Already known for its bottomless vegan pizza and pasta feasts, Italian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese is upping its cruelty-free food game across a new food series. Called Soul Meets Cheers, the event consists of two parts: a five-course vegan banquet and a vegan cooking class.

At the former, you'll tuck into en entirely plant-based menu, which'll feature vegan versions of Italian classics. Think pizzetta with butternut pumpkin and mozzarella, tagliatelle with Swiss brown mushrooms and porcini jus, and apple and ginger cake with coconut yogurt, almond crumble and a big tuft of fairy floss. The vegan dinner takes place on Tuesday, August 4 at SMC's Circular Quay, Cronulla, Drummoyne and Dee Why venues, with bookings from 5pm — and your $49 ticket also includes a glass of wine upon arrival.

At the latter, which is being held on Saturday, August 8 at Circular Quay, you'll learn how to make your own SMC-style vegan dishes at home. In this year of lockdowns, isolation and quarantine, that's a particularly handy skill. If you're keen, tickets cost $89.

Salt Meats Cheese's Soul Meets Cheers Vegan Series five-course banquet takes place from 5pm on Tuesday, August 4 at SMC's Circular Quay, Cronulla, Drummoyne and Dee Why, with the cooking class held on Saturday, August 8 at Circular Quay — and bookings are essential.