There are plenty of small adjustments you can make in your eating habits that support a greener tomorrow, including incorporating more plant-based dishes, purchasing produce from local farmers and supporting restaurants with eco-friendly business models. In honour of Earth Month, here are our top picks for sustainable restaurants in Toronto.
Antler Kitchen & Bar
View this post on Instagram
Owner and Red Seal Executive chef Michael Hunter’s sustainable approach to cuisine comes through Antler’s celebration of seasonal, regional ingredients. Cocktails are crafted from foraged ingredients like rhubarb bitters and cedar, while all of the meats are wild game and sometimes roasted over an open fire pit. Housemade charcuterie boards are often “nose to tail,” meaning various parts of the entire animal are used, which further amplifies Antler’s devotion to cutting back on food waste. Antler is currently open for takeout and delivery from Wednesday to Saturday. The restaurant is also promoting a selection of Cook At Home boxes with a series of entrees, as well as an assortment of protein boxes featuring fine game meats.
Avling
View this post on Instagram
Canadian flavours and locally-sourced ingredients are the focus at Avling, a sustainable farm-to-table restaurant and brewpub located in the Leslieville neighbourhood. Perhaps Avling’s biggest claim to sustainable fame is its 4,000 sq. ft. rooftop farm, where a variety of herb and vegetable crops are planted year-round and incorporated into the restaurant’s seasonal menus. Avling’s farm runs using ecological practices that include composting, planting organic seeds and using natural fertilizers. Inside the restaurant, Avling offers a selection of ready-made items from its kitchen, like housemade baked goods, as well as lunch-to-go Monday through Friday, pizzas Wednesday through Saturday and weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Côte de Boef
View this post on Instagram
Inspired by Parisian cuisine, this bistro in the Trinity-Bellwoods neighbourhood only uses locally-sourced beef which is butchered on-site by hand. Côte de Boeuf‘s Butcher Shop sells côte de boeuf, rib eye, NY strip, tenderloin, fresh ground beef as well as pork chops, bacon and house sausages — all of which are made fresh every week. The takeout menu currently offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, cheese boards featuring locally-sourced cheeses and honey and a“Butcher’s BBQ Box.” Available for two ($59.99) or four ($99), the box includes six dry-aged burger patties, BBQ sausages, vegetables, potato salad and dessert.
The Goods
View this post on Instagram
With a culinary philosophy centred on a healthy diet and nutrition, the Goods is a fully vegan, gluten-free and organic restaurant operating in the Leslieville neighbourhood. Currently open for takeout and delivery, all of the menu items also incorporate healing ingredients. The restaurant also caters to those with allergies or dietary restrictions by offering gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and sesame-free options as well. Healthy salad bowls and soups make up the majority of the takeout menu, such as the Sweet Heat, a smooth curried coconut potato blend; and the Tricky Tahini, a mixed greens salad with tahini dressing. The Goods also has a Take Home Meal Delivery program that allows customers to choose from prepared foods, pantry favourites or five meal kits that range in price from $39.99 to $52.99. All delivery boxes are packed in paper containers, and beverages, like the green smoothie, are stored in recyclable glass bottles.
Marben
View this post on Instagram
Marben is a sustainable restaurant in Toronto featuring British-Canadian eats with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. In 2020, Marben launched Marben Market, which sells everything from meal kits, produce and frozen meals to cocktail kits to enjoy at home. Everything in Marben Market is prepared fresh in-house or sourced from an ethical farmer or supplier. Marben is currently open for pick-up and delivery, and the menu features sustainable eats like free-run and pasture-raised meat-based entrees and appetizers, organic salads with locally-sourced greens and berries and a selection of Ontario beers, ciders and wines.