Australia's First Vegan Sushi Cafe Is Coming to Sydney

Australia’s first ever eatery dedicated to vegan superfood sushi is heading to Newtown this May. Vegan. Superfood. Sushi. That’s a whole lot of goodness rolled into one: delicious looks, cracking taste and insane levels of healthiness — plus no little critters had to lose life over your meal. But, to turn this culinary utopia into a reality, the team behind the operation needs your help. Love for all creatures great and small might come free, but cooking gear and refrigerators can get exxy. So a Pozible campaign is underway, with the goal of raising $9000 by May 2.

The team is made up of mother and son duo and Superfood Sushi founders Pepe Marshall and Guy Renner. Pepe trained as a chef and owned a cafe in Auckland before moving to Australia a decade ago. She and Guy are already vegan superfood sushi experts, and have been serving up their creations at markets and special events for the past six months.

“We developed the concept when we couldn’t find any plant-based sushi around, except for the boring, unhealthy, white rice rolls filled with avocado or cucumber,” says Pepe. “So we decided to make our own. Our main aim is to try and seduce people with food. Many people are under the misconception vegan food is boring; it is anything but boring. In fact, I think some of the most creative recipes I have followed and created have been plant-based.”

Proof of that is Superfood Sushi’s current menu. Examples include Saigon Pickle (forbidden black rice, Vietnamese pickled carrot, daikon — a mild winter radish — baby corn and avocado) and Magic Mushroom (forbidden black rice with Portobello, enoki, oyster and shitake mushrooms roasted with garlic, balsamic and rosemary). But the favourite of Kym Staton, founder of the Sydney Vegan Club, is Mango Chick (eleven grain rice, asparagus, red capsicum, cucumber and rocket, topped with a mix of mango, chick peas, chilli and chives). “The flavours are to die for,” he said, “except no one had to die for it”.

Pepe is continually experimenting with new flavour combinations, so diners can expect an evolving menu. “Cooking and food constantly consume me,” she said. “Whether I am reading, travelling or researching, I am trialling new ideas... Really, the possibilities are limitless in terms of variety.” The only boundaries are her insistence on seasonal produce — organic and locally sourced wherever possible — and her aversion to mock meats. “Personally, I am not a fan,” she said. “So I’ve steered away from them, focusing on flavoursome combinations of vegetables only.”

The eatery’s exact location can’t be revealed until the DA is signed off, but we do know it’ll be at the Sydney University end of King Street, Newtown. “It’ll be an uncomplicated, cosy space with a central bar area, offering self-serve of individual pieces. We figure it’s good for people to be able to try a variety,” Pepe said. “Our ambition is a light carbon print, so our fittings will be mostly wooden and upcycled, but with a modern twist and some quirky additions. Needless to say, we’ll also have greenery around us. Knowing how much Sydney siders love their brew, we’ll have Chemex coffee and cold brew available, alongside an open fridge stocked with salads and wraps, plus a few sweety bits.”

Superfood Sushi will join more than thirty vegan eateries in Sydney. “It’s great,” Kym said, “as it gives Sydneysiders another way to make kinder, greener and healthier choices via what they put on their plate.”

Make Australia's first vegan sushi cafe happen by throwing the team some dosh right here.