1. Cafe 668
885 Dundas W, at Claremont, 416-703-0668, cafe668.com.
Since launching 10 years ago at 668 Dundas West – hence the handle – Hon Quach and Ngoc Lam’s west-side resto has evolved from a humble hole-in-the-wall into one of the most stylish restos on this hip west-side strip. An innovative Southeast Asian menu, servers who treat regulars like family, and an all-organic beer and wine list make this a dining destion for ‘vores of all description. Best: the eponymous main-sized salad, a riotous mix of crunchy cucumber, celery and carrot dressed with cashews, peanuts and barbecued tofu with Thai mint in sweet Sriracha vinaigrette hefty rice paper-wrapped Summer Rolls stuffed with shredded cabbage, cellophane noodle and Thai basil deep-fried Japanese eggplant in tempura batter with coconut curry sauce Hawaiian fried rice with tomato, fresh pineapple and faux pork Vietnamese-style hot ‘n’ sour soup to finish, deep-fried bananas with vegan coconut cream.
Average main $13. Open Monday to Thursday 5 to 9 pm, Friday 5 to 10 pm and Saturday 3:30 to 10 pm, Sunday and holidays 3:30 to 9 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement.
2. Jean’s Vegetarian Kitchen
1262 Danforth, at Greenwood, 416-778-1388.
Jean and Harry Seow (Rasa Sayang, Sawasdee) return from retirement – for the third time! – with their swankiest resto yet. This unexpectedly upscale 30-seat room, all caramel-coloured walls, sleek banquettes and beaming Buddha on the bar, now comes with an exclusively Southeast Asian vegetarian card. Bonus: everything on the menu is available in vegan versions. Best: to start, tightly wrapped rice-paper rolls deep-fried in canola oil, packed with cellophane noodles, raw carrot threads and crunchy ribbons of cloud ear Golden Baskets, a tiny quintet of brittle pastry shells brimming with garden-fresh peas, corn, carrots and diced organic tofu mains like Pad Kee Mau, a ketchup-free take on pad thai thick with cauliflower and broccoli, basil and convincing faux shrimp sides like Japanese eggplant with sweet peppers bitter mustard greens in garlic to finish, deep-fried bananas in honeyed batter.
Average main $10. Open Tuesday to Sunday 5 to 10 pm. Closed Monday, holidays. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free.
3. E.L. Ruddy
1371 Dundas W, at Rusholme, 647-351-0423.
Helena Kosikova’s cozy 20-seat café spotlights a short all-day card that’s often gluten-free as well as vegan. Made from scratch and low in sodium, too. Run out of conversation? Read a magazine! Best: to start, garlicky cream of tomato soup sweetened with yams and crushed cashews mains like buttery dairy-free fennel and baby pea risotto or leek ‘n’ potato pot pie sided with house organic greens in classic balsamic vinaigrette at brunch, massive spelt Belgian waffles the size of oven mitts with maple syrup, whipped cream and stewed strawberries Huevos Yelapa with either two eggs or garlicky baked tofu plus refried beans, toasted cornbread and s-s-salsa.
Average main $12. Open Wednesday to Friday 5 to 11 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm, dinner to 11 pm. Closed Monday, Tuesday, some holidays. No reservations. Unlicensed. Cash only. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement.
4. Mela
7A Yorkville, at Yonge, 416-916-0619.
Yorkville doesn’t come cheap. But former Four Seasons chef Roberto Granata’s minuscule café – 10 seats, tops – manages to recreate southern Italian classics on a budget. Best: daily panini specials like breaded eggplant with tomato and basil on focaccia whole wheat spaghetti frittata with broccoli and pesto in a house-made basil-scented tomato sauce so good they sell it by the jar old-school veggie lasagna baked cauliflower and soy protein pie stuffed red and green bell pepper brimming with organic quinoa and portobello mushroom cabbage rolls à la Italian if you’re lucky, chef’s own cannoli with candied lemon peel.
Average main $8. Open Monday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm. Closed Sunday, holidays. Unlicensed. Access: one step at door, no washrooms.
5. Udupi Palace
1460 Gerrard E, at Rhodes, 416-405-8189, udupipalace.ca.
Now in its 10th year, this cavernous, family-friendly south Indian resto in the heart of Little India is so spotless, you could eat off the white-tiled floors. Or the white-tiled walls. Formal servers help newbies navigate the massive card. 15 per cent discount for birthdays. And they now deliver to the downtown core! Best: to start, deep-fried pakoras flecked with chilies deep-fried yellow banana peppers stuffed with curried potato ‘n’ pea masala from a dozen or so dosai, the tissue-thin Paper Dosa coupled with tame lentil, carrot and pepper sambal, pasty coconut relish and coriander-mint chutney smoky chickpea chana with grilled chapati and basmati rice to sip, sugary mango lassi to finish, sweet carrot halwa puréed pudding.
Average main $8. Open Sunday to Thursday noon to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday noon to 11 pm. Licensed. Access: six steps at door, washrooms on same floor.
