Opinion Best vegan restaurants & cafés on the Gold Coast

Looking for the best vegan cafés, restaurants, and bakeries on the Gold Coast? Check out these must-visit spots for delicious vegan and vegetarian food right by the beach.

The Gold Coast has had a glow-up when it comes to plant-based food! There are now heaps of 100% vegan restaurants on the Gold Coast, with plant-based cafés running up and down the coastline – not to mention a massive range of omni spots offering tasty veggie options, too. You just need to know where to find them 😉

Whether you’re a sun-kissed local or just beachside for a visit, here are the top vegan restaurants on the Gold Coast every plant-based foodie has to try!

1. Easy House (Mermaid Waters)

I’m not one to play favourites, but let’s just say there’s a reason Easy House is right at the top of this list 👀

This small but mighty family-run restaurant puts the ‘yum’ in yum cha! Easy House serves 100% vegan (and absolutely drool-worthy) Cantonese cuisine, including a wide variety of traditional mains and smaller dishes that are all kinds of hearty, saucy, and indulgent. 

The seemingly endless menu has something to suit everyone’s tastes. My top picks for snacky sides are the XO noodles, sesame prawn rolls, and coriander dumplings. After something more filling? Try the eggplant hot pot, wonton soup, or mapo tofu. 

Alternatively, just cover your eyes and pick something from the menu at random – you truly can’t go wrong.

2. Sacre Coeur Patisserie (Southport)

Bee-line for the forest-green sign decorated with croissants, and beneath it, you’ll find Sacre Coeur Patisserie – a sleek little bakery and café with an entirely vegan menu of treats and plenty of excellent gluten-free options.

Sacre Coeur is beloved for its flaky, melt-in-your-mouth croissants (including a vegan pain au chocolat, AKA the holy grail of plant-based pastries!), as well as a delightful array of freshly baked scrolls, cookies, tarts, savoury pies, excellent coffee, and freshly squeezed juices. 

If it weren’t for the bold signage, you’d never guess everything here was vegan!

3. Izakaya Midori (Reedy Creek)

Izakaya Midori is currently the Gold Coast’s only vegan Japanese restaurant, and I can only assume this is because they’ve nailed the brief so well that no one else dares to compete!

Situated just a short drive from the bustling main street, Izakaya Midori is a nostalgic little haven full of cosy wooden accents, cute knick-knacks, and authentic Japanese charm. While the staff are absolutely lovely, their incredible culinary creations are the real stars of the show.

The nasu miso den (seared eggplant in sweet miso sauce 🤤), smoked edamame, aka ramen, and spicy lime karaage are true standouts on the menu – but honestly, anything you order will hit the spot.

4. Doko Demo V (Burleigh Waters)

If you’re looking for a vegan food utopia with a wide variety of global cuisines on the menu, Doko Demo V is the place to go. 

Browsing the menu is like taking a round-the-world trip. The restaurant has a just-stepped-into-vacation-mode vibe, with lush jungle plants everywhere you look, a Bali-style thatched roof framing the main bar, and strings of festoon lights glittering invitingly outside.

Reliable crowd-favourite dishes include vegan bang bang popcorn chicken, sizzling Mongolian beef, Korean chicken salad, Balinese curry, lamb souvlaki gyros, Peking duck, and okonomiyaki. But they also do an amazing range of breakfasts, pasta, burgers, wraps, fruity cocktails, shakes, and desserts.

We have no doubt that Doko Demo V’s unmissable multicultural menu will keep you coming back for more (and more and more!) 

5. The Cardamom Pod (Southport) 

This classy café is perfect for an upscale vegan brunch on the coast. Housed in the Brickworks Centre, The Cardamom Pod is always buzzing – not just because of its handy location and airy industrialist aesthetic, but also because of the “clean and conscious plant-powered” food the team specialises in.

The Cardamom Pod’s ethos is that they want to help everyone eat their way to a better world, and it sure helps that every dish tastes and looks aspirationally beautiful, too! That cake cabinet is a true work of art 😍

I can never resist the flourish Buddha bowl (just as wholesome and delicious as it sounds), but the pancakes and pod big breakfast are delicious too.

6. Greenhouse Canteen (Tallebudgera Valley) 

Greenhouse Canteen is a firm Gold Coast favourite for so many reasons. Firstly, it’s stunning – a little fancier than some of the other options on this list – and if you’re in the mood for relaxation afterwards, Greenhouse the Bathhouse is waiting right next door! ✨

Their tranquil venue in Tallebudgera Valley boasts sunlit white walls, lofty ceilings, and lush rainforest views – and their fully vegan (and gluten-free) menu is pretty hard to beat. 

All the food here is fresh, wholesome, and bursting with expertly mixed flavours. The menu focuses on wholefood plant-based offerings that are relaxed yet nourishing – ideal for powering you through an oh-so-taxing afternoon sprawled out on the beach later. 

My go-to dishes include cauliflower wings and Korean rice cakes to start, and the jackfruit and vegan sour cream enchiladas to share. Still craving something sweet? You can’t go past the Rocky Road brownie or pecan pie.

7. The Fox’s Pantry (Tugun)

What if I told you that tucked away in an unassuming BP station in Tugun, you could wander into a cute, classy, 100% vegan convenience store that offers delectable treats like cheeses, chocolates, pasta, sandwiches, wraps, and even – wait for it – vegan croissants?!

And then… what if I told you that this gleaming little plant-based oasis was open 24/7?

It might sound too good to be true, but I promise you, The Fox’s Pantry is very real. Whatever the hour, you will not regret making a sly little side trip to poke around and stock up on some essentials. (Yes, pastries absolutely count as essentials.)

8. Blendlove (Southport)

This whole food-centric plant-based eatery boasts a menu practically bursting at the seams with colourful breakfast and lunch options. Talk about eating the rainbow! 🌈

Blendlove is cooking up everything from a vegan big brekky to hash browns, hearty burgers, nachos, pancakes, fruity chia puddings, and raw cheesecakes. One of their most popular dishes is their ‘no-eggs benny’, which features piping hot falafels slathered with vegan hollandaise sauce, served with a side of smoky rice paper bacon. 

If you have space, be sure to check out the drinks menu, too! Blendlove’s Banoffee espresso smoothie will forever have my heart, but the salted peanut butter and chocolate one is also divine.

9. Tian Ran Vegetarian (Mermaid Beach)

If you’re looking for a casual, cosy dining experience that leans towards the classic Asian takeaway vibe, you can’t go wrong with Tian Ran Vegetarian. (Fun fact: Tian ran translates from Mandarin to mean ‘nature’ – how appropriate for a fully plant-based restaurant! 🌿)

All the ‘meat’ on the menu is completely vegan and tastes so convincing that you’d never guess it was made from cleverly seasoned soy, wheat, yam, seaweed, and mushroom-based ingredients. 

Top picks from the menu include Tian Ran’s vegan fried chicken drumsticks, salt and pepper tofu, sweet and sour chicken, noodle dishes, stir-fries, hot pot, and home-style fried rice – but that’s just scratching the surface. There’s something for everyone!

10. Siam Purity (Broadbeach)

This fairy light-studded Thai restaurant is in such a dreamy location, with a breezy open balcony that looks right over the river! Although, honestly, you’ll probably be staring at your plate most of the time anyway because of how tasty everything is. 

Siam Purity initially offered a mixed menu but officially shifted to fully plant-based back in 2020. Their now 100% vegan menu includes all the classics you’d expect from a Thai restaurant, including generously portioned stir fries, ‘chicken’ satay skewers, dumplings, ‘pork’ buns, curries, bright salads, and crispy starters – as well as milkshakes and a tempting selection of desserts. 

And just in case that’s not enough to persuade you, the waiter diligently serving up all these vegan delights is none other than an adorable, musical robot!

11. Kuan Yin Tea House (Southport)

Craving a comforting noodle dish – maybe with a side of sticky-sweet stir-fried veg? Kuan Yin is the place to be. This humble, no-fuss eatery serves up an impressive array of Thai, Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean-inspired plant-based dishes, so you can sample a whole range of Asian cuisines, all made vegan!

Expect flavour-packed fried rice, comforting curries, noodle soups, hot pots, BBQ ‘pork’ buns, and even deep-fried teriyaki ‘chicken’ that’s way more delicious than it has any right to be. Kuan Yin Tea House even does vegan bubble tea! It’s one of those unforgettable vegan restaurants on the Gold Coast that you’ll end up returning to again and again – there’s just so much to try. 

12. Blossoming Lotus (Surfers Paradise)

A go-to for affordable, authentic Thai food right in the heart of Surfers, Blossoming Lotus dishes up an entirely vegan menu jam-packed with flavour and variety. 

From fragrant curries and stir-fries to hearty noodle soups and sizzling tofu plates, there’s something to satisfy every craving – including sweet mango sticky rice for dessert!

With unbeatable lunch and dinner specials and a cosy setting strung with glittering fairy lights, Blossoming Lotus is the perfect spot for a quick takeaway or relaxed dine-in meal after a long day on the beach.

13. Made With Love Bakery (Southport)

This cosy little vegan bakery is an absolute gem! Situated directly across from a sunny park and playground, it’s the perfect place to grab a coffee and some treats, then wander over the road for a plant-based picnic under the trees. 

They do all the nostalgic classics like almond croissants, filled doughnuts, jam cream buns, and cruffins… and that’s just the sweet stuff. They’ve also got savoury favourites like sausage rolls, ‘cheesy’ garlic scrolls, hot pies, and pizza rolls. So whether you’re craving something sweet, savoury, or both (definitely both), Made With Love has got you covered.

Looking for even more vegan options on the Gold Coast? 

This list barely scratches the surface! In addition to all these fully-vegan gems, you’ll also find countless omni restaurants and cafes on the Gold Coast that have incredible vegan offerings on the menu. 

It really feels like everyone’s branching into plant-based fare these days, and I’m so here for it 🙌

Keen for even more recommendations? Check out Vegan on the GC on Instagram – it’s run by a lovely foodie called Jane, who’s made it her mission to spread the word about plant-based businesses in the area. 

Happy culinary treasure-hunting – I hope you strike gold!

Delicious plant-based food is truly everywhere these days – there are options practically around every corner! For more inspiration, check out our bonus tips for dining out and how to order vegan at fast food chains near you.

Header image: © Izakaya Midori