Best Vegan Restaurants in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Vegan Restaurants in Winnipeg:

Looking for the best vegan restaurants in Winnipeg? Here's a quick list of vegan and vegan-friendly spots that you can save for future reference.

• Affinity Vegetarian Garden
• Bonnie Day
• Bridge Drive-In
• Cafe Postal
• Clementine Cafe
• Fortify Foods
• Fusian Sushi
• Gâto Bakeshop
• James Avenue Pumphouse
• Modern Electric Lunch
• Nola
• NuBurger
• Oh Doughnuts
• Plant Kitchen and Bakery
• Roughage Eatery
• Sei Sushi
• Stella's
• Sub Zero Ice Cream
• Thermea Spa Village Winnipeg's Restaurant
• Thyme Cafe and Bookstore

Affinity Vegetarian Garden

Affinity Vegetarian Garden is a longstanding vegan restaurant in Winnipeg since 2001. Even though it's called "Affinity Vegetarian Garden", the restaurant is entirely vegan.

Affinity Vegetarian Garden is a vegan Taiwanese-Chinese establishment. They are best known for their "pay by weight" lunch buffet. It's affordable and a great way to try a whole bunch of new dishes at once.

They also have a full menu with appetizers, soups, tofu dishes, veggie fish and chicken dishes, and noodles. They also take pride in having the best green tea.

Bonnie Day

Bonnie Day is a vegan-friendly and nourishing comfort food restaurant. The name is a play on words for the French, bonne idée, and it is a good idea to dine here. For the owners, it's also a nod to their Scottish roots by using the word "bonnie", meaning beautiful.

We love how Bonnie Day is inclusive to special diets, like vegan and gluten-free. The vegan offerings are labeled as such, like the Persian olives and bar nuts that we ordered to start.

For main courses, any pizza can be made vegan or gluten-free. I really loved the sweet potato gnocchi, served with pesto and a lemon cream sauce.

Bridge Drive-In

Bridge Drive-In, known as BDI to locals, is an ice cream hut at the edge of the historic Elm Park Bridge. After dinner, enjoy an ice cream and a stroll across the bridge. It's a great place to watch the sunset.

BDI has an extensive menu of frozen treats, like cones, sundaes, milkshakes, flurries, floats and classic sweet treats. We opted for vegan Biscoff flurries, which was the perfect choice.

Cafe Postal

Cafe Postal is a cozy coffee shop in the Saint Boniface neighbourhood. When I walked into Cafe Postal, I was immediately struck by the tempting scents of freshly baked desserts.

As it turns out, they just took some chocolate banana bread out of the oven and it was totally vegan! Of course, I had to grab a little banana loaf to pair with my soy iced latte.

Clementine Cafe

Start the day off right by eating a hearty and yummy breakfast at Clementine Cafe. While it might not appear that there are many vegan options on the menu, Clementine is very vegan-friendly and willing to adapt several dishes.

Our server was very knowledgeable of a vegan diet and shared every possibility for us to eat. Justin ordered the porridge, which was already vegan. The porridge consisted of mixed grains, coconut, pineapple butter, berries, and cashews.

I ordered two sides: the baby red potatoes, and the cashew and banana chia seed pudding with peaches, plums, and granola. If you're looking for a healthy way to start the day, be sure to stop by Clementine in Winnipeg.

Fortify Foods

Fortify Foods is a vegan spot that serves healthy, light bites and invigorating smoothies. We ordered some avocado toast and smoothies, which was the perfect light lunch. We weren't starving, but it was a great snack to tide us over to dinner.

Fortify Foods also has a fantastic selection of personal care products, skincare, haircare and wellness products. They're also home to a wellness and complementary medical clinic.

Fusian Experience

A trip to Winnipeg wouldn't be complete without visiting The Forks. It's a centre for dining, shopping, events, entertainment, recreation, and community. The Forks Market is a massive dining centre and there are quite a few vegan offerings there.

Fusian Experience has a wide assortment of vegan options, including cucumber rolls, avocado rolls, vegetable tempura, edamame, and miso soup. We ordered a little bit of everything.

Gâto Bakeshop

Gâto Bakeshop is a local bakery that not only focuses on delectable pastries, but also sustainability and reducing carbon footprint. The owner, Laura, sources local ingredients and also ensures that many of the baked goods are vegan as it's better for the environment.

You'll find sourdough loaves and baguettes, as well as sweet treats like croissants, cronuts, tarts and other desserts. We couldn't resist sampling some vegan croissants and cronuts to start the day off right.

James Avenue Pumphouse

James Avenue Pumphouse is a downtown Winnipeg restaurant inside a historic building that was once a feat of engineering. It was once the James Avenue Pumping Station, built in 1906 to combat frequent fires in Winnipeg.

The original architecture and equipment is maintained and displayed at the restaurant. Look through the massive glass windows to see the old gears and machinery that drew water from the Red River to supply the area's fire hydrants.

I was really pleased to discover that the menu of the James Avenue Pumphouse is really vegan-friendly. The two of us ordered several dishes to share: the Kapow Bites (spicy tofu), plant-based poutine, vegan perogies, the crispy tofu parm sandwich, and a chocolate peanut butter brownie for dessert.

Modern Electric Lunch

Modern Electric Lunch is a lovely restaurant with an intriguing story behind it. As it turns out, the location of the restaurant (232 Main Street) was once the home of Winnipeg's first restaurant with an electric refrigerator.

It was called "Electric Lunch No. 2" (a pair of local restaurants) and this was only discovered from a receipt found in the wall during renovations. Modern Electric Lunch was born and continues to serve up delicious food on The Fortune Block.

They have a separate vegan menu with tons of excellent dishes. I ordered the vegan avocado toast, topped with a vegan egg and cashew cheese. It's often difficult to find vegan breakfast options in the wild, and Modern Electric Lunch has a whole menu of choices!

Nola

Nola is an elegant and delightful choice that's super vegan-friendly. It's a collaboration between two culinary personalities in Winnipeg: Chef Emily Butcher of Top Chef Canada fame and Mike Del Buono, local restauranteur.

Nola is a small plates restaurant that's unpretentious with an international flair. I love that there's a separate vegan menu. It's also quite thoughtful in that it mirrors the flavours found on the main menu, so you don't lose the original essence of the dishes.

We tried the corn and nori fritters, sourdough with olive oil, shaved golden beet salad, kimchi tempura and grilled broccoli, crispy tofu and Japanese karaage fried mushroom. Every meal provided so many tasty bites. I only wish I could experience this restaurant's food all over again!

NuBurger

NuBurger is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly fast food spot. They focus on creating nutritious and guilt-free meals while keeping them delicious. NuBurger has a few locations throughout Winnipeg and Manitoba, though we dined at the one at The Forks Market.

They used to be called UnBurger, but folks got confused that they were a completely vegan burger restaurant when they weren't. While I'd rather they simply become an entirely veg burger spot, I must admit that the name change is pretty clever.

There are four veggie burgers on the menu and two of them are vegan without any alterations. One is called Billie Eilish (chickpea patty, hot damn mushrooms, balsamic onions, banana pepper relish, Elman's dill pickles, alfalfa sprouts, tomato & sriracha) and one is the Vedge (chickpea patty, guacamole, beets, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, & sweet dijon).

I started eating mine forgetting to take a photo. So, I present you with a half eaten burger pic. Sorry about that!

Oh Doughnuts

Oh Doughnuts is a doughnut bakery in Winnipeg. They always have a handful of vegan donuts on their menu. The flavours for all doughnuts rotate daily.

I recommend checking their website to see which flavours are offered on the day you'd like to visit. Some vegan doughnuts I viewed: peach cobbler, caesar cocktail (specialty), vanilla sprinkles, vanilla mint chocolate, and hibiscus glaze.

Plant Kitchen and Bakery

Plant Kitchen and Bakery is a vegan hidden gem in Winnipeg. You can find them at local markets and as a ghost kitchen on DoorDash and UberEats. They also offer catering for events.

The menu looks amazing: rolls, scones, focaccia, cakes, cupcakes, spinach and artichoke dip, buffalo chicken dip, seitan, cashew dips and more. I wish I could order some right now!

Roughage Eatery

Roughage Eatery is a 100% vegan comfort food dining spot. Nowadays, they're appearing as a popup spot at Club 200 on select days. They're always sharing their latest menu and dates of operation on their Instagram.

The menu is always changing so you can try new and yummy offerings every time you visit. For instance, choose between their Reuben sandwich, loaded Tot-chos, steak and aioli subs, and chocolate peanut cupcakes.

They also make random appearances at local markets throughout the year. It's best to stay in touch by following their Instagram page. Unfortunately, we weren't able to try Roughage Eatery on our last trip, but I'd love to the next time we're in Winnipeg.

Sei Sushi

This is a Japanese restaurant in Winnipeg that has a wide variety of naturally plant-based dishes. You can order miso soup, edamame, japchae, tempura and several veggie sushi rolls.

Stella's

Stella's is an institution in Winnipeg, beginning with their first establishment in 1999 (Stella's Cafe & Bakery) and eventually expanding to several locations, including a spot at the Winnipeg Airport.

It's only fitting to have lunch at Stella's when in Winnipeg as it's so woven into the fabric of the restaurant scene there. While the menu varies by location, there are quite a few plant-based offerings.

There's an expansive all day breakfast menu with tofu scramble or a vegan Mexican food dish. There are grilled veggie sandwiches, veggie burgers and vegan tacos. Be sure to pair your meal with one of their refreshing smoothies, or even add a vegan chocolate cupcake for dessert.

Sub Zero Ice Cream

Sub Zero Ice Cream Winnipeg is a vegan-friendly ice cream shop. I didn't know they existed until someone kindly shared their details on my Instagram post about vegan spots in Winnipeg.

They have dairy-free soft serve that's 100% oat based. Their specialty are their parfaits and they have a huge menu of vegan parfaits. I could count at least 11 vegan parfaits on the menu, though you can also customize to make your own.

Can't wait to return to Winnipeg to try one!

Thermea Spa Village's Restaurant

Thermea Spa Village is a traditional Nordic spa where you can fully indulge in a wellness experience. This ancient Scandinavian ritual provides numerous health benefits, including eliminating toxins, stimulating circulation, and providing an overall sense of well being.

Move through the thermal cycle from hot to cold to relaxation to benefit completely. After relaxing in various pools and saunas, you might be hungry or thirsty. Thankfully, you can indulge in some vegan options at Thermea Spa.

It's the first restaurant I've dined at where I've worn a bathrobe! We dined outdoors with our fluffy robes on top of our bathing suits for a very comfortable experience, as one does at a spa.

When we dined there in 2018, they had one plant-based option on their menu: a healthy bowl with quinoa, mushrooms, beets, beet hummus, arugula, and walnuts. I also enjoyed a soy latte.

Nowadays, they've expanded the vegan options on the menu. Order a berry and beet salad, Greenland tomato toum toast, the beet bowl, sprout and spice burger, vegan risotto and sunchokes.

Recently, we had a light lunch at Thermea's "Le Resto" and I can confirm that the Greenland tomato toum toast is delicious (no photos, sadly!).

Thyme Cafe and Bookstore

Thyme Cafe and Books is a mainstay in Winnipeg for plant-based eats and their collection of second-hand books. The owners of the now closed vegan eatery called Mondragon have returned with Thyme Cafe.

This is a 100% vegan restaurant in Winnipeg. Cozy up with a yummy plant-based meal and a good book! This eatery is surrounded by books, so you won't have trouble grabbing one while you're there.

As for the food, they have a breakfast sandwich, burger, southern fried tofu sandwich, hummus wrap, soup, salad and baked goods.

Where to Stay in Winnipeg

Justin and I enjoyed two restful nights at the Mere Boutique Hotel on the waterfront. This stylish and sleek hotel has many complimentary amenities in the room, including juices and Clif energy bars.

It's a modern hotel with everything you need for a comfortable stay, including USB ports by the bed and ample outlets for working. The Nespresso coffee machine in the room brews the perfect cup, anytime of day.

The bathroom is spacious with plenty of counter space and shelves for our toiletries. We both loved the walk in shower with two shower heads, especially the rainfall one from above.

While the Mere Hotel doesn't have tons of bells and whistles, it's a premium hotel that provides the essentials and beyond.

Book your stay at the Mere Hotel here.

More Vegan Guides in Canada

I've written tons of vegan restaurant guides for destinations across Canada and around the world. Here are a few more Canadian cities with fantastic vegan food options:

Ontario

• Belleville
• Cornwall
• Grand Bend
• Hamilton
• Kingston
• Mississauga
• Orangeville
• Perth
• Port Stanley
• Stratford
• Sudbury
• Thunder Bay
• Toronto
• Windsor

Manitoba

• Winnipeg

Quebec

• Laval
• Mont Tremblant
• Quebec City

Saskatchewan

• Regina
• Saskatoon

Newfoundland

• St. John's

Nova Scotia

• Cape Breton Island
• Halifax