Hello once again and welcome back.

I have some exciting news to share: I’ve been working on something new I’m thrilled to share with you this week: Buy Vegan, a searchable, vegan-only catalogue built for Canadian shoppers. There is more info below but as Insider subscribers you are getting the very first look while I keep building it out, so I’d love your feedback on what’s useful (if anything) and what’s missing!

In the rest of this edition, a few timely local notes: Animal Liberation Kitchen has adjusted hours and is hosting reservation-only High Tea this weekend; there’s a profile of Midtown’s Social Llama and a look at Toronto’s broad plant-based dining scene; and an activism update on dog testing ending at St. Joseph’s in London.

For your calendar, I’ve highlighted a fundraiser for Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary on Saturday and two Sunday meetups—Conscious Coffee Party and Toronto Vegan Climbing.

I also touch on industry news from New York, where Eleven Madison Park is set to reintroduce meat this fall.

Buy Vegan — Your vegan-only catalogue for Canada

New from Veggie in the 6ix: Buy Vegan is a searchable catalogue, not a store. Think of the ease you feel in a vegan restaurant—no second-guessing. Everything here is verified vegan and orderable in Canada.

What it is (and isn’t)

• Vegan-only catalogue: every item verified—no label decoding.

• Canada-ready: listings checked for Canadian shipping or local availability.

• Where to buy & price look-up: we strive to list all retailers so you can compare.

• Not a storefront: we don’t sell; we point you to the places that do.

First look
Insider subscribers are getting the first glimpse while we build this out. It’s a work in progress, so feedback is welcome—what you like, what’s missing, what you want more of.

New listings roll out weekly as we grow toward a comprehensive vegan database for Canadian shoppers. Let’s vote with our dollars—and Buy Vegan.

Week of August 14 - 20:

News:

• Animal Liberation Kitchen has announced new opening hours—now 9:30 AM to 3 PM on Fridays through Mondays, closed Tuesdays to Thursdays—in response to a slower summer season. To draw more visitors, they’re hosting $40-per-person High Tea events by reservation on August 9–10 and 16–17, alongside their regular brunch service. The café says it remains committed to cooking “with love” and is encouraging community support during this quieter period.

• In a VegOut article, Toronto was highlighted as a city where cold winters are met with a warm vegan welcome. The piece notes that its cultural diversity fuels a wide-ranging plant-based dining scene, from Ethiopian injera and Vietnamese bánh mì to Trinidadian doubles and Italian gelato. Vegan options are mainstream enough that fully plant-based weddings are now common, and many school cafeterias offer vegan meal plans without special requests. The article also connects this to broader national trends, pointing out that Canada’s updated Food Guide prioritizes plant-based proteins, helping to make inclusive food systems the norm.

• Social Llama was featured in a recent profile highlighting chef Kumar Ishan’s inspiration for opening the fully vegetarian and vegan café in Midtown Toronto. Motivated by his family’s struggles with food allergies and sensitivities, Ishan set out to create a safe, inclusive dining space where guests can trust every ingredient. Drawing on his culinary training in India and experience in luxury hotels across Singapore, Dubai, the U.S., and the U.K., he’s built a globally inspired menu that blends comfort, flavour, and nutritional care — from pastas and curries to breakfasts and smoothies — all served with attention to allergen transparency. Located at 2107 Yonge St., Social Llama aims to offer a grounded, welcoming space that bridges flavour and trust.

Events:

• 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 

  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.

• Conscious Coffee Party (Round 2)
  📅 Date: Sunday, August 17, 2025
  🕒 Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  📍 Location: Centre for Social Innovation – Spadina, 192 Spadina Ave.
  🎟️ Tickets: Starting at $15 via Luma

  A laid-back Sunday meetup where you can sip free coffee and tea, sample vegan bites from local vendors, dance to a live DJ set, and swap low-waste, plant-based living tips—plus door-prize draws and other freebies for those who bring their own cup.

• Toronto Vegan Climbing — Boulderz Etobicoke
  📅 Date: Sunday, August 17, 2025
  🕒 Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
  📍 Location: Boulderz Climbing Centre, 80 The East Mall, Unit 9 (Etobicoke)
  Group bouldering/top-rope session for vegans and veg-curious. Admission is paid to the gym ($28 plus optional rentals); waiver required—details are on the event page.

Activism:

• Animal Justice says St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ontario will end experiments on dogs after whistleblowers exposed a secret Lawson Research Institute lab and the Investigative Journalism Bureau’s reporting sparked public outrage, vigils, and a call from Premier Doug Ford to halt dog testing in public institutions. The group welcomes the decision but notes pigs and rodents are still used in invasive studies, urging the hospital to adopt animal-free methods and to rehome any surviving dogs; The Beagle Alliance has offered to help. Citing advances such as cardiac MRI and PET imaging, experts argue humane, non-animal approaches can drive medical progress. Animal Justice also points to the wider issue of dog testing at public institutions across Canada and continues to push for a complete end to such experiments.

The Toronto Vegan Restaurants Guide 2025

World Vegan News:

• New York’s Eleven Madison Park will reintroduce meat in October after four years of serving an entirely plant-based tasting menu, with chef-owner Daniel Humm citing financial pressures—especially difficulty booking large corporate events—and a desire to be more inclusive of diners’ preferences. The three-Michelin-star restaurant will keep a predominantly plant-based focus but add optional dishes featuring animal products.

In the Near Future:

*(more info will come closer to the dates)

• Dolce Vita Vegan Dinner
  📅 Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
  🕒 Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
  📍 Location: Rily Kitchen, 26 Sousa Mendes Street
  🎟️ Tickets: From $161.08 via Eventbrite (only a few spots left)

  Hot for Food’s Lauren Toyota joins baker Logan Dunn (Bad Attitude) for a one-night, 24-seat Italian supper featuring focaccia, antipasti dips, heirloom-tomato caprese, herb-arugula pesto paccheri with zucchini crisp, and tiramisu, plus two glasses of vegan wine. The menu is fully plant-based but cannot be modified for severe allergies.

• 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.

• SUPPER CLUB: Depanniversary by Emily Zimmerman
  📅 Date: Sunday, September 14, 2025
  🕒 Time: Not yet listed
  📍 Location: CSI • 192 Spadina Ave., #501
  🎟️ Tickets: Available via The Depanneur website

  Chef and food justice activist Emily Zimmerman returns to The Depanneur for a one-night Supper Club marking 15 years since her first vegan pop-up at the venue. The entirely plant-based menu includes a creamy green borscht, salt-baked carrot lox, apple-and-sage seitan sausages, and a spiced chocolate custard, among other dishes. The event also serves as the launch of her new project, Spicebox, blending food, performance, and political art.

• 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.
  

Do you have a business or event that you think should be listed? Email us at [email protected] to submit a request.