Est. 2016. A gourmet vegan restaurant, originally Awai at Bloor St W, but since moving downtown it has rebranded as Avelo. Has an upstairs bar (Bar Avelo). Offers fine dining in a living room-sized, 22-seat dining room of a heritage house. Sources as locally and seasonally as possible. Menu changes from time to time, with examples such as black rice risotto in a red wine sauce, artichoke ravioli and squash crema catalana, pumpkin gazpacho, gnocchi with baby kale, and flatbread. Uses a wood fire oven. Offers 5- or 8-course tasting menus by reservation, with drink pairings (alcoholic or non). Access by subway at Museum Station + 10 min walk or at Wellesley or Bloor-Yonge Station + 5 min walk. Lots of car park options around. Reservations recommended. Open Wed-Sun 5:00pm-11:00pm. Closed Mon & Tue.
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Last update on 12 Nov 2023 by rogeryang
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Featured Review
WFPBNonna
Points +283
Absolutely amazing - Edit
This was not just the best vegan food, it was the best food, period. Avelo deserves a Michelin star! The atmosphere is wonderful, service impeccable. We were so impressed with every course. This our new favorite in North America. Can’t wait to go back.
Read morePros: Completely vegan menu , Atmosphere and decor, Impeccable and knowledgeable service
Guest
70 Reviews
First Review by Vegan_Hilary
JeremyBB
Points +49
Fine Dining - Vegan Style - Edit
In addition to to food - which is amazing - the space is beautiful and the service was outstanding. An awesome experience altogether. I'd recommend this as the place to take your skeptic friends and family if you're looking to show them that yes, vegans can still enjoy delicious food.
Read morePros: Legit fine dining feel, Food, staff, atmosphere - all top notch
Guest
pkitty
Points +46
Best best best! - Edit
I’ve been 5 times and they just keep getting better and better. Such creativity in the food, presentation, taste, just so special. The last 2 times I went I was especially blown away. I think if it was closer to downtown you would need to make a reservation a month in advance, it’s a world class one-of-a-kind place, but still a hidden gem to be discovered by the rest of the city.
Read morePros: Exceptional creativity, presentation and flavours, Incredible service, Perfect meal
Guest
dmrosero
Points +49
Gourmet, mysterious, and tasty - Edit
Elegant plant-based restaurant with a unique gourmet course tasting mystery menu. Great service and savoury food.
Read moreGuest
drMike
Points +46
Delicious and pricey - Edit
Food is delicious but by the end of the meal, it’s too much of a mix of different foods. Would prefer larger portions if only 2 or three courses.
Read moreGuest
barnyardbob
Points +427
Longest Meal of My Life - Edit
My wife and I ordered the eight-course dinner with wine pairings and a cheese board. Our meal lasted over four hours. The food was consistently amazing. We liked all of it. The wine was generous. Really the only issue is that the time between courses was a bit ridiculous. I would expect an eight-course meal to last a while, but there seemed to be some shortcoming on their end that led to the expansive lapses between dishes. So I would definitely recommend it, but do not make any plans for afterwards.
Read morePros: Great food, Vegetable focused
Cons: Very long meal
Guest
ElleJohanna
Points +187
High-end and delicious - Edit
Went here just last night for my friend's birthday dinner. It was such an amazing experience!
Read moreFirstly, I had reached out via email earlier in the week to ask whether they could accommodate my gluten sensitivity. They responded the same day and the response was so nice! They were able to make the meal gluten-free no problem. It is also worth noting that they are a peanut-free kitchen.
The space is beautifully simple, and our waitress, who greeted us, was so welcoming and friendly. She asked us before we decided on the courses whether we had any specific sensitivities, or just dislikes, which I thought was nice.
We decided on the 5 course menu which included:
- Flatbread
- Soup
- Main
- Salad
- Dessert
They tell you what exactly you'll be eating when it arrives at the table, which I really enjoyed!
All the food was delicious, inventive, and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was lovely and the people kind and thoughtful. I would definitely recommend, especially for a 'special occasion' dinner.
Pros: Unique food , Delicious , Lovely ambience
Guest
slarouche
Points +58
Absolutely delightful - Edit
Fine dining without the snobby attitude. Seasonal menu with beautiful wine pairings. The waiters were super nice and the food was ingenious. I couldn't recommend it more!
Read morePros: You pay what you think it's worth - great concept, Atmosphere , Great staff
Guest
VeganQC
Points +191
Fancy dinner - Edit
This was our 2nd visit to Awai and it was even better than our first visit about a year ago. We had the 7 course tasting menu which was actually 8 courses: a flat bread, soup, salad with potatoes, salsify with roasted tomatoes, rice stack with curry, pasta course of ravioli, roasted mushrooms and two different desserts a chocolate ganache tart and a cake with a blueberry gel. The food was innovative and delicious. Details like beet tuile, marigold petals on the flat bread and halved blueberries in the gel cap to resemble a toad stool made the food as beautiful as it was tasty. The staff were friendly and patient explaining all the courses. This should be your go to restaurant for a fancy dinner in Toronto. Expensive but worth every penny.
Read moreGuest
gary@bernfeld.ca
Points +23
Unforgettable Vegan Meal - Edit
Meal quality, and presentation on par with other first rate vegan restaurants in North America that we been to such as Elizabeth’s Gone Raw in Washington, Millennium in San Francisco, and Green Zebra in Chicago.
Read moreLoved the continual gustatory surprises and taste contrasts between courses.
The service was excellent as we were “double teamed“ throughout the meal and completed the seven courses in a very relaxed 2.25 hours without feeling rushed or experiencing any significant delays. This was a very memorable experience!
Pros: All plant based menu, Fixed 7 courses tasting plates— changed daily, ‘Surprise’ meal- as dishes not listed anywhere
Cons: Pricey—but well wort it!
Guest
saveur
Points +1168
Awesome fine vegan dining - Edit
We went for the pay-what-you-want dinner. We let them know in advance of any food preferences (no celery!) and they kept bringing us dish after dish until we were completely full. I thought each dish was creative and delicious. I think this is an awesome restaurant and highly recommend it.
Read moreGuest
paulkates
Points +1855
A Unique Vegan Experience - Edit
Words can't really describe the attention to food quality and presentation that the Awai experience presents (thank you again Nathan). We were fortunate to be taken as a walk-in (after we suggested sitting outside on the relatively small, street-facing patio) and thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful (we were a party of 4: two vegans, 2 omnivores). A couple of caveats: not all wine selections are vegan-friendly; and, the pay-what-you-want pricing scheme makes it challenging when settling the "bill". However, don't let this stop you from going as soon as you can.
Read morePros: 1. Quality, 2. Presentation, 3. Vibe
Cons: 1. Pricing scheme
Guest
MarsiaMS
Points +320
Unusual and fancy - Edit
This is a fine dining restaurant. When you come over for lunch, they bring you food tasters until you had enough. Then you pay what you want. This part made me a bit uncomfortsble, as I do not know how much food like that is worth.
Read moreThe food is amazing though, try it!
Pros: Tastiest food ever
Cons: There is no menu and no pricing. Can be a good thi
Guest
Peach89
Points +36
a fine dining experience - Edit
We love this restaurant so much we went twice in one week! The ambiance is calm and inviting. The staff are attentive and friendly. The flavours are unique-you want to savour every bite. Prices are very reasonable. Lots of options for you to explore different creative eating options-highly recommend the chef tasting menu which is pay what you like and takes you through all the different meal courses. Best enjoyed if everyone in your dining party orders it. This place is an eating experience so it takes time but is well worth it.
Read morePros: creative menu, friendly staff, reasonably priced
Guest
corina1077
Points +16
Needs improvement - Edit
My friend and I were excited to find a new fine dining vegan restaurant. There are so few choices in Toronto.
Read moreThe restaurant decor and ambiance was calm and tranquil feeling. It would make a nice place for a date.
We arrived at 7PM and the restaurant had only a couple tables. We ordered wine and some herbal tea. It took about 15 mins before it came to the table - never a good sign. I reminded myself the restaurant was new and maybe staff was still being trained. We each ordered a soup - they were delicious but not nearly warm enough. I did ask the waitress to let the kitchen know. My friend ordered a flatbread. It was ridiculously small and so overcooked it was hard to cut. I ordered another dish over rosti potato. I offered half to my friend since hers was so tiny. Both items were bland compared to the yummy soups we'd just had. We split the apple tatin which tasted like an apple pie. Good but nothing special. I know vegan food can be spectacular so I was disappointed. The service was far too slow. Our dinner took over two and a half hours - oh, and service is included in the prices so...?
I plan to take my husband to try a few more items and hopefully I'll have a better experience. I really want to like it enough to make it a usual spot for us.
Pros: Location, Nice vibe, Fully vegan - a rare find!
Cons: Slow service, Cold soup, Bland mains
Guest
Vegan_foodie
Points +37
Easily the best veg place in Toronto! - Edit
One of the best veg fine dining restaurants I've ever been to anywhere, and easily the best veg food in Toronto! Not the usual hippie/hipster/health nut food, but instead upscale culinary delights! Definitely one of the most interesting restaurants around, veg or not. I've taken non-veg people and they all loved it.
Read moreI had the porcini soup, which was by far the best mushroom soup I've ever had, and my girlfriend had the caldo verde soup, which was also amazing.
The flatbreads are all delicious too. Shishito peppers with garlic sauce and olives, and an intensely flavourful cherry tomato one.
We absolutely loooved the truffle paella! The chef comes out and shaves fresh white truffles over the dish, and it creates this intense aroma.
The location is not in the core, but it's easily accessible by subway and really doesn't take long to get there.
Pros: Amazing and innovative food!
Cons: A few more stops on the subway to get there
Guest
Vegan_Hilary
Points +16
One of the best restaurants out there - Edit
Nathan is an artist who makes masterpieces with food. Every dish will leave you feeling like you've stepped off a plane into a new and wondrous place you haven't been before--flavours you've never tasted, spices you didn't think could go together blending perfectly--it's truly a sensory experience to dine here. With an emphasis on local and sustainable ingredients, a thoughtful wine list and an inviting ambiance, Awai is a must visit for anyone who loves food.
Read morePros: Food is outstanding, Lovely, inviting decor, Close to the subway
Cons: Somewhat far west of downtown
Guest
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