Rating: NNNNN
Restaurants
Berries And Blooms York Lanes. DIY fruit ‘n’ salad bar sold by weight. Unlicensed.
Blueberry Hill York Lanes. Meaty 6-ounce burgers and serviceable salads served cafeteria-style in a less than thrilling student pub complete with Jerry Garcia posters.
Falafel Hut Village York Lanes, 416-736-5767. Middle Eastern take-away with a lineup of wraps, salads and combo plates. Unlicensed.
Indian Flavour York Lanes, 416-663-2666. Cafeteria-style South Asian resto with a short lineup of serviceable vegetarian curries. Unlicensed.
Orange Snail Pub Stong College, 416-736-2100, ext 77302. In the basement of Stong College, this affable Caribbean cantina cooks up an all-day menu of meaty mains alongside a short list of vegan dishes.
Sakura York Lanes, 416-736-5471. Basic sushi and Korean-style vegetarian takeout.
Taco Villa York Lanes. Sub-Burrito Boyz-style Tex-Mex with a few health-conscious options, like whole wheat tortillas and low-fat sour cream. Unlicensed.
TASHKENT 800 Petrolia, at Steeles, 416-667-0737. Mere steppe-like blocks from York and adjacent to an oil refinery, this Uzbek resto seems dressed for a Russian wedding. But it serves solid shareable mains like plov (rice pilaf loaded with caramelized carrots ‘n’ onions, chickpeas, juicy lamb and beef) and beef, lamb and veal kebabs sided with pickled onion. Closed Tuesday, holidays. Rating: NNN
Bars
Absinthe Pub 4700 Keele, 416-736-5441. The “Ab” as it’s called by regulars, offers a jolly atmosphere, games, a very respectable selection of tunes and, most importantly, a wide variety of beers (not to mention vegetarian-friendly eats).
Underground Suite 335, York University Student Centre, 416-736-2100. Located on the basement level of the student centre, the Underground equals easy access for students looking to tie one on. And although subterranean boozing can be a little depressing, it makes up for it with various pub nights and cool special events like Dirty Bingo, Queer Night and local indie talent showcases.
