Veggie Japanese – New Generation Sushi, Toronto

New Generation Sushi has been a staple in the Bloor and Bathurst area of Toronto since 1999, serving up a variety of sushi, maki, rolls, and other Japanese favorites. I’ve been going to the restaurant for years and it’s one of our go-to takeout spots. They really focus on using top-notch ingredients and delivering friendly service. 

Photo by Ahtziri Lagarde on Unsplash

Plant Based Sushi Options

Most of the time, I can find plant-based options at sushi restaurants, even if they don’t fully cater to this type of diet. I always look for rolls packed with fresh vegetables like avocado, cucumber, and yam, or options that include tofu, edamame, or pickled veggies. Some restaurants offer more creative choices, and New Gen (our family’s nickname for New Generation Sushi) does provide options. I think they are trying to accommodate a younger university crowd who are more open to this style of eating.

The Restaurant

The restaurant is in the Annex neighborhood, just a short walk from Bathurst Subway Station, making it easily accessible by public transit. While getting there via transit is straightforward, parking can be a bit of a challenge due to the area's busy streets. There is a Green P parking lot nearby, providing a place to park if you are driving. 

When our kids were younger, we used to eat at the restaurant but now we are more inclined to order delivery or pick-up takeout since the Covid19 pandemic changed our habits. Although it’s been a while, the restaurant was always pleasant with a relaxed atmosphere, fast and efficient service, and friendly servers. The noise levels are just right and allow for conversation without having to yell over the din. The food is consistently good, and I appreciate having several veg options to choose from. 

New Generation Sushi in Toronto, Canada. Source: Google Maps

New Gen is located on the main floor at street level, making it easily accessible for those with disabilities. Please note that the restrooms are in the basement which may pose a challenge for those who have difficulty with stairs.

Take Out

New Gen is available on popular ordering apps like Uber Eats and Door Dash, making it easy to enjoy their menu from the comfort of home. If you prefer to call in and pick up your order, they normally include a complimentary appetizer, such as edamame, which is a nice bonus. This adds extra value and a touch of their friendly service to your takeout experience.

When I order takeout from New Gen, I’m always impressed by how quickly my food arrives. The consistency in quality is a huge plus—every meal is as good as the last. They’re spot-on with accuracy, and I really appreciate that hot items arrive hot, and the cold items are separated so they stay cold. The portions are generous, so I feel like I’m getting great value. 

Here's a sampling of food items I ordered recently:

Edamame

Edamame are young, green soybeans that are boiled, lightly salted and served in their pods. They have a mild, slightly nutty flavor and are often enjoyed as a healthy, protein-rich appetizer.

New Gen Edamame

Avocado Salad

New Gen’s Avocado Salad features creamy avocado slices on top of a salad mix with iceberg lettuce, dark greens, red cabbage and cucumber. Dressing can be requested on the side or omitted, which is what I usually do because it is mayo based.

At home, I make a quick salad dressing with yellow mustard, soya sauce and balsamic vinegar to replace the mayo dressing that comes with the order.

New Gen Avocado salad with my homemade dressing

Veg Sushi rolls

Cucumber maki is a type of sushi roll where crisp cucumber is the main filling, wrapped in seasoned rice and nori (seaweed). 

Avocado maki features smooth, creamy avocado as its filling, providing a rich texture and subtle taste that complements the rice and nori.

Inari sushi, consists of sweet and savory marinated tofu pockets filled with sushi rice, offering a slightly sweet, umami-rich flavour. 

Pickled ginger, or gari, is thinly sliced ginger that has been marinated in a sweet and tangy vinegar. New Gen includes this with all sushi orders to cleanse the palate between different types of sushi and enhance the overall tasting experience.

New Gen Cucumber, Avocado and Inari sushi with pickled ginger

Wasabi is a spicy green condiment that New Gen also includes with all sushi orders. It’s made from the grated root of the wasabi plant, and has a pungent, spicy flavour. Wasabi is usually mixed into soy sauce so it can be used for dipping the sushi rolls. Funny enough, I’m not a fan of wasabi so it isn’t shown in my pictures.

Other Specialties

New Gen offers an extensive menu of vegetable maki rolls to accommodate plant-based eaters. You can check out their full range of veggie maki rolls on their website here.  Some of my favourites are:

Veggie Dragon 

New Gen has a standard Green Dragon Roll that features a combination of ingredients like fresh avocado, cucumber, tempura shrimp, red fish roe (tobiko), and wrapped in sushi rice and nori. The roll is topped with thin slices of avocado to create a "dragon" appearance.

New Gen Veggie Green Dragon Roll

They offer a Veggie Dragon Roll which is a plant-based twist on the traditional Green Dragon, focusing solely on avocado as the main ingredient. Instead of seafood, it features slices of fresh avocado both inside the roll and on top. The roll is complemented with cucumber for crunch and inari for added flavour. It retains the visually appealing presentation of the Green Dragon Roll while being completely plant-based.

Veggie Rainbow Roll

A Rainbow Dragon Roll is another standard sushi roll that combines elements of both the Rainbow Roll and the Dragon Roll. It starts with a base of a Dragon Roll, which includes avocado, tempura shrimp and tobiko maki. On top, it’s adorned with tuna, salmon and tai sashimi slices. 

New Gen Veggie Rainbow Roll

New Gen has a Veggie Rainbow Roll which is a colorful plant-based version that substitutes traditional seafood with a variety of vibrant vegetables. It contains avocado and crunchy tempura bits for the maki portion. The roll is topped with an assortment of sliced avocado and red and yellow peppers creating a "rainbow" of colors. This roll offers a light, crunchy texture and a visually appealing presentation, all while being plant-based.

Mango Fusion

Mango Fusion Rolls combine creamy avocado and crispy yam in a flavorful sushi roll, topped with strips of fresh mango. This combination is a delicious blend of textures and a sweet flavour that enhances the overall taste of the roll.

New Gen Mango Fusion Roll

Cautionary Notes

Miso soup, a staple in Japanese cuisine, traditionally contains dashi, a broth made from bonito flakes (dried fish). Since dashi is not suitable for plant-based eaters, this means that most miso soups are not suitable. I don’t eat New Gen’s miso soup because I avoid consuming all fish.

Vegetable Tempura isn’t always plant-based because the batter usually contains egg. The egg in the batter gives the tempura its light, crispy texture, but it’s not vegan-friendly. New Gen’s tempura batter is vegetarian but not vegan, so I also avoid eating tempura and rolls with tempura vegetables such as their Yam Tempura Roll.

New Gen has several rolls such as the Veggie Spicy Roll which contain mayo.  Even though the roll doesn’t contain seafood, the mayo and tempura make it vegetarian friendly only.  I avoid all New Gen’s mayo-based rolls, although you can request that they hold the mayo when ordering.

Where to Find New Generation Sushi

Next time you are in downtown Toronto or near the University of Toronto, give New Gen a try!

486 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Canada 

Phone:  (416) 516-8883

Restaurant Hours

Monday: Closed

Tuesday to Thursday, Sunday: 11:30AM - 9:45PM

Friday and Saturday: 11:30AM - 10:30PM

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following me!