Canada's Best Vegetarian-Friendly Cities

#6 Ottawa, Ontario

Canada's capital does well by Ontario's large vegetarian population, especially those who love desserts. A good place to start is the all-vegetarian restaurant Perfection-Satisfaction-Promise. The main courses are great, but the vegan chocolate cheesecake is the restaurant's star attraction. Looking for something to fill you up? Govinda's Vegetarian Buffet will put your hunger to the test with its all-you-can-eat vegan Indian buffet. The Peace Garden Café has great food that won't break the bank. A few top picks at the Peace Garden are the Malaysian Stir-Fry, the pad Thai, the shepherd's pie with mushroom gravy, and the vegan carrot cake.

Those with an insatiable sweet tooth will want to dig into the vegan ice cream at Pure Gelato, which offers flavors such as hazelnut, chocolate, and organic vanilla. For tasty treats, you can always rely on The Green Door, which has a huge buffet with dozens of seasonal dishes, including numerous delightful pies, cakes, and cookies for dessert. The Table is another restaurant with a popular vegetarian buffet, and its cuisine comes from all around the world. All options at The Table are organic, and much is vegan—the Lentil Curry and the Chocolate Fudge Cake are both great choices. The Horn of Africa has delicious Ethiopian platters for under $10. For even more delectable vegan desserts, try Wild Oat Bakery, which offers vegan chocolate cake, brownies, date squares, and cookies, along with several vegan entrées.

If you're doing your own cooking, Rainbow Foods is a great place to shop for ingredients. And for all things vegetarian in Ottawa, we love PunkOttawa.com's list of vegetarian-friendly restaurants, complete with local activism links and message boards.

Top Tip: Govinda's is our top choice for the best cheap vegan eats in Ottawa. If you're a curry fan, this is the place to go.