The Best Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants In Auckland, According To Viva

Looking for a vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Auckland? We have you covered.

East

East has an entirely vegetarian and vegan menu of modern Asian dishes spanning Thai, Chinese and Korean cuisines, meaning you’re well catered for if you’re plant-based. The menu is divided into small and large plates, ideal for sharing, as well as salads, rice and noodle dishes. We love the water chestnut wontons with chilli broth, coriander and peanuts and the potato massaman curry with coconut and cashews. East also offers Auckland’s first vegetarian yum cha, available on Sundays from noon-3pm, which recreates traditional favourites such as char siu bao with sticky jackfruit, and sheng jian bao with wood ear mushrooms instead of pork. Located on the ground floor of the Sudima Hotel on Nelson St, it’s a lovely spot for lunch and has the added benefit of rooftop bar Sunset for pre or post-dinner drinks. – Johanna Thornton, deputy editor

Address: 63-67 Nelson St, central city

Gemmayze Street

In Viva’s 2024 Top 60 Restaurant Awards, Gemmayze Street took out the award for Supreme Winner. It should be no surprise that the Karangahape Rd spot, led by chef and owner Samir Allen, is an exceptionally welcoming dining room for vegans and vegetarians. The menu showcases Lebanese fare and is designed for sharing. It’s hard to go wrong with your order here but you should definitely start with a plate of pide, the babaganouj and the hummus (which, due to its popularity, is now available to buy in take-home jars). The falafel is crisp and herby, the jazar draws out all the sweetness in roasted carrot and the fattouche is refreshing. You’ll likely see seasonally specific dishes on the menu – you can feel confident opting for these inventive options too. – Madeleine Crutchley, multimedia journalist

Address: Shop 16, St Kevin’s Arcade, 183 Karangahape Rd, Auckland Central

Forest

Plant-based restaurant Forest is the vision of chef/owner Plabita Florence, housed in a purple-hued dining room on Dominion Rd. It’s a space that feels a bit like a friend’s living room, says Plabita, whose a la carte menu changes weekly. On offer recently was deep-fried halloumi with caramelised onion gravy, celery honey and apple (the only dish on the menu that couldn’t be made vegan), and roasted kūmara with rosemary and “Marmite cream”. The desserts here are not to be missed – summery offerings include peach and vanilla cream jelly and a strawberry and mint ice cream sandwich. Forest also has an exemplary drinks list, with special cocktails such as hibiscus negroni and pickled pink beetroot lemonade. – JT

Address: 243 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden.

Gojo Ethiopian Eatery

The warming, mural-covered dining room at this Ethiopian restaurant in New Lynn is an exciting place to eat. It’s lively and a porthole in the wall provides a cheeky peek into the kitchen where the delicious servings are prepared. For your first visit, opt for the beyanetu. This plant-based platter is labelled “every vegan’s favourite!” on the menu. The platter sees a medley of options from the vegan menu, including gomen besega (cooked spinach and onion), misir wat (spicy red lentil stew) and yetetebese (roast vegetables), served atop satisfyingly sour and spongey injera – a bread that gains its distinct flavour from the fermentation of the teff grain (you can also choose rice, if you prefer). This platter is $27pp and the chef can adjust the platter to serve a group. When you return, because you will, you could enjoy bigger helpings of your favourites from the beyanetu, as well as shiro (a spicy chickpea stew) and buticha (a chickpea and green chilli mixture that mimics scrambled egg). If you would like to pair your plate or platter with a cooling beverage, choose birs, a fizzy honey and fruit drink or keneto, a roasted barley drink that resembles alcohol-free beer. For a more warming option, try buna (coffee) or a pot of tea. – MC

Address: 15 Totara Ave, New Lynn.

Wise Boys Burgers

Address: 604 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn, and Commercial Bay.

Cassia

Cassia is the place to go for an excellent Indian feast. There are lots of vegetarian options to choose from on the a la carte menu (roasted carrots, black pepper paneer, cauliflower with makhani sauce to name a few), but there’s also the Voyage Vegetarian menu designed by chef/owner Sid Sahrawat, priced at $175pp and canvassing five bites, three small plates, two large and a dessert, which takes the guesswork out of ordering. Go all out with the wine pairing at $85pp. For groups of 10 or more, there is the Cassia Bazaar vegetarian set menu of 10 dishes for $100pp or the Spice Route vegetarian set menu with 13 dishes for $145. – JT

Address: 90 Federal St, Auckland CBD.

Tempero

Pan-Latin restaurant Tempero, run by chef Fabio Bernadini, caters to vegetarians well, with more than half the menu items either vegan or vegetarian. Inspired by Fabio’s Brazilian roots and a quest to use quality, locally sourced ingredients, Tempero combines punchy flavours with a great drinks list in a welcoming dining room on Karangahape Rd. Dine on pao de queijo (cheese bread), cassava chips with chipotle, potato gnocchi and the restaurant’s signature dish of acaraje, a combination of black eye beans, palm hearts and okra, deep fried and nestled in a peanut and coconut sauce. – JT

Address: 352 Karangahape Rd, Auckland CBD.

Nahm

If you need a speedy meal in the city centre, perhaps before a showing in the arts precinct, Nahm is a breezy and easy choice. The dining room is nestled just below street level and has notably fast table turnover and service (handy if you’re eating in a rush). The Thai menu is expansive, with starters, noodles, soups, salads, curries and more. Vegan and vegetarian options are clearly marked and plenty of dishes can be adjusted for a plant-based request – highlights include the yentafo (rice noodles with soybean curd sauce in a spicy broth), stir-friend peanut satay with seasonal vegetables and tom yum fried rice. The drinks list offers some fun too – think condensed milk coffees, fruity cocktails and a couple of soju varieties. – MC

Address: 39 Elliott St, Auckland CBD.

Khu Khu

The all-vegan menu at Khu Khu, which has remained compact and concise since the restaurant’s opening, boasts plates with sizzling pork belly, juicy duck and tender beef. It’s all imitation, though even the most adamant meat-eaters will be pleasantly surprised by the familiar textures and flavours. It’s a particularly good dining experience for groups, as you can split a serving of small plates and large-format dishes. Must-tries on the menu include the beef massaman curry with potato, red onion and cashews, duck drunken noodles and stir-fried pork belly (which is coated in a moreish garlic pepper black sauce). The eatery has also begun serving bottomless brunch over the weekends, pairing dishes such as yum gai zap and wok-fried pork belly with mimosas, red and white wine sangria and sparkling rosé. – MC

Address: 171A Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Snickel Lane Level 7/23 Customs St East, and 91 Kitchener Rd, Milford.

Shivani

Shivani’s menu is extensive, with a long list of snack-ish chaat and plenty of bread-accompanied mains (ordering a large plate, or thali, is the move if you’re after a heaving dining table). The menu is divided into different regions, with servings from northern and southern India. There’s also a section of “Bombay Chinese”, which spotlights cross-cultural dishes influenced by servings in Mumbai (think chow mein, chilli paneer and steam-filled dumplings or momos). If you’re dining in a big group and want a little theatre, order the pani puri, chole bhature, or the masala dosa – each of these dishes is impressive in scale and encourages tactile sharing around the table. The counter cabinets are worth a revisit before wrapping up the meal, too – crammed with candy-sweet bites wrapped with silver and gold or flaked with finely chopped nuts. – MC

Address: 905 Dominion Rd, Mt Roskill, and 23 Eric Baker Place, Papatoetoe.

Eggs & More

This one is recommended by Viva’s dining out editor Jesse Mulligan, a gem of a spot in Sandringham specialising in much more than just eggs. Sample the dahi puri, a combination of tamarind, green chutney, yoghurt, chickpea and potato puree that is best eaten in one mouthful, or the samosa chaat, which is a delightful combination of smashed-up samosa covered in sauces, herbs, onion and other crunchy bits. Naturally, there’s a menu of eggy delicacies such as the egg cheese roll and surti ghotalo (scrambled eggs cooked with a variety of spices, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes green peas). – JT

Address: 572 Sandringham Rd, Sandringham.

Bali Nights

The menu offers “Indonesian roadside delicacies with a bit of a Balinese twist” and is certainly reassuring for plant-based diners – almost half of the servings can be made vegetarian or vegan. Come with a group, because Bali Nights’ sharing plates are the most exciting part of the menu. Try the vegan rendang, stir-fried tempe and tofu in garlic sauce and sayur pecel, a lightly blanched salad with peanut dressing. Leave room for dessert too – there’s the martabak manis, pancakes with melted chocolate, cheese and condensed milk, and pisang goreng, fried banana, ripe jackfruit, coconut flakes and coconut ice cream. – MC

Address: 4 Williamson Ave, Grey Lynn.

Janken

Breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner – this Japanese cafe and restaurant is an open-plan, naturally lit dining room you can visit for almost any meal. The menu at Janken is strictly gluten-free and dairy-free (though they do sling milky coffees throughout their breakfast and lunch service). Highlights among the breakfast servings include sticky-sweet creme brulee miso waffles, onigiri with shiitake mushroom and kombu or umeboshi paste and roasted seeds, as well as an asa gohan set – Janken’s vegetarian version of this traditional Japanese breakfast is made with teriyaki tofu. For dinner, you’ll find entirely vegetarian options for the smaller starters, a crispy shojin tofu main and, among very few in Auckland, a creamy vegan hot pot. – MC

Address: 158 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay.

Taco Loco

This casual corner restaurant is an underrated haven for vegetarian Mexican food in Tāmaki Makaurau. Whether you’re keen to tuck into tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos or enchiladas, the Mount Albert spot offers a vegetarian option. The kitchen makes use of cactus, jackfruit and mushroom to fill out the plant-based offerings. You can also add a side of refried beans if you want to top up your plate (this also pairs well with a starter of corn chips and guac). Stop here for late weekend lunch or a breezy weeknight dinner. – MC

Address: 179 Mount Albert Rd, Mount Albert.

Pici

Pasta places are usually a bastion for vegetarians and Pici, a teeny spot in St Kevin’s Arcade, is no different, with its succinct menu of antipasti, pasta and dessert. Most of the small plates are vegetarian and half the pastas are too. This summer, choose from Pici’s famous cacio e pepe (chewy handmade noodles slick with cheese and pepper); casarecce with corn, parmesan and chilli oil; and fettuccine with sweet cherry tomatoes and basil. Petite but mighty, Pici can take groups of 6-15 in its mezzanine space if they opt for the shared set menu. – JT

Address: Shop 22, St Kevin’s Arcade, 183 Karangahape Rd.

Mezze Bar

Elevated above Durham Lane with views of Queen St through iron-framed windows, Mezze Bar is still a delightful spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner any day of the week. This inner-city institution has been around since 1992 and the service here is warm and efficient, with visitors encouraged to pick a seat and order at the bar. Mezze Bar has a dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu of tapas-style dishes with options such as the vegan mezze lunch plate (grilled eggplant, courgette and tomato stack, fennel roasted carrots, hummus, tahini sauce, olives, hot Turkish bread), a za’atar falafel vege burger with hand-cut chips, and lentil and tomato soup with a drizzle of paprika oil and warm bread on the side. Or build your own mezze with small vegetarian plates such as hummus, potatoes, dips and olives. The drinks list is great too, with aperitifs such as Kir Royale, sangria by the litre and crafties like Urbanaut and Bach Brewing on tap. – JT

Address: 9 Durham St East, central city.

Burgernaut

While they definitely pour a thirst-quenching pint, Morningside brewery Urbanaut also moonlights as one of the best burger restaurants in Auckland (branded with the punny name “Burgernaut”). The menu provides vegetarian and vegan burger offerings, with super-thin smash patties made from the beloved Impossible meats. The cooks at Urbanaut are devoted to that crisp, almost charred finish – every serving I’ve sampled delivers on that caramelised, smoky taste. You’ll want to be aware of wait times on busy takeaway nights. It’s best to rock up to the brewery to place your order, as the phoneline seems quickly overwhelmed on weeknight evenings. – MC

Address: 597 New North Rd, Morningside.

Hello Beasty

This contemporary Asian fusion restaurant offers a dedicated vegetarian menu, making it a cinch for diners to find plant-based options. The dishes are vibrant, creative, and never lacking in flavour, inspired by Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisines. Vegetarian highlights include the grilled mushroom and mung bean pancake, the water chestnut dumplings and the Korean fried cauliflower. The menu clearly labels the dishes suitable for vegans, and those that can be made vegan. We love the creative cocktails here too, such as the bloody mary with kimchi and togarashi salt, and the Bokbunjaju Bramble made with Roots Marlborough Gin, blackberry bokbunjaju (Korean fruit wine) and lime leaf. – JT

Address: 95-97 Customs St West, Auckland CBD.

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