Hot Yam!

Wednesday 12pm-​2pm only. This is a well run UofT student volunteer vegan meal.
The food isn’t the most delicious you’ve ever eaten. But… it’s $ 4 for a full meal!
The menu is always changing… so It’s a good idea to check out their website or facebook group before going. Odds of you liking the food go up if you know that you like the ingredients.
I like when they have beets, curry, or a good soup.
Again, hard to be disappointed with a healthy $ 4 meal.

Nomnomnom, I can’t talk my mouth is full of delicious vegan food!
The chalkboard sign outside of a pretty U of T building drew me in. No, I don’t go to U of T but nobody cared, Hot Yam is open to the public. It flashed a fancy menu and promised that no animals were harmed in the making of the meal.
I waited in a swiftly moving lineup, was asked to «pay what I can» so I gave them 3 $- mere TTC fare, and was handed a plate. It’s normally 4 $ from what I hear– I’m going to pay a bit more on my way out because of how many second and third servings I asked for and was granted.
Nothing perks up a lazy Wednesday afternoon like chickpea curry, tahini apple coleslaw, homemade naan bread and– are those sugar cookies? Vegan sugar cookies?! Ok I’m in love.
Don’t mind the cafeteria style seating, but try to find a seat where you won’t block the masses heading to their table. Everyone’s super friendly, I had a lovely conversation between bites of food with some Masters of Architecture students who were full of smiles (and curry).
The staff are volunteers and still greet and thank each patron with unwavering pleasantness. I asked about volunteer options– they’re always looking for someone to help out! I think it would be a great opportunity to meet new people and learn some new recipes!
In response to an earlier review claiming its not great for a date spot, I guess it depends how friendly you are. Me and my man both love cheap food, hanging out with strangers, and snuggling up really tight beside each other so that we can make room for other people to sit down. I can’t wait to bring him here next week, he’s going to love it!

We were so excited about going there, as after reading all these wonderful reviews we knew this will be a kick-​ass experience, especially of the vegetarian-​friendly food and cheap price! Yayy!
We arrived there 40 minutes before its closing on Wednesday afternoon, place wasn’t hard to find if you know where you are exactly going. The place was packed, full of chatting or reading students, probably in my 30’s I was the oldest people in the crowd. There was an empty little place for us to be seated.
Meal that was offered consisted of carrot-​ginger soup, veggie salad, rice’n’veggies and carrot cookies. The food was fresh, but tasted plain and the portions were too little, just wandering of young men and their appetite.
The volunteers weren’t really into talking and smiling, didn’t feel very welcomed.
Price range is of course the cheapest you can find and if you have your own Tupperware you could buy an extra portion to take home with you.
For somebody who is looking an experience of a cheap veggie food, I recommend the place, but this is not the place to go and enjoy time with your partner, as it is more like a diner.

Hot Yam! is comprised of student volunteers from U of T. The team serves a fresh delicious sustainable vegan lunch for $ 4 every Wednesday! The food is season, organic and local! Hot Yam! had introduced a pay-​what-​you-​can initiative on the first Wednesday of every month to increase the accessibility of sustainable food. The weekly menus and recipes can be found on the website. Upon arrival, I was informed that they were out of two items on the menu. Nonetheless, the leftovers were amazingly fresh! I guess delicious vegan food is not an oxymoron afterall! Paradigm Shift!

$ 4 for lunch that’s absolutely delicious? Yes please!

After getting over my initial disappointment about this place (as I was picture Hot Yam! as a group of students cooking yams in tinfoil on a BBQ… and I love yam), I realized that I had found a Wednesday lunch gem, just minutes from where I work!
Hot Yam has a lunch weekly, at only FOUR DOLLARS for a starter, entrees and dessert! On my first visit, they were out of one item, making it a THREE DOLLAR LUNCH (!!!) that was filling, vegan, local, and delicious!
Now I’m not going to lie to you and say this is a fancy place. If you’re looking for glamor or to impress someone, this isn’t the place for you, BUT if you are looking for quality food and an amazing price, this is your place.
It’s kind of like a cafeteria, in that you pay at the front, and wait at a table for the servers to bring our plates. You then grab a plate of your choice, cutlery, and try and find a seat amongst the students (if you’re lucky!) it’s often packed, so the to-​go option might be better!
If you’re looking for me on a Wednesday between 12 — 2, you know where to find me.

Now is the time; This is the place!
OK — Not really «now» unless you happen to be reading this at noon on a Wednesday*…because that is your 2 hour window to go to Centre for International Experience @ U of T and enjoy a fresh, hot, ethically sound meal for FOUR BUCKS including tax! Oh — it’s also pretty tasty as well! The Gardener’s Gazpacho Soup was a prefect summer treat and the hummus wrap kept the cool going. There was even a frozen raspberry bar to provide a happy ending to the meal.
This all-​volunteer student-​run «put your ethics to work» initiative is emblematic of all that is right with the world. (Although some of tea-​party friends down south might disagree) It is actually gratifying to consume a meal with a mission.
Bring your own (re-​cyclable) food containers and jump to the front of the line — maybe even double down (hah! take THAT KFC!!!) and do a next day veggie replay? For $ 8 you could (and probably would) do worse…
* DON’T PANIC — Hot Yam is re-​opening on Sept. 21 on WEDNESDAY. Yes, Wednesday!

I really wanted to rate this place better, but it came down between 2 and 3 stars~ 3 won out due to the price of $ 4 for the meal… but…
The Good
~ yummy BBQ tofu
The wish was better
~ didn’t start service to a hungry line up until 12:15 or later
~menu misrepresented the food: looking forward to Young Beet Salade in lemon vinigrette? Hope you like potato salad in said vinigrette with greens. Can’t wait for Awesome Apricot Coffee Cake? Maybe cherry coffee cake with no apricot to be seen will do.
Portions were ok, especially for the price– they only used one of my 2 containers given.
Lots of heart though, I might come back.

What a fantastic idea! A volunteer run, mostly organic and seasonal, three course vegan lunch for $ 4. WTF! I know, $ 4. Seems to good to be true. But it is not. I made a point of coming here when I knew I had the afternoon off on a Thursday. I’ve been finding it hard to get back though. If you live or work anywhere near this place and have the palette to handle healthy vegan salads and soups (meaning, you don’t eat McDonald’s or other fast food everyday for lunch) you must try Hot Yam!
When I went I got there after 1 pm and they ran out of the dessert course. A rhubarb tart. Disappointed I was. And while they changed the price to $ 3 because of this, I felt guilty being offered even more of a discount on an already ridiculous meal price. I paid the $ 4 anyway.
Next time I go I’m bringing tupperware in hand. I almost don’t believe they will fill a container of any size?! Wait, is that glutunous?

Hot Yam proves to me vegan food doesn’t always have to be served cold! Serving from inside the International Student Center on the UofT campus on Thursdays between 12 – 2. I’ve never had a bad meal & I hear rumors that this grassroot, student initiative is looking to set up permanent shop somewhere else in the city!
There’s almost always a soup involved, so I find it more tasty in the winter than the summer.
Note: Bring tupperware & skip to the front of the line!
A very healthy and still delicious way to nom nom nom for under $ 5!

Hot damn, Hot Yam! Only $ 4 for a complete healthy meal.
I’m a sucker for everything you stand for: local, ethical, organic and affordable meals and more importantly, tasty, tasty vegan cupcakes.
Kat F. and I were greeted by a line to the door when we arrived mid-​lunch rush. We dined on chickpea and leek soup, root vegetable shephard’s pie and vanilla cupcakes with cute star + moon sprinkles. The portions were not huge but it was enough food to sate the average person.
Donations were also collected to provide relief in Haiti.
The real bowls, plates and cutlery are a nice touch and I don’t mind waiting for a mug to be washed for my tea. I also like the communal table idea. This isn’t your dorm’s cafeteria and sitting with strangers is hip. Don’t be afraid to dine solo, you might find yourself making new friends.
I’m kind of sad that the Hot Yam! is only open for a 2hr window on Thursdays but for being an entirely volunteer-​run, they have a pretty smooth operation.
Tip$: After 1pm the crowd dwindles as they hustle it back to class. Bring your own containers and skip the line for take-​out. Bring $ 8 if you are very hungry and buy two meals. Sign up for their mailing list if you want to know the menu ahead of time.

Hot Yam! is, I believe, the third attempt at a cheap and healthy vegan lunch spot inside U of T’s International Student Centre. The few times I visited the first two incarnations the food was bland, boring, and generally awful. So, it was with much trepidation that I popped in to Hot Yam for lunch today. Fortunately, third time’s a charm and I was pleasantly surprised by Hot Yam.
Every Thursday Hot Yam serves a different vegan meal for $ 4. The food has all your typical hippy food adjectives attached to it – local, ethical, healthy, organic, vegan — and thankfully it can be described by one more adjective that’s atypical of this sort of food: delicious.
On my visit the meal was St. Patrick’s Day themed: a decent salad of lettuce, cabbage, cashews, and sunflower sprouts; a bowl of amazing, hearty Irish stew; soda bread full of caraway seeds; a super tasty chocolate cupcake; and tea. All around an excellent meal.
The cupcake in particular was phenomenal. Just as moist, fluffy and delicious as the best traditional non-​vegan, non-​organic, non-​healthy cupcake. Finally a vegan dessert that actually taste good.
My main complaint is that the portions are minuscule. I know it’s only $ 4 but it barely put a dent in my hunger. I had to have a second lunch an hour later to fill me up properly. Next time I’ll order two plates of food and eat ‘em both myself; that might just fill me up.
Pro Tip: For take away bring your own containers.

Mostly organic, mostly local, Hot Yam! shares its message about veganism and environmentalism in a non-​preachy, tasty and delicious way. This student-​run kitchen operates every Thursday at the International Student Centre (ISC) at the University of Toronto. Located in Cumberland House, on the northeast side of College and St. George, this makeshift restaurant serves a small, yet satisfying, vegan lunch every Thursday.
For $ 4, on real plates and bowls — Styrofoam is nary to be seen — you will get a small entrée, salad and soup. If you’re really lovin’ a piece of your lunch, ask for an additional item for $ 1 each. Modifications and special requests are warmly taken if you’ve got allergies or dietary restrictions.
Indian soy-​based raiti, beet salad, chapati, wraps, salad with fruit dressings … a lot of fantastic food happens here!
In the summer, the lawn outside is a great place to enjoy the food. There are a lot of tables and chairs as well. A little bit of a hipster hangout, most of the clients here are penny-​pinching students.
You can volunteer to help in the kitchen if you want a crash course on making yummy, healthy food, or send them an email and they will forward you their recipes. The menu is updated on Wednesdays and changes every week.
TIP: You can jump the line if you bring your own reusable container instead of using their plates.