Opinion Best vegan-friendly & vegetarian restaurants on the Gold Coast

Looking for vegan-friendly restaurants on the Gold Coast? These hot spots have something on the menu for everyone, including some seriously tasty vegan and vegetarian dishes.

If you’re hungry for mouthwatering plant-based food on the Gold Coast, you’ve just struck gold! 

These days, the Gold Coast is practically glittering with fully vegan restaurants, cafés, and bakeries – and thanks to increasing demand, most non-vegan establishments now offer plant-based options, too.

Whether you’re looking for a menu that caters to a diverse mix of foodies or have simply tried all the vegan restaurants Gold Coast has to offer and are looking for somewhere new, these veg-friendly spots are well worth a visit.

Best vegan-friendly restaurants & cafés on the Gold Coast

1. The Milkman’s Daughter (Mermaid Beach)

This vegetarian café offers heaps of vegan-friendly options. The Milkman’s Daughter is known for its all-day breakfast and lunch selection, which is updated seasonally but always includes plenty of nourishing, wholesome dishes to power you through the day. 

And the vibe here is just as beautiful as the meals. Pull up a chair at one of the breezy tables outside, or head indoors to cosy up in one of the vine-covered white booths that look like little igloos! 

Their past vegan offerings have included red velvet waffles, lemon ‘ricotta’ pancakes, shakshuka, fritters, and loaded coconut porridge, just to name a drool-worthy few. 

2. Locali Pizzeria (Mermaid Beach)

The dedicated vegan Italian menu offered at the Gold Coast’s Locali Pizzeria is so extensive it has to be seen to be believed.

We’re talking more than 14 plant-based topping options for pizzas alone, not to mention a whole range of indulgent pasta dishes and all the antipasti you could dream of – from vegan truffle fries, bruschetta, and potato focaccia to arancini balls and even cheesy vegan calzones.

And just wait til you see the dessert section: How are you supposed to choose between vegan mango gelato, cannoli, churros, and vegan Nutella pizza?!

We love that the team behind Locali Pizzeria (and its sister restaurant next door, Temple of Spices!) is proudly plant-friendly. They’re absolute champions when it comes to blending traditional craftsmanship with culinary inclusivity 🤝

3. BSKT Café (Mermaid Beach)

Beachside brunch, anyone? BSKT has got you covered with great vegan food, great coffee, and a gloriously convenient location.

Situated just near Nobby Beach, this modern Australian health café offers several stand-out plant-based dishes, including a refreshingly fruity breakfast bowl and tofu-based vegan huevos rancheros with chipotle sauce. However, sweet-tooths might prefer the vegan choc chip pancakes with banana and nut dukkah.

The breaky salad, smashed avo toast, and spiced tofu poke bowl at BSKT Café can also be made vegan on request. 

4. Hideaway Kitchen & Bar (Broadbeach)

Hailed as the Gold Coast’s “best Asian Fusion”, this hidden gem in Broadbeach caters beautifully to vegans, vegetarians, and omni-diners alike. We recommend grabbing a table outside so you can sit beneath the vibrant canopy of floating umbrellas. The atmosphere is a vibe 🌈✨

Hideaway Kitchen & Bar specialises in modern Asian street food and share plates, so bring your appetite and as many foodie friends as you can muster. 

We’re talking everything from spiced edamame, spring rolls, mapo nasu eggplant, and agedashi tofu to Szechuan-sesame popcorn cauliflower, veggie dumplings, teriyaki mushroom skewers, eggplant curry, special fried rice, and saucy tofu bao.

5. Temple of Spices (Mermaid Beach) 

If there’s one thing they’re worshipping at Temple of Spices, it’s the vegan potential of contemporary Indian cuisine 🙌

Much like Locali Pizzeria, its sister restaurant next door, Temple of Spices has two separate menus – one omni, and one devoted entirely to bold, plant-based creations that are just as flavour-packed and exciting as their traditional counterparts.

Come here if you’ve got an appetite for nourishing veggie and lentil dishes, comforting curries, and all the fixings, including delicious vegan roti, garlic naan, samosa, onion bhajee, paratha, spring rolls, and stuffed masala pappadum cones. 

Hot tip: Leave room for dessert – you can’t leave without trying their vegan chocolate naan!

6. Chef N Fire (Helensvale)

The chefs at Chef N Fire live up to their name—especially when it comes to vegan food 🔥With a wide variety of feel-good plant-based dishes, this unassuming café in Helensvale is the perfect nook for a cosy breakfast or lunch. 

Sink your teeth into their towering vegan BLT, vegan ‘eggs’ benny, veggie burger, or a crispy toastie stuffed with melted dairy-free cheese – and don’t miss the toasted banana bread for dessert. 

7. Casa Brasil (Surfers Paradise)

Authentic, flavour-packed vegan options? Check. Live music? Check. Nestled right in the heart of Surfers, this cute little Brazilian restaurant and bar delivers good vibes all around.

Casa Brasil’s menu features a small but punchy selection of vegan dishes, including vegan feijoada (a traditional black bean stew made with plant-based sausage), a classic vegan parmy, jackfruit coxinha (a deep-fried street food similar to croquettes), and crispy polenta chips.

8. Vapiano (Surfers Paradise)

What could be better than tucking into a piping hot vegan pizza, just steps away from Surfers Paradise beach? Casual, Italian-inspired dining chain Vapiano has a brilliant location right on Soul Boardwalk, and you’ll find loads of dishes labelled “make it plant-based” on the menu. 

From house-made pastas and hand-stretched pizzas to vibrant salads, delectable desserts and more – just pick something with that handy green ‘P’ symbol beside it (good luck choosing 🤤) and let Vapiano’s chefs work their magic to veg-ify it for you!

9. Minari (Southport)

For a soothing minimalist atmosphere and Korean-Japanese dishes packed with flavour, you can’t go past Minari in Southport. 

Fan favourites include the chilli-fried tofu, vegetable mandu (dumplings), mak-guk-soo (a soy-sesame buckwheat noodle dish), vegan tokboki, vegan ramen, tempura veggies, and melt-in-your-mouth age dashi tofu. 

Keen to try a bit of everything? Check out Minari’s soban options – soban is a Korean-style dining ‘set’ that comes with rice and a main dish and a curated assortment of side dishes like pickled veggies, lotus, and miso soup.

10. Govindas Pure Vegetarian (Coolangatta)

For low-key, affordable vegan eats, Govindas Pure Vegetarian is the easy choice – and they now have not one but two convenient locations on the Gold Coast. 

Everything on the menu is vegetarian, and many vegan-friendly and gluten-free dishes are also available. Just ask the staff if you want to double-check anything!

The soulful selection of meals changes daily – to keep things fresh – but there are usually several hot dishes on offer, like curries, rice dishes, potato bakes, dhals, and pies. You’ll also have your pick of various desserts, salads and satisfying Indian sides like samosas and kofta balls. 

11. La Porchetta (Broadbeach)

Indulgent Italian food made vegan? Yes, please! La Porchetta has two handy locations right on the coast and a separate vegan menu packed with plant-based options.

From rich pasta dishes and hearty pizzas to fresh salads and antipasti—think ‘cheesy’ garlic bread, arancini, eggplant chips, minestrone, and more—when it comes to carby vegan comfort food, La Porchetta has got you covered.

12. Dalas Kitchen (Palm Beach)

Dalas Kitchen is a gourmet salad bar whipping up incredible on-the-go lunch bowls – full of roasted veggies, toasted nuts, hearty grains, and punchy dressings. They also sell several vegan-friendly sandwiches – which, I feel it’s important to note, are all made on house-baked focaccia. 🤤

Be aware that a couple of dishes contain meat on the menu, but most of the options are vegetarian and customisable to be vegan-friendly.

13. Khao Piyo (Southport)

Craving Indian street food? Khao Piyo is a fully vegetarian Indian restaurant boasting many clearly labelled vegan options, including traditional plant-based dishes like samosas, rotis, and vegetable curries, as well as some more Western-leaning options like vegan burgers. 

The vibe here is pretty casual, but the smells emanating from the kitchen more than make up for the simple setting!

14. See Yö Cafe & Bakery (Mermaid Beach)

This completely gluten-free café offers a treasure trove of vegan-friendly brunch options, including Vietnamese-inspired dishes, artisanal breads, cakes, muffins, pastries, smoothies, fresh fruit juices, and more. 

See Yö is groovily decorated and colourful inside and out, and their dog-friendly backyard is the perfect place to catch up if you’re bringing a furry friend along.

15. El Camino Cantina (Surfers Paradise)

If you’re looking for an easy meal in Surfers, El Camino Cantina offers several Tex-Mex dishes that deliver on plant-based flavour and convenience.

Take your pick from their juicy mushroom fajitas, veggie burritos, guacamole and chips, or cauliflower tacos.

Still hungry? There’s more where that came from…

With demand continuing to skyrocket, and so many Gold Coast cafés and restaurants now adding delicious vegan food to the menu, it’s almost impossible to list them all! We recommend checking out food-finding app Happy Cow for even more great plant-based options.

All that glitters is the Gold Coast vegan food scene ✨

These are just the places that offer notable vegan options – there are also heaps of gems to pick from that have entirely plant-based menus. Don’t miss visiting these 100% vegan restaurants and cafés on the Gold Coast while you’re in town. 

For even more dining recommendations, follow Vegan on the GC – an Insta account run by Jane, a lovely local foodie with her finger on the plant-based pulse.

And there you have it! With so many incredible vegan options to explore on the Gold Coast, the only thing you’ll be hungry for is more time to try them all!   

Satisfying plant-based meals are popping up everywhere – even fast food joints are getting in on it! Check out our bonus tips for dining out as a vegan to help you navigate any menu like a pro.

Header image: © Dalas Kitchen