By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
Sydney's best vegetarian restaurants prove that dining out as a plant-based person no longer means limp lettuce leaves masquerading as a salad, or a soggy serving of hot chips!
Here are the Harbour City spots lifting their lentil game and bringing a touch of glam to dining - minus the meat!
Yellow - the sunny restaurant by both name and nature - has been turning heads (and taste buds) since its official opening in 2014. However, it was in 2016 that the Potts Point restaurant truly reinvented itself, stepping confidently into the spotlight as Sydney’s first fine-dining vegetarian and vegan destination.
Today, it continues to paint the (plant-based) town red, err, yellow, with its sculptural light fittings, softly spoken service and sophisticated meals. Nary a chickpea in sight. Unless, of course, it's an artfully plated one!
Instead, long-time Head Chef and now co-owner Sander Nooij crafts six-course vegan tasting menus that shift with the seasons, showcasing the true potential of vegetables as stars of the plate.
Think grilled Dutch carrot with cumquat, eggplant parcels stuffed with hemp ricotta and chilli crisps and Jarrahdale pumpkin atop a spiced granita and cinnamon jelly for dessert. While entirely plant-based, Yellow’s food is so refined and flavour-packed that even devoted carnivores have found themselves converted.
Tucked into the hustle of Surry Hills is Yulli’s, a laidback yet ultra-stylish restaurant that proves that a meat-free meal can be a memorable one. It’s cool, quirky and completely vegetarian - even a hardened carnivore could hardly complain that they feel like they’re missing out.
Stars of the share-plate menu include dishes like mini-Vietnamese pancakes with chilli radish, crispy tofu skin, King mushroom, fresh herbs and blood plum sauce and crispy leek and ginger dumplings; while more substantial options include the BBQ King brown mushrooms with chilli jam and broccolini and the XO noodle hot pot with tempura enoki mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and black garlic.
Add to that an award-winning selection of beers brewed by Yulli’s Brews and natural wines by the glass and you’ve got the perfect spot for a midweek dinner that feels indulgent without being over the top.
Bootleg Social Lounge is not your typical Italian Nonna’s cucina - and that’s exactly the point. Instead, this sultry, retro-glam Darlinghurst space serves up nostalgic Italian-American favourites with a modern, vegetarian twist. Think candlelight, velvet booths, vintage glassware and a menu of updated classics that just happen to skip the meat.
The restaurant’s take on herbed meatballs comes cooked in a six-hour sugo and served with EVOO and Parmesan, the arancini balls are served with black truffle and truffle mayo and the zucchini flowers are stuffed-to-bursting with ricotta, honey, shaved macadamia and lemon. While all the pastas are proof that plant-based need not be the poor man’s option, with indulgent options like cacio e pepe made with creamy, peppery Parmesan and cracked black pepper on bucatini.
It’s comfort food, dialled up to luxe levels - and, paired with Martinis, Negronis and a tasty tiramisu to finish delivers all the dramatic charm of a decadent dinner party.
Although hidden in the bustling heart of the hippie-esque Newtown, Flora feels worlds away from its student budget-satisfying neighbours - with the refined vegetarian spot (from the team behind Paisano & Daughters) delivering plant-based dining with polish.
The space is elegant and minimalist, with soft lighting and crisp table settings that set the scene for modern, globally inspired dishes. If in doubt, opt for the $85 Set Menu and tuck into options like housemade fresh curd with Living Earth farm delicata squash and agro dolce; or the Brussels sprout and potato pierogi with sour cream, crispy leaves and pickled mustard seed, along with grated beetroot, sauerkraut and pomegranate labneh.
Pizza Madre has become a cult favourite and not just among discerning vegetarians. Named one of the Top 50 Pizzerias in Asia Pacific for 2024, this tiny, chic eatery serves exclusively vegetarian pizzas, each with a slow-fermented dough base that crackles at the edges and melts in the middle.
Toppings change frequently, but expect combinations like roast cauliflower with smoked scamorza and pickled chilli, or Jerusalem artichokes with buffalo ricotta and truffle oil. The wine list is as considered as the menu, with a sharp focus on natural, biodynamic bottles from boutique producers.
Traditional Vietnamese vibes - minus the animal products - are on the menu at Vina Vegan. While the dining room is sleek and contemporary, the food stays true to beloved family recipes.
Fragrant pho with deeply spiced broth, crispy spring rolls wrapped in buttery rice paper and caramelised ‘pork’ claypot dishes made with tofu and mushrooms all sing with flavour. It’s a go-to for plant-based diners who crave those classic Vietnamese flavours but want to enjoy them in a space that feels fresh and elevated.
Finally, Mina Maria brings a new level of glamour to plant-based dining in Sydney. Once known as I Should Be Souvlaki - a cult favourite at the Sydney Vegan Markets - this reimagined Newtown restaurant now offers a refined, fine-dining Euro-inspired experience with a nostalgic nod.
Founders Emma Langley and Adam Papastathopoulos have honoured their family roots with the name, while transforming the menu and space into something far more elevated than a street-side souvlaki.
Instead, signature Greek-style skewers remain, but now sit alongside elegant dishes like spinach and ‘feta’ spanakopita, a vegan ‘beef’ Wellington with peppercorn sauce and crisp potatoes and beautifully plated house-baked cheesecakes in flavours like Biscoff and lemon blueberry.
