Vegan restaurants keep closing at an alarming rate in Toronto

Vegans in Toronto have been noticing a disturbing trend lately in the dining scene…many of the restaurants that cater to their diets have been closing in the city.

Earlier this year, global vegetarian chain Planta pulled out of Toronto completely, continuing to operate in other cities, to the dismay of many a local vegan. Now, just last month, longstanding herbivore institution Hogtown Vegan closed its doors. Hogtown had operated two locations at one point at the height of their popularity, and as of right now none are left.

While it can feel like the options for vegan food in Toronto are seriously dwindling, there are plant-based businesses that are still going strong in Toronto. However, even their owners are concerned about the closure of vegan businesses locally.

“We are in an economic crisis and people are being more mindful of where they’re spending their money. This doesn’t typically equate to corporate-owned brands that are an expensive night out for most,” Logan Dunn, head pastry chef and owner of plant-based bakery Bad Attitude Bread, tells yourcitywithIN.com.

“I am very surprised by the closing of Hogtown Vegan as it was an accessible staple to the community as well as known by travellers visiting the city.”

While plant-based ice cream shop Honey’s has been doing great business according to owner and operator Ashley Wittig, she doesn’t share Dunn’s surprise regarding the closure of Planta and Hogtown.

“I hadn’t eaten at Hogtown or Planta since they opened so it wasn’t exactly a surprise to me. I don’t typically eat at vegan restaurants anymore because I think most people who own them do so because they’re vegan, not necessarily because they’re excellent at making food,” Wittig tells yourcitywithIN.com.

“In order to stay in business you need to appeal to everyone, not just vegans. The exception to me is Fat Choi or Bad Attitude, both run by people who are excellent at making food and who appeal to everyone.”

Since opening three years ago, Bad Attitude has continued to see a steady stream of business through the door from vegans and non-vegans, but those years haven’t been without their challenges and the profits haven’t been what they should be for such a popular bakery. The landing page of Bad Attitude’s website even reads “RENT’S DUE” in giant letters.

“High rent costs in the city and quickly rising ingredient costs have been a hurdle but the community has been supportive,” says Dunn.

“Vegan ingredients tend to be more expensive than their non vegan counter parts, for the most part, and we have been seeing the cost of all ingredients rise at unprecedented rates over the last few years. Managing micro-thin margins that only get smaller by the day while trying to provide accessible prices to our community has been our biggest challenge, which we overcome by just having next to no profits. Not much of a choice.”

Wittig feels that pretty much all food businesses are facing a lot of challenges right now, whether they’re vegan or not. For Dunn, that spells a grim future for everyone.

“I think the future of all food in Toronto will continue down this path in which we see closures, fewer businesses opening, and more big box stores taking over our once diverse small business community,” says Dunn.

“That is as long as landlords continue to rise the rents beyond the scope of which any small business would ever hope to being able to afford. I don’t know if this is specific to vegan businesses, but I am not optimistic about the general food scene without seeing major economic change.”

Wittig remains confident that while the economic climate may be disastrous for the local food scene right now, good technique could see a future generation of vegan restaurants push through.

“Vegan restaurants need to get back to basics. I became vegan when we had great places to eat like Fressen, Vegetarian Haven, et cetera that mostly employed cooking techniques rather than off the shelf products,” says Wittig.

“If I can make it better at home, obviously I won’t be spending a lot of money to eat there. I want to taste something incredible that I can’t make or buy at the store, show me a technique.”

Head to Dundas West to support both Bad Attitude and Honey’s.