy so watch out not to make a mess on yourself! There were some vegetables and rice in the burrito, but they don't ask you specifically what you want. You can add hot sauce, although I didn't. I think next time I might splurge on the guacamole ($1 extra).Listed in: Chinatown Cheap Eats
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Review from Nicole H.
Toronto, ON
Holy Hot Beans, Batman! Toronto's latest vegan haunt is rocking some serious taste mojo. They've been open barely a week now, but having even only been there once, I wish they'd ALWAYS bean here. (Oh yes.)
Toronto's got some fairly decent vegan options at a lot of burrito places, but this is the city's first 100% dedicated vegan Mex takeout joint (the place isn't huge, but if you want to sit in there is a small area with stools as you walk in). Their deal is burritos and tacos, and there's a few different types on each side of the fence (plus one option for a nacho meal). I couldn't hone in on one taco filling, and asked if I could mix/match which they were happy to do - I ended up with a Yuba 'chicken' taco and a jackfruit 'pulled pork' taco, opting for rice 'n' beans as my side (a very decent portion!). Fresh soft tortillas could barely contain the deliciousness or my excitement, and I scoffed it all down post-haste. The rice and beans were fresh and flavourful, and a damn fine accompaniment to the meal.
I washed it all down with a homemade limeade, which was sweet and refreshing; considering the only pop they offer are pretty standard brands (nothing like Boylans, which disappoints a little) I don't think i'd opt for any other drink now i've had it! Not content with the face stuffing to this point, I topped off my meal with a freshly made donut - fluffy, deep fried, doughy goodness slathered with a decadent chocolate frosting (with a nice little hint of cinnamon, amaaaazing). I fear the donuts (of many flavours apparently, but chocolate was on offer when I visited) will be my downfall. Delicious, wonderful downfall.
Other things of note - there's free water for drinks, plus a couple of options of homemade hotsauce (the habanero is DELISH!), prices aren't dead cheap but very reasonable for quality & quantity for sure, their takeout containers etc are green-friendly biodegradable brands, and the staff are just lovely and seem genuinely into what they are doing with this joint. Viva la Hot Beans! Viva la stuffing my belly with their delicious treats for many moons to come!Listed in: Toronto Veg Eats!, Five Stars!
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Review from Val G.
This is just to say
I have eaten
the burritos
and the donuts
that were in
your shop
And which you were
probably saving for a
special customer
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so bean-y.
(Credit: William Carlos Williams, translated by Val G.)Listed in: Vegenomics, Featured Reviews
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Review from Kent P.
4/12/2011
There are tacos or there are burritos.
Under their recommendation I had the TVP Burrito with guacamole.
It was pretty good! And $9... so it had better be. Certainly no steal - as such I'll give this an A-OK.
Does not get bonus points from me for being vegan.
Blahblahblah vegan vegan vegan.
TTYN,
-PAT PAT PAT -
Review from Andrew G.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 3/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The more I come here, the more I find to like about it.
I'm keeping the star rating at four, but I recently had the TVP steak burrito, and found that the filling ratio and variety were damn-near perfect.
This could quickly become my favourite burrito in the city.
Gotta try their breakfast options soon!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/3/2011
What a wonderful time to be a vegetarian burrito enthusiast in Toronto. First Burrito Bike launched… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
Food is Food...
Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan... or what not...
For me that eat "almost" everything.. I can probably go down to Big Fat Burrito or Mexican Salsa a few minute walk from Hot Beans and still have a good meal...
But when I am dining with my Vegan, Vegetarian friends, Hot Beans would be a way way better options....at least I know they can eat everything from the menu.. and not limited to 1 or 2 items at other places...
TVP Burrito ($8.50)
- Big Huge burrito... staring at the burrito.. I was wishing someone will share with me and we all get fat together....(someone told me that it will go right through because it is vegan... sounded like fairy tales to me!)
- There were a lot of "Beef" inside as filling.. they are a little salty.... but they have good texture and good bite..
- I tried to make it more spicy with more hot sauce at the counter, but it did not really work...
- Wish there are more herb and spice to it, maybe I should have pay 50 cents extra for the guacamole?
The only complaint I have for Hot Beans is really who measured and designed those seating?? The counter was way too low and the bar stools were way too high!! (I took a photo to prove that!!) I was crouching and bending my body in order to have a bite of my burrito while all the fillings are falling all over the place...
I need to get those donuts next time! I will feed that to my Hot "Yoga" Date...or maybe try some of the tacos when I picking up those donuts... -
Review from Allison T.
Toronto, ON
5/28/2011
I'm totally late to the Hot Beans phenomenon. After hearing about it from my partner, I popped by one work day & we went there for lunch.
I have to admit - the prices make me scoff a little. But times are a-changing in Kensington & I will pay more for specialized food where the people are nice.
Delicious! & so good to know that with their vegan know-how, I won't be paying the price for the "sour cream". (Sigh, dairy...)
I tried the tacos this time, but next time. Burrito-City!
Oh, & if you're a fan of their vegan donuts ($2/each) - check out their twitter account. They post what sorts they have each morning. A girl likes to stay updated on her baked good possibilities. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2011
So delicious you don't even miss the meat. Seriously.
The TVP is like a magical bizarro rendition of beef and the Yuba bean curd was tasty and filling. The condiments are spot on, so make sure you spring for that guac and try some of the hot sauce. Prices are decent for Vegan cuisine, and portions are really large - if you aren't super Hungry you might want to share. Sitting area is tiny, hot and somewhat awkward, so I would recommend getting take-out and eating in the park if it's nice. -
Review from Robin H.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2011
I'm not vegan, but as a vegetarian I have a real appreciation for food done well, sans meat. There are a bunch of 'mexican' joints in the market, but I don't mind walking a little further to go to Hot Beans. It's sort of my weekly treat.
The place is a little hard to find at the boring end of Baldwin, and you don't quite know what door to pick on the first go. Are they open? Yes they are! Go in, now!
The food is so damn good, and all the meat textures are excellent, even if you are not trying to pretend it actually is meat. It's just good. Donuts are also just as good as any donut I've had before. It's not cheap, but when the food is this good, and this specialized it's worth it. Also, the forks and packaging are biodegradable, and that is worth paying a bit more for. -
Review from Selene n.
Toronto, ON
12/13/2011
Probably closer to 3.5 stars, although there is not that option on yelp so I am rounding to 3 stars.
I've had the TVP tacos, and they were quite delicious. My fellow gluten-free friend always goes for and raves about the jackfruit taco. My other friend who I always go with always gets a burrito of some sort and seems to enjoy it. The servings are good and I am often left unable to finish my "side" chips.
And of course it's in my most fave neighbourhood, Kensington Market. A great place to eat after wandering the streets for the day.
The service is polite but unmemorable. As another reviewer wrote, "disinterested" - a great descriptor for these guys.
Why I'm not giving them a million stars like everyone else?
1. The sitting area is brutal. It's some stools at a narrow counter. Perhaps ideal for super tall people who eat alone, I am not so tall and like to eat with friends. This is the main thing that would stop me from bringing my non-vegan buddies here - the food is definitely enjoyable enough but, damnit, I want to talk while I eat not just shovel down food.
2. Price. WHAT is with vegan places being insanely priced?? This place isn't terrible, it's about the same as getting food anywhere I suppose...But for TVP and corn tacos? Those are like the two cheapest ingredients in the world! Also $1 for guacamole? Are you kidding me?? I will buy an avocado not even a block away for LESS than $1 and make myself and everyone around me our OWN guacamole! But, since nearby Rancho Relaxo charges $15 for the same amount of food...I guess by comparison it's a great price. And if you're jonesing for tex mex, it's definitely tastier. -
Review from Joanne W.
3/21/2011
Okay - so seriously - the logo confused me because I literally thought this place was a coffee joint. C'mon! Brown logo, it has the word "beans" and "hot" - so I'm thinking "COFFEE!" Good thing my friend's sister knew that this was a vegan Mexican joint.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT I WENT.
I was craving for Mexican food on Sunday. Like - REALLY craving it. After having a little snack at Agave & Aguacate, I was thinking "BOY, I NEED MORE FOOD." So we ended up there.
My brother's sister ordered the famous lime-coconut donut with some nachos. My friend and I ordered the TVP "beef" burrito. I may be biased because I'm use to eating vegetarian/vegan "meat" - but the fake meat was great and -- really -- the burrito was qutie satisfying. OMNOMNOMNOM.
The nachos were pretty good too! However, the guacamole wasn't the best guacamole I've had in town (I would have to say Chiptole has better). However, still filling.
The donut was delicious - however, I think it would've been so much better if it was just freshly made.
The great thing about this place! Everything's biodegradable! There's no such thing as a garbage can! Only a green bin and a recylcing bin can be found.
Loved it. -
Review from Meeps L.
Toronto, ON
5/13/2011
I ate the WHOLE thing.
It was the bean burrito and the Lime/Coconut doughnut.
It really is minimum 2 meals. But it was good and I was hungry.
I really wouldn't get the bean burrito again, the beans were firm. I like them softer (easier on the digestive tract). I will try the Seitan next time.
Very flavour full. The staff is nice too. -
Review from Kevin C.
Toronto, ON
A lot has already been said about Hot Beans, so I'll keep this short. The Beans are indeed Hot. There is no false advertising here. Not exactly spicy-hot, but warm-hot. But still a completely appropriate title. A more appropriate title however would have been Hot-Delicious-Filling-Vegan-Beans-Jackfruit-TVP-Le ntils-Burritos-Tacos-Nachos-and-Doughnuts. I'm really surprised they didn't go with that.
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Review from Matt C.
Toronto, ON
4/25/2011
In terms of mainstream burritos, the only vendor in the Market has been Big Fat Burrito on Augusta - they are popular, yet I've always found the product to be on the bland side. Hot Beans on Baldwin (a welcome addition to this neglected part of the neighbourhood) is - as far as burritos go - superior. There is simply more depth in their flavour in comparison to others.
There are two alerts however: both tacos and burritos start @ $8.50, so you are paying for the quality. Secondly, the burritos are huge - you might as well call them rotis. -
Review from Elicia I.
10/22/2011
Pure Vegan Awesomeness. Plan on eating your burrito as two meals though, otherwise you're pigging out and it's no longer healthy. But it's hard because they are so tasty. And cheap.
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Review from David B.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2011
As a "pizza" vegan (I'll eat a limited amount of cheese on a pizza) and a fan of the Mission district in San Francisco (taco/burrito heaven), seeing the word vegan and burrito together this small shop caught my eye. Its on Baldwin right near Spadina.
I tried the TVP burrito and it was awesome. It renewed my faith in TVP recipes because it had a nice kick to it. The rice was great.
As noted the burrito was huge and most people will be more than full so if you eat the whole burrito and have issues later its likely related to fullness and nothing else.
Service was friendly and fast. Note to people about service problems. Like all folks some service industry people have bad days and sometimes you won't receive that Starbuck's fake greeting when you place an order. -
Review from Mama t.
Toronto, ON
9/10/2011
Vegan for 10 years, I was excited about the opening of hot beans-especialy in kensington market since i am often there. I was so disappointed. The food leaves such a heavy feeling in my stomach. The only item that I could literally stomach is the jackfruit pulled tacos. The seitan burrito.. yikes. The pieces of seitan were HUGE, dry, and really not very chewable. My children will eat just about anything vegan, and after one bite, they refused any more. The bean burrito, same thing-left a really heavy feeling. The coconut lime doughnut that so many rave about. Well, it was just a cakey (not light), dense piece of dough that sit in my belly. I even asked a friend to go and buy one just so make sure it isn't just me. Maybe it's because I prefer healthier foods, and don't use salt in my cooking, but I can't eat here anymore.
Also, the service was really inexcusable. The only time I've ever been treated nicely and spoken to while there, was by an employee-not one of the rude owners. When I was asking a question to one of them once, she even said she would 'pass the message on to the owners.' I pointedly asked her, 'aren't you one of the owners?' she had the audacity to say 'i meant the others.' Right. This is what happens when young suburban types come downtown, with their ___ is right mentality. No thanks -
Review from Bryan T.
Toronto, ON
5/17/2011
Tried this place last week and damn is it good. Not your conventional burrito with sour cream and what not. These have a really tasty tamarind-based hot sauce, and very meaty tasting TVP. If you want a vegetarian burrito, this is the place to go, Toronto. They also do a peanut sauce/seitan burrito that rivals the TVP one. I found the latter a tad heavy but still delicious. Haven't tried the donuts and frankly the last thing I'd want to do after eating one of these massive burritos is wash it down with a donut. Anyway, this is one of those vegan places you can recommend to anyone. Excellent addition to Kensington.
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Review from Amy P.
Toronto, ON
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Won't bore everyone by repeating what was said by previous posters who gave similiar ratings. One star off for the way it makes my, urm, digestive tract feel after....
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Review from Lauren T.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2011
First of all, there is NO place like this in the city, and its about freakin time! The menu is the perfect size and not overwhelming, the location is hot, and the food is fresh and all handmade (including the seitan).
I want to try everything - and I will - but tonight I tried the TVP "Beef" Burrito as well as a Yuba "Chicken" Taco and Jackfruit "Pulled Pork" Taco with the most delicious homemade coleslaw I've ever had on the side. This was all shared, BTW. I had been dreaming of cashew sour cream for days leading up to this too, because I knew it would be like the one they serve at Live (where the chef's worked prior), and my dreams were fulfilled tonight! Excellent. The strips of bean curd used in the "chicken" taco and the jackfruit "pulled pork" tasted amazing and both something I've never seen done before. The "Beef" Burrito was the best vegan "beef" I've ever had and I'm not the biggest fan of "mock meat" or TVP (textured vegetable protein) for that matter. But Hot Beans preps and cooks it right. The burrito is massive, stuffed with garlic-annatto rice, refried black beans, pico de gallo, cashew sour cream, and a fresh cilantro-jalapeno salsa. YUMMO!
If you can believe I had more room, I also had a chocolate cinnamon donut. I know... vegan donuts!! YES. The selection may vary from day to day, but also look for a cafe con leche and coconut-lime variety. You will die! Hmm the only thing I didn't eat and should've were the hot beans! Next time.
I actually ate here for the first time on a "soft" opening 2 days prior to the restaurants official opening, so I can't really comment on regular service etc. BUT the place was rammed and they made full portion meals for every customer and it wasn't a long wait. There's NOT a lot of seating but luckily burritos are walk and go! -
Review from Sarita A.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2011
3.5
I must preface this by saying I can't eat wheat, so, I imagine if I could try more of the menu, I would give hot beans a higher rate!
Great location - in the market, close to Spadina.
Neat shop and limited seating. It was also a little hard to find.
Since a lot of the items have soy sauce, I had to get a custom order of rice and beans within the taco corn tortillas. I found the tortillas were not warmed enough, so the tacos actually did not hold as they were not pliable enough (they have a portable skillet to warm them up, but I think they need to be on longer). I also came at a busy time, and since the shop is new and tiny - the guys seemed a little stressed out. There were a few things they ran out of as well (and forgot part of my order). This was just when I came - looking from the other reviews. this doesn't seem to be common.
The food is definitely tasty, but not super authentic tasty (the sauces could have more of a pep). However, given this is one of the few vegan taco/burrito places - pretty good.
The tortilla chips are really good (had it as a side), I think they bake them and add some spices, but the salsa could have been more flavourful.
I am assuming they will work out the kinks of prepping and those doughnuts look amazing!
Again, I am sure you will find this place better if you can eat more of the menu (tofu, jackfruit with what seem to be yummy marinades). They have a few burrito and a few taco options - and of course the doughnuts. A few different hot sauces available and green containers. Not super cheap (relative to other taco places in the area), but it's vegan!! ). -
Review from Erica P.
Toronto, ON
2/26/2011
I had the jackfruit ("pulled pork") tacos with chips and pico de gallo, and a caramel donut for dessert. The flavor of the taco filling was great - I struggled a bit with the structural integrity of the soft taco shells, but next time I'll just scoop it up with the chips, which were excellent! The donut was very good as well - dense and cakey, and coated in vegan caramel.
Bonus: the take-out box my tacos came in was cardboard, and the water cup was biodegradable plastic. Woohoo! -
Review from David G.
Toronto, ON
11/12/2011
Read the reviews. Ate here. Was not disappointed. Apparently everyone else decided to eat here too today as the hot beans were already consumed, but the lentils weren't and they were VERY tasty. Got the bowl with the rice, guac, coleslaw, and filled me right up. 5 stars, hands down. Will be back. Service was nice too.
