YVR vegan spots hit the “it” factor
Let me tell you veganism is thriving in Vancouver, which means we are so lucky to access some of the most creative, life affirming and indescribably delicious food on the planet.
Here are my top vegan vendor picks from Saturday’s second annual Veg Fest Vancouver, initiated by Johnathan Skinner.
Do a small part for our earth by supporting any of these local businesses. Do share with me what you saw, tasted and felt.
VEGAN CAFES
Eternal Abundance
All organic grocery store and vegan café
Eternal Abundance won my heart with its bohemian character, generous samples of all their vegan snacks and Carol-Anne’s open heart.
Carol-Anne wants you to know
We’re here for the community. We want to serve healthy vegan food without affecting the wallet.
She recommends
The café’s onion bread and raw chewy chocolate bliss balls.
Indigo Raw Food Cuisine
Catering and Gourmet classes
Because Indigo’s Lovena Galyide was so passionate about her cheesy kale chips (nuritional yeast provides the cheesy flavor), I tentatively sampled one and felt a few blings of passion too.
Lovena wants you to know
It is possible to be vegan and earth friendly and eat whatever you want, including pizzas and burgers.
She recommends
Pure coconut water available at Indigo – electrolytes electrolytes electrolytes.
Café by Tao
Organic Raw Vegan Cuisine
Looks like there’s kale chip mania in vegan world. While chomping on Tao’s cheesy kale chip sample, I learned that founder Agat Eva Mathieu went raw vegan to improve her health, because she loves animals and wanted to create smaller carbon footprint.
Tao recommends
Their dry, krispy and cheesy kale chips of course!
PROTEIN BAR
I’m usually suspicious of so-called nutritious (read sugar laden) protein bars that corrupt my digestion and my mood. After bravely eating one Simply Bar’s top selling peanut butter and chocolate flavour, I say it gets props for taste, quality and being easy to digest.
Danielle (team member) wants you to know
Founder Cathy Richards has had Crohn’s Disease since she was 12 years old and had difficulty finding snacks that didn’t upset her stomach. Her solution was to create this simple and high quality protein bar in six different flavours and two kinds of protein chips.
She recommends
The Simply Bar herb protein chips.
RAW CHOCOLATE
The lovingly made chocolate beckons, the packaging is elegant and the flavours sound delightful. Emma Smith is clearly proud of her quality vegan creations.
Emma wants you to know
Our pure chocolates are sweetened with coconut nectar which makes it friendly for pretty much everyone, including diabetics.
She recommends
Double chocolate macaroons, Sweet Orange Nib’d, Peppermint Nib’d and Kaffee Bars.
CUPCAKERY
Oh! it was hard to keep my hands away from the beautifully decorated fairy cakes and the heavenly scented cookies. All created by the fashionable Cera Rivers.
Cera wants you to know
Fairy cakes gets all kinds of customers but it is actually Metro Vancouver’s only cupcakery that is suitable for vegans and those with sensitivities/allergies to lactose, eggs, peanuts and/or nuts.
She recommends
Her favourites change every day, but for that day – chocolate chip cookies.
BAKERY
Edible Flours Natural Vegan Bakery
Just by looking at them, I know I could have eaten two cookie sandwiches and a whole loaf of banana bread. Edible’s co-owner Allie hails from New York and has been vegan forever.
Alli wants you to know
Most of our regular customers are not vegan and we use natural, alternative sweeteners like maple syrup in our products.
She recommends
Edible’s sugar free and gluten free Banana Bread.
the smart foodie 