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Rawlicious
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Vegetarian Vegan, Vegetarian [Edit]
20 Cumberland StToronto, ON M4W 1J5
Neighbourhood: Yorkville
(416) 646-0705
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dessert, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
19 reviews for Rawlicious
19 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle G.
Toronto, ON
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Working in the Yorkville area, I've come here regularly for lunch. I love the location and the interior. It's a nice break from the everyday, and it's automatically relaxing. Calm, ignorable, music fills the restaurant, interspersed with the occasional loud whirring of a blender.
I like that there is always a bottle of water on the table, because I end up getting a couple litres of my H2O intake for the day while I'm there.
I've ordered a bunch of different things, but the Pad Thai was easily (and most expensively) my favourite. Nice filling serving, with a fresh rich flavour.
The nacho plate is pretty delicious too, but as some other reviewers have mentioned, don't expect a giant nacho plate portion here. It's not huge, but paired with a meal it's a nice snack.
Smoothies are always thinner than I expect them to be (and after ordering it several times you'd think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not) so that's something to be aware of and set less thick mouthfeel expectations.
Overall I like it here. I do find it feels expensive, especially since there is no guarantee of organic ingredients, but service is always good and not intrusive.
p.s. Get a macaroon (or three) they're delicious. -
Review from Emily R.
Toronto, ON
12/16/2011
This place is just ok. Nothing special.
I found it over-priced. Something like 7 bucks for a tiny juice.
Had the nachos, which were tasty. Again, not great, but still tasty. Serving size was tiny! LIke seriously tiny.
Next, had a sandwich and salad with ginger date dressing. Loved the dressing, enjoyed sandwich okay. But again, way too much money. I don't know what they're thinking.
I hear and read a lot of defence for raw food and vegan prices because they use organic ingredients, and lots of prep time. The prep time claim is bullshit. All cooking takes time. Raw and vegan food does not take that much, if any, more time.
On the organics claim, consider this: I have a friend who lives and worked at the No Frills out at the Junction, and she would OFTEN see the staff in there buying some of their produce, especially zucchini, lettuce, and tomatoes.
They claim to use organics when they can. This seems seriously deceitful to me. I will not be going back. -
Review from Faye C.
2/11/2012
Was here earlier tonight. Super fantastic! Ordered the salad with currants and he "pad thai". The decor was fantastic and the service was excellent.
Since I'm mostly dairy free I had to try their ice cream. Smooth and creamy like the real thing. Definitely a must-try! -
Review from Sara K. P.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2011
Located next to the Pilot on Cumberland street, Rawlicious is an adorably cozy little resto that also offers its raw foods to go.
Admittedly this in my first raw take-out meal I've ever ordered, but boy was it good.
If you'd asked me 20 years ago, if I'd eat raw food, I would have wrinkled my nose, told you to go eff off and eat your rabbit food while I chowed down on my Filet Mignon and duck fat fried potatoes...now that I'm much more careful about how I eat, I owe a great apology to all the health food enthusiasts I've dissed over the years as this here raw food is amazing!
I order the Taco Wrap which is Seasoned Nut-Loaf, Guacamole, chopped Tomatoes, Salsa and Nut Cheese (it sounds funny, but trust, it's sooo good!) all wrapped in a big romaine lettuce leaf it was a little heavy on onion, but flavour wise it is excellent and surprisingly filling.
The best part is dessert as I order the pumpkin pie with ice cream to go. I am told to freeze the ice cream upon reaching my destination, but the place I'm working that day has no fridge so the ice cream just sat there room temperature, but being a raw ice cream it lasted a pretty longtime without melting and retained it's vanilla frozen goodness, also the pumpkin pie is the BEST pumpkin pie I've ever had.
Sure it is a little pricier than your average take-out lunch, but for the quality of the food, and the fact that it is especially prepped to raw food standards, I think it's well worth it. The staff here are super nice and kudos to them for keeeping a down to earth, homestylish eatery within this most pretentious hood.
Yay Rawlicious! You make healthy dining delicious.Listed in: November is my b*tch(kinda)…, Mouthgasms :D
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Review from Emily H.
11/2/2011
If I eat too much zucchini, will I turn green?
That pretty much describes my meal experience at Rawlicious. It was my first go at a raw, vegan restaurant and it was pleasant enough, but let's just say I won't be going there for my birthday. **BUT, keep in mind, this is a review coming from a part-time vegetarian! I am no expert in vegan dining by any means.**
An immediate obvious downfall at lunch time was its small dine-in layout. but I guess that's what you get when you pay rent in upscale Yorkville.
I ordered the Zucchetti wwith "Neat" balls. I must admit that reading the menu was really confusing to me because when I read "lasagna", I imagine the cheesey, hot casserole. Perhaps this added to the mediocre satisfaction of my meal. In the raw, vegan world, PASTA = ZUCCHINI STRINGS. I guess it was cool that it was my favourite colour, but my good friend Mr. Flavour was absent in this meal. Good thing I added their neatmalls too, otherwise I'd have just been eating a huge bowl of green strings. I don't even think rabbits eat raw zucchini like that. The Neat balls were really tasty, made of a collection of nuts. This is something I'd want to make at home but would take too much effort. They could've given me one more neat ball to pair with the mountain of zucchini I had left...
The pasta portion was good but personally, I had gotten full about 3/4 of the way through and had to waste the remaining raw, organic zucchini (emipod fact: I never like wasting food!!). But due to the nature of eating a bowl of raw vegetable, you become hungry pretty soon after - and being hungry sucks for me.
I guess I'll go back eventually someday... maybe in a caterpillar costume.Listed in: 30 Day November Challenge!
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Review from Howard H.
8/2/2011 ROTD 4/2/2012
I'm the first to admit that I don't really look like I belong in any type of vegan-y, vegetarian-y venue. When I hurled my hulking carcass and freshly buzzed head into Rawlicious this evening the waitstaff looked a tad uneasy. Just as one was about to inform me that despite name, they did NOT serve steak tartare, nor were they a professional wrestling fan-bar, my BVF (best vegan friend) from Montreal came in to join me for dinner. Since she looks the part, this quickly assuaged their collective fears and we set to ordering.
The food featured universally high quality ingredients, but the ultimate effort was a bit of a mixed bag.
The staff appeared to be well meaning and have the absolute best intentions but somehow simply did not seem wired to be serving people. Not a case of attitude or indifference - just had the feeling they were going to pull up a chair and join us at any moment...
The food. Okay - not great. Nothing here that is going to cause a mass conversion to the raw food movement. The pizza was a nice effort, the zucchini pasta was also pretty good. Most things suffered from a rather monolithic seasoning.
The desserts were actually quite good; good enough to make it an official stop on the tour when the BVF is in town. But only for desert!Listed in: Vegan Goodness in the GTA
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Review from Meena A.
6/23/2011 3 Check-ins Here
But I really wanted to love this place...
I must state up front that I LOVE raw vegan food. If I could cook/marry someone who cooked raw vegan for me everyday - I would be happier than a leprechaun on St. Paddy's.
This place just didn't meet the high standards I have for raw vegan restaurants. I ordered the pizza (a raw vegan first for me) and was intrigued when the waitress told me it took over TWELVE HOURS to bake the crust at extremely low heat. Unfortunately, their efforts simply didn't deliver. The crust was bland, had an odd texture and crumbled at a fork's glance. The in-house salad dressing, Ginger Date, was delish. Sadly, one dressing can't compensate for an entire meal.
I reassured my palate that the dessert, at the very least, would certainly deliver. I am in love with raw vegan cheese cake. I order it at every raw vegan restaurant I go to and have even attempted it at home several times. Their cheesecake, how ever, did not even compare to my pathetic homemade efforts.
What brought this review down to two stars:
-They have recently hired an annoying Asian girl. She was clearly hired for her looks, not for her loud bimbo attitude. Or maybe both, I dont know about eateries nowadays.
-The bathroom is across from the cooking station. I can't pee while the chefs listen.....
-This isn't their fault, but they're next door to the Pilot Tavern. I felt like such a vegan fuddy duddy eating my greens and sipping my organic smoothie while the crowd next door got slizzered.
There are too many ambitious Raw Vegan food places in Toronto. Rawlicious is nutritious, without the delicious. -
Review from Janna S.
Updated - 7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
After writing an email to the owners of Rawlicious, I was pleasantly surprised to be invited back to a much-improved dining experience here. The staff working during my visit yesterday were clearly quite focused and they did everything they could to ensure customer satisfaction.
I know that making raw food requires a lot of skill and time, so I don't mind paying a bit more for it when it tastes this good! I had the raw samosas, pad Thai, and mint chocolate ice cream. Everything was superb! The samosas were amazing; I could easily have eaten another 5 or 6 of them as a meal!
I will be back here again :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/22/2011
I really wanted to give this place five stars but I was sadly disappointed. I was expecting… Read more »
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Review from Laura P.
5/28/2011
An inspired and unassuming spot, this raw trip went down well. Rawlicious may be more geared towards the Green Party of palates, but come on, carrot-on-a-plate stereotypes are hardly the case.
The purpose of this outing was to catch up with a gal-pal, and so the small and cosy quarters were suiting. Pops of colour filled the space-- vibrant and with art. The resto's Victorian framework played on plush modern accents and tasteful upkeep.
I was advised to skip the spring rolls (Kent P), and so the Zucchetti Pasta was my mission. Swirls of zucch dressed in fine basil pesto for $9? Absolute steal. My only complaint is the wine (I ordered the house) was a little pricy for the weight of it. Perhaps I am used to my own fishbowl glass at home, but the pour seemed bitty. And the "organic" clause is a slippery slope when it comes to liquid grapes-- a little more please.
Our server was a precious young fellow who did a fine job-- attentive, endearing, and helpful in menu selections. This meal was an overall success, and I've told my friends. I will be heading back for raw dessert. -
Review from Benjamin F.
Oakville, ON
5/1/2011
I should preface this review by saying I am not vegan, or vegetarian, or anything of the sort. I love my meat, grain, and fire, so I approached this as an experiment to expand my interest and knowledge. This is a strictly vegan menu, and as the name suggests, nothing is baked, cooked, or fried; the only thing that touches any kind of heat seems to be the dehydrated pizza.
Went here last week with some friends after it was featured in a couple of articles. It's a tiny place with seating for about 20. The decor is really nice, and the atmosphere warm and inviting. The service was also really pleasant.
As for the food, one of the articles mentioned the zucchetti pasta, the noodles for which are actually made from zucchini. They offer two sauces (red or pesto) and the option to add "neatballs." I opted for the pesto sauce, sans neatballs. It was interesting to try and not altogether a bad dish, but the flavour did get tiresome rather quickly.
My friends split the Veggielicious special, which was your choice of wrap (caesar or taco) with a side salad. They got the taco wrap and said it was quite good. They also tried the pizza, which is interesting because the crust is made from some kind of crushed bean sprout, and the pizza is dehydrated instead of baked, which makes the veggies a little crunchier and the pizza warm when served. I tried a little bit and it was very good, definitely better than the zucchetti.
We also tried a couple smoothies, in particular I got the egg nog smoothie and my friends got the chocominty (cacao + peppermint). Both were very very tasty; despite having no eggs, the egg nog smoothie tasted like a thin egg nog and was delicious, but the chocominty was a little bit better as they thicken it with avocado.
The price was not too bad, all things considered--I think I paid around $15 for the zucchetti and smoothie, plus tax/tip. My friends paid a little bit less for splitting everything, but between the two of them, it was probably around $25 for the wrap special, pizza, and smoothie.
Overall I thought the experience was interesting and unique. I would go back there with friends who hadn't been so they could share the experience, but personally I would not make this a regular meal spot, even if I lived closer. -
Review from Olivia S.
North York, ON
7/16/2011
I went to Rawlicious because I like trying new types of cuisine, I was curious about the whole 'raw food' thing, and I have a dairy allergy that vegan/vegetarian places are usually really good about. Although I won't be going back regularly, it was a great experience and I had a pretty good meal there.
I had the zucchini pasta, which was surprisingly filling; I could barely get through it all. My friend had one of the sandwiches, and from the taste test she gave me, I liked her meal more. We both had smoothies and enjoyed them.
The desserts however, were worth going back for!!! Especially because they were dairy free! My friend and I shared a cheesecake (not real cheese so I could eat it with my milk allergy!), and a chocolate brownie. YUUUMM -
Review from Velshin C.
7/24/2011
Nearly inedible. We should have followed the other patrons and just ordered dessert. Sadly, we ordered the zucchini noodle pesto pasta and a taco wrap. What a disappointment! Everything was smothered in lemon juice. What little flavour was under that tasted like an amalgam of sewage and raw vegetables. Somehow they charged us nearly $30 for the experience.
We love raw foods and vegetarian/vegan food but Rawlicious was the worst food we've had in a long while. Foodies beware! -
Review from Emily M.
5/10/2011
I LOVE the idea of this and don't get me wrong the food is good but if you are only serving raw vegetables combined in all awesome ways, the portion sizes simply must be larger!! I am a smallish woman under 120lbs and I'm sorry the entrees come nowhere near to filling me up!!
The food and flavours are great, I've been there before and I was just there on Sunday. I had the caesar wrap with side salad and my friend had the pasta bolognese. Both tasted great. However we ended up at Not Just Noodles on Yonge street less than an hour later and split their veggie pad thai!!
I wish there were more appetizer options at this place so perhaps an appetizer and a main might come close to filling me?
p.s the raw brownie = delicious! -
Review from A S.
Toronto, ON
4/25/2011
The special pasta bolognese was huge and fabulous. Marinara, pesto and neatballs on pasta made for a delicious meal.
The salads are pretty decent but I would get them with the pasta bolognese as the salads are very large and so is the pasta.
I can't rave enough about the strawberry tarte. Absolutely sumptuous. It tasted so perfect that I could not believe it was raw. I would get that dessert over any other non-raw desserts in a heartbeat, that's how good it was.
Avoid the lasagna special at all costs. It's mostly salad with a small square of raw lasagna which is by no means filling.
They also have this great winged armchair in the window that is really comfortable if you're just there for a snack and a drink. People bring books and lounge there as they nibble away.Listed in: Toronto Foodie's List
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Review from chris m.
Toronto, ON
1/10/2011
I've been to several rawlicious locations but this review is specific to the Yorkville location.
I went for the first time on Saturday and had a tea and lemon cheesecake for dessert. They use a high quality tea called 'tea of the sahara'. The cheesecake was delicious. Most of all, the staff was friendly and laid back. They were fine that my friend and I we're taking our time - never rushing us out the door. The atmosphere is casual and cozy.
I recommend rawlicious if you're looking for somewhere casual and laid back - nothing fancy - and you are willing to eat food that's raw and vegan. It's also a good spot to grab a coffee/dessert after dinner. I recommend the pecan pie if you have a sweet tooth. -
Review from Michelle C.
Toronto, ON
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's great to find these vegan places. I can satisfy my sweet tooth without feeling guilty.
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Review from tahlia b.
Toronto, ON
12/26/2010
was delicious i enjoyed the evening special raw lasagne and vegan chocolate raw cheese cake mmm. My vegan friends were impressed service was prompt food was fresh and bueattiful. Cozy space nice atmosphere. Would mos def go back again.
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Review from Lisa C.
3/20/2011
This place has more of a cafe feel to it and so my recco would be a solid lunch option vs. dinner. The food is good although be prepared to wait, not necessarily for a table, but for the servers to make the food as it does take a while. I ordered the pad thai with kelp and zucchini noodles as a main and the cheesecake for dessert. Both were delicious and I left feeling comfortable and not too full. I only have a few teeny comments with this place; dimmers for the dining area to set the mood and a little bit of music playing in the background would also go down a treat.
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Review from Kolleen J.
Toronto, ON
2/26/2011
I stumbled upon this place today and have to write a review. Although I am not a vegan, a vegetarian or a "raw" food eater (is there a name for that?), I do have a restrictive diet; I try to avoid eating wheat, gluten and dairy. Raw food tends to accommodate these dietary restrictions naturally so I decided to give this place a try. The smoothies looked very enticing so I went for a Tropical Green smoothie, which was delicious. I was eying the pizza and nacho platter, but the pizza needed more time to prepare than I had time for, so I went with the nacho platter. I was expecting tortilla-like chips for some odd reason and was definitely surprised to see the strange looking chips that came out with the guac and salsa. I was delightfully surprised though! The chips were actually one of my favorite aspects of the platter - very tasty! It definitely wasn't a replacement for the nachos you can find at most restaurants; I would consider them completely different foods. I think that this is something one must think about before going to a raw foods restaurant; the food will not be a carbon copy of your favorite food, even if the name is the same.
Since I was in a rush, I got dessert to-go - a brownie and two macaroons. They were also very good! The brownie was very sweet, which I like, but will definitely be dessert for a few meals. I was quite impressed, and happy, to finally find a place that was wheat and dairy free, not to mention yummy!
The restaurant is fairly casual, more like a cafe, with the size, feel and music of one. The service was friendly. They had a cozy waiting area in the front by the window. The space is small, with only a handful of tables. You can get take-out here and I think that it would be a good place for coffee/tea and dessert some time.
One caveat, like a few others have mentioned in the Junction location reviews, raw food can do a number on some people's stomach. As a friend once said, "it feels like I have compost in my stomach". So, probably not the best place to take a first date unless (s)he eats only raw.
