Toronto has no shortage of great restaurants. From quick lunches and convenient takeout to sit-down dining, the city is filled with delicious food options. But with so many choices, finding a restaurant that offers nutritious, satisfying meals can sometimes feel overwhelming.
The good news? Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice convenience or the enjoyment of dining out.
We asked Jana Dergham, a Toronto-based Registered Dietitian on our team at In Good Nutrition, to share some of her favourite healthy restaurants in Toronto for nutritious meals around the city. We’ve rounded up her top picks for healthy restaurants in Toronto, offering a variety of nutritious, balanced, and delicious meal options.
Whether you’re looking for a vegetable-packed lunch, a protein-rich meal, or somewhere to enjoy dinner with friends, here are 10 healthy restaurants in Toronto worth checking out!
Toronto’s Top Healthy Restaurants
1. Kupfert & Kim
Best for: Plant-based lunches and nutritious grain bowls
If you’re looking for delicious plant-based food in Toronto, Kupfert & Kim is a great place to start. They offer both pickup and delivery.
This fully plant-based restaurant specializes in colourful grain bowls, salads, smoothies, and breakfast options. Their menu features a variety of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, making it easy to incorporate more plant-based foods into your day.
One of the things we appreciate about Kupfert & Kim is that their meals go beyond a simple green salad. Many of their bowls combine vegetables with ingredients such as beans, rice, quinoa, and flavourful sauces, creating a more satisfying meal.
Our dietitian’s tip: Try one of their grain bowls featuring legumes and vegetables, such as their popular Oaxaca Bowl or Cauliflower Tahini Bowl. They’re great examples of how plant-based eating can provide a variety of nutrients without compromising flavour.
With several downtown Toronto locations, it’s a convenient option for lunch during a busy workday.
2. iQ Food Co.
Best for: Quick, balanced lunches and seasonal ingredients
iQ Food Co. is another great option for healthy eating in downtown Toronto, particularly if you’re looking for a quick and satisfying lunch.
Their menu includes fresh salads, warm bowls, wraps, and smoothies featuring vegetables, grains, and a variety of protein sources.
What makes iQ stand out is its focus on seasonal ingredients and partnerships with local farmers and food producers. Their menu changes throughout the year, providing opportunities to enjoy different seasonal flavours.
Our dietitian’s tip: The Sparta Bowl is worth checking out. It combines chicken, quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, olives, and hummus, offering a satisfying mixture of protein, fibre-containing carbohydrates, vegetables, and fats.
The Lima Bowl is another option, featuring chicken, brown rice, black beans, avocado, and vegetables.
It’s a great example of how a convenient takeout lunch can still offer a well-rounded meal.
3. Impact Kitchen
Best for: Protein-rich meals, gluten-free options, and brunch
Impact Kitchen offers a wide selection of nutritious meals, including power bowls, salads, wraps, smoothies, and breakfast dishes.
Their menu features a variety of protein sources, vegetables, whole grains, and flavourful toppings. They also offer vegetarian and vegan choices, along with a gluten-free kitchen.
Whether you’re looking for a filling breakfast, a post-workout lunch, or an easy dinner, you’ll find plenty of variety.
Our Toronto dietitian’s favourite: The Paleo Waffles with cashew cream!
They’re a personal favourite of our Toronto-based dietitian and a delicious reminder that nutritious meals can be enjoyable, satisfying, and a little indulgent.
For lunch or dinner, Impact Kitchen’s power bowls are another option. The Moroccan Harissa Bowl, for example, includes ingredients such as quinoa, chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, and vegetables.
With multiple Toronto locations, Impact Kitchen is an easy option for both dining in and takeout.
4. Mary Be Kitchen
Best for: Customizable balanced meals and grab-and-go food
Mary Be Kitchen is a great choice when you’re looking for a nutritious, home-style meal without having to prepare it yourself.
Located in Midtown Toronto, Mary Be Kitchen offers customizable meals where you can choose a protein, such as chicken, salmon, or tofu, and pair it with a variety of vegetable and grain-based sides.
Their signature Be Square meal lets you select one protein and two sides, making it simple to put together a satisfying, balanced plate.
Our dietitian’s tip: Choose a protein you enjoy and pair it with a vegetable-based side and a grain or starchy vegetable. The combination can help provide protein, fibre, and energy to keep you satisfied.
Another reason this restaurant made our list? Their grab-and-go grocery menu!
Mary Be Kitchen offers prepared foods that you can bring home, making it especially useful for busy evenings when cooking isn’t on the agenda.
It’s a practical option for anyone looking to make nutritious eating a little easier throughout the week.
Explore Mary Be Kitchen’s menu
Looking for more personalized nutrition support?
Our Toronto Registered Dietitians offer virtual nutrition counselling to help you build healthy eating habits that work for your lifestyle.
5. Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar
Best for: Plant-based comfort food and casual dining
Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar has been part of Toronto’s plant-based food scene for years, offering an extensive vegan menu with plenty of variety.
From nourishing bowls and colourful salads to wraps, burgers, smoothies, and brunch options, Fresh shows that plant-based eating can be much more than just salads.
What makes Fresh a standout is its balance of nutritious ingredients and familiar comfort foods. Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty bowl or a delicious plant-based burger, there are plenty of options.
Our dietitian’s tip: Look for meals that combine a source of plant-based protein, such as tofu or legumes, with vegetables and grains. These combinations can help make a plant-based meal more satisfying.
And don’t be afraid to enjoy their burgers, sauces, and other favourites. Eating well also means choosing foods you genuinely enjoy.
With several locations throughout Toronto, Fresh is a convenient option for lunch, dinner, or a relaxed weekend meal.
6. Mandy’s Gourmet Salads
Best for: Colourful, customizable salads and bowls
If you enjoy a good salad, Mandy’s Gourmet Salads deserves a spot on your list.
Known for its colourful salads, creative flavour combinations, and generous selection of toppings, Mandy’s offers much more than your typical bowl of greens.
Their menu includes signature salads, grain bowls, and customizable options featuring vegetables, proteins, grains, nuts, seeds, and flavourful dressings.
Our dietitian’s tip: Try the Veggie Protein Power Bowl, which features ingredients such as quinoa, chickpeas, avocado, kale, red peppers, and feta.
It’s a good example of combining plant-based protein with fibre-rich ingredients and satisfying fats.
If you’re building your own salad, consider including a source of protein and a carbohydrate-rich ingredient, such as quinoa or chickpeas, rather than choosing vegetables alone.
After all, a salad should leave you feeling satisfied, not searching for another meal an hour later!
Mandy’s has multiple locations across Toronto, making it a convenient choice for takeout or a casual lunch.
7. Season Six
Best for: A sit-down meal featuring seasonal ingredients
Healthy eating isn’t limited to salad bars and quick-service restaurants.
Season Six offers a different dining experience, with a seasonally changing menu inspired by fresh ingredients, comforting flavours, and thoughtfully prepared meals.
Located on Ossington Avenue, Season Six features a variety of dishes, including slow-cooked proteins, vegetable-based sides, salads, and hearty entrées.
It’s a great option when you’re looking for a relaxed sit-down meal rather than a quick takeout lunch.
Our dietitian’s tip: Explore the seasonal menu and choose a meal that includes foods you enjoy, whether that’s a slow-cooked protein with vegetables, a hearty pasta dish, or a selection of shared plates.
A balanced approach to eating isn’t about avoiding rich dishes or choosing the lightest menu item. It’s about enjoying your meal while considering your hunger, preferences, and nutritional needs.
Season Six is a reminder that good nutrition and an enjoyable restaurant experience can go hand in hand.
What Makes a Toronto Restaurant a Healthy Choice?
Before getting into our recommendations, let’s talk about what we actually mean by a “healthy restaurant.”
As Registered Dietitians, we know that healthy eating isn’t about choosing the lowest-calorie meal or avoiding certain foods. It’s about finding a balance of foods that nourish your body, keep you satisfied, and taste good.
For this list, we focused on restaurants that offer:
- Vegetable-rich meals: A variety of colourful vegetables that provide fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
- Protein options: Foods such as chicken, fish, tofu, beans, and lentils that support fullness and help meet your nutritional needs.
- Balanced meals: A combination of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, and fats to provide energy and satisfaction.
- Variety and flexibility: Different meal choices to suit dietary preferences, nutrition goals, and appetites.
- Convenience: Options that make nutritious eating more accessible, whether you’re dining in or grabbing a meal on the go.
And remember, not every meal needs to check every nutritional box. Healthy eating is about your overall eating habits, not making the perfect choice every time you dine out.
A Dietitian’s Tip for Eating Healthy at Any Restaurant
Here’s a little trick I often share with my clients: You can find a balanced, nutritious meal at almost any restaurant, even if it’s not listed on the menu!
I like to call this “ordering off the menu.”
The idea is simple. Rather than choosing one of the restaurant’s existing dishes, you create your own meal by combining ingredients that are already available on the menu.
For example, you might notice grilled salmon on one dish, quinoa on another, and seasonal vegetables offered as a side. Why not ask if you can combine them into one meal?
It can be as simple as asking:
“Would it be possible to have a piece of grilled salmon with quinoa and a side of your seasonal vegetables?”
You might be surprised by how accommodating restaurants can be! I’ve worked with clients who are also restaurant servers, and they’ve shared that these types of requests are often no big deal. Of course, every restaurant is different, and some may have limitations on substitutions or modifications.
The takeaway? Don’t feel limited to the exact meals listed on the menu. Sometimes, all it takes is asking a simple question to create a meal that suits your preferences, appetite, and nutritional needs.
And remember, healthy eating doesn’t mean you always need to customize your order. It’s simply another option to keep in mind when dining out!
Final Thoughts: Enjoying Healthy Restaurants in Toronto
Toronto has plenty of delicious restaurants that make nutritious eating convenient, satisfying, and enjoyable.
Whether you’re grabbing lunch between meetings, ordering dinner after a busy day, or enjoying a meal with friends, these restaurants offer a variety of options to help you nourish your body without sacrificing flavour.
Remember, healthy eating isn’t about making perfect choices. It’s about building habits that support your health and work with your lifestyle.
Looking for Personalized Nutrition Guidance?
At In Good Nutrition, our team of Registered Dietitians helps make healthy eating simple, realistic, and sustainable.
Whether you’re looking to build healthier habits, improve your digestive health, manage a medical condition, or develop a more balanced relationship with food, we’re here to help.
We offer convenient virtual nutrition counselling with Registered Dietitians across Ontario, helping you find personalized nutrition support that fits your lifestyle and goals.
Ready to get started?
Find Your Dietitian or Book Your Nutrition Consultation Today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Restaurants in Toronto
What are the best healthy restaurants in Toronto?
Toronto has many restaurants offering nutritious meals. Some of our top picks include Kupfert & Kim, iQ Food Co., Impact Kitchen, Mary Be Kitchen, Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar, Mandy’s Gourmet Salads, and Season Six. The best choice depends on your preferences, dietary needs, and whether you’re looking for takeout or a sit-down meal.
Where can I find healthy takeout in Toronto?
Kupfert & Kim, iQ Food Co., Impact Kitchen, Salus Fresh Foods, and Flock Rotisserie + Greens are convenient options for healthy takeout in Toronto. Their menus offer a variety of bowls, salads, wraps, and protein-rich meals.
Are there healthy vegan restaurants in Toronto?
Yes! Kupfert & Kim and Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar offer fully plant-based menus. Many other restaurants, including Mandy’s, Impact Kitchen, and Mary Be Kitchen, also have vegetarian or vegan options.
If you’re interested in eating more plant-based foods but aren’t sure how to meet your nutritional needs, our Registered Dietitians specializing in vegan and vegetarian nutrition can help.
What should I order at a restaurant if I’m trying to eat healthier?
There’s no single healthiest restaurant meal. A good starting point is to look for foods that offer a combination of protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates, vegetables, and satisfying fats.
Most importantly, choose something that fits your appetite, dietary needs, and preferences.
Can I eat out regularly and still meet my nutrition goals?
Absolutely. Eating at restaurants can fit into a healthy eating pattern.
The key is looking at your overall habits rather than focusing on individual meals. Planning ahead when helpful, choosing satisfying meals, and having flexibility can all make eating out part of a sustainable approach to nutrition.
If you find yourself feeling guilty or anxious about restaurant meals, learning to develop a healthier relationship with food can be just as important as knowing what to order.
What if I have dietary restrictions or a health condition?
Many Toronto restaurants offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu options. However, availability and preparation practices vary.
If you have celiac disease or a food allergy, speak directly with the restaurant about ingredients and potential cross-contact before ordering.
For conditions such as IBS, diabetes, or other nutrition-related health concerns, a Registered Dietitian can help you identify restaurant choices that suit your individual needs.