Like many of Padmanadi’s mushroom-based dishes, owner Kasim Kasim is a fun guy. His family moved here 20 years ago and thankfully brought their business — which was founded 30 years prior, in Indonesia — with them.
Today, the family serves Chinese, Thai and Indian plant-based dishes too, including their signature Curry Chicken, spicy Singapore noodles and deep-fried tofu with sweet soy sauce. It’s an array of flavours as wide as Kasim’s ever-present smile. And like the Lotus Waterspring the restaurant’s named after, Padmanadi remains the “star” of Edmonton’s vegatarian water garden. – Cory Schachtel
106, 6925 Gateway Blvd., NW, 780-428-8899
10740 101 St., NW, 780-428-8899, Padmanadi.com
When you step inside The Moth Cafe, you’ll be stunned by the gorgeous boho decor, the moth mural on the wall and the almost absurd number of thriving plants hanging from the ceiling. Not to mention the delicious waft of food being made in the kitchen.
The menu offers all day breakfast, small bites and bowls, but the stand-out option is The Big Moth Burger, modelled after McDonald’s Big Mac. The burger contains a patty made from wheat flour, soy protein, lentils, mung beans, mushrooms and brown rice. It’s guilt-free and delicious. – Katrina Turchin
9449 Jasper Ave., 780-244-9702, MosaicsAndMothArchive.com
I recently had a friend of mine visit the city, and he asked me to recommend a great place where we could meet for lunch and catch up. He’s a vegetarian, so I suggested we go to An Chay, a place where the dishes remain true to the mouth-punching flavour we associate with Vietnamese cuisine. It did not disappoint, from the coconut curry with delicious sweet yams, to spicy noodle soup with the lemongrass roaring through.
My friend said he was nicely surprised by the range of vegetarian and vegan options Edmonton’s dining scene offered. We say to our Best Restaurants judges over and over, “Where would you bring someone who was visiting Edmonton to eat?” In this case, I took that advice literally. — Steven Sandor
11203 Jasper Ave., 780-752-2203, An Chay’s Facebook page
