We invited the don of delis, chef Zane Caplansky, to try 10 of the city’s top veggie burgers for Earth Day and suss out which savoury meat alternative satisfies this legendary carnivore’s tastebuds. Which patty gets the gold?
Winner
Holy Chuck, 1450 Yonge St., $8.99
“Nice mushroom flavour, nice crispiness. Stuffing is feta and cream cheese. That’s a really good veggie burger,” says Caplansky.
Runner-up
Queen Mother Cafe, 208 Queen St. W., $13.95
“This is a burger that is a pinch of salt and pepper away from being something I might order and enjoy in a restaurant,” he says.
A quinoa kick
Fresh, 90 Eglinton Ave. E., $12
“The patty is overcooked and heavy on the thyme. The quinoa onion rings are quite nice but don’t belong in the burger,” he says.
A perfect patty
Union Social Eatery, 4899 Yonge St., $13.97
“That is actually really good. The patty actually has a nice flavour. The texture is nice, it’s got a nice sear on it,” he says.
Bites of black bean
Live Organic Food Bar, 264 Dupont St., $14
“For a gluten-free bun, it’s not bad. I don’t get the mango salsa flavour, and the guac is overwhelming,” says Caplansky.
Protein paradise
Utopia, 586 College St., $9
“Great-looking bun and char marks on the patty. To me, this is textured vegetable protein that is a nice substitute but lacks flavour.”
Nuts for burgers
Lola’s Kitchen, 634 Church St., $15
“These are subtle flavours and textures,” he says of the chickpea, quinoa and almond burger topped with cashew aïoli.
Deep-fried delicious
The Burger’s Priest, 3397 Yonge St., $9.05
“I like the idea of mushroom and cheese and frying, but I didn’t get the cheese until I went looking for it,” says Caplansky.
Totally tofu
Hogtown Vegan, 1056 Bloor St. W., $13
“They had me and lost me at tofu bacon. Don’t set up that expectation,” he says. “But the soy patty is actually pretty good.”
Plain and simple
Boneyard Grill, 10 Disera Dr., $11.95
“This doesn’t seem authentic and handmade. This feels like it was made in a factory, but for a factory-made burger, it’s not bad,” he says.