Hawker

Follow @bredgyeats for more food posts! Indian-style tapas? I was both intrigued and skeptical, but I am glad I gave it a chance. I simply couldn't get enough of the Earth and Starry Night, and wish I could've had a bigger plate of them. Earth takes the natural, earthy and umami aromas of oyster mushrooms and brings them into the spotlight. Grilled perfectly for a juicy, bouncy texture, it is complemented with a smoky and nutty corn tahini sauce, of which not a single drop remained. The Starry Night, however, was as beautiful as the night sky but brilliant like the Northern Lights, as each bite is an enchanting balance of flavours that mix with each other to create a pleasant gradient of textures and tastes. The smoky savoriness is just right, balanced with a burst of sweetness from the raisins and sauteed shallots. The nutty and crunchy cashews add a creaminess along with the tangy yogurt and smoky poblano cream. Spring came early with freshly grilled dosas to dip in the creamy fava bean dip, velvety avocado puree and sweet mangoes. The seared runner beans and romesco sauce are a yummy pairing with the crunch of the pine nuts. Then, to embrace the winter month, the sweet coconut ice cream had a rich, silky texture, with a hazelnut and almond crumble underneath, plus the sticky birch syrup and dill.

I was worried about a couple reviews that mentioned they left hungry, so my hungry table of three immediately ordered the entire 10 plate menu to split. Every dish was beautifully presented, thoughtful, artistic, interesting, and different enough that you dont feel like there are mushrooms in every dish, as some vegan places tend to do. They also dont try to replicate meat, because they dont have to. Everything was delicious on its own. Service was great, kind and respectful staff, knowledgeable server who was excited to share details on the wines. By the 7th plate, we asked to tap out, as it was more than enough food! Standout dishes include the oyster mushrooms, the brussel sprouts with grapes, and the parsnips dish. Oh and the bread is a MUST try. They only lost a star on atmosphere because the patio in the back is beautiful, but they really could have cleaned up what looks like a garbage/recycling dump directly the other side of the low wooden fence bordering the tables. Oh and kudos to playing lovely music that you dont have to scream over to have a conversation!

Second annual visit here did not disappoint. We tried the oyster mushrooms, dosa, parsnip and butternut squash. Wonderful variety of textures and flavors, delicious! Attentive, friendly service. We will be back during TIFF again next year. Glad to have discovered it!

Loved! My dad wanted to go to a vegetarian or vegan spot for his birthday (our party of 3 are omnivores but we love plant-based creations and trying different styles of cuisine/creative approaches to food); we chose Hawker and it did not disappoint. We considered going for the tasting, but opted for a la carte and that worked great for us. Our server was a delight (though everyone supporting service was friendly and warm) and generously recommended several fan favourites. We selected 8 dishes (one of which we did twice - SUMMER [papadum with eggplant and pickled fennel] because it was a favourite!) plus two of the desserts. We enjoyed them all - none let us down or felt “less than” any of the rest - and I’m sure my top 3 would be different from my dad, and my sweetheart. Each dish was thoughtfully considered and presented beautifully - BUSHFIRE came out with smoking rosemary beneath the curry dish and was quite artful. Every sauce, every garnish, and every accoutrement was well placed and cleverly purposeful. We all loved that the produce took centre stage and these were dishes in celebration of seasons, local ingredients and “what’s possible” (as opposed to being a list of “trying to be meat” dishes - which there’s a time and a place, but this wasn’t that). The decor is minimalist/natural and the dining room is quite small, but no less comfortable - very inviting, warm like a tented oasis off the busy and eclectic bustle of Kensington Market. A shoutout to the breads (sourdough, roti, dosa, flatbread) because they were all exceptional (if they started a Hawker bakery pickup window, I’m gonna be in that line)! I’m eager to try the lunch offerings. Would recommend and return. It was a wonderful experience.

My partner and I visited Toronto last Victoria Day weekend. My partner is vegetarian, so I was on a hunt for places in Toronto that serve tasty vegetarian-friendly options. Hawker was in my short-list and so when we were at Kensington Market, I suggested that we check it out. We had a lovely meal at Hawker! The place serves higher-end, delicious vegan food that’s not only beautiful to look at but absolutely scrumptious. Everything we ordered was a hit--packed with flavour and perfectly cooked. Service was also good, and the vibe was relaxed yet refined. I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for a special vegetarian or vegan-friendly spot in the city.

The oyster mushroom wings and biryani starters were amazing and the bahn mi sandwich was perfect with delicious bread. The elderberry soda was refreshing as well. The interior is small but they accommodated 6 of us very well. Great service and beautiful decor. The prices were quite reasonable. Would definitely come back!

Great service from Alex… the entire staff is extremely knowledgeable about the menu and the ingredients in the dishes we ordered. The items on the menu were extremely tasty and different from anything we’ve had at other fully vegan restaurants. The runner beans are PHENOMENAL

We went for a late lunch, so we couldn't unfortunately order from the dinner menu. Regardless, we ordered two sandwiches and each had a unique flavour and very fresh ingredients. We also had an order of mushroom wings which were crispy and flavorful. The sandwich is a solid price for just $10. The mushroom wings, despite having a great flavor are on the pricier side.