Exquisite plates of refined flavours, special occasions, or any excuse to glam up – whatever your pleasure, step it up a notch with these plant-based menus.
TRANSFORMER
Fitzroy, VIC
transformerfitzroy.com
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s plant-based hub, this elegant restaurant features high ceilings, indoor plants, and deep lighting arrangement. The menu is completely vegetarian and mostly vegan, inspired by cuisines from around the globe, with produce sourced from small-scale producers.
The ‘Feed Me’ menu will take your tastebuds on a journey in a perfectly playful celebration of plant diversity. Standouts include the truffled chickpea panisse with nutritional yeast and macadamia as well as the beer-braised red cabbage with hazelnuts, morel and chanterelle mushrooms, white onion puree, and bay oil. You can sweeten the deal with the hazelnut brownie with a red wine roasted pear, ganache, and vanilla cream for dessert. Like the menu, the wine list changes with the seasons, and is organic where possible. Opt for the paired wine tasting to take your experience to new heights, or try something from the innovative cocktail menu.
ALØFT
Hobart, TAS
aloftrestaurant.com
Prepare to take fine dining to new heights at ALØFT. The name is an old Norse take on ‘place in the sky’ and the venue speaks for itself. Located on the top floor, overlooking Hobart’s waterfront, you’ll be wined and dined in a cosy, intimate, and warm loft with one of the best views in town.
The open-plan dining room and kitchen allows guests to observe the magic behind the plates, with chefs in their element as they prepare the elegant dishes. With a trans-Asian influence, the vegan/vegetarian menu is seasonal and sourced with the highest quality in mind. Think locally foraged wood ear mushroom dumplings and kunzea gastrique or Jerusalem artichoke with macadamia, lovage, and brown butter – a highlight! You may finish with coconut, honeycomb, and fresh berries, a dessert that will refresh your palate in the best possible way. Dishes can be perfectly paired with local wines or even Japanese sake; your waiter can explain the flavour combinations as you sit back and enjoy. The menu boasts both art and passion, a fitting way to dine when in Tassie.
WILDFLOWER
Perth, WA
wildflowerperth.com.au
Dine differently at the stunning rooftop location of COMO The Treasury, overlooking the city and the Swan River. Wildflower serves up a contemporary menu revolving around the six seasons of the Noongar calendar, as established by local First Nations people – with no start or end date, the passing of each season is something that is felt.
This elegant restaurant aims to tell the story of families, local growers, and the land through the meeting of food and First Nations culture. With a focus on native and foraged ingredients, each dish is created with respect to the Whadjuk Noongar people, with every element on the plate telling a story. Dishes may include barbecued courgette with river mint, eucalyptus, and pea or jarrah-roasted golden beetroot with native lime and witlof. Perhaps dessert will be strawberry gum mousse with native thyme and fermented strawberry? Only the season can tell.
Wildflower offers a plant-based alternative for each edition of their menu, available upon request. Diners can choose from a four-course or six-course tasting menu, plus there’s the option to add the sommelier’s matched wines or non-alcoholic beverages featuring native ingredients for the full experience.
YELLOW
Potts Point, NSW
yellowsydney.com.au
Yellow is an award-winning vegan bistro in the iconic Yellow House building in beautiful Potts Point, Sydney. Inspired by the European dining experience with a modern plant-based twist, the contemporary space pays homage to the building’s history – an art gallery in the 50s and then a collaborative artists’ movement in the 70s. The dining experience here is intimate, warm, and welcoming, with space for couples and families alike. And you don’t need to be plant-based to enjoy the experience – the ethos here lends itself to a greater appreciation of vegetables, with each dish prepared with great consideration, often presenting ingredients anew to diners.
On the seasonal menu, you’ll find dishes that draw inspiration from native plants, such as pickled and fermented heirloom carrot with harissa oil and wild fennel, or desserts like wattleseed ice cream with sugar peach and lemon myrtle. The eclectic wine list balances the familiar with the obscure and perfectly complements the approach of the menu.
D’ARRY’S VERANDAH
McLaren Vale, SA
darenberg.com.au
Located near the d’Arenberg cellar door in McLaren Vale, d’Arry’s Verandah is situated among the vineyards and enjoys breathtaking views of the surrounding hills. You’ll dine in a restored 19th century homestead, enjoying a menu guided by the seasons.
Perfect for a leisurely long lunch, d’Arry’s began offering a dedicated plant-based menu in 2017 and hasn’t looked back. Select a two-course or three-course meal from the à la carte menu, or make the most of the experience by indulging in the famous eight-course degustation menu. You’ll find small but bold dishes, such as warm Wilunga orange and rosemary marinated olives and almonds or a beetroot and pomegranate tartare finished with beetroot bark, pickled Davidson plum gel, and nasturtium leaf.
The menu changes with the seasons and offers perfect wine pairings – all vegan – made from the surrounding vineyards. With plenty to see and do on site – think art exhibitions and wine blending experiences – d’Arry’s Verandah is the perfect place to enjoy a lavish day out in a picturesque natural setting.
DETOUR
Woolloongabba, QLD
detourrestaurant.com.au
A progressive and inclusive dining experience awaits at Detour in Woolloongabba, Brisbane. The open-plan dining room has a beautiful ceiling, warm lighting, and natural wood features, making for a relaxed yet refined setting, perfect for the conversations the menu is bound to inspire.
With a dedicated herbivore menu that is almost entirely gluten-free, you’ll find dishes such as coal-roasted broccoli with miso, spinach, seaweed, and quinoa or fresh truffles with Jerusalem artichoke, mushroom, and pine nuts. Here, the dishes are a work of art and are consciously curated to celebrate the diversity of seasonal vegetables. To complete the dining experience, expect unique and delectable desserts to cleanse the palate.
If vino is your thing, an extensive wine list offers a selection of organic wines, celebrating Australian producers and showcasing the natural wine movement.
Lead image: Detour restaurant, Brisbane
