Plant-Based Dining at Lao Lao Bar: A Vegan-Friendly Toronto Restaurant Worth Visiting

If you’re plant-based or plant-curious and love exploring global cuisine in Toronto, Lao Lao Bar deserves a spot on your radar. I was downtown recently and discovered this gem on a side-street off Yonge south of Bloor.  I wasn’t familiar with Lao food but was intrigued by their vegan options and we were pleasantly surprised. It’s reminiscent of Thai food but uniquely different.

Lao Lao Bar Decor is a unique exerience in downtown Toronto. Source: Lao Lao Bar website

Traditional Lao cooking celebrates fresh herbs, citrus, chilies, toasted rice powder, and vibrant vegetables. Lao Lao Bar brings bold flavours with vegan-friendly options on the menu. 

• Zesty lime and herb combinations
• Crunchy vegetables balanced with soft textures
• Fragrant herbs like mint, cilantro, and Thai basil
• Sauces that deliver the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy

We arrived early on a Sunday night and were surprised at how popular the restaurant is so you might want to make a reservation to ensure you get in.  There is seating upstairs, downstairs and a long bar but it still filled up quickly.  Many of the tables are “family style” with large groups dining together.

Fresh, Vibrant Vegan Appetizers to Start the Meal

We began our meal with two appetizers:  mango salad and fresh rolls. Both have fresh, crisp ingredients with flavourful sauces.

The mango salad was bright, tangy, and refreshing—everything you want from a Southeast Asian starter. Crisp green mango tossed with herbs and vegetables with just the right mix of sweet, sour, and a touch of heat.

Lao Lao Bar Mango Salad with fresh mint

The fresh rolls were rice paper wraps around a colourful mix of vegetables and herbs accompanied by a peanut sauce.  This is the lighter dish which I prefer over deep fried spring rolls.

Lao Lao Bar Fresh Rolls are a work of art!

We need to visit again to try out some of their other vegan appetizers:  tapioca dumplings, green papaya fritters and taro rolls.  The dumplings come highly recommended by the server, so they are on the top of our list for next time!

Comforting Vegan Mains Packed with Lao Flavour

For the main dishes, Lao Lao Bar offers curry rice dishes and noodles. 

My husband’s favourite was the drunken noodles, made with wide rice noodles stir-fried with vegetables, garlic, soy sauce, and aromatic herbs.

Drunken Noodles and Green Curry with Jasmine Rice

We settled on the green curry served with jasmine rice after much debate.  Jungle curry is the spiciest, panang curry is the mildest with the green curry in-between.  We didn’t find the green curry particularly spicy, so the Jungle curry is going to be our rice main dish the next time we visit. The green curry has a coconut milk base and lots of vegetables with tofu. The dish is paired with a bowl of jasmine rice, which helps soak up the curry sauce.

A Simple Vegan Dessert for Coconut Lovers

I didn’t think I would have room for dessert but then I decided I could make some space. We shared the dessert, which is big enough for two.

Vegan Coconut Ice Cream with a homemade Rice Crisp

The only plant-based option available is coconut sorbet with a savoury rice crisp but it was delicious. The sorbet was very creamy, more like a coconut ice cream with shaved coconut on top.  The rice crisp was unexpectedly savoury with a crunchy texture.

Why Plant-Based Diners Should Add Lao Lao Bar to Their Toronto List

Toronto has no shortage of vegan restaurants, but some of the best plant-based meals often happen in places that aren’t exclusively vegan.

Lao Lao Bar fits into that category where vegetables aren’t an afterthought and “fake” meats aren’t centre stage.  The server told us that two of the chefs in the kitchen are vegan, so they are inspired by traditional Lao cooking but have modified dishes for plant-exclusive eaters.

Where to Find Lao Lao Bar in Toronto

Lao Lao Bar is located in downtown Toronto and offers a vibrant dining experience for anyone exploring vegan-friendly restaurants in the city.  Reservations can be made at their website or through OpenTable.

Lao Lao Bar – Quick Info

Restaurant: Lao Lao Bar
Location: 5 St Joseph St, Toronto, ON M4Y 1Z3
Cuisine: Lao / Southeast Asian
Vegan Options: Mango salad, fresh rolls, dumplings, noodles, curry, dishes, coconut sorbet
Best For: Vegan-friendly dining, sharing plates, flavourful Southeast Asian dishes

Final Thoughts

I must admit that Southeast Asian cuisine is one of my favourites so I'll be posting more plant-based restaurant options to try in Toronto.  If you are looking for a unique vegan dining experience, be sure to check out my review of Hawker in Kensington Market.

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