Probably The Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants In Montreal
Most of us have run into that same problem of going out for food with a vegan friend and trying to find a place that satisfies both of your needs. Thankfully Montreal has a growing amount of restaurants offering a little something for everyone. Vegans know it can be hard to get our meat-loving friends to try a faux-meat dish, but with these restaurants, you may just find them staring at your plate, hoping for a bite.
1. La Banquise
La Banquise is a Montreal staple, founded in 1968 by local fireman Pierre Barsalou. Originally an ice cream shop, it wasn't until the 1980's that their current poutine specialty was added to the menu. Poutine is usually the least vegan treat around, covered in delicious cheese, and gravy it never used to be an option for your vegan friends. La Banquise, however, has done away with that notion, and now includes the option to substitute vegan cheese and gravy into any of their 20 plus poutine choices.
2. Pizzeria Dei Compari
Tucked away among dozens of other restaurants on St. Denis is a little pizza place making amazing use of a brick oven. With over 30 pizzas to choose from, nobody is going to be left out here. A decent amount of the options can be made vegan simply by forgoing the cheese, which sounds insane and the waiter will probably double check you didn't say extra cheese, but trust me, it will be worth it.
3. Soupe Soup
Founded by Caroline Dumas, Soupe Soup strives to offer unique options that rotate daily. Featuring a variety of soups and sandwiches, which always includes a vegan option, Soupe Soup has created the kind of comfort food driven atmosphere that is perfect when you need cheering up. As the menu shifts regularly, you can never be sure what might be available for the day, but each soup is worth trying, so becoming a repeat customer is worth it.
Photo Cred - Photomato
4. Antidote Superalimentation
Antidote is a combination of a vegan market and diner, all in one space. Not your traditional restaurant, but this relatively new spot includes both pre-made sandwiches to grab on the go, and a sit down counter where you can have something freshly made. Antidote is actually meat free in all of it's items! They make a mean Tempeh-Bacon Sandwich that everyone should try. Antidote is a definite must for any food lover.
5. KFC
How on Earth did KFC end up on a list of vegan food? Well KFC is hiding something from us all, thanks to a legal action by the often questionable PETA, KFC's across Canada are now required to provide a vegan alternative to the regular menu of crispy delicious chicken. Sometimes this will require being persistent, as not all employees are even aware that this item exists, but it is there! At long last there is an option for when everyone wants to grab a bucket of popcorn chicken. Just be warned vegan readers, they add mayo on top normally, so be specific!
Bonus Resto: La Lumiere Du Mile End
La Lumiere is a rare thing. It has a small but impressive menu featuring smoothies, burgers, quesadillas and more. La Lumiere is actually a fully vegan cafรฉ, however they do offer a real cheese option that you can add to any item. It will only take one visit to convince your meat loving friends that it should be a staple when looking for a great place to eat in the Mile End. Plus they serve some of the best coffee around.