Vegan’s Guide: Where to find dairy-free ice cream in Toronto
If you’re vegan or have a lactose intolerance, you don’t have to sacrifice having ice cream anymore. There are so many places in Toronto where you can indulge in dairy-free, egg-free ice cream. And, there’s nothing boring about them either. In fact, these vegan ice cream parlours are just as epic as their dairy counterparts. [Feature image: Nanashake]
Nanashake
134-4750 Yonge St, North York, ON M2N 0J6Located off Sheppard Station, on Beecroft Road between Bogert and Poyntz Avenues, it may take you a while to find this vegan ice cream spot, but the mission will be well worth it. Once you get inside, you’ll find a cute frozen dessert bar with flavoured popsicles (called Nanapops) plus banana-based soft serve (organic and fair trade). For a floral, Middle Eastern taste, go for the rosey pistachio. For hints of cinnamon, opt for the spiced date. You can also top your Nanashake with accoutrements like almonds, Oreo cookie crumbs and caramel sauce.
Seven Lives Paleteria
72 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2K1This Kensington Market vegan ice cream shop is a dairy-free taste of Mexico. Seven Lives Paleteria offers vegan soft serves and paletas (Mexican popsicles) in flavours like watermelon, lime-kiwi, dulce de leche, infused froot loops, and more. They have other creations, too, like the Mangonada, a dairy-free mango soft serve topped with mango juice and chamoy – a pickled fruit sauce. There are also whip floats, sundaes and aguas frescas (a pureed fruit beverage).
Pleasantville Creamery
120-388 Carlaw Ave, Toronto, ON M4M 2T4Not only are Pleasantville Creamery’s ice creams dairy-free, but they’re made with organic ingredients and free of soy, gluten, refined sugar and nuts, too. They’re made with a base of hemp hearts (raw-shelled hemp seeds that have a nutty taste) and cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. Their flavours include: vanilla bean Ice Ice Baby, cacao mousse Double Trouble, butter and salted caramel ribbon Blondie, cold brew coffee with cinnamon French toast Up & Atom, peppermint with heirloom cacao butter and nibs Richie Rich, and white cake batter with white frosting and sprinkles It’s My Party.
Apiecalypse Now!
735 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 1L5Apiecalypse Now is known for its delicious vegan pizzas and Simpsons doughnuts (a lemonade flavoured pink-glazed doughnut with sprinkles on top). But, they also keep things cool with their soy-based soft serve chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Top it on one of their delicious doughnuts, have it in a cone or cup, or turn it into a sundae with toppings like Oreos, nuts, chocolate syrup and sprinkles.
Eative Inc.
230 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2L6At Eative, you can watch your dairy ice cream or vegan sorbet be made before your eyes in a Kitchen Aid mixer with liquid nitrogen. Their sorbets are made with fruit purées and are low in fat and free of gluten, dairy and eggs. There are so many flavours to choose from, like passion fruit and guava, grapefruit and honey, strawberry and cranberry, and acai and young berry, to name a few.
Bunners
244 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2L7This Kensington vegan and gluten-free bakeshop has organic soy-based soft serve ice cream available from spring until fall. They come in the standard vanilla and chocolate, or twist of both flavours, but sometimes they have different flavours like the Pumpkin Spicecream in October. Plus, there’s nothing like a soft serve ice cream sandwiched in between two cornflake cookies. You can even ask for it in a cup, walk down to Café Novo a few steps next door and pour their espresso on top for an affogato creation.
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