Fancy a night out at a cruelty-free restaurant? Looking for a quick feed on the run? Most restaurants have vegetarian options on their menus, and there is an increasing number of vegetarian-only cafes and restaurants all over the country.
Here in Australia we are blessed with some of the best places to eat ever! And to prove it, we’ve made a list of our top eats around the country. If you’re living or visiting elsewhere, check out ‘Happy Cow’ for a list of veggie-friendly restaurants near you. Eat up! And enjoy!
Melbourne city is teaming with amazing veggie restaurants—it was difficult to limit ourselves to just five!
Lord of the Fries
Best hot chips in the land; awesome burgers (vegan cheese available!). Looks like meat, tastes like meat, 100% cruelty-free! Now in 7 locations across Melbourne!
Vegie Bar
Huge menu, tasty food and a buzzing atmosphere. 380 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Smith & Daughters
Super stylish and all vegan restaurant. 175 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Sister of Soul
Delicious and healthy vegetarian and vegan creations. 73 Acland St, St Kilda
Reverence Hotel
Live music and delicious veg pub food including pizzas, tacos and quesadillas? Yes please! 28 Napier St, Footscray
Yum yum vegan yum cha in the heart of the city.
2-4 College St, Sydney (opposite Hyde Park)
Lord of the Fries
Best hot chips in the land plus awesome burgers (vegan cheese available!) Looks like meat, tastes like meat, 100% cruelty-free!
Shop 7/537 George St, Sydney
Brisbane has a few vegetarian gems up it’s sleeve. Here are our absolute must-try’s.
Loving Hut
All-vegan café/restaurant. Fresh modern decor, friendly staff, a great selection of Asian-inspired dishes with convincing mock meats, and also more conventional options. Great cakes and deserts too!
2/1420 Logan Rd, Mt Gravatt
The Forest Cafe
Great food, cruisy atmosphere. Wholefood organic vegan cafe.
124 Boundary St, West End
Kuan Yin Vegetarian Tea House
Amazing Asian vegetarian food. Very well priced, very friendly staff. The Taiwanese Fried ‘Chicken’ is a must-try!
198 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley
Ykillamoocow
The original ‘No Bull’ Pie, Vegan Dagwood Dogs... Say no more!
West End Markets (Davies Park), Saturdays.
Vege Rama
Quick and tasty meals in the CBD at 2 locations.
Level E, Myer Centre, Queen St, Brisbane. & Post Office Square, Queens st, Brisbane
There are so many great places to eat in Adelaide, each with their own unique charm. Here are our top five!
Zen House
Friendly, well priced, great variety of veg Asian food including mock-meats (plus, they have take-home stuff in the freezer, including exquisite vegan ice-cream!)
17 Bent St, Adelaide
Joy Discovery Vegetarian Cafe
Healthy global cuisine, lots of yummy vegan options
13 Bent St, Adelaide
Vego ‘n’ Lovin it
Burgers, soups, vegan ice-cream, lots of charm, well priced.
240 Rundle St, Adelaide (upstairs above B sharp records)
Bliss Organic Cafe
Vegan cafe, open for breakfast, layed-back atmosphere, friendly staff
7 Compton Street, Adelaide
Vegetarian Delight
Extensive menu of veg Asian cuisine including mock meats and lots of vegan dishes. Great prices, atmosphere and service.
462 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
You won't go hungry in our nation's capital! Check out some Canberra cuisine:
Kingsland Vegan Restaurant
A lovely Vegan Asian restaurant with plenty of classic dishes, such as 'beef' and black bean, mongolian 'lamb', as well as some delicious original creations.
Shop 5 67-69 Woolley St Dickson Plaza Dickson
Au Lac Vegetarian Restaurant
A cosy Vietnamese restaurant, with a good variety.
4/39 Woolley St Dickson Plaza Dickson
My Rainbow Dreams Cafe
A lovely cafe with a great variety of cuisines, including burgers, wraps, curries, soups and a delicious selection of sweets.
Dickson Chambers Shp G1b/ Dickson Plaza
You won't go hungry in Hobart! Check out these awesome cafes and restaurants!
Shu Yuan
Asian vegetarian restaurant, plenty of mock-meats to satiate any carnivore, well priced too
64 Liverpool St, Hobart
Sirens
Global cuisine, a little fancy and a little pricey
6 Victoria St, Hobart
Nourish
Vegetarian cafe, with some vegan options
129 Elizabeth St, Hobart
Annapurna
Indian cuisine (NOT 100% VEG, but offers some good vegetarian and vegan options)
2 locations: 93 Salamanca Pl, Hobart, and 305 Elizabeth St, North Hobart
Subway’s Veggie Delight Sub (including the patty) is an easy and delicious option if you’re on the run (and is vegan if ordered without the cheese). Domino’s make a vegetarian pizza that can easily be made vegan if requested without the cheese too. All decent kebab outlets including Ali Baba, the Kebab Co and UTK make tasty vegetarian felafel kebabs, and can be found pretty much everywhere.
Don’t be scared about visiting a non-veg restaurant. Most places have vegetarian (and vegan) options on their menu, and those that don’t are often happy to prepare something vegetarian on request. Chinese, Thai and Indian restaurants usually have a wide variety of meat-free options—and the more you order, the more incentive they have to expand their vegetarian menu! So get out there, and be adventurous!
Even though you know it’s easy to find and prepare tasty vegetarian food, your friends and family may not always ‘get it’. The best way around this is to offer to bring a cruelty-free dish to share—this way others can learn first-hand how interesting and delicious veggie food can be! If you’re stuck for ideas, check out our favourite recipes.
