Canada's Best Vegetarian-Friendly Cities

#2 Victoria, British Columbia

Lovely Victoria rounds out our picks for Canada's top two vegetarian-friendly cities, making it a near sweep for British Columbia. Victoria is known as the "City of Gardens" for its temperate, Mediterranean-like weather and its array of plants that can't be grown anywhere else in Canada. Vegetarians would be wise to join the Vancouver Island Vegetarian Association, which offers its members a quarterly newsletter and discounts at local restaurants.

British Columbians in search of tasty, compassionate eating flock to Green Cuisine. The restaurant offers a large vegan buffet with a range of tempting dishes, and virtually everything is organic. Start with Moroccan chickpea soup, and then move on to the Shepherd's Pie, some Thai noodles, or the Spanikopita. Save room for the vegan pumpkin cheesecake, and visit Green Cuisine's bakery for a loaf of bread or a tray of baked goods when you're on the run.

One of the most popular places for dinner in Victoria is the Asian-themed Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant, which has a generous selection of mock meats. The chart-toppers for us were the Sweet and Sour Soy Chicken and the numerous vegan cakes. Curry fan? You'll be wowed by The Mint, which features a vegan batch du jour. Rebar Modern Food is staggeringly vegetarian-friendly—we're fans of the shiitake-tofu pot stickers, marinated tempeh burritos, and yam fries. Chocolate lovers will go home satisfied after trying a slice of Vegan Velvet Fudge Cake. Later on, stop by Cascadia Whole Foods Bakery for tantalizing vegan muffins, brownies, and cookies.

Top Tip: Sarah Kramer, the ultra-popular vegan-cookbook author, is a resident of Victoria. Check out her fantastic How It All Vegan cookbook.

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