Toronto restaurants showcasing plant-based options for 'Veganuary' as some look to reduce meat eating

Darien List knows good barbecue. As the owner of Beach Hill Smokehouse, he's imported dry-rub ribs and brisket straight from Central Texas to Toronto.

But the pitmaster is adding something a bit different to the menu this month. They're serving up a vegan mushroom brisket that uses vegan plant-based mayonnaise to soak up traditional barbecue rub and infuse smoky flavouring into the dish.

It's not what List is used to. But it's opened-up a new customer base for the smokehouse, he says. 

"You may have a couple, one may be a vegetarian or a vegan, and the other is basically like me, just a straight-up carnivore. And they can't find a restaurant that can come to the middle of the road," he said.

"That's the response we've had: 'Thank you very much for allowing us to come together and have a meal outside our home.'"

List put the item on the menu for "Veganuary," a New Year's challenge originating from a charity in Britain that promotes trying out a plant-based diet for January. 

Many restaurants around the city are promoting vegan dishes that have long been on the menu or introducing new ones to catch customer's attention— and they say it's a movement that continues to grow in Toronto, particularly as younger people look for more diverse dining options.

"We experimented with it, and it's been going pretty good so far," said List. 

Veganuary is a registered charity in England and in 2023, they had 700,000 people who signed up worldwide on their website to take on the challenge. 

In Canada, a 2018 study out of Dalhousie University found that 6.4 million people have dietary preferences that reduce or completely cut out meat consumption. It also found that 32.2 per cent of Canadians were thinking about reducing their meat intake over the next six months. 

The main reasons reported for reducing meat consumption were health benefits, taste preferences, environment concerns and the cost of meat.

Sarah Fay, the engagement and events manager at VegTO, a vegan advocacy organization, said the January promotions are an easy way to try a more plant-based diet in a casual way. 

"It's something you're doing to test the waters," she said. 

Based on VegTo's research, she said more people are wanting to try eating less meat to reduce environmental footprint, care for animals and feel healthier.