The Best Vegan Restaurants in Melbourne
These days, chefs are paying vegetables more attention than ever. Just look at the proliferation of roasted cauliflower on menus across Australia and the world.
From there, going full vegan is a relatively small step. Butter can be swapped out for coconut oil, cow's milk for soy milk, and egg whites for aquafaba (the liquid found in cans of chickpeas). As the murky ethics of the industrial food chain become more apparent, these substitutes are becoming more and more popular. Melbourne doesn't have a huge number of entirely vegan restaurants, but if you're okay with the people around you eating animal products, many places can cater for you.
Smith & Daughters
Ballard’s
Evie’s Disco Diner
Red Sparrow
Kevabs
The Green Man’s Arms
Shop225 Pizzeria
The Cornish Arms
Good Days
Sister of Soul
Jinda Thai
Trippy Taco
Shandong Mama
Funghi e Tartufo
Brother Bon
Green Acre
La Pinta
Wazzup Falafel
More Options
Gong De Lin, Melbourne CBD
It’s easy to miss this meat-free Chinese joint, which is hidden upstairs in a nondescript building on Swanston Street. Head up the lift and order sizzling dishes backed by tofu, vegetables and mock meats. Popular dishes include the pot of braised tofu and fungi with bean paste, sweet and sour “pork”, Szechuan-style eggplant, and kung bao vegetarian “chicken”.
Huong Viet Vegan, Footscray
This cosy, no-fuss Vietnamese diner serves up many of the classics by substituting in mock meat, tofu, mushrooms and other veg. The expansive menu covers most bases, from bright rice paper rolls to spicy bun bo hue and steaming chao ga (also known as congee or rice porridge).
