By Joyce Santos
Whether you’re hosting guests or unwinding on a Friday night – ordering pizza and accommodating food preferences and dietary restrictions can lead you down a Google search rabbit hole. Luckily, local pizza chains are catching on that offering a vegan menu is the perfect way to satisfy all and take in that big pizza order. In this blog post we highlight local favourites according to a recent poll in our VegOttawa Facebook group – but first, let’s go back to 2018 when the demand for vegan options was just beginning to grow.
In those days, gravity was your friend holding veggie toppings in place on your cheese-less saucy pizza. For long-time vegans, this was the only way to eat pizza for decades. Local restaurant chain Milano Pizza saw an opportunity and jumped into the vegan scene with an innovative menu. They connected with locals in the Ottawa Vegans and Vegetarians Facebook group to get their opinions and gauge interest on new vegan products and unique menu ideas. Now, six years later, their vegan menu remains among the top favourites. Many pizza chains around the city have since added vegan options to their menu. Here we highlight local favourites along with pizza-making tips and vegan news.
Explore Ottawa’s Vegan Pizza Scene
Gabriel’s – With a delicious crust on the thicker side, Gabriel’s is the top local favourite with their plant-based pepperoni (Field Roast brand) and dairy-free cheese. The first location opened in Orleans in 1977 and they have since expanded all across the Ottawa area.
Milano – Their “Vegan Vegan Vegan” menu includes the Oh Sweet Vegan and Garden pizzas with non-dairy cheese and generous amounts of veggie toppings (including broccoli!) The menu also goes beyond just pizza with Beyond burger and chicken platters and Vegantine Poutine loaded with veggies.
Fiazza – Another favourite in our recent poll, their signature pizza is the Spicy Vegan including roasted button mushrooms, jalapeno slices, herb tofu and vegan pepperoni.
Hometown Sports Grill – featuring a large vegan menu, their vegan pizza includes Italian tomato sauce, vegan pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, red onions and black olives. You can enjoy your pizza with friends while watching a game in their dining area or order your pizza to go. Other vegan menu items include vegan poutine, chick’n tender platter, southwest nachos and cauliflower wings.
Heartbreakers – Located in Parkdale, their Veggie Supreme can be made vegan with cashew cream, pickled red onion, basil and castelvetrano olives. Castelvetrano olives have a distinct green hue and are famous for their crisp, meaty texture and mild buttery flavour.
Little Jo Berry’s — Available on Fridays, their regular and personal size pizzas include the Big Mac, and Steak and Havarti (locally-made by Rad Faux Cheese).
Pizza Nerds – Established in 2020, this local pizza shop offers a variety of pizzas named after Ottawa streets, with the option to sub vegan cheese or gluten-free crust. Their Albert – Kimchi Pizza features house-made vegan kimchi, green onion and black sesame seeds! Located on Bank St. and in Old Ottawa South.
Toppers – We’ve seen specialty vegan pizzas with unique flavour combinations on their menu along with their standard Titan Veggie, with options for vegan cheese and whole wheat or cauliflower crust.
Panago – This menu’s plant-based options include the Spicy Hawaiian with a smoky tropical sauce, Deluxe Pepperoni, Beyond Spicy Calabrese with Italian sausage crumble, Mediterranean and Beyond Summer BBQ topped with fire-roasted corn.
Red Swan Pizza – A hidden gem with locations in Kanata, Stittsville, Gloucester and Orleans, their vegan pizza comes with optional sesame coated crust and a menu featuring the Vegan Keto and Vegan Veggie Feast.
Pizza Pizza – A great value and a popular choice for parties, their vegan toppings include Field Roast plant-based pepperoni, sundried tomato, roasted garlic, fire roasted red peppers and spinach. You can also add plant-based chick’n sandwiches and bites to your pizza order.
Pizza Workshops and Locally-sourced Toppings
Exciting news from 613 Plant-Based! Starting in May 2024, they will be hosting private and public wood-fired pizza workshops using their homemade vegan cashew cheese and sausages – learn how to make Italian-style pizza from scratch! Located just outside of Carleton Place, 613 Plant-Based offers prepared meals delivered in the Ottawa area, including build-your-own pizza kits.
Make your own pizzas at home! Start with your own homemade pizza dough recipe or use prepared crusts, pizza kits (Costco has one!), focaccia, Greek pitas or bagels. Try some of Ottawa’s locally-made pizza toppings including Zengarry Fauxmagerie’s Sun-dried Tomato & Basil cashew cheese and Fresh Basil Pesto found in local stores, their online shop and their store location in Alexandria. (Shown: margherita pizza by Zengarry)
As you savour these vegan pizzas around Ottawa, your choices support sustainability, compassion, local businesses and the thriving vegan food scene in our city.
VegOttawa Association members can enjoy a 10% discount on the entire vegan menu at Milano Dalhousie, and Hometown Sports Grill as well as 15% off Zengarry cashew cheese and pesto online and at their store.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joyce Santos is the current Vice President of VegOttawa Association. She has been vegan and previously vegetarian for over 25 years. In addition to her role with VegOttawa, she does freelance Communications for vegan businesses. She can often be found enjoying the live music scene and exploring trails with the Ottawa Vegan Nature Club.
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This post is not sponsored by any of the businesses or organizations listed.
VegOttawa Association 