Looking for great vegetarian restaurants in Adelaide to suit a morning catch-up with friends, a fun family meal or a romantic date night? We’ve got you covered with this guide to some of the top veggie cafes, restaurants and food trucks in town.
A fairytale adventure at Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit is a whimsical garden cafe serving an all-day brunch and lunch. Each dish celebrates the best seasonal ingredients with modern twists on classic cafe fare, all paired with locally roasted 1645 coffee – a family coffee roasting business in Adelaide.
The menu is designed exclusively for gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian diners. For brunch, tuck into a crispy smashed potato with almond cream, xo sauce and snow peas, or indulge in the banana french toast with mascarpone, salted butterscotch sauce and roasted almonds.
The hand-cut fazzoletti (for the uninitiated, this translates as handkerchief as the squares of pasta fold like fabric on the plate) topped with roasted mushroom, leek, confit garlic and parmesan is a taste sensation.
Four-legged friends are welcome to come along for your morning coffee run. Or, if you’d prefer, a morning iced milo, a creamy banana smoothie, or strawberry matcha.
Whether you choose to sit beneath the trees in the garden space or snuggle by the indoor fire, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale at Peter Rabbit.
Celebrate the birds and the bees at Joy of Flora
Joy of Flora is a 100 per cent plant-based and vegan cafe in West Croydon with walls covered in beautiful, vibrant murals of birds, plants and insects.
Almost everything on the menu is made from scratch in-house, or sourced from local suppliers. Adjoining the light, colourful cafe is an exhibition space welcoming art from creatives, and an event space that’s perfect for catered parties and gatherings.
The seasonal menu is designed to nourish, with gluten-free and wholefood options. Tuck into the tofu scramble with pan-fried potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms and grated carrot on sourdough, or enjoy a fresh smoothie bowl topped with your choice of ingredients such as banana, mixed berries, protein powder and peanut butter.
Joy of Flora is renowned for its burgers with juicy plant-based patties, filled with melted cheese, fresh veggies and salad, and a special sauce, and served with wedges and an amazing pickled pineapple salsa. There’s also a selection of raw cakes and baked goods if you’re after more of a wholesome snack.
Check out the cafe’s social media to keep up to date with monthly events, including live music, writing workshops and guided meditation sessions.
Burgers and hotdogs at Two-Bit Villains
Tucked inside the historic Grand Ballroom of Adelaide Arcade, with a balcony overlooking Rundle Mall, is Adelaide’s best veggie burger and hotdog eatery.
Two-Bit Villains is an Americana inspired diner serving award-winning ‘beef’ and ‘chicken’ burgers made in-house using plant-based ingredients. The menu features a vegan buttermilk fried ‘chicken’ burger with a pickle coleslaw, sliced vegan or dairy cheese and sriracha aioli, as well as loaded fried dipped in maple syrup and topped with chilli, spring onions and sesame seeds.
For something lighter, tuck into a vegan caesar salad or a cajun bowl. And no meal is complete without a hand-crafted soda, made completely in-house with real fruits and spices. Upgrade to a soda float, where your chosen drink is poured over a generous serving of vanilla ice cream.
Embrace Greek cuisine and sustainability at food truck, Staazi and Co
Rated the fifth best vegan food truck in the world by Lonely Planet, Staazi and Co is a must-visit for Greek street food. The mobile van brings friendly service to the streets of Adelaide, with a mission to change how customers think about vegan dining, while promoting the benefits of a sustainable life.
At Staazi and Co, all ingredients are 100 per cent plant based. Specialties include plant-based lamb yiros with plant-based ‘lamb’, home-made tzatziki, tomato, red onion and hot chips wrapped in toasted pita, or loaded fries layered with Greek style slaw, tzatziki and a delicious olive tapenade.
Wrap up your meal with melomakarona, which are traditional Greek honey cookies (often made and shared at Christmas) flavoured with orange and cinnamon and covered in sugar syrup and crushed walnuts.
Staazi and Co also advocates for an end of animal cruelty, and customers can find a comprehensive collection of books, documentaries and organisations on the website.
Fine dining and homely vibes at Allegra
For fine dining with a vegetarian twist, head to Allegra on Giles Street. Each night, the talented chefs prepare a full-course dinner showcasing the best plant-based ingredients of the season.
Guests are served in an intimate 28-seat dining room, complete with fresh floral arrangements, plywood ceiling tiles and relaxed house music. It feels more like a home than a restaurant.
There are always surprising flavour combinations on the ever-changing menu. Think coffee dip with artichoke chips, porcini-port jelly with spent sourdough, and an oyster mushroom schnitzel seasoned with saltbush, juniper berries and fennel seeds. Each dish is beautifully plated, bursting with colour and intricate details.
Fun times and cheese toasties at Africola
If you are after a fun night out at a bold, music-filled restaurant, Africola is an award-winning open-plan restaurant and bar located in a heritage-listed building on Adelaide’s East End.
We’re cheating a bit with this one, as its not strictly vegetarian, but vegetarians love it for the large offering of South African-inspired vegetable dishes, and Chef Duncan Welgemoed is famous for his cheese and pickle toasties. From a wood-fired oven comes a great selection of African-inspired vegetables, flatbreads, pickles, ferments and vegan desserts.
The entire seasonal menu is about bold flavours and spice, with standouts including mushroom with white bean and chilli crisp, or dahl with coconut and coriander chutney.
Vegan deliciousness at Veggie Vie
In downtown Adelaide and in the charming town of Hahndorf (in the Adelaide Hills), you’ll find Veggie Vie – a wholesome vegan restaurant that is 100 per cent vegan, using only fresh local ingredients.
Start your day with beetroot hummus on toast, topped with feta, roasted pumpkin and a balsamic glaze. For lunch, the menu is packed with burgers and salads, including the tofu and pumpkin burger with peanut satay sauce. For dinner there’s handmade pizza topped with gourmet veggies, or burgers topped with caramelised onion and served with chips or wedges.
There’s a great smoothie menu (including smoothie bowls) with awesome combos such as the Mango Loco – pineapple, mango, passionfruit, lime, maca powder and coconut water.
Loving the sound of these vegetarian restaurants in Adelaide? To read about some of the best vegetarian restaurants in Melbourne, click here.
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