Eat like a local: Vegan Newtown

“Newtown is a bustling foodie’s paradise, but I’ve also found it to be a vegan’s paradise,” said the keen dancer, who is Sydney-born and raised but very proud of her Bengali Indian heritage.

When we sat down with Riana to share her plant-friendly finds, she made it clear that this food is not just for vegans.

“There’s a misconception that vegan food is not tasty, but it has come such a long way. People are so creative and it’s been an amazing experience to hunt out vegan food that is so good that my husband, who loves fried chicken, happily enjoys it too. If it didn’t taste good, neither of us would eat it!”

“Taste is the number one thing. If it doesn’t taste good, I don’t have anything to do with it.” And with that excellent advice in mind, here are Riana’s top places to eat and drink in Newtown.

Where do you go for your morning coffee?

“I’m not a coffee person but the café at Comeco Foods is great. It has all sorts of coffees on offer, all kinds of plant-based milks, and it does fab matcha lattes and chai lattes. A great place, it’s always busy and it’s all vegan as well as organic, dairy-free and gluten-free.”

Your favourite fast lunch?

“Lunch would have to be I Should be Souvlaki and it’s vegan chick’n souvlaki. My husband who eats meat absolutely loves it. It tastes de-fricken-licious! I was a meat eater for most of my life and I don’t see the difference. It’s full of flavour and the bread is beautiful.”

You’ll find me shopping for food at…

“La Petite Fauxmagerie is a vegan cheese shop and I love it because they have such a wide range of cheeses. They do cheese tasting nights to try before you buy and they have lots of delicious sweets and pâté to go with everything. I am really into the vegan feta.”

A cheap and cheerful spot is…

“Lord of the Fries does a bargain mini spicy chicken burger with cheese that’s really yummy.”

What about drinks after work?

“The really cool bar I love in Newtown is the 1989 Arcade Bar. It has all these old-school games inside, and it’s always super packed but it’s a really fun night out. It does classic cocktails but also originals ones like “It’s on like Donkey Kong”. And there are jaffles if you get hungry!”

Winter is coming so where would you go for something to warm you up?

“The pho from Golden Lotus is a must-try winter dish! I wouldn’t waste time going anywhere else. The broth is really flavourful and it is honestly one of the best soups in Sydney. Golden Lotus does great Vietnamese vegan food – I usually get the vegan chicken pho.”

What about for the best sushi?

“Comeco Foods! I know I already mentioned their café but the sushi they make is absolutely amazing. They only sell it on the weekends but it sells out before midday. I pre-order to avoid disappointment and so should you. The flavours are just so good. The aburi eggplant teriyaki rolls are my favourite – they have pumpkin on the inside and a pan-fried eggplant slice around the outside. Any person that appreciates food will love these, vegan or not!”

Where would you take your friends for brunch?

“Vandal’s for tacos because tacos work any time of the day, in my opinion! Quick, delicious, with a whole range of flavours and really fruity, fresh drinks, both cocktails and mocktails. My fave drink is the lychee buzz, which has lemon and elderflower, and my favourite taco is the popcorn prawn.”

Where would you go for a Friday night dinner with your partner?

“Gigi Pizzeria has the most amazing pizza. They follow the authentic Neapolitan method so it’s very traditional. It’s always busy, great value for money and while I have been there with a group, it’s great just for couples too. My favourite pizza is the melanzane (eggplant) with San Marzano tomatoes, tree nut ricotta and vegan parmesan – it’s really yummy. Salsiccia (sausage) and broccoli is also really, really good. All the pizzas are delicious because the bases are wood-fired and they have such a depth of flavour – the crusts alone are so good, you could just eat them. The polenta crumbed arancini with mushrooms are our go-to dish!”

Newtown’s secret gem is…

“Whenever Newtown is packed, we go to this tiny homely little place called Blossoming Lotus Newtown. It’s a real hidden gem, very humble but reliable, tasty and we always get a table there. They have all different sorts of vegan Asian food, noodles, Thai green curry, delicious fake duck, and spring rolls and curry puffs that are just $2 each. I like that you get a really diverse mix of people in there – old, young, middle aged, hipsters – they’re all there because it’s just an unassuming, low-key kind of place with delicious food.”

Newtown is a great place to eat because…

“It has something for everyone and it’s an exciting place to be! Hand on heart, I only love food that tastes good, and there’s so much great food here, for vegans and non-vegans alike. King Street goes for kilometres and kilometres and there’s so much diversity in the food that you can get – from fine dining to fast food. And there’s also heaps of specialty shops, so you can eat and have a really great day out here.”

Your Vegan Newtown address book:

Comeco Foods: 524A King St, Newtown NSW 2042

I Should Be Souvlaki: 399 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

La Petite Fauxmagerie: 412 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Lord of the Fries: 230 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

1989 Arcade Bar: 22-24 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Golden Lotus Vegan Newtown: 341 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Vandal Taqueria: 403 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Gigi Pizzeria: 379 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Blossoming Lotus Newtown: 367 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Want more local guides? Check out our local guide to Kingsford, especially great for Asian food, or our local recommendations for Bondi Junction.