The best vegan restaurants Auckland has – Veggie bliss!
Enjoy the best vegan restaurants Auckland has on offer with the help of our fantastic selection. All based in Central Auckland, each and every one is consistently impressive.
Vegetarian and vegan food is more in demand than ever. It’s known for its health benefits, is good for your wallet and is both environment and animal-friendly.
While finding a place that serves a decent amount of vegan or vegetarian food may be a challenge for some, Auckland is full of places that will please even the strictest vegans. As a bonus, many will also cater well to non-vegans/vegetarians alike.
We’ve carefully picked through the options available, and have come up with a list of the best vegan restaurants Auckland has to offer. These plant-based restaurants serve delicious food that’s sure to impress.
Most of the restaurants and cafes on this list are 100% plant-based. Where they’re not, we have made a note of it.
Our Favourite Auckland Vegan Restaurants
Khu Khu Eatery – Ponsonby
Get a taste of Thai vegan food at Khu Khu Eatery in Ponsonby. This restaurant has bright, bold, colourful food that is sure to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds.
This eatery challenges the belief that vegan food is boring and tasteless! Meals such as ‘duck’ drunken noodles and Panang curry are guaranteed to be an exciting explosion of flavour.
Khu Khu Eatery intentionally offers a small menu, but this just means that more care is placed into the taste and presentation each plate. Their menu is frequently changed up so there’s always something new to eat.
Khu Khu Eatery has a fun vibe, making it an ideal place to meet with family or friends for a drink. Wash a meal down with a playfully-named cocktail like their mojito ‘Ain’t Got Lime For That’, or ‘Berry the Hatchet’ containing pink gin and frozen berries.
Events and Specials at Khu Khu Eatery
Happy Hour is hosted every Tuesday, with cheap drinks available from 5 pm. Their student night on Wednesday offers a 10% discount on meals and $5 ready-made drinks.
171A Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland
Ph: 09 360 1992
Little Bird Kitchen – Ponsonby
With sweet treats as tasty as Little Bird Kitchen‘s, it is no surprise it is one of the longest-standing vegan restaurants in Auckland.
This spot is perfect for breakfast or brunch. Particularly recommended are the rhubarb and gingerbread spiced waffles and the Vietnamese crepe with pickled turmeric carrots and avocado.
They also make great oat milk coffee! Alternatively, we recommend giving their iced ‘chocolate’ shake a go.
Truly, Little Bird Kitchen is about making food that is as good for your body as it looks. The cabinet range includes gluten-free, vegan products, refined-sugar-free and soy-free products, so it’s safe for allergy sufferers too!
In addition, Little Bird also has a shop full of goodies like vegan chocolate, herbs, tonics and superfoods, as well as a recipe book full of vegan goodness. These are fantastic gifts for friends and family.
Cnr Summer Street and Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby
Ph: 09 555 3278
Lord Of The Fries – Commerce Street & Karangahape Road, CBD
Sometimes the urge for fast food is strong, but where do you look when you are a hungry vegan with nothing but McDonald’s or Burger King restaurants in sight? That’s easy – Lord Of The Fries!
Lord Of The Fries has the lot. Whether it’s burgers, hotdogs or tasty tacos – everything is fresh and made to order.
Hit them up for all of your vegan fast-food needs.
Shop 10, Snickel Lane, 18 Commerce Street, Auckland | Ph: 09 600 1987
Shop 2, St Kevins Arcade, 183 Karangahape Road, Auckland | Ph: 09 600 1234
Related: The best burgers in Auckland – including vegan options.
Revive Cafe – Wyndham St, CBD
Revive Cafe promises to make healthy food taste delicious, with a menu that changes weekly. It even offers a different dish for every day of the week.
Specials include hotpots like spicy kale curry or magical mushroom & lentil w brown rice or cauliflower rice. We also recommend their salads (such as Vietnamese coleslaw with peanuts, mint & lime dressing).
What’s more, they offer catering services with platters suitable for two or four people. Great for when you are stuck in the office and need some snacks to keep going!
Revive Cafe also serve smoothies such as orange & mango and ‘clean & mean’ with coconut water, orange juice, strawberries and ginger.
For vegans at home, a range of cookbooks, muesli and pantry items are also available for sale. This makes ingredient shopping easy and offers good value for money!
24 Wyndham Street & 33 Lorne St, Auckland 1010
Ph: 09 303 0420
Sunflower Thai Vegetarian Restaurant – High St, CBD
Sunflower Thai Vegetarian Restaurant offers cheap and cheerful vegetarian and vegan Thai cuisine that is sure to lift your spirits.
Thai food lovers will enjoy the Thai green curry, pad thai or massaman curry. With almost eighty items on the menu, there’s so much to choose from!
For those with meat-eating friends, the menu is packed with meals featuring faux meat substitutes such as ‘bacon’ burgers and fried rice with ‘chicken’ or ‘steak’ and veges! They won’t be able to tell the difference between those and the real thing!
As far as drinks go, Sunflower Thai Vegetarian Restaurant offers refreshing beverages such as the ‘celery and apple refresher’ or the ‘orange and ginger reviver’. Check them out soon!
Shop 6, 50 High Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Ph: 09 302 0616
Gorilla Kitchen – Symonds Street, CBD
Gorilla Kitchen is one of our favourite vegan eateries in Auckland!
This 100% plant-based eatery offers something for everybody – with plenty of burgers, tacos and pizzas on the menu as well as delicious cabinet food.
It’s also great for when you are on the go and craving sweet treats like a ‘chocolate’ brownie or snicker slice.
Located on Symonds Street in the city, it’s close to the city for workers and is within walking distance for university students on their break, too!
159 Symonds Street, Eden Terrace, Auckland 1010
Ph: 022 060 6763
Related: The best restaurants in Parnell.
Tart Bakery – Grey Lynn, Commercial Bay, and Auckland Uni
Vegans may often forgo delicious snacks and bakery items such as pastries and pies, as they generally contain ingredients such as butter and eggs. At Tart Bakery, you don’t have to!
Their pie cabinet stocks savoury pies such as ‘mince and cheese’ and ‘thai curry’, as well as fabulous sweets and pastries.
For all our sugar-loving vegans, we recommend trying one of their berry danishes or chocolate croissants!
Grey Lynn: 555 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1021. Ph: +649 376 5535
Commercial Bay: Commercial Bay 7 Queen Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010. Ph: +649 242 0675
Auckland Uni: Kate Edgar Food Court, The Quad 34 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Vegan Desserts in Auckland
Giapo, CBD
There’s nothing better on a hot day or after a meal than a sweet, cold dessert. Well, you’re in luck as Giapo has just the thing for you.
As a general rule, more than half of their ice cream flavours are vegan, so there’s no need to miss out!
Their selection of vegan ice cream flavours are changed regularly, but they are always looking for new items to add to their selection.
For now, try the Christchurch hazelnut (with NZ dark chocolate seal), or the local avocado with Siamo Popo (coconut jam) and some wafer crunch around, making it crunchy and delicious.
You really can’t go wrong with the master of ice cream.
12 Gore Street, Auckland CBD
Ph: +642 141 2402
Whether you’re new to the vegan scene or have been one for years, these restaurants all offer tasty food that’s planet-friendly and affordable!
Which of these vegan restaurants in Auckland will you next visit in the City of the Sails?
Guest post by Sarah Ingleton.
