King's Cafe

What is King's Cafe? Anchoring Augusta Avenue since 1996, King's Cafe is Kensington Market's long-running staple for Taiwanese-inspired vegetarian and vegan cooking. Founded as an unpretentious tearoom by a lifelong-vegetarian family, the space balances compact wooden dining tables with retail shelves stocked with dry goods, teas, and house brand mock meats. The modest dining room seats just over two dozen guests, creating a warm, understated neighborhood vibe.

King's Cafe Menu & What to Order The extensive plant-based lineup shines with masterfully textured house-made soy protein, seitan, and dim sum classics. Kick things off with the delicate vegetarian wonton soup or a plate of golden pan-fried dumplings before diving into main plates like the sweet-and-savory BBQ seitan, kung po soy chicken, or the signature fried bean curd blanketed in a crisp seaweed crust over bok choy. Teas are central here: order a hot pot of loose-leaf Taiwanese oolong or scented herbal blend to sip alongside your meal.

Know Before You Go Given the cozy 24-seat capacity, tables turn quickly, but expect short waits on sunny weekends when Kensington gets packed; reservations can be booked in advance by phone. Augusta Avenue has virtually no car parking, so take the 510 Spadina or 505 Dundas streetcar and stroll in. The kitchen operates straight through from 11:30 a.m. daily, closing an hour earlier on weekends.