When Live Organic Food Bar opened in 2002, the Dupont strip didn’t have much going on. Jennifer and Christopher Italiano, the brother and sister duo who own Live Organic, saw beyond the present landscape and knew the area would soon turn around. “There wasn’t much,” admits Jennifer, referring both to the area and the concentration of organic eating establishments. “We were sort of the pioneers of it, but essentially there was no other raw food in Toronto.” Despite the dearth of healthy eating options for diners, Jennifer and Christopher were determined to turn their passion into a reality, and set about opening Live Organic.
They started simply, but with staples they knew would appeal to their customer base. “It started off as a four-seater organic juice bar with four meals,” Jennifer says. Even with the small beginnings, Jennifer and Christopher chose their food deliberately, looking at what was locally grown and in season. And one of their original dishes, the Raw Combo, was such a hit that you can still nosh on the sample platter today.
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During my recent visit to Toronto I ate at Live several times. I found the food inventive and tasty and the portions smaller than I usually encounter in Toronto. It happens that smaller proportions suit me but they might not please bigger appetites. The prices fit my budget, my lunch bill generally fell in the $12 to $15 range. The menu has both raw and cooked vegetarian food options and I tried several of these over the course of the week, mostly from the cooked section. So far I have been very pleased with everything I have ordered. The outdoor patio was welcome on the hot days but not much effort has been put into the layout, it appears to be setup for the convenience of the servers rather than the comfort of the patrons. More umbrellas and some privacy screens would be an improvement. I found the service to be consistently slow even though it was never very busy when I was there, this is the biggest area for improvement in my view. Nevertheless the food itself will definitely draw me back on future visits.
Good food, but the worst service ever! im tierd of going to nice resturants to relax with friends and the servers have no time for you, and when they do stop by the table they are rude but they want a tip? yes we tipped her the average, but really deserved a penny.
love love this place... wish we lived here.Are these guys franchising? The food was wicked. it was a busy night, and the servers were very bubbly and very friendly.
the food was incredibly fresh. Very tasty. That patio out back is perfect on a sunny day for a lunch outside. The staff was very friendly and genuinely into the food they serve.
I loved this place. You have to be into the raw food diet to be able to fully appreciate this gem. If only I could have enough money to hire them full time for me and my family. I forgot to mention the rawvioli that was my favorite. Never thought I could taste italian pasta in raw food. WRONG it was awesome. My mouth waters thinking about going back. They also have goodies for sale to bring home ie... their raw crackers, raw brownies, date squares, pies.....
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Live Organic Food bar has a generous menu of conventional favourites with a bit of Japanese flare. Classics include veggie burgers, burritos and nachos made with walnut “taco meat.” Hearty salads and hot bowls are doused in miso dressing, umeboshi vinegar, and wakame. Live Organic also prides itself on avoiding preservatives, refined sugars and GMOs. Two locations covering the Queen West and Dupont areas make it easy to snag some delicious eats from Live.
View this Smart ListLocated just west of Spadina on Dupont, Live Organic Food Bar offers some of the best gluten-free and sugar-free vegan dishes in the city. All of their food comes from local organic farmers, so you can savour your convenient, healthy and ethically-produced take out with a clear conscience.
View this Smart ListThis Dupont Street eatery offers plant-based, organic and gluten-free dining for a health-conscious crowd. There are two burger options on the menu: the raw walnut beet burger is served atop fresh collard greens or raw sesame onion bread while the heartier cooked chickpea patty is topped with BBQ sauce and chipotle mayo on a gluten-free bun.
View this Smart List