Poutine Party! Leopold’s Tavern Wins Top PETA Award for Best Vegan Spin on a Classic Dish

For Immediate Release:
January 29, 2025

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

It’s poutine a smile on people’s faces! Ahead of La Poutine Week (February 1-7), PETA is recognizing five Canadian eateries for dishing up the country’s best vegan poutines—and Winnipeg hotspot Leopold’s Tavern has made the list. The restaurant’s Plant-Based Buffalo Chicken Poutine is made with a heaping helping of meat-free morsels, topped with dairy-free cheddar, and smothered with a mouthwatering combination of vegan buffalo and dill ranch sauces.

“It’s all gravy at Leopold’s Tavern, which crafted a sumptuous cow-friendly poutine that curd’n’t be beat,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Every one of these delicious vegan versions of a classic Canadian comfort food are earning a PETA nod, satisfying diners, and leaving animals in peace—it’s a win-win-win.”

Cows can recognize the faces of their friends in photographs and mourn when a loved one dies or when they’re separated from each other, yet in the dairy industry, female cows are forcibly impregnated and have their beloved calves taken away from them. Their lives end at the slaughterhouse, just like the cows who are violently killed for meat.

Every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals each year and reduces their own risk of developing heart disease and cancer. PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help those looking to make the switch.

Leopold’s Tavern will receive a framed certificate from PETA along with bragging rights. Other winners include MeeT in Victoria, BC; Odd Burger in Regina, Saskatchewan; NJ’s Kitchen in St. John’s, NL; and Naked Cafe in Kelowna, BC.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.