Vegan and Vegetarian Dishes to Order When You're Finally Ready to Give Meat-Free a Try

Indian Mehfil in Taringa has vegans and vegetarians spoilt for choice with a huge offering of curries. The restaurant is based in an old heritage-style building and seats up to 150 people. With the philosophy of ‘guest is god’, Indian Mehfil has a knack for serving its customers with the utmost attention to detail, even those ordering from home. The extensive menu takes care of vego guests with over 12 vegetarian curries on the menu, including a malai kofta (with potato and cheese balls with roasted dried fruits), pumpkin masala and vegetable madras. And for vegans, there is a choice of seven curries, but you can’t beat the dal tadka (lentil curry).

The age-old saying ‘do one thing and do it well’ was the thinking behind late-night haunt 5 Dogs. Hot dogs are its weapon of choice, and let’s just say it has definitely perfected them. With six hot dogs on the menu — including smoked bratwurst and traditional kransky — 5 Dogs caters to every type of hot dog fiend. Yep, even the vegan kind. Enjoy all the good things about German sausages but make it meat-free with the vegan beer brat and vegan kielbasa (Polish sausage), both coming in at under $9 each. Served with sauerkraut, fried onions and your choice of sauces, these dogs pack an authentic punch. Be sure to get a side of chilli cheese fries or good ol’ fries and gravy. Not keen on hot dogs? Opt for a chicken gravy roll instead.

Charlie’s Raw Squeeze takes all the amazing fresh produce available at Charlie’s Fruit Market and turns it into delicious dishes that are all 100-percent plant-based. Naturally, it has a huge offering of juices and smoothies, but there’s also Charlie’s Rawsome treats, nice creams, smoothie bowls and salads. If you’re looking for something a little more hearty, you can’t go past a toastie — there’s the tomato, vegan cheese and soy mayonnaise option, or, for something sweeter, peanut butter, banana, crushed peanuts and chocolate sauce. With a passion for providing healthy plant-based options to the masses, Charlie’s Raw Squeeze is a vego’s dream and will not disappoint the next time you’re putting in a takeaway order.

With a name like Brewski, you’d think the first venue on our list wouldn’t have much of a focus on its food offering, let alone offering vegan and vegetarian dishes. While it does sell amazing craft beer, Brewski actually has a cracking menu with an extensive array of vegan and vegetarian dishes available. Even if you don’t consider yourself a strictly plant-based eater, you’ll enjoy the cauliflower ‘wings’ and karaage popcorn tofu. We can’t get enough of the plant-based buffalo chicken burger and vegan mac ‘n’ cheese burger. And if cheese is still on the menu for you, the vegetarian poutine complete with facon (fake bacon) is a real treat.

Image: Hennessy Trill

For those living in the Redlands Shire, you’ve most likely heard of Manny’s Italian. As purveyors of fine Italian cuisine with an Aussie twist, Manny’s offers handmade pasta and woodfired pizzas for all those carb-lovers out there (so, everyone). The gnocchi, with lemon ricotta, pine nuts, parmesan and chilli oil, is up there as of the best meat-free meals in the Redlands shire. And for sides, you can’t go past the fried cauliflower with hummus, dukkah, kale and fried capers. Only the lucky residents of Wellington Point and surrounding areas can treat themselves to takeaway from Manny’s, so it’s a local’s (not-so-secret) secret.

Brekkie for dinner: was our favourite dinner as a kid. And you can keep up the tradition as a grownup thanks to The Rabbit Hole Cafe. On Fridays and Saturdays, the cafe offers dinner service, serving burgers, share-style plates and, of course, brekkie for dinner — including breakfast gnocchi, corn fritters and haloumi bruschetta.

The Seven Hills joint serves up plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes, like a tasty chia pudding bowl with toasted almonds, coconut flakes, strawberries, passionfruit pulp and coconut yoghurt. For something fresh and light, there’s the Nourish Bowl with a plant-based protein ball, pumpkin hummus, sliced red radish, avocado, roast tomatoes, sweet potato, edamame, pomegranate seeds, spinach and tahini dressing. For those with a substantial hunger, go for the veggie brekkie complete with house beans, plant-based protein balls, mushroom, roast tomatoes, hash browns, avocado and house relish served on ciabatta with tofu scramble or eggs.

Miss Bliss Wholefoods has become somewhat of an institution for food lovers in West End, especially those who prefer plant-based eating. There’s even a blog on the cafe’s website that offers a beginner’s guide to going vegan, so you know you’re right at home here. For your next vegetarian and vegan takeaway feast, we recommend the mushroom burger with barbecued mushroom, hummus, pickled onion and greens on local milk bun and the vegan cacao hotcakes with cacao custard, coconut ice cream, raspberries and lemon balm.

Image: Hennessy Trill

It’s hard to miss Tibetan Kitchen. The bright yellow and blue building right on Petrie Terrace is the sort of place you’ve probably driven past a hundred times and never actually been inside. But you should. The restaurant specialises in authentic Tibetan cuisine, including momos — steamed and fried dumplings, filled with meat or veggies, coriander, ginger and garlic, served with house-made chutney.

For the vegetarians, Tibetan Kitchen in Brisbane City has veg kofta with mashed potato, chickpeas, capsicum and coriander rolled into balls that are deep-fried, then cooked in a spicy sauce. We also love the veg shapka, which has potatoes, mixed vegetables and tomatoes cooked in a curry sauce loaded with ginger, garlic and coriander. Round out your meal with some starters — we suggest the aloo chop (curried potato patties with homemade chutney) or spinach dhal soup — and the staple rice, bread and khir for dessert, a Nepalese pudding topped with caramel.

Image: Hennessy Trill

We love margarita pizza. But if you’re a vegetarian and you’ve ordered it 385 times because there was nothing else suitable on the menu, it eventually becomes a bit boring. At popular restaurant chain La Porchetta, vegetarians and vegans can order from an extensive list of dishes that will satisfy that pizza-sized hunger. You can’t go past the spicy pesto chick’n’ pizza with tomato sauce, vegan basil pesto, chilli, vegan mozzarella, vegan chick’n soy plant protein, onion, and red and green capsicum. If it’s a pasta you’re craving, we recommend the penne vegano with roasted pumpkin, sundried tomato, mushrooms and baby spinach in a creamy vegan sauce. If you want to make this a two-course affair, add on vegan cheese garlic bread or eggplant chips.

Image: Hennessy Trill