A hidden gem amongst all the brunch places in Melbourne. I find nonvegans and vegans going there,…read morebut mostly nonvegans. They have an amazing selection of brunch/breakfast plates and sandwiches. I got the big vegan breakfast plate which had tofu scramble, sourdough toast, bakon, avocado, vegan sausage, mushrooms, air fried potatoes, and sautéed kale. Honestly so filling and clean but very tasty. I didn't feel too full afterwards and they didn't use any oil so it didn't feel greasy when I ate it. The breakfast tacos were also very good. Similar ingredients like tofu scramble, avocado, bakon. But there was some salsa on there too. Very delicious. I heard the McMuffy, the vegan breakfast sandwich, is pretty popular too. They make everything from scratch. My sister even said it's the best vegan food she's ever had because it wasn't greasy but still have good flavor. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone!

Super friendly people and amazing vegan food. The Ambience…read moreis lovely. Definitely should their 'Tasties'. Highly recommend.

The Vegan Collective is a new food stall that's part of the Queen Victoria Winter Night Markets…read moreevery Wednesday night. It's great to have a 100% vegan option at the Queen Vic night markets, which for years have been very heavy on the meat. Not to mention, the food here is YUM. Right now they have 5 things on the menu, all vegan: - Middle Eastern Open Wrap - Japanese Udon Noodles - Yellow Lentil and Coconut Curry - Laksa Noodle Soup - Sesame Crusted Tofu I've had the Middle Eastern Open Wrap and the Laksa Noodle Soup. My friend had the Yellow Lentil and Coconut Curry. All very tasty. The Middle Eastern Open Wrap was my favourite -- it's probably one of the best falafel wraps I've had in a long time, and it seemed like a real step up from the junky kind you get at kebab shops. This one actually tasted somewhat "gourmet," if you know what I mean. Real thought was put into the flavours and the sauce, which was delicious. The laksa was OK -- a bit messy to eat if you can't find a seat and you have to stand around awkwardly holding the bowl in one hand and trying to navigate with your chopsticks/spoon in the other. (I'm bad with chopsticks anyway and nearly stabbed myself in the eye at one point.) This food stall is located next to the Sri Lankan food stall, away from the main row of food stalls, so you kinda have to hunt for it. It's further south than the main row of food stalls, if that makes sense -- kind of in the middle of the building, with more of the non-food stuff. On the plus side, that means the queue is much shorter than at other food stalls! Prices are right in line with every other food stall at the Queen Vic Night Market -- i.e., a couple of dollars overpriced, but you're paying for the atmosphere of the place. Really great food stall. I'll be back.

Their service and staff are perfect and very hospitable and friendly. Their menu has only few item…read morebut they are all vegetarian and all are very tasty and yummy.

Enjoyed a nice meal at the bar. Sampled 4-5 small dishes that the bartender recommended. I really…read moreenjoyed my cocktail but the food was a little on the salty side for my taste. Overall, a decent Asian fusion restaurant and very trendy atmosphere.

The staff were nice and accommodating, but the flavors weren't impressive. Reservations needed I'd…read moresay if more than 2 people or eating after 6p

We were visiting Melbourne and wanted to visit a more unique kind of place. Supernormal fit the…read morebill! Here's what we noticed: - You'll definitely want a reservation as the place gets packed. For our party of two we were seated at the bar, which is a really long bar and appears to be the primary area where parties of two get seated. It was nice, fun to be able to watch the action behind the bar. - They had a great cocktail menu and so we ordered some unique drinks. Both were really good. - The menu is pretty broad with small plates to share and larger entrées too. We end up starting with the Korean Rice Cakes, which was probably a highlight of the meal. It was also a pretty generous size. Then they brought out the Lobster Roll, which was good, but probably a poor ordering choice for us since it really wasn't that unique...although it was very yummy. And finally, we had the Duck Bao, and it was excellent. There were so many other things we would've liked to order from the menu, but this was a lot of food for just two of us, although we saw other parties of two order so much more. But, we wanted to save room for the peanut butter parfait. It was worth the weight/wait! - Service was good. At first, it seemed like they were rushing to move us along, but then as more people came into the restaurant, it calmed down a bit. - The place has a great vibe, but it's a little bit loud as you would expect with a place like this. Bottom line: This was one of the best meals we've had so far during our trip to Australia.

Supernormal is an Asian fusion restaurant owned by famous Australian restauranteur Andrew…read moreMcConnell. The place is widely popular so I suggest making reservations if you want to give it a try. Overall, I thought the food was solid with a nice modern atmosphere, and efficient service. You start off with complimentary roasted pumpkins seeds which were a nice touch. They are highly addictive as I couldn't stop eating them! They offer a number of small plates for you to try various dishes so we ordered the shrimp cakes and selection of seafood on ice. We were here for lunch so didn't want to eat too much. The sesame crust on the shrimp cakes made for a nice crunch. The seafood on ice included a sampling of octopus, tuna sashimi, Australian abalone, etc. The seafoods were all OK. Nothing really stood out. For entree, we shared the slow cooked lamb shoulder. It's braised and cooked in what they called Yu Xiang Sauce. I have not had this type of preparation before so it was an interesting flavor. The lamb shoulder was a large portion and the meat was tender. The sauce is slightly spicy and is similar to Sichuan spices. It's really savory and probably best eaten with rice. Portion is large enough to be shared.

Supercharger's OK…read more I love that it's vegan and healthy, and it's definitely fresh and nutritious and packs in a LOT of food that's excellent for your body. It's especially awesome that you can get something vegan and healthy in a food court setting! I'm a vegan and it's super-awesomely-great that I don't have to settle for french fries and/or a boring falafel wrap when I meet friends here for lunch. But something about the flavour profiles here don't sit quite right with me. I don't know what it is. For a long time, I would come here and order the "make your own" types of bowls, where you pick and choose what you want, and no matter what combination I chose, I always chose something that tasted a bit weird when put together. Not BAD, mind you, just weird. I always dismissed it by telling myself: "Self, you are no gourmand. Your idea of 'gourmand' is actually eating out instead of blitzing the crap out of something in the microwave at home. So it's not Supercharger -- it's you. You just chose the wrong combinations and they just taste funny TOGETHER." However, lately I've been getting the "pre-set" Supercharger meals rather than designing my own, and they STILL taste a bit funny. I don't know what it is. I'm not crazy about all the tahini sauce -- tahini is a little too bitter for my liking. The curry seemed to have a strange combination of spices -- it was mild, but the spices just didn't taste right all mixed together. I ended up throwing half of it out -- and I hate hate hate wasting food! The cauliflower seemed sad and limp and flavourless. The rice and quinoa bowl, however, was delicious, with very fresh-tasting carrots, corn, etc. Maybe I'm still just not ordering the right things? I don't know but I've eaten here easily 6-8 times and really only enjoyed about half of what I ate, tolerated another 40% of what I ate, and flat-out hated 10% of what I ate. As far as price goes, it's moderately expensive but come on, you're at the Emporium food court where people are dropping serious money on handbags and clothes and shoes so I don't blame Supercharger for superovercharging. On the plus side, you do get a lot of food. I'm quite full every time I eat here. The concept of a fresh, nutritious, plant-based eatery in a food court is AWESOME, so two thumbs up for Supercharger. But the flavours just aren't really my speed and it would be great if they put some effort into improving them -- then they'd get 5 stars from me!

I'm a girl who loves options and Supercharger's got so many of them to choose from. To create your…read morevegan dream bowl you select a base (I opted for mashed potato and brown rice because, hello, carbs!) and add toppings (green pea smash, broccoli, mushrooms, coconut sauce, daikon and garlic). Soup's also an option (it comes in a separate bowl). I won't complain about the prices because I happen to think Australia's just generally quite pricey so $20 for a bowl of plant-based goodness isn't that crazy. However, the ordering process can surely be improved. Invest in some iPads, do something - anything! - but persist with the current system of paper sheets with so many options laid out in a non-intuitive manner (that require someone to erase them after use). Supercharger, please consider setting up shop in San Francisco! Your vegan, plant-filled bowls are just what the city needs!

TOFWD is one of the places I keep going back to in hopes that I'll finally eat something good, but…read moreevery time I go, I'm disappointed. Every. Single. Time. If you live or work in the CBD and you're vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or have other allergies like dairy or egg allergies, you would think TOFWD would be a god-send. It's a tiny hole-in-the-wall cafe on popular Degraves St laneway with health-conscious offerings for everyone in the categories I just mentioned. Only one small problem: the food is not good. I've tried the pumpkin & tofu pie, the vegetable and dahl pie, the vegan kashmir pie, the vegan samosa, the lentil burger with tomato chutney and salad, the vegan pesto pasta, the tofu and carrot nori roll, and a variety of their baked goods (muffins, cookies, and their "genderless gingerbread cookies," a concept I find mildly hilarious). You would think after ALL those attempts, something would have stuck out at me as being above-average. But no, every thing has been either solidly average or sadly below-average. The pies are rubbery and gross (probably because they're gluten-free or wheat-free), the burger was strange, the pasta was super-bland, and the nori roll was drenched in so much soy sauce that it was like a salt mine exploded in my mouth. The baked goods were alright but nothing special. In terms of the other stuff: service is also pretty crap. The ladies who work there always seem to have a frown on their faces and don't go out of their way to help you when you're looking at what's in the food display case. Atmosphere-wise, the place is tiny but they do have some seating outside in the laneway, which is nice when the weather is pleasant, and Degraves is always fun for people-watching. They also carry a range of health food and vegan groceries stacked against the wall. Price-wise, TOFWD is also pretty reasonable. I'm sad because I love the concept of TOFWD, and in principle I love any place with so many vegan-friendly lunch options on the menu, especially here in the CBD where it's very much needed, but the food has just been sub-par so many times that I don't think I'll be going back.

This is a great place that has the ability to make you feel good about yourself. It's the type of…read morecafé where you feel as though you are making a difference, and doing the right thing by buying organic produce. There's a huge range packed into this little store, and it's all delicious. I can't go past the banana smoothie, chai tea with honey, or the Mexican pie (kidney beans, cheese, onion and tomato on rye pastry). I like to buy a few of the pies and take them home; they make for hearty meals, and are also surprisingly healthy. I have yet to try the chocolate brownies but I hear they are pretty spectacular. Unless you are dining alone I would recommend searching for a seat elsewhere. The makeshift tables that pop out of the walls are a little pokey, and you'll feel very uncomfortable should the store get busy. Service is friendly and charming. The staff are always up for a chat about the produce and won't judge you if you admit to not knowing a great deal about organic food (guilty). There are also some interesting flyers taped along the wall with reasons to buy organic food.

We had an absolutely delicious meal at Smith & Daughter. Every dish was full of flavor. I'm a…read moresauce lover, and they have great sauces. We started with the mushroom skewers, which were perfectly grilled. The pole beans were crisp and seasoned nicely...they were thick and hearty. We took a chance on the red beans and rice. One of our favorite food vacations is New Orleans. I will not doubt this chef again..they were delicious... comforting and flavorful. I would definitely get them again. I do wish the plantains were traditionally made though. The star for me was definitely the country fried lion's mane. Crispy, hearty, and so well-seasoned. I've wanted to try lion's mane for a while. This was the best place to try it. I'm not usually a big dessert person, but the chocolate brownie with biscotti-flavored ice cream had me claiming my fair share (my husband usually gets most of the dessert to himself!). The decor was modern but also cozy and inviting. It really made for a great night out. I don't know how we skipped over the bbq brisket. We will definitely be back to try it!

Melbourne's bustling scene of vegetarian restaurants includes one I thought I'd never see: a vegan…read moreSpanish tapas place. Besides having transformed a vegetarian-unfriendly cuisine, they've also managed to do it in a fairly prominent corner, and fill their tables (both the individual ones and the communal table I sat at and the bar) with a very typical-looking bunch of Australians. It is not what one expects of an all-plant restaurant; the mainstream, hipster-ness of it all was quite unique to Melbourne. Like most tapas places, you'll pay a lot of money for a little food and probably like it. I only tried the chickpea soup and some sort of soda, though people sitting next to me ordered all kinds of delicious-looking things that I could only ogle. The soup was appealing enough that I finished a large bowl rather quickly. I would struggle to pay up for it on a regular basis if I lived in Melbourne, but I certainly would want to come with a group and try everything. It seemed like this place was a success.

Yum we are in love with Vietnamese food lately and we had come to Melbourne to have a family day…read moreout. Dropped in to grab a couple of banh mi's. They were very nice. I parked out on the street and my partner ran in and grabbed them so I can't comment on the shop or staff. But she was fairly quick and we were on our way again. They came wrapped in brown paper bags and were taped shut with some decorative tape and I thought if they taste as good as they look then wow. We got two different types. They were both delicious. These were my first banh mi and I was not let down. The Ba'gets were crispy bread and the fillings were amazing. The crispy pork being my favorite. They were full of meat and salad with a variety of textures. What really stood out and lifted it was the coriander which I've grown to love and the chilli that gave your taste buds a real bang. Not too hot just the right amount. These were great and I would love to get more of these. Unfortunately we live some hours away but I'll be sure to make this a regular stop when in town next.

Flavoursome and no fuss Vietnamese food. A great lunch option for under $10 in Melbourne CBD…read more My favourite items include Pâté chaud and vermicelli with lemongrass pork. The Pâté chaud is just as good as the ones found at Vietnamese bakeries in suburbia, just slightly more expensive but cheap for Melbourne CBD. Banh mi is good. Good baguette and filling, but suburbia banh mi is better. Give this place a good if you're near by. Stick with the vermicelli, Pâté chaud and Banh mi.

A cute little vegan cafe on the cusp of Spencer St and Docklands. The cafe service is friendly…read morealthough expect a wait during lunch times. They offer a comprehensive vegan menu with accommodations for food allergies such as gluten and nuts. The food itself was very fresh, delicious and had interesting textures and flavors.

Delicious ramen & gyoza My husband ordered a tonkotsu chashu…read moreramen and I ordered the gyoza for lunch. The ramen was excellent - the broth was very rich and porky and the toppings (soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, nori, bean sprouts and spring onions) were super tasty. The gyoza were excellent too - super thin skins with a moist tasty filling.

Decent Ramen spot if you don't mind crowded spaces and a bit of a wait. Service was very good ,…read moreEverything tasted fresh , and I would say the tonkutsu ramen was dine in a classic style. I personally was surprised to see all of the Asian influence in Australia. If you are looking for great Ramen and don't mind a bit of a wait, this place is worth it for sure.