In a city renowned for its multicultural food scene, Melbourne’s restaurants were quick to embrace plant-based menus when they became all the rage circa 2014. Named the fourth most vegan-friendly city in the world, it’s no surprise that the best vegan restaurants in Melbourne, ranging from vegan-friendly Thai dishes, plant-based cafe faithfuls, meat-free cocktail bars and sustainable pizzerias, are just as varied.
Whether it’s for environmental reasons, ethics, health, or a unique plant-based eating experience, these stellar vegan restaurants are worth booking.
Read on for a guide to the 10 most enticing vegan and vegetarian-friendly Melbourne restaurants to book right now on OpenTable.
The best vegan-friendly restaurants in Melbourne to book ASAP – read on for a guide
For one of the best vegan restaurants in Melbourne – book at Vegie Bar in Fitzroy
This thriving Fitzroy institution has catered to vegans and vegetarians since 1998. The down-to-earth vibes are palpable upon arrival, thanks to its leafy courtyard and lively interiors. Vegie Bar’s globally inspired menu includes laksa, a Malaysian-style noodle soup in coconut broth with fried tofu, and yaki udon topped with vegan roast duck, wood ear mushrooms, and seasonal greens. Wash it all down with creative cocktails such as the Malibu Stacey (rum, whiskey, spiced chai syrup, lime, pineapple, and fresh mint). Consider ending your evening next door with a visit to the restaurant’s sibling dessert spot for some of the city’s most popular vegan gelato.
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For sustainable vegan pizza in Melbourne – don’t miss Green Acre Pizza Bar in Brunswick
Rich green walls and sustainably sourced furnishings are paired with mellow tunes at eco-conscious Green Acre Pizza Bar. Local farmers, breweries, and wineries supply the majority of the menu at the adored pizzeria. Expect vegan toppings such as vegan salami, dairy-free mozzarella, and vegan feta, among others. To drink, there’s bottle-free beer, wine, and classic cocktails from a rotating tap selection. Even Green Acre’s takeaway operation is on brand: Pizza arrives by bike in biodegradable packaging made from recycled cardboard, confirming the restaurant is serious about delivering on its green promise.
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For one of the best vegan-friendly Thai restaurants in Melbourne – book at Colonel Tan’s in Prahran
Colonel Tan’s is the brainchild of chef Karen Batson (of gastrobars Cookie and The Toff in Town), who dishes up Thai food in a buzzy warehouse setting. Nostalgic accents abound, including a fleet of Nintendo 64s (yes, you can play with them). But you’re really here for some of Melbourne’s finest Southeast Asian street food. Inventive vegan options include betel leaf wraps, shiitake spring rolls, sweet potato curry, vegan pad thai and crispy silken tofu. The drinks list is even larger than the food selection—don’t miss the ‘come fly with me’, a gin sour with housemade blueberry and lavender syrup. Looking for an afterparty? Book a late-night table and linger as the space becomes a nightclub.
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For wholesome, sustainable plant-based food – don’t miss Sister of Soul in St Kilda
All-day dining spot Sister of Soul dishes up wholesome plant-based food with a side of sustainability. Its versatile kitchen is the ultimate crowdpleaser, catering to gluten-free, raw, and FODMAP diets—all while shipping its food waste and coffee grinds to a local community garden. Cafe faithfuls include garlic and turmeric scrambled tofu on toast and nourishing bowls of satay tempeh and bibimbap. Melburnians also love Sister of Soul for healthy afternoon pick-me-ups, which take the form of nutritious acai smoothies or specialty lattes, available in vegan chai, medicinal mushroom, and spiced turmeric versions.
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For a local favourite all-vegan bar – visit Follie’s Bar in Fitzroy
Meet Fitzroy’s favourite all-vegan bar: Follie’s serves top-notch Basque-style pintxos and plant-based cocktails, spritzes, and wine. Bite-sized snacks on sticks are the highlights here, including winners such as peach and goat cheese crostini, Italian meatballs in tomato sauce, and patatas bravas with roasted chickpeas. The decor is a groovy nod to the 1970s, all fuzzy carpets, retro wallpaper prints, and bright orange tabletops. Stop by for a daily happy hour, come for a bottomless lunch, or keep an eye out for seasonal-themed events planned throughout the year.
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For an iconic plant-based pioneer – book a table at Lona Misa in South Yarra
Lona Misa, which earned a hat from 2024’s Good Food Guide Awards, is a joint venture between acclaimed vegan chef Shannon Martinez and hospitality superstar Ian Curley. It’s poised at the front of South Yarra’s luxury Ovolo hotel—the first hotel brand in the world to serve fully vegetarian menus at its restaurants. The acclaimed menu features Latin American small plates and highlights impeccably done faux meats (peri peri chicken, moqueca Brazilian seafood stew) and char-grilled seasonal vegetables. Plan a pre- or post-meal stop at the charming bar area, known for creative drinks such as the rum-forward Lona Cola, and raise a glass to this plant-based pioneer.
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For vegan tapas at one of the best vegan restaurants in Melbourne – try Good Love in St Kilda
Local produce is transformed into cocktail-friendly vegan dishes at Good Love. Snack on tapas such as slow-cooked button mushrooms in a miso reduction or fully loaded patatas bravas with walnut chorizo mince. For something more substantial, get the all-veggie paella topped with konjac “prawns” or a vegan katsu curry. Whatever you’re grazing on, don’t skip the killer cocktails, which include a fig gin sour and a boulevardier made with Japanese whisky. Melburnians also flock here for the made-for-Instagram outdoor space, done up with neon-pink lighting, tropical umbrellas, and splashes of green. It adds up to a playful plant-based spot that’s also one of the city’s most prized late-night hangouts.
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For vegan-friendly Sichuan dishes – don’t miss Shu Restaurant in Collingwood
The strictly plant-based kitchen at Shu Restaurant is all about innovative Sichuan dishes inspired by head chef Shu Liu’s southwestern Chinese heritage. There’s an elegant vegan ten-course degustation featuring charcoal dumplings with kohlrabi mince, double-cooked eggplant with house-pickled chile jam, and almond pudding studded with fruit and bubble pearls. Sundays are for an unlimited yum cha lineup known for imaginative dishes such as slow-cooked pumpkin with Chinese donuts and chilled spinach dan dan noodles. Tuck into your vegan feast in a moody industrial space, and you’ll quickly see why this one-of-a-kind restaurant is a Collingwood staple.
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For a vegan-friendly Indian restaurant in Melbourne – try Jai Ho Indian Restaurant in Richmond and Hoppers Crossing
This family-run gem (with two branches in Richmond and Hoppers Crossing churns out some of Melbourne’s most flavourful Indian food. Grab your mates—the dishes are best enjoyed family-style—and prepare for an immersive experience. Sit on a low-slung table and dig into vegan and vegetarian platters laden with lentil crisps, vegan money bags, and potato and pea samosas. Bonus points for unusual plant-based mains, which aren’t limited to dals and vegetable curries. Instead, expect a dedicated vegan menu where tofu plays a starring role, simmered in a garlicky tomato gravy, stir-fried with peppers and onions, or tossed with fresh spinach.
Check availability for Richmond
Check availability for Hoppers Crossing
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For one of the best vegan restaurants in the CBD – book at Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana in the CBD
Find nonna-worthy Italian food at this rustic CBD restaurant. At Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana, mock meats turn Mediterranean classics into vegan stars. And there’s no need to hold the parmesan—it’s vegan, too. Dig into gnocchi with vegan duck ragu, risotto with plant-based chicken and mushrooms, and a bechamel and ragu vegan lasagne, plus plenty of meat-free pizza options. The restaurant is especially charming on balmy evenings when you can snag a seat in the bustling laneway, order an Aperol spritz, and watch the passers by.
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Catherine Fallon is a passionate food writer in Melbourne enjoying all the eats and drinks this wonderful city has to offer. Follow her on Instagram @forkingoutagain.
