Green is a tricky word these days – it could mean environmentally-friendly or simply the colour. The confusion ends at Panthere Verte where it’s both.

This funky little vegan restaurant has a mandate to deliver fresh, organic and (when possible) local meals to hungry diners. Inside the restaurant the wooden floors are brightened up with green walls and large green abstract oil paintings. Tropical cacti grace the tabletops and trays of sprouting wheat grass remind us that green is good.

Falafel is king at the Panthere Verte and the free samples left out front entice more than a few customers inside. Get it any way you like - on a plate, in a sandwich, or straight up on the side. The menu also offers up other vegan yum-yums like BBQ tofu, veggie burgers, tempeh, and vegé paté.

Wash it all down with a freshly made juice or smoothie. With names like Funky Monkey, Choco-Maca and Baloo Berry, choosing isn’t easy. 

The Panthere Verte is a popular spot for diners of all ages, from babies in Bjorns to baby-boomers on lunch break. A long table with benches adds a communal feel and leads to customers sharing tables and talk. With a full meal costing less than $10, the topic of conversation is often one of praise.

A green place, serving green food that doesn’t cost a lot of green - that’s the best definition of green.