Hope everyone’s staying cool out there 😅

This week, IL FORNELLO Danforth has teamed up with Lauren Toyota for a limited-time summer prix fixe menu that just launched and runs until July 24.

Over in Etobicoke, a new spot called Fit Cake is opening on Tuesday with a menu that’s fully vegan, sugar-free, and gluten-free.

Summerlicious is also in full swing, with plenty of vegan options to check out at over 200 restaurants across the city.

And if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, Wishbone is hosting a vegan film night and a live taping of the Calling All Vegans show, plus the annual Toronto Animal Rights March is happening on Saturday.

Week of July 10 - 16:

News:

• IL FORNELLO Danforth has launched a special summer plant-based prix fixe menu in collaboration with vegan chef and cookbook author Lauren Toyota. Running from July 10 to 24, the $40 three-course menu is available Tuesday through Sunday and includes options like a Caprese Salad, Pizza Funghi with tofu ricotta, plant-based Chicken Parmigiana, and Pappardelle Salsiccia with pinto bean fennel sausage. Desserts include a Banana Lava Cake or Strawberry Sorbet.

• Fit Cake, an international dessert chain known for its health-conscious treats, is opening its first Canadian location in Toronto on July 16 at 3367 Bloor St. W. Originating in Europe with dozens of locations across Poland and Malta, Fit Cake offers a 100% sugar-free, gluten-free, and lactose-free menu that’s also vegan. Their offerings include cakes, bars, tortes, dessert jars, and breakfast items, catering to people with dietary restrictions, allergies, or an active lifestyle. Fit Cake emphasizes sustainability and works with groups supporting those with diabetes and food sensitivities, using natural sweeteners like xylitol and erythritol instead of sugar.

Events:

• Summerlicious
  📅 Date: Thursday, July 4 to Saturday, July 20
  📍 Location: Various participating restaurants across the city

  Toronto’s popular Summerlicious festival returns today with over 220 locally owned restaurants offering three-course prix fixe menus at a range of price points. It’s a great chance to explore new flavours or revisit favourites while supporting the local food scene and there will be many vegan options.

• Movie Night at the Lab – Punk Rock Vegan Movie
  📅 Date: Friday, July 11-12, 2025
  🕒 Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
  📍 Location: Wishbone Animal Rights Lab, 600 Bay St, suites 305, 307–308
  Doors open to watch two short documentaries from the 2024 International Vegan Film Festival, with plant‑based snacks available

• LIVE Taping of the Calling All Vegans Show – “Breakfast and a Show”
  📅 Date: Sunday, July 13, 2025
  🕒 Time: 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
  📍 Location: Wishbone Animal Rights Lab, 600 Bay St, suites 305, 307–308

  This special edition of Calling All Vegans will be recorded live, featuring performance artists Vilma Duplantier and Shelly Voorhees of Artemis Beasts, along with Pia Sarker from New Cat City Rescue. A plant-based breakfast will be available from Aunty Em’s Deli & Coffee, including a carrot lox bagel or sausage and egg sandwich with a drink for $12 (while supplies last).

Activism:

• 2025 Toronto Animal Rights March
  📅 Date: Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 12:00 PM
  📍 Location: Queen’s Park.
  🔗 Event link
  The annual Toronto Animal Rights March returns this July as part of a global movement demanding justice and legal protection for animals. Organized by local activist groups including No Low – Plant Powered, the event invites participants to unite in solidarity for animal liberation. Full details to be announced—participants are encouraged to save the date and invite others.

The Toronto Vegan Restaurants Guide 2025

World Vegan News:

• The “Veganism by Country 2025” report ranks countries by their estimated percentage of vegan and vegetarian populations, based on aggregated survey data and public research. India and Mexico lead globally, with 9% of their populations identifying as vegan. Canada ranks fourth, with 4.6% of Canadians reported as vegan and 7.6% as vegetarian. Other notable countries include Israel (5% vegan), Ireland (4.1%), and several Nordic and European countries with rates around 2–4%. While these figures offer a helpful overview, the report notes that definitions of veganism vary and data is largely self-reported, so the numbers should be seen as estimates rather than definitive counts.

In the Near Future:

*(more info will come closer to the dates)

• Summerlicious
  📅 Date: Thursday, July 4 to Saturday, July 20
  📍 Location: Various participating restaurants across the city

  Toronto’s popular Summerlicious festival returns today with over 220 locally owned restaurants offering three-course prix fixe menus at a range of price points. It’s a great chance to explore new flavours or revisit favourites while supporting the local food scene and there will be many vegan options.

• Vegan Potluck & Nature Walk
  📅 Date: Sunday, July 27, 2025
  🕒 Time: 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM
  📍 Location: Sylvan Park, 55 Sylvan Ave, Scarborough
  📝 Note: In case of bad weather, the event will move to Scarborough Village Recreation Centre, 3600 Kingston Rd

  This casual summer meetup begins with a vegan potluck at 12:30 PM (meal starts at 1 PM sharp), followed by a relaxed group walk along the Doris McCarthy Trail to Gates Gully around 3 PM. Attendees are asked to bring their own reusable dishes and utensils, and all food shared must be vegan. Swimming in the lake is possible at your own risk. Everyone is welcome, including veg-curious and vegetarians, as long as contributions to the potluck are fully plant-based.

• Toronto Black Vegan Festival
  📅 Date: Sunday, August 3, 2025
  🕒 Time: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
  📍 Location: STACKT Market, 28 Bathurst Street
  🎟️ Admission: Free

  Organized by Black Vegans of Toronto, this annual festival is a celebration of plant-based living through a Black cultural lens. The event features a diverse lineup of Black-owned vegan food vendors, offering dishes inspired by African and Caribbean traditions. Attendees can also explore a variety of plant-based products, including skincare, wellness items, and fresh produce from Black farmers. The festival aims to promote health, sustainability, and community empowerment within the Black community.

• A Fundraiser for Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary: MONKEY MAGIC
  📅 Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
  🕒 Time: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
  📍 Location: GLB Brewpub, 11 Lower Jarvis St. Units 5-8
  🎟️ Tickets: $110 – includes two 11oz pours of beer, vegan and vegetarian hors d’oeuvres, live music by Big Night Out, and access to a monkey art auction (It is unclear how to buy tickets though…)

  GLB Brewpub is hosting a special fundraiser in support of Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary, home to 23 rescued primates including the artistic Pockets Warhol. Guests can expect fresh beer, plant-based bites, live tunes, and the chance to bid on original monkey-made art. All proceeds go toward sanctuary care and operations.

• Vegandale Toronto 2025
  📅 Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
  📍 Location: Woodbine Park
  🎟️ Tickets available: Here ($$ increase after today)
  Vegandale returns to Toronto for another full day of food, music, art, and ethical consumerism—all 100% vegan. While specific vendors and performers have yet to be announced, past events have featured global plant-based brands, bold branding, and an unapologetically vegan atmosphere.

• VegTO Fest 2025
  📅 Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025 (11:00 AM – 7:00 PM) & Sunday, September 21, 2025 (11:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
  📍 Location: Nathan Phillips Square.
  🎟️ Free admission
  🌱 VegTO Fest announced it will return for its 40th anniversary with the theme Eat. Innovate. Transform. Expect two full days of plant-based food vendors, guest speakers, and community-driven experiences focused on the future of sustainable and compassionate living. More details to come closer to the date.

• Animal Law & Advocacy Conference 2025
  📅 Date: Friday to Sunday, September 26–28, 2025
  🕒 Time: Full-day programming; Friday includes a student conference and evening reception
  📍 Location: Toronto Metropolitan University
  🎟️ Tickets: Available at alaconference.ca
  The 7th annual Animal Law & Advocacy Conference, hosted by Animal Justice, returns to Toronto this fall with three days of sessions, networking, and plant-based catering. Formerly known as the Canadian Animal Law Conference, the event has broadened its focus to include advocates and community leaders beyond the legal profession. Programming kicks off Friday with a dedicated student day and a welcome reception, followed by two days of workshops and panels featuring Canadian and international experts in animal law and advocacy. Early bird tickets are now available online.
  

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