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Urban Herbivore
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Sandwiches Vegan, Sandwiches [Edit]
64 Oxford StToronto, ON M5T 1P1
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
(416) 927-1231
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
49 reviews for Urban Herbivore
Review Highlights
"...awesome large muffins - my fave is the sweet potato/date."
(in 4 reviews)
"I had a great bbq tofu sandwich with tons of avocados and..."
(in 5 reviews)
"If you want to go all out, get one of their fresh juices."
(in 3 reviews)
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49 reviews in English
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Review from Laile B.
Toronto, ON
1/18/2012
Yummy. Really fresh stuff, great bread LOTS of variety in terms of vegetarian and vegan food.
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Review from Golnar F.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2012
Wanted yet another veggie option and found a lot of positive reviews about Urban Herbivore, so I told a veggie loving friend to join me.
What a mistake, in a city like Toronto, and that right in Kensington Market, my expectations are higher. I ordered the moroccan quinoa stew but sadly it tasted like a tired chili that Tim Hortons might serve. The quinoa was way over cooked and the stew was for lack of better words mushy.
My friend had their grain bowl, which looked ok, but again with over cooked quinoa, fresh veg and salad dressing, you will be eating soggy salad and no one likes soggy salad.
I'm sure at some point this place was legit fresh and good and maybe they still are but my visit was lack luster. Also, get off your vegetarian high horse and don't tell my friend how to order, when he's reading ingredients on your board vs looking at them, if this is not how you want customers to order, don't put up a board. -
Review from Julia T.
Mississauga, ON
2/8/2012
I work just around the corner from this place, and I have to say I smile a bit when I know i'm gonna pass by for lunch or even just to swing by to grab those delicious sweet potato date muffins. great food, and good times :)
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Review from Tara E.
7/27/2011 7 Check-ins Here
There are days when I want something healthy. There are days when I want to feel virtuous. There are days when I forget to pack my lunch. Those days I often go to Urban Herbivore.
I always get their grain bowl (I don't feel like being virtuous often enough to get bored of it) with quinoa and lentils. Delicious, with the choice of 6 of many toppings. The sesame tempeh is delish.
Cons? I wish the bowls were bigger, and I wish that when they put my topping on they put more than a tablespoon of each topping on (but maybe that depends on who makes your bowl?) Still. Delicious.
Prices have gone up however. Salad and grain bowls are now $9.50. Their lovely muffins, however, remain $2.50.Listed in: Eating Near U of T
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Review from Vivek S.
5/19/2011 1 photo
I've walked by Urban Herbivore many times but this was the first time I ever manned up and ordered something from Kensington Market's umpteenth vegetarian resto. With a little moral support from Ben "Mr. Halifax" B we stopped here for lunch.
The menu is quite a sight. There are soups, salads, sandwiches, "bowls," and other veggie and vegan delights. It's all displayed in glorious white comic sans on black, so try not to stare for too long.
The ordering process is messed up. You step up to the counter and place your order. Then you line up AGAIN, and repeat your order to someone behind a sneezeguard who will make your food. Why am I repeating my order? I might try skipping the payment part next time just to see what happens. (Perhaps I will land in vegan prison.)
If Ben B hadn't ordered the BBQ tofu sandwich, I would jumped on it. That said, my Chimmichuri protein sandwich was an excelent choice if I do say so myself. My assumption that it came with grilled vegetables (leading to a weird conversation with the guy making it) is totally their menu's fault not mine, but nota bene that you can add extra toppings on a sandwich for $1.50. We both devoured our sandwiches in no time. The ingredients were fresh, and the wholewheat ciabatta (doused with pesto and miso butter) was perfectly soft and didn't destroy my mouth like so many breads have done before. (Lousy breads! Am I right, people?)
There are only window-facing stools inside. You'll probably want to take your order to go, or grab a spot on the patio if it is available. Under the shade of a tree, it's a lovely spot to watch the Kensington parade on a summer afternoon.
Obligatory Title Pun: Get HERBIN' at URBAN.
Menu Readability: Comic sans. This isn't funny.
Need to mention: It's cash only.
What this place teaches me about myself: I wonder if vegan prison cells use Larabars. (MEATFREECOMEDY. I'm here all week. Try the Tempeh.) -
Review from Dishan W.
8/2/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Another great spot in Kensington for wholesome and healthy food to go. The one and only minus is that I wish it was not so pricey. At close to $9 a sandwich, it's not a cheap lunch.
But on the flip side, their menu is big (both in size and variety) and the space has a nice open air feel and actually reminds me a little of "maoz vegetarian" chains (they really need to get one of them in Toronto!).
I keep ordering their avocado sandwich which is very filling and pretty big in size. One time I got their grilled veggie sandwich which I was not expecting to love (I've not had great experiences with grilled veggies) but my take on grilled veggies took a 180 turn thanks to Urban Herbivore (which is also such a cool/fun name in my opinion by the way).
Each time I've walked in there it's been very quiet so I've never had to go through what Vivek says is a confusing ordering/lining up process, but I could see that being confusing.
In conclusion I would love to branch out to their other options, but I can't really make this a place I visit very often. -
Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love Urban Herbivore - they have a variety of fresh lunch options, such as sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, and soups.
Sandwiches:
- come on olive or whole grain ciabatta with pesto and tahini
- good flavours: bbq tofu, sesame tempeh, celery root, avocado, grilled veg - my fave is the celery root!
Salads:
- Mix of any six ingredients (can only choose one of tofu, tempeh, celery root), plus lots of fun mix-ins - black bean salad, sesame snap peas, asparagus, broccoli, beets, chick peas, cabbage, etc... they're all very flavourful - not just plain, raw veg.
- pick any dressing - i love the citrus - they recommend ginger.
- pick your greens: mixed, spinach/arugula or just spinach
They also have awesome large muffins - my fave is the sweet potato/date. If you're getting soup to go, you can buy one of their large mason jars of soup.
Only downside is that it can be a bit slow on busy weekends - You do have to lineup twice, people are SO slow when choosing what they want on their salads.Listed in: Very vegetarian-friendly…
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Review from Ben B.
5/21/2011
As a vegetarian living in a not-very-vegetarian city (meaning, there's always a veggie option but it rarely involves any creativity beyond salads and grilled cheeses), I have a serious love-on for this granola soup, sandwich and salad shop in the Kensington Market.
Your base-model options involve veg-friendly ingredients that range from user-friendly like barbecue tofu, to the more adventurous but delicious items whose descriptions involve stories of boiling, baking and packing 'grain proteins' and other things that hardly matter once slathered with pesto, miso mayo, and fresh veggies. Slap it between whole grain or olive foccacia loaves and you've got yourself a winner no matter how you swing it.
At $8.50 per sandwich with additional toppings (from roasted vegetable medleys to celery root) coming at an extra cost, it could get pricy depending how fully loaded you like your hogie. Still, it's a delicious, messy, sunny day lunch option that's just waiting to happen.Listed in: The Big T
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Review from Magdalena O.
Montréal, QC
This is my go to place for lunch. Full stop.
For $11 inc tax I get a large delicious fresh salad bowl and a giant spelt muffin. I used to get their sandwiches, which are huge (always leftovers) but since I've become wheat-free the salad bowl does it for me.
For a salad bowl, you choose your greens (a mix, arugula or spinach) then six different ingredients (most of them have been flavoured or dressed up) to go inside: barley, tofu, shredded carrots, beets, satueed mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes, chickpeas, cabbage, broccoli, roasted red peppers, artichokes, etc. Although most of the staples stay the same these change from time to time. Then to finish it off you can choose to put some nuts and seeds on top and a dressing, I prefer the citrus.
Because I'm always playing around with the ingredients, it's like having a different dish every time and each ingredient is a flavour explosion in my mouth on its own. It's also a way for me to experiment with flavour profiles.
I've never had the grain bowl, but I like to take things slow.
They have three kinds of muffins: apple/cranberry, sweet potato/date and or the apple/walnut. They are large and delicious although sometimes can be a bit on the dry side.
All the ingredients are made fresh in-house. If you want to go all out, get one of their fresh juices. To treat myself because another $5.50 is stretching the lunch budget I had a blueberry, citrus and mint one and it was so sour, the squish your face till wrinkles in your forehead develop kind of sour, but then it hits you with a refreshing kick and you're like, "whoa, this is the best fresh juice I've ever tasted!". Those also change daily.
I'd give them a 5 star but all of their tempeh contain soy which has wheat and they don't always have non-soy tofu either. I don't know why they don't use wheat-free soy if they're already going the extra mile to be fresh and healthy. -
Review from Anna C.
Toronto, ON
4/8/2011
I haven't been here in awhile, and by that I mean maybe a month and a half which is an abnormally long time for me to go without my Urban Herbivore fix!
I am OBSESSED with the grilled tempeh sandwich, in fact I'm craving it right now and desperately wishing that they were open right now and that I lived closer to the market. The service is usually pretty good. The staff is usually pretty friendly. The restaurant is very eco-friendly, utilizing sky-lights as a light source and fans in the summer. They also ask you to bring back any jars from purchased sauces, jellies, etc., so they can reuse them. Yay, recycling!
And although I could rant about the tempeh sandwich for hours, I should mention that everything there is quite delectable. They also have a selection of yummy vegan and gluten-free baked goods, AMAZING and refreshing juices, salads, other sandwiches.
And there is a washroom there although it's not quite obvious. Ask the staff and they'll point it out. In the summer there is a bit of seating outside, but no matter if you're in or out people watching is easy to do (and c'mon it's Kensington Market...the best people-watching place in the city).
Definitely recommend that you try this spot out! -
Review from rob d.
Toronto, ON
12/16/2011
excellent healthy unique food...non pretentious...earthy hairy armpit crowd...very cool place.
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Review from Wendy H.
Toronto, ON
9/15/2010 ROTD 1/5/2011
How in God's name have I not written a review for UH yet, when you can see my face there at least 3x a week?
You: "3x a week, and you only gave it 3 stars??"
Me: "Thank you, Captain Obvious. I'll tell you why."
There are two things on the menu that deserve 5 star ratings, and the two things that keep me coming back:
1. MUFFINS. MUFF. INNNS. Delectable, huge, unparalleled VEGAN MUFFINS. Crunchy on top, often still warm, beautiful muffins. My favourite is blueberry flax, or any variation of apple. The sweet potato date is not to be missed, but too rich for me to eat on the regular.
2. Jarred soups. I love the tomato basil so much.
4 star selections: The grilled avocado sandwich is delectable, but sometimes hit and miss for me. I much prefer making my own at home these days. They also grind up some nice juices.
2 star selections: As far as their salads and grain bowls - meh for me. Those are the kind of dishes I like to have complete control over, and make them at home. Also, sometimes I think the servers hate their job because smiles do not come cheap.
Once during pedestrian Sunday, Herbivore was serving up vegetarian burgers outside. I had one, and want more. Please do that again, Urban Herbivore. You don't even have to smile. -
Review from SaraJane K.
Vancouver, BC
9/27/2010
I love you, Urban Herbivore. As a vegan traveler, I'm always stoked when I can find something that's vegan and tasty. Boy did they win at that. The staff is super friendly and awesome, too. Great all-around.
I wish I had come for a larger meal because everything on the menu looked amazing. I was only in Toronto for 2 and a half days and I came here twice if that tells you anything.
The first time I came in and just had a muffin and some tea in the afternoon after attempting to eat the worst meal I've ever been served at a restaurant elsewhere. You know it's good when this muffin was so amazing that it totally changed my mood. I had a pear-raspberry muffin and wished I could have eaten 5 of them, it was so good. Big chunks of pear on the muffin, too. Oh, yum. I'm salivating just thinking about it.
We also came here again to grab some food to eat on our flight home. Again with the muffins. We got a few apple-cranberry muffins and a blueberry-flax muffin and a chocolate chunk cookie. Yum, yum, yum.
Seriously, best muffins I've ever had. I wish Urban Herbivore was in Vancouver so I could go more often. I'll definitely make a point to come here whenever I'm in town. -
Review from Jon R.
3/12/2011
Okay this is going a bit back, but I went to UH on a trip to Toronto 14 months ago. On surprisingly warm (for winter, maybe +3C or +4C?) day in January on a trip to visit my sister and her children, my girlfriend and I took a little day trip down on the Spadina streetcar to Kensington Market, and we stopped by this establishment to have ourselves some lunch.
To be honest, I don't remember exactly what I had because I can't find a menu anywhere. I THINK it was the avocado. Anyway, it was quite good. The sprouts sticking out provided a great texture, the veggies were fresh, the bread was delicious, and the tomatoes were delish. I was pleased with my meal and would definitely return next time I'm in Kensington! -
Review from Blair M.
8/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
With Hibiscus right down the street, I don't know why anybody would waste their time at this place. The service is always horrible the portions are pathetic and the meals aren't even good. Take the time to enjoy Hibiscus right down the street and enjoy good food good service and good value for what you get.
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Review from Nicole H.
Toronto, ON
7/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
Hands-down my favourite place to get a custom salad in Toronto. I know they offer more, but every time I go i'm lured in by that gorgeous spread of ingredients waiting to be combined - sesame tempeh every time, baby. You get a good number of 'toppings' to pick from for the price, and the finished product is quite filling. I've yet to try the grain bowl options rather than the salad, but I imagine this would be killer in the winter.
Because of my salad blinkers i've only ever really tried one of the other offerings - the delicious (but slightly overpriced) BBQ tofu sandwich. Bursting with flavour, it's good for a light lunch - perhaps next time i'll have to try one of the soups on offer to expand my horizons and fill my belly.
If it's not obvious by my salad fixation, I think Urban Herbivore is more of a summer destination - longer hours and much nicer to sit out on the adorable patio and watch Kensington Market float by. And the lemonade that is usually on offer tastes far better in the sunshine.Listed in: Toronto Veg Eats!
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Review from G K.
Mississauga, ON
8/30/2010
I am the furthest thing from a vegan but thought this would be a good place for a quick lunch. I had the rice bowl after being told that they didn't have quinoa.
Fine, no problem they have a list of things you can add to your bowl so I named off a few "no, we don't have that, just order from what you see." Umm what? Isn't that a menu? You advertise 20 things as possible ingredients and have 11 or 12 of those? Not impressed.
The bowl itself was good, as was the banana bread I bought. However they need to get there stock correct in order for me to return. -
Review from Tamarah S.
Scarborough, ON
8/4/2011
The avocado sandwich was the first I tried. It was soooo good! I got it the first few times I went, and then tried the sesame tempeh one. The bread is delicious. Some of the best sandwiches I've ever had! It's been awhile since I've gone, so I don't know if they still have it, but the apple pear juice is very very yummy!
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Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2008
Mmmm delicious vegetarian food! A great lunch spot -- you can grab some freshly made soup or assemble a salad for under $10 and then just sit and stare at people walking down Kensington. Sounds creepy, is actually really entertaining.
This place is tiny but has a pretty devoted and huge following. And it makes sense. If you care at all about the food you're putting in your body, you'll appreciate the small decisions Urban Herbivore offers you to make your meal healthier. So many different kinds of fresh bread, the option to put all sorts of vegetables and proteins into your salad, a fresh soup that you can tell has nothing artificial or sketchy in it.
If you're visiting Toronto and you want a delicious lunch that won't slow you down with grease, stop by and grab a power lunch and a smoothie. And if you live here and you haven't come by yet...what are you waiting for? -
Review from Brandon D.
3/29/2010
I stop in Urban Herbivore every time I'm in Kensington Market. I've only had their pastries, but they are always extremely fresh (usually still warm) and delicious!
Haven't tried their lunch, but I plan to next time I'm in town. -
Review from Sophia K.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2009
Sometimes my under-nourished abused body that normally is forced to live on bags of popcorn, falafels and alcohol really craves a salad. And when that happens, I usually make a point to detour to Urban Herbivore on my way home.
Great location with huge windows and seating that doesn't make it awkward to sit by yourself. If it's a nice day take your meal outside and people watch on Augusta. I like the fact that you can choose five things to put in your salad. Fun, delicious and new every time! Plus it will fill you up for about 8 dollars, and the staff are really friendly! You can't go wrong.
To be honest I only took one star off because every time I've been in here I've had to wait about 10 minutes to be served because of line ups. Great for them, bad for me! -
Review from Kaye H.
Toronto, ON
6/10/2009
Okay. I'll be honest, I was not convinced with the curry bowl and juice I paid almost $12.00 for. I mean, in my opinion, when it's counter-service, prices like that seem a little steep. I tried to chalk it up to the fact that, yes, everything (as far as I know) is fresh, organic, and all those good things you like to hear about what you're ingesting. However, despite my surprise at the expense, the curry bowl was amazingly tasty (and turned me on to curry), and the juice was incredible.
On the weekend I was feeling blue and I knew I needed an ample supply of substance in my tummy as I would be headed out to drink loads of alcohol, so I headed over to this place to grab a sandwich. I had been saving the chance to try it until I really needed it. I got the BBQ Tempeh.
Now, this is not an exaggeration. The sandwich I ate that day was possibly the best sandwich I have ever had in my life (except for those little packaged sandwiches you can buy in delis in England.. oh man). And I love sandwiches. I love bread. As a vegan, it is really difficult to find good and interesting sandwiches. This thing was big and kept me satisfied until 5 AM.
You know, when I think about it, the amount of money I spend on shitty food that has no nutritional value (protein, vitamins, etc.) is vast in comparison to the money well-spent at Urban Herbivore.
Just go, seriously. Do it. -
Review from Kat F.
2/16/2009
Incredibly tasty soups and sandwiches that are so massive in size you'll be able to re-enjoy the leftovers for several meals afterwards. I like to order the grilled and marinated tofu sandwich and save half of it for the next day's lunch!
Urban Herbivore is always bustling with activity and has a loyal clientele that keeps coming back for healthy, tasty lunch and dinner options. -
Review from Danielle N.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2010
I'm not vegan or vegetarian but there's something that draws me to these anti-meat establishments. I think it's a combination of their rarity, the creativity that goes into the menu, and of course the confidence that you're doing your body good.
The Menu: It's everything a vegan or vegetarian could want. Salad bowls, rice bowls, sandwiches, curry bowls and soups. You can customize the first three to your liking by picking (A) your leaf / grain / bread (B) your "meat" replacement - tofu, tempeh, veggies, etc (C) six toppings (D) dressing. Seeds and nuts are a bonus:)
Our Order: My boyfriend had the salad bowl, I had the rice bowl. We choose things like roasted veggies, asparagus, tempeh, artichokes, tomatoes. The dressings, carrot sesame ginger and lemon tahini, were fab-u-lous. -
Review from Rachel L.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 12/6/2009
Who can resist the urge to eat health food? Seriously. It struck me again, a week after my first review of Urban Herbivore.
After my mind blowing, unfathomably delicious rendezvous with the salad bar, I was back for seconds. I strolled in and spotted their refrigerated items and discovered that UH sells soup for $6. You can take it home and have an equally mind blowing, unfathomably delicious meal in the comfort of your very own kitchen. I am doing this as we speak.
I also grabbed a lemonade with chunks of pineapple and julienned mint. I am no stranger to this beverage, but I am reaffirming that it is delicious.
Then the trouble began. Originally I was going to get salad but then I spotted for $2.50 less a "handwich," as in a sandwich with bread slices shaped like hands. This particular handwich had toasted coconut, a tomato, and cashew pesto (or something like that). This was tempting. The woman at the cash register said it was something like a vegan BLT. Sold.
The sandwich was not like a vegan BLT. It was more like a tomato sandwich with heaps and heaps and heaps of toasted coconut (hurray!) with a heavy cashew influence. I didn't love it, to be honest, and it had that vegan-y taste to it, if you know what I mean. I wish I had gotten the salad that I wanted, but hey, live and learn. At least it was a healthy experience.
Get the soup!
PS I asked what the deal was the website and the cashier just kind of laughed it off and said it's always been in shambles. What a shame!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2009
It is a rainy Sunday night. I don't think I have eaten an actual raw vegetable in days. I feel bad… Read more »
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Review from Marie F.
4/19/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Soup Takeout...
I went in to purchase one of their super yummy pre-bottled soups: sweet potato, coconut, carrot, onions, ect... (unfortunately my bottle wasn't labeled so I am going off the top of my head).
The mason jar of soup was $5 plus $1 deposit. -
Review from Max R.
Toronto, ON
11/24/2010
Food: Good.
Service: Bad.
But bad to the point of making me ignore this place, even though I enjoy the food. I have had a similar experience to many other people who reviewed here. The staff are just so bloody miserable. They are often out of many ingredients, and if you ask if they have it they look at you with malice.
I once went up to order, and after staring at the menu for a couple of minutes, I asked for a grain bowl. "Oh, we're out of grains" says the girl behind the counter. Okay, wish you had told me that while you were looking at me staring at the menu, but I'll move on. I'll have a salad then, and I think I'll have it with romaine lettuce. "We only have mixed greens" as she's putting it in the take out box. Again, do you think you could have informed me of that when I said I'll move to salad and stared at the menu contemplating the type of lettuce.
I'm not saying it's a big deal. I certainly lived to tell the tale, but when you're in the service industry, you can't be an ignorant jerk. Pay a little attention. Smile. Try to pretend like you don't hate your life. -
Review from Diane R.
Toronto, ON
11/9/2009
I would give this spot 5 stars, except they have TWICE sent my bf into extreme allergy reaction. We have told them he is allergic to nuts when we go and only one of the three times he's been there he has walked away safely.
I am a selfish girl though and go on my own now and love it. But be warned you poor nut-allergic people! -
Review from Spike D.
10/3/2010
Fun, fast, and fresh vegan food that makes carnivores jealous. The avocado sandwich on some amazing, rich chewy, flavourful, herby, seedy flat bread is unmatched. Their baked goods are lovely. Nice fresh juices. It's exactly the place you want to hang out on a sunny weekend day but there isn't a ton of seating so you can't be too particular about where you perch. Also, the washrooms are located through the kitchen - a bit strange but also a great opportunity to see the vegan chef-ery in action.
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Review from A.J. S.
12/31/2009
We ate here, and had soup and two juices. They staff was really nice, I asked for some bread to go with my soup and they gave it to me, I also wanted to try their cashew mayonnaise, and they gave a spoon of that to me too. Their service is excellent, the soup was delicious, and this is saying something, because it was sweet potato soup, and I normally am not a fan of sweet potatoes. The soup was nice to sit in, I liked the decor, and the things around were pretty interesting.
I would probably go back, especially if I was in the area with vegetarian/vegan friends.
*Note this place is vegetarian friendly (obviously, I just like to note this in my reviews so I can index). -
Review from Robin H.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2010
I've had some great sandwiches here, in the past. But the food I used to enjoy is spoiled by the grumpy, elitist, and often jerk-ish staff. Never had a confrontation with them, but they never so much as look at you when you are in there, and will often ignore your presence (yet they seem to have a tip jar??). Furthermore, the sandwiches seem to be getting smaller and smaller for the same ridiculous price, while being shabbily thrown together by the apparently miserable folk who work there. Another market dud, and that is truly sad.
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Review from Laura P.
9/8/2008
Toronto friend M W* was only under a little pressure to bring me somewhere yummy. There are too many other options in that neighborhood. She did good.
Urban Herbivore has a simple menu. 5-6 sandwiches, same with salads, with the option of salad wraps (but not on Sundays-boo!), and a small selection of soups and fruit smoothies. The smoothies aren't like Jamba Juice, though, as they are more fruit and pulp. I got an apple, lemon, ginger smoothie. M W got pulled a yellow fruity drink from the silver tub by the register. It was pineapple, plus finely diced fruit, slivers of basil, another undetectable juice, and ice- perfect for a sweltering day.
Our sandwiches were ginormous. I don't recall what M W got (but you can be sure it was veggie!) but I got the sesame tempeh. Not just any tempeh but one with avocado, walnut-spinach pesto, date-olive tapenade, lemon tahini, tomatoes, greens, alfalfa on a house-made multi-grain. Hot damn.
I also grabbed the pink counterpart to her yellow fruit/basil drink, since my smoothie was annihilated. The fruit bits that didn't make it into my straw got greedily eaten later. Move over boba tea. This is my new drink obsession (and hubby approved)!
*Full name is omitted to protect the innocent. And protection for me. She'll probably kill me if I get her obsessed with yelping!
(This review was originally posted on 6/10/2008 when yelp had not yet expanded to Toronto.) -
Review from angela k.
Toronto, ON
2/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've been to Urban Herbivore many times and it never fails to disappoint!
The formula is simple - pick your type of meal (salad, sandwich, grain bowl, curry bowl) and pick up to 6 delicious ingredients, plus seeds and nuts, and dressing and walk away very happy!
The incredients are not run of the mill items like tomato (although you can get tomato) but include roast sweet potatoes, bbq tofu, tempeh, roasted red peppers, and many more. And in my experience, they are not stingy when they toss the ingredients in.
This is the kind of place you can walk into and leave feeling healthier and pleasantly full for less than $10. And if you're there in the summer, grab a lemonade, they're refreshing and delicious.
A lot of people seem to question the cost of the meals here ($8.50 for any of the options) but it's totally comparable to (and in some cases cheaper than) places like Sandwich Box and Freshii. And if you are a vegetarian you're getting delicious instead of plain protein options.
The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because I find having to walk through their kitchen to use the washroom a little strange AND they only have counter seating which is a pet peeve of mine. Still, this place is totally worth checking out - I always leave happy!Listed in: Best Vegetarian in Toronto
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Review from Mia Z.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2011
Rude staff and not too fresh. For salad go to Hibiscus instead!
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Review from Reesa T.
12/31/2009
I'm a vegetarian, I had to stop in here.
I am also not good with cold weather, so stopping in anywhere that wasn't outside while walking about Kensington market was a must.
This place was tasty, warm soup and their use of ginger in their fresh juices was a total bonus. (I'd had too much too drink the night before and my tummy was still a little funny...)
I left happy and warm and with a tummy that wasn't upset anymore. I would love to go back to visit again and try more of their baked goods. Vegan backed goods get a bad reputation for being dry and flavorless but the bread I had with my soup was anything but.
Finally i found their service was fine. I wouldn't say amazing- but it was good. :D
Also I want to go back in a warmer season to try their lemonade.... it sounds delicious!
If you are vege, or just the kind of person who can appreciate a meal made without the death and abuse of animals... stop in. Its totally worth it. -
Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
8/19/2009 ROTD 10/1/2009
Vegetarian sandwiches are usually pretty predictable (grilled veggies with some sort of cheese) and sometimes if you don't eat dairy, you're out of luck! well, not at Urban Herbivore! I had a great bbq tofu sandwich with tons of avocados and lots of other veggies. Also got some of their green juice which i think is the same as the one at Fressen. Definitely worth every penny and probably the best veg sandwich in town! Also, i think Its great that they use eco takeout containers.
Listed in: My ROTDs
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Review from Sofia M.
11/23/2009
I came here with my boyfriend while visiting Toronto last summer. He's vegan and I'm vegetarian so we were excited to try this place. We had some tasty soup and bf was happy with his sandwich.
My problem was with the service. I have a medical condition and cannot eat alfalfa sprouts. They trigger some terrible symptoms. I specifically told the girl not to put them on my sandwich. What did I get? A sandwich full of alfalfa sprouts. I very nicely told her that I cannot eat them, and the reason why. Not only did she give me attitude, but she tried to make me feel guilty by telling me that they were going to have to put it in the trash if I didn't eat it. You know what, you're right- I'm going to go into a full-on lupus flare so you don't have to make me another sandwich. Needless to say, I refused it again. By the time my second sandwich was done, and handed to me with even more attitude, bf had finished his meal. Won't be returning. -
Review from Annaliese R.
3/8/2010
Let me start out by saying I'm a carnivore. Also let me point out I was raised by a mother who is a vegetarian. So I'm no tofu snob and I understand that you can have a good meal with no meat. My travelling companion was a vegan and we were meeting up with her vegan blog buddy so needless to say. . . it was "Vegan place HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" This place was suggested by fellow Yelpers and it was right around the corner for both us and her friend. So we made our way there and worked our way in. It was crowded and I found out why. I ordered the avocado with olive ciabatta sandwich. It was delicious and only about 9 dollars!!!! Piled high with sprouts and avocado I could hardly finish it! I can see myself coming here especially with my non-meat friends and family.
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Review from Tina H.
3/12/2010
Rude service. The girl kept rushing me. I asked for broccoli and didn't realize there was fresh or steamed/boiled so I asked her to switch it for me and she said "well it's already in." So I asked her to take it out. Any normal person would've just changed it without freaking out about how they had spooned the boiled broccoli in already so it was too late to put the fresh. Like, how long does it take to spoon out broccoli with the same spoon you just put it in with? Even if it was double the time it would've taken one second more. Less time than telling me she's too lazy/angry to do it. The food is mediocre. I was recommended to try the lemonade. It's good but not that good. Unique with pineapple. Very mediocre food. Not that I expect to get blown away by a salad but honestly I was like "this is it?" Dressing is very lacking. I expect more from a restaurant. I can mix a better one up at home. Rude service and mediocre food. Not worth the $4 for the lemonade even though it was unique and had pineapple and mint. First and last visit. Rude service is unacceptable. The girl at cash was nice though but then the girl who makes the food gets to leave her lasting impression. It's sad because the angry vegan stereotype is perpetuated in this place. Not fair to other not so angry vegans. There is a small patio that's nice in the summer. I like the option to eat outside.
As an update, I recently went for a juice there and it was quite yummy. I've changed my 1 star to 2. They were quicker with service and the juice was good, but this doesn't make up for the horrible experience of last time. -
Review from eune y.
Toronto, ON
3/16/2009
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmuffin. Sweet potato and date stick to your ribs gigantic muffin that will sustain the notoriously under nourished vegan for days and days. This is how they survive whilst not eating flesh...they make it up in muffin. And it's the bread and the pesto and those glorious soups and generous servings of meal style salads. This is one place in Toronto where you're really getting a deal on a meal 'cause for once something under $8 is both filling and actually good for you!
