Hi there!
I love doing travel posts, as it provides plant based readers with the confidence to explore. So far, I’ve written up vegan guides to the U.S, Vietnam, Cambodia & Forest Haven (an all vegan bed & breakfast in Victoria) which you can check by clicking their respective titles. There will be more to come in the next couple of months but for today, I want to share my 10 favourite vegan restaurants from my own backyard: Melbourne!
Get ready for mouth-watering pics!
1. MANTRA LOUNGE
Where can I find it = 167 Grattan Street, Carlton.
What type of cuisine = Hare Krishna, Indian style.
What makes them so special = Mantra Lounge is full of beautiful people, an ever-changing cheap menu, cozy bohemian setting & lots of great meal deals! You can attend cooking classes (check out ‘Cooking with Love’), Kirtan Meditation evenings & profound talks from Guru’s & Buddhist Monks.
What do you recommend = At the moment, they have an insanely delicious Jackfruit Salad, but I believe their specialty is the Lasagna, which I see most people ordering day in & day out. You can get a generous slab of vegan Lasagna, Mesclun salad with Tahini dressing & a slice of yummy cake for $10 in a Mantra Meal Deal! They are my favourite vegan restaurant of all time, hence making the top of my list!
2. LOVING HUT
Where can I find it = 10/242 Victoria Street, Richmond (there is also a Northcote location).
What type of cuisine = Loving Hut is predominately an Asian vegan restaurant, featuring a wide range of Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese & Indian dishes.
What makes them so special = This beautiful restaurant is so cosy and full of friendly staff. Their walls are covered with reasons to be vegan & care for the planet. Not only that, they sell vegan pet food, frozen meals & desserts!
What do you recommend = I highly recommend the ‘Mongolian Beef’ as it tastes insanely similar to meat, without the cruelty! Their raw desserts are pretty special too!
3. FINA’S VEGETARIAN CAFE 1 & 2
Where can I find it = Fina’s: (268 Victoria Street, Richmond) Fina’s 2: (339 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy).
What type of cuisine = Vietnamese.
What makes them so special = Fina’s in Richmond became so popular, that Fina’s 2 opened up in Brunswick Street not long after. Fina’s 2 was where Francis and I held our engagement dinner. The family owners are such beautiful & generous people. They source all of their cakes/desserts from Mr. Nice Guy’s Bakeshop & their menu continues to grow with diverse, delicious options!
What do you recommend = I recommend their big noodle soups. They are filled with tofu, veggies, noodles, mock meats & even a vegan fish sauce! You can also order whole coconuts to drink from. Yum!
4. MADAME K’S
Where can I find it = 367 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
What type of cuisine = Thai.
What makes them so special = You will notice that most of my top ten are in Brunswick Street, as that is the vegan Capital of Melbourne! I love Madame K’s because it is one of the very first vegan restaurants I ever went to. Their specialty is flavour, which they nail in every single dish!
What do you recommend = The mock duck pancake! You haven’t lived until you’ve tried it!
5. YONG’S GREEN FOOD
Where can I find it = 421 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
What type of cuisine = Yong’s are predominately an Asian inspired vegan restaurant, with lots of raw & macrobiotic cuisine.
What makes them so special = As mentioned, Yong’s has a raw menu, filled with healthy options. They follow the Buddhist Philosophy of Yin & Yang, hence their macrobiotic options. The menu is massive!
What do you recommend = It’s a toss up between their Raw Lasagna or White Chocolate/Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake which I had on my birthday (pictured below)
6. SHAKAHARI VEGETARIAN
Where can I find it = 201-203 Faraday Street, Carlton.
What type of cuisine = Shakahari offers all kinds of cuisine! From Italian to Indian to Japanese to Spanish, you can try a bit of the globe!
What makes them so special = Shakahari is a gourmet vegan restaurant – the perfect spot for a special occasion. I’ve celebrated romantic date night’s, birthday’s and even work events here.
What do you recommend = The satay mock Chicken Skewers! Enough said!
7. V-SERIES
Where can I find it = Shop 4/26 Princess Street, Kew.
What type of cuisine = Fusion!
What makes them so special = V-Series used to be called A Caterpillar’s Dream, so you may know them by that name. They serve breakfast until 3pm and have a wide range of vegan cupcakes at the counter.
What do you recommend = I recommend the Peanut Butter Cupcake. It is too good to put into words!
8. SMITH & DAUGHTERS
Where can I find it = 175 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
What type of cuisine = Mexican.
What makes them so special = Smith & Daughter’s is constantly packed with eccentric staff, creative cocktails & funky artwork. They recently opened up Smith & Deli, which is an all vegan delicatessen! I’ve only been there once but it was incredible!
What do you recommend = Smith & Daughter’s has an ever-changing menu, however, the deconstructed Taco Bowl is a constant and it is unbelievable! Mock Chorizo & Cashew Cream – need I say more?
9. INVITA LIVING FOOD
Where can I find it = 76 Therry Street, Melbourne.
What type of cuisine = Juices & Salads.
What makes them so special = I recently discovered Invita on my lunch break and now I go there often. Not only are all the options super healthy, but it’s right next to the Queen Victoria Market, so I can shop for fresh fruits & veggies afterwards.
What do you recommend = Order the vegan Corn Cake! It’s delicious!
10. GONG DE LIN
Where can I find it = 264 Swanston Street, Melbourne.
What type of cuisine = Chinese.
What makes them so special = I’ve come here with many people, so it’s very special to me. It is a bit difficult to find, so you will need to locate Noodle Kingdom and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, where you will find Gong De Lin. You can get a booth overlooking the city. The menu is so large, it can take a while to choose & all of the portions are super generous!
What do you recommend = I recommend the Braised Broadbeans with vegan Ham (pictured) or the Lemon ‘Chicken.’
I hope you enjoyed my vegan tour of Melbourne. I’m really proud to live in a city that has so many plant based, ethical restaurants. I actually struggled to put this list together because there are so many I left out. Hopefully the options continue to grow all over the world, but for now, go try out these amazing vegan establishments!
Peace and Love xoxox