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Lentil As Anything

4.5 (43 reviews)
Open 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Lentil As Anything Photos

LENTIL AS ANYTHING ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Very loud
Hipster
Good for kids
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - Lentil As Anything

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John T.

A wonderful meal and that the food is by donation on an honor system: pay for your basic meal $10, pay meal and their overhead $15. Pay it forward: $20! Incredible! And the food vegan and so wholesome. Well done guys!!

Workin' in the kitchen
Rahul B.

So, there's this place you can go if you're either a) broke as hell, and find a meal hard to come by b) cheap as hell and/or a student, and want to have the satisfaction of paying as little for a decent meal as you possibly can without feeling like a total shmuck or breaking the bank c) shocked that you can go somewhere and "pay what you feel" for a decent meal and you have to experience it for yourself to believe such a place actually exists. These are pretty much the three type of patrons you'll find at Lentil As Anything. If you fit into category c, I totally understand, as I was once just like you, and I can tell you first hand, it's a real thing. On my first visit, I was ushered into a packed dining room, and seated at a back table and told I would be joined by someone else shortly. A sweet girl sat down with me a few minutes later, and we shared an amazing meal together. I walked out of the restaurant putting $17 in the anonymous donation slot, and thought to myself, "that was f-ing awesome!" Suddenly, a new category made itself known to me. Category d) those who love to meet really interesting new people over a pretty good vegan meal and pay whatever they feel for that meal. I came to the restaurant two more times, and on my second visit I met a gal who introduced me to a future girlfriend. True story. That's the magic of Lentil As Anything. Perhaps even cooler than that is that on my third visit, I decided I wanted to pay by volunteering in the kitchen, so I walked back there and they told me to put on an apron, wash my hands, and start prepping veggies. And, that's what I did for three hours because I had such a great time hanging out with other volunteers. True story (pics attached for proof). Visit Lentil As Anything if you fall into any of the categories listed above, which is pretty much everyone at least one night a week, and you'll leave thinking, "that was f-ing awesome"! The only reason I give it 4 stars is because the food is only worth 3 stars, but the rest of the experience brings it up to 4.

Potato & Red Pepper stir fry. Very. Very. Yum.
Brendon W.

Incredible. This place has it right. The whole premise of placing complete trust in the patron when it comes to payment lies at the core of success for Lentil As Anything. Food and service based not on profit, but the simple measure of contributing good things to the world. When you break down the trust barrier through fixed, expected payment, you do two things. 1. You willingly hand that trust to the diner, who no longer needs to worry about "will I get value for my money". 2. You create an almost instant and intangible bond between people and the collective idea of "good karma". Based on that alone, I would come to eat here again as much as I possibly could. But let's talk food. Usually only a few items will be on the menu. It's a simple system. Mostly 3 mains and a single desert. I ordered the Potato & Red Pepper Stir Fry. When it arrived, it was art on a plate (I posted a pic of it here). Big, generous servings that in no way left me feeling hungry. And the taste? Delicious. Don't think that this is just a restaurant of hacks trying their hand in the restaurant business and trying to be all radical about it. No...there's some serious skill in the kitchen. I was so full I skipped desert. My friend ordered the Sri Lankan Curry Plate. It looked amazing, but we were so into our own meals we forgot to take samples of each other's food. For a place that's only been open a few weeks, with no advertising, it's packed. They open at 6pm. We arrived at 6:30 and just got seated. A queue formed behind us and people were happily waiting in line to experience this amazing food. Lentil As Anything won't just be one of the best restaurants in Newtown. It will also be a community that is built on everything good there is in this world. Thank you!!!

Lentil as Anything counter
Conor D.

Reading an article on news.com.au about 8 quirky cafes around the world and low and behold Lentil is Anything appears on the list although it was the Melbourne version. The article mentioned they had a new branch in Sydney too. The place is community run and operates on a you pay what you think it's worth basis. This is refreshing from the usual cafes and restaurants we are used to visiting. The place is run by volunteers but entering the place we got seated straight away and are served almost instantly. The waitress served us Chai tea to start and took out order. We decided to order white bean and lemon kale soup , tofu wrap , pancake and a bowl of Biriyanyi rice. The service was quick and order came out fast. The soup was delicious and generous portion to share. The pancake was very fluffy and tahini sauce was very interesting. Quite sweet. Pancakes were good considering they had no eggs . The tofu wrap was pretty average and was in need of a little bit more tofu to make it a little more flavoursome. The rice was really good. Indian spices and complimented all the order dishes as a side. The vibe of the place was really good and the other punters were mostly hipsters. Everyone seemed friendly and the table next to us even questioned what was in our soup. On the way out you leave a donation in the box of what you feel it deserved. Was happy with the meal so left approximately what would pay for in an equivalent cafe. The concept is very cool and will visit the place again as the dinner menu is different.

Vivian W.

Great place and environment~ not-for-profit organisation is a great idea aswell, as you pay by donation. Food is great, vegan which is very convenient, and they serve you a drink beforehand and offer dessert aswell :) Atmosphere is really amazing, quite busy but the people working are super down to earth

Dahl with rice
Shaina 'Occasionally Rahn' K.

Really good atmosphere supported by their community philosophy and donation/volunteer setup. The volunteers are super friendly, and the service is really quick too! It's a great place to appreciate the Newtown culture, with delicious vegan eats and lots of cool kids and colourful characters at the table. They serve you really good warm spicy chai when you sit down and the diners always look like they're having an awesome time. Extra bonus points for "all gender bathroom," for inclusion, love, and acceptance!

Curry platter
Craig D.

This place was packed for lunch, and at first I was confused about the format and whether there was table service. There is! Wait at the doorway and someone will come over and show you to a free seat. Lucky ones will sit by the window or wall, less lucky ones get crammed into a communal table. Order a chai at the bar or one of the platters on offer, and it comes out after 10-20 minutes, depending on how busy they are. Food was great! Portions decent and fresh ingredients. Service was winningly friendly and the clientele is a mix of dazed travelers, 80s punks, fresh-faced yogis, and people like me. The servers clear your plates and offer dessert, just like a full service restaurant. But of course this place is pay what you feel. Collection box is by the door, and I read an interview with the owner that says payments of $12 are enough to cover costs and overhead. Did see some diners walking out without dropping any payment... That's just not the way to do it mates!

Sunday brunch - Lebanese plate, curry plate and a pancake to share!
Maya M.

Number 1 place for food in Sydney! Lentils Is full of love. You can go there alone and feel like you belong there. Keep seeing the same people there.

Andrew S.

Excellent food. The brunch was so delicious and filling. My first time here but not my last. I really appreciated the tastes (Tex mex and northern Indian). It was also a bustling place. It's donation only and worth contributing to.

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1 year ago

They do t charge except a coin and it's super good food good volunteers that make it for a good cuase

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9 years ago

Good people good food and good community initiative. This place is always busy and hopefully with continued local support will thrive.

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9 years ago

Really cool idea which we commend. With respect to the food itself -- average taste. Glad to experience it and wish them the best of luck.

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Review Highlights - Lentil As Anything

Great place and environment~ not-for-profit organisation is a great idea aswell, as you pay by donation.

Mentioned in 6 reviews

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Lord of the Fries

Lord of the Fries

3.6(33 reviews)
3.7 kmSydney
$

I waited in line for 90 minutes tonight to get chips and a burger. Not just any kind of burger...a…read morevegetarian burger. I thought to myself, this better be damn good...AND IT WAS!!! I am the furthest from a vegetarian that you could get (I had ribs for lunch today,) so I was pretty skeptical about how a veggie burger would taste...my skepticism was unfounded because I have to admit it was a pretty good burger. I ordered an original Big Burger meal with no mustard and soy bacon. I thought blasphemy, bacon cannot be soy...but I was the blasphemous one for doubting the Lord (of the Fries.) For the fries I had the original fries (chunky + sweet potato available,) ordered Belgian mayo and Vietnamese mayo (spicy chili) on the side. The Belgian mayo was alright, but the Vietnamese mayo was bomb.com. The fries are double cooked and definitely some of the better fries I've had in Sydney...my favourite fries have been from Ogalo's, but Lord of the Fries gives it a run for its money...I will need to do some more taste testing with their other sauces. If you've been to America, I'd say that Lord of the Fries reminds me of a vegetarian Five Guys since the fries are very similar in taste and quality (minus Cajun fries) and they both offer burgers and hot dogs. The nostalgia may have influenced my review a bit...so take that into consideration. If you don't want to wait in a queue for a super long time, go in the arvo or after their official launch on Aug. 29th. Praise the Lord (of the Fries!!!) ***Update: I went again to try their hot dogs and ordered the Chicago dog. If you're a fan of hot dogs and a carnivore I would skip the hot dog and get the burger, it tastes bland and it's a bit "off," most likely missing the meat taste. If you're a vegetarian and really want a hot dog then order to your hearts content.

3 stars until the results come back from the lab identifying the thing I found in my chips…read more(pictured) Why did I ask for Mexican Sauce? I hate sour cream? Just getting started so I'll go again when the place has settled in .....depending on what the lab finds. I really dont need to find a great hot chip place.

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Lord of the Fries
Lord of the Fries
Lord of the Fries - Sweet potato fries

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Sweet potato fries

Lentil As Anything - vegan - Updated May 2026

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