Brisbane’s best veggie restaurants

Lucy Brook has kindly compiled a sharp list of six River City restaurants that she reckons are top-notch for herbivores. It’s well worth checking out.

Some of my faves have made the list, like New Farm’s colourful Himalayan Cafe, which has traditional momos so good I find myself transported directly back to the Nepal we visited a couple years ago, to a little cafe perched on a rooftop high above Kathmandu’s smog-choked streets. They also do a little number we’ve dubbed “cloud bread” – so much so I don’t actually know it’s real name! Hunt for the mint sauce and you’ll be in cloud bready heaven.

I’ve also spent many a morning parked at a wide wooden table in the leafy backyard garden of Paddington’s Sassafras (make sure you take a peek at their charming website) but that’s where my personal taste-testing tour ends.

Lucy also lists Kitchen Sanitarium, Press, Loving Hut and Mondo Organics. Anyone checked this lot out?

While we’re on the topic, let me share my personal dinner favourite: Paddington’s Kathmandu Newa Chhe’n. These guys serve up the best Nepalese and Himalayan fare, both with and without faces. By that I mean everyone from your staunch carnivore to Alana-the-vegan will be happy here. In fact, I reckon some of their vegan options are their best (hint: scoff on their aloo kofta). Dining in is great fun if you score a spot in the purple room, packed with low coffee tables and floor cushions. And it’s BYO. Their takeaway is also ace. Win-win, really.

- Koren

★    ★    ★

Snooping over Koren’s shoulder (as I so often like to do) I need to add in my vegan two cents worth.

So Sassafras hey? We were just there the other morning. I’m a fan of the beautiful garden out the back and the friendly faces at the front counter. I ordered the vegan lentil bake which was delicious. The only gripe I have is with their salads. Eight salads on display and not one of them vegan… hmm…

I visited Mondo Organics several months ago now and as their name suggests, their food is purchased from organic and sustainable sources. At the time they offered a beautiful baked pear dessert that was completely vegan but it doesn’t appear to be on their menu anymore. Aside from this, if you ring them a couple of days beforehand and give them a fair amount of warning they are quite happy to cater to most dietary requirements.

My girlfriend and I visited My Heart Garden in St Lucia last year. The restaurant offers all vegetarian and vegan food, in fact there are more vegan options on the menu than anything else! I was in total heaven! We walked away with our stomachs full, our conscience sound and our purses relatively unharmed. Make sure you try their amazing homemade mayonnaise!!

Love Alana xx