YamChops: Toronto’s Vegetarian Butcher Shop

Relax. You read that right.

In fact, YamChops‘ (705 College St.) own website is the first place you’ll find an admission of the oxymoronic nature of its name.

But let’s leave paradoxes and puns at the door and get to the good plant based stuff we came for.

After living the past 40 years as a vegetarian, 27 of which were spent running Toronto advertising agency Adlib Group with his wife Toni, Michael Abramson decided it was time to buy his metaphorical mid-life little red sports car.

The only difference between his and everybody else’s? His has beat burgers.

YamChops is a beautiful space along the College W. strip that appears exactly as you might expect a modern butcher shop would. It has several counters and display cases, weigh scales, and fridges. But you won’t find meat here. Instead, you’ll discover a world of protein that hasn’t come from animals.

Abramson has always believed that a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle offers a variety of great flavours and textures. He doesn’t want to preach or convert; he just wants to show you your options.

And you’ll quickly realize how good an idea it is to introduce your taste buds to the likes of coconut Ba-Con, no-crab crab cakes, carrot lox, and organic, non-GMO tofu from Canadian producers SoL Cuisine.

Of course, their full production basement also allows for YamChops to produce its own line of jarred products that include sweet heat honey mustard, mango tamarind chutney, and heirloom tomato pomodoro, among others.

That’s not all that’s happening down below, however. Michael and Toni’s daughter (and juiceologist) Jess has recently launched her own line of cold-pressed juices – cleverly named AuJus – to pair with the vegetarian and vegan options YamChops offers daily from 11am – 7pm.

Whether you’re stepping in to pick up a prepared boxed lunch, wanting to enjoy a fresh meal on their patio, or looking to order a clean dinner for delivery, YamChops has nearly every meat alternative you could ever want.

Including wordplay.  

 

#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)

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