Tokyo Maki

April 2, 2026 

 

   

 

We had a decent shot at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year - seven shows across four nights - with only the last one located at the flagship Melbourne Town Hall. Our first night out had us seeking an early dinner near the Speakeasy Theatre. While the theatre itself proved cute as a button, we weren't inspired by its location in the south-western corner of the CBD. Happy Cow once again came to our rescue, noting that Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant Tokyo Maki has a dedicated vegan menu.

 

   

 

Tokyo Maki was casual and welcoming, a little more than half full when we arrived. We noticed hotplates in the centre of many tables, and space-saving slide-out drawers in the tables for cutlery and napkins. The vegan menu runs to a full A4 page of several dozen items, proudly headed I am a Vegan. Flip it over and you'll find the equally confident alternative, Hate Gluten. Aside from being funny, it's unusual and welcome for Japanese food!

 

   

 

I was in the mood for several snack plates. First to arrive was the agadashi tofu ($9.90) in fine form. Michael and I also split the vegetable croquettes ($7.50), which had a unique savoury flavour that pleasantly surprised us. I spaced my food out with a house-made honey ginger tea ($5.80), served with a kawaii relaxed dog spoon (see second photo above).

   

 

When Michael sees the words 'mapo tofu', he's hooked. This Japanese Mapo Tofu Don ($18.50) didn't have the Sichuan pepper bite he's accustomed to, but he loved the rich and still-spicy douban sauce. It was packed with tofu cubes, veges and rice.

   

My last snack of the night was lotus root chips ($11). They were plentiful and came with nice condiments, but unfortunately they weren't crispy all the way through, the only flaw in our meal. 

Tokyo Maki was a nice little surprise in what we consider to be an unattractive corner of the city. The staff were lovely; the vegan food was plentiful, arrived on time, was mostly terrific, and on reflection very good value for money. We won't hesitate to return and sample more if back in the neighbourhood. 

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Tokyo Maki

547 Flinders St, Melbourne CBD 

9620 0375 

vegan, gluten-free, drinks & dessert 

order online

 

Accessibility: Tokyo Maki has a flat, reasonably wide entry. Regular-height tables and backed chairs are arranged at medium density. We ordered at our table and paid at a regular-height counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Gopal's IV

March 3, 2026 

 

   

 

We probably haven't been to Gopal's since our 2016 decade retrospective of the 2006 Cheap Eats Guide. What once suited our student budget and tastes and our newly vegetarian ways brought less excitement as the years went on. But what's boring to one can be comforting and even nostalgic to another.

 

   

 

Gopal's specialises in vegetarian and vegan food, prepared in bulk and served at affordable prices. The mainstay is the feast plate ($12 in 2006, $12.95 in 2016, $13.50 in 2026); they were out of soup on our visit so Michael dropped back to the otherwise-same vegan platter ($12.50). It's a plate piled with rice, two curries and salad, plus a dessert (apple crumble with custard) and drink (lemonade). The foods and their dietary features are well marked at the counter bain marie, but it all kinda melds on the plate.

   

 

I knew I couldn't handle the full shebang, so focused on kofta and rice, drink and dessert. It was simple, salty and filling, no more and no less than I expected. It's food that won't make new memories but might trigger old ones. It's remarkable that Gopal's have kept the prices so low for so many years, and maintained a space in the city that remains so accessible and accepting to anyone who can make it up the stairs. We might not be excited by Gopal's but we're lucky to have them.

 

    

 

On this night, we paired our meal with a Pulp show under a blood moon. Gopal's went on to rescue us from hunger between Melbourne Comedy Festival shows in April when the crepe cart was overrun and time was tight. 

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You can read about one, two, three of our previous visits to Gopal's.

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Gopal's Pure Vegetarian

139 Swanston St, Melbourne CBD 

9650 1578 

menu 

https://www.gopalspurevegetarian.com.au/ 

 

Accessibility: We entered via a narrow staircase with a handrail and did not notice an alternative access point. We ordered and paid at the counter. Tables are quite well spaced. Toilets are gendered and narrow. 

Chocolate Buddha

January 31, 2026

   

Weirdly, we're gonna commence our Cheap Eats 2006 two decades on reviews with a restaurant that we've never before blogged: Chocolate Buddha. Chocolate Buddha has never truly drawn me in on its own merits but it's very convenient for fitting dinner in around a CBD-based cultural event. It's embedded in Federation Square and turns around decent Japanese food, fast. It always seems bustling, and you can lock down a booking before your ticketed show. At the same time, their kitchen is open to a reasonable time and if you walk in as a small group there's a good chance they'll have room for you. Most recently, Michael and I tried walking up at 8:30pm after an ACMI Tony Leung Chiu-wai movie and squeezed into the bench by the window.

   

Vegetarian and vegan dishes are marked and scattered across the menu, and there's a dedicated column for gluten-free friendly items (with a contamination caveat). We grazed on some of the more shareable options: crispy-fried green gyoza with wasabi mayo ($15), a simple tofu katsu ($11; in lieu of their sold-out nasu dengaku), seasonal green veges in a garlic, ginger and sesame dressing ($12), and steamed rice ($5).

   

Agedashi tofu ($16) is a staple; this one came with lots of broth and a helpful ladle for sharing.

Prices have increased since 2006, of course: side dishes were once $4-13 and now sit around $5-20; mains were $14-20 and are now $23-30. The Cheap Eats reviewer warned that staff could be "harried and humourless" but we experienced the complete opposite in 2026: the four staff we interacted with kept pace with confidence and a smile. Chocolate Buddha might never make the where's the best? page, but it's undeniably handy to fall back on when you feel like a tourist in your own city.

   

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Back in 2006, Morsels & Musings loved the food, but like Cheap Eats they bemoaned the service at Chocolate Buddha. Since then it has received positive reviews on This and That, The Food Joy, Weekend Notes, and Mamma Knows Melbourne.

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Chocolate Buddha

Federation Square, Swanston and Flinders Sts, Melbourne CBD

9654 5688

food, drinks

https://chocolatebuddha.com.au/

Accessibility: There are both steps and a flatter entry point to Chocolate Buddha, but I'm not sure there's a way of avoiding the undulating, cobbled Federation Square. Furniture is densely packed with reasonably clear but busy walkways - mostly low tables with backless stools, some backed metal chairs outside and some backed chairs and booth seating toward the back inside. We ordered at our table and paid at a low counter. We didn't visit the toilets. 

Kariton Sorbetes II

October 5, 2025

   

Even since before my first visit, I've been coveting the sundaes at Kariton Sorbetes and waiting for the time and place to try one. I made the time after a Sunday rally in the city and pounced on a small Taho ($11) - it's a still-generous swirl of silken tofu soft serve, a decent spoonful of soy milk pannacotta, and a drip of small tapioca pearls in oolong tea syrup. After years of resistance, I think I'm finally getting the hang of soy milk as a dessert - and this is a fine way to do it without any masking of the flavour. Even so, I would have liked a little more of that dark tea syrup to distribute across the cup.

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You can read about our first visit to Kariton here. You can also read about the various Kariton outlets on Sweet & Sour Fork, Mamma Knows East, Mamma Knows West and The Resolved Wanderer.

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Kariton Sorbetes 

177 Russell St, Melbourne CBD 

menu 

https://www.karitonsorbetes.com/ 

Accessibility: Kariton Sorbetes has a flat entry and somewhat narrow, roped queuing system. There are few seats, mostly low backless stools. I ordered, paid, and picked up our icecreams at a low counter. I didn't visit the toilets.

Biang! Biang!

August 1, 2025 

   

We've been very fond of biangbiang or youpo noodles since our 2018 trip to China. We love the ones at Master Lanzhou in Melbourne and have been meaning for a while to check out Biang! Biang!'s version. Their Elizabeth St outlet was conveniently close to Jess Ribeiro's Friday night set at Rocksteady Records.

   

The menu wasn't explicit about veg*n or gluten-free items but we were pretty comfortable with guessing. Though we knew a lot of food was to come, we couldn't resist splitting a fried tofu and egg pastry ($9.50) out of curiosity. It was super-flaky with dense, salty fillings that begged for a little chilli oil.

   

Michael ordered the signature BiangBiang Noodles with Chilli ($14.50), the whole reason we turned up. Since there wasn't any extra chilli oil at the table they were a bit milder than his usual bowl; also oilier.

   

Determined to order across the menu, I skipped the classic bowl and chose the BiangBiang Noodles with Tomato Egg ($14.50). It's a mild and comforting dish for the chilli averse. I really struggled to maneuvre the noodles but that's probably not Biang! Biang!'s fault - I've just got to work those chopstick-wielding muscles more often. 

This was a successful visit! The noodles were bouncy, abundant, and cheap. We're not convinced that Biang! Biang! outperforms Master Lanzhou, but it's a worthy rival.

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Biang! Biang!

419 Elizabeth St, Melbourne CBD

8529 4900

noodles & pastry; side dishes, dumplings & combos

https://www.biangbiang.com.au/

Accessibility: Biang! Biang! has a step up on entry and a clear walkway through to the low counter. Tables are densely arranged and regular height with backless stools. We ordered and paid ahead at the counter, and received food at our table. We didn't visit the toilets.

Farmer's Daughters

May 11, 2025

   

We booked in a bunch of events at the Melbourne Writers Festival and found ourselves with a four-hour break on Sunday afternoon. That's long enough to go home for a bit, but instead we elected to splash out on a fancy lunch. Farmer's Daughters, which I didn't know much about, had availability on their (covered) rooftop for the late timeslot we were after. We were probably the only table there not celebrating Mothers' Day.

   

The Farmer's Daughters menu is focused on fresh produce from Gippsland. Dietary features aren't marked on the menu, but we trusted there'd be some great vegetables and that the staff would know what's what. Happily, they also offer a few mocktails ($12 each) and an in-menu option that the bartender can whip you up something customised if they're not what you're after. The Phillip Island Mule, with native lemongrass, suited me straight up.

   

Bread excepted, we sampled everything vegetarian across the entrees and mains. Zucchini pieces were grilled, sauced with romesco, piled with shiso, topped with a ball of creamy burrata and liberally sprinkled with dukkah ($25). In a similar pattern, roasted beetroot was teamed with green leaves, topped with feta and seasoned with hazelnuts and pepperberry ($24).  

   

Neat little potato rösti squares ($10 each) were piped with cheese mousse, topped with a fresh fig flourish and a sprig of French sorrel. I wasn't sure about fig and potato together, but the cream cheese was the natural bridge between the two.

   

The roast potato and leek pie ($35) was tremendously burnished and flaky, topped with confit red onion and surrounded by a rich brown butter sauce. It was a bit late in the season for tomatoes, so the salad of heirloom tomatoes, strawberry, mozzarella and basil ($21) worked slightly better in theory than in practice.

   

Dessert was study in classics done well. Cheesecake ($20) was sweet, tangy, nutty and creamy in perfect proportions, with a little berry compote on the side. The 75% Cuvée chocolate tart ($21) was smooth, firm and bittersweet, accompanied by a delectable salted hazelnut praline sauce and spoonful of crème diplomate. We carefully halved both desserts as fairly as we could.

The service at Farmer's Daughters was bright and professional and we enjoyed our meal very much. The vegetarian options leaned heavily on Gippsland's great dairy products, so it's hard to predict how well they'd cater to vegans. We're glad we had this unusual excuse to splurge on a meal there, and I'd do it again if the same rare circumstances recurred.

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You can also read a positive review from Sweet & Sour Fork.

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Farmer's Daughters

95 Exhibition St, Melbourne CBD

9116 8682

a la carte, chef's selection

https://www.farmersdaughters.com.au/

Accessibility: There's a lift to the rooftop. It's densely packed with regular height tables, backed chairs and some padded benches. We ordered and paid at our table. There's a handful of individual cubicles on the same level, some gendered and some unisex ambulant.

Makan II

March 7, 2025

   

When a long-time food-blogging friend was back in town, we needed somewhere to eat around the CBD on a Friday night, quiet enough to hear each other chat, with plentiful veg*n and dairy-free options, and ideally structured to share. Back to Makan we went! While we waited for Gill to arrive, I picked out a TGIF mocktail, the sweet-and-sour citrusy Calamansi Groove ($16). This kicked off a month of seeking out multiple salt-rimmed drinks - the concept is nothing new, but I was newly appreciative of it.

   

Gill urged us to lead the ordering, and I was didn't want to miss out on tempeh. The Tempe Mendoan ($15) was thinly sliced, well battered, and accompanied by an excellent makrut lime sweet soy dipping sauce.

   

Michael was in the mood for corn ribs, known here as Jagung Bakar ($18) - they had a thorough but superficial char that kept the corn fresh and juicy, a dusting of chilli salt and a rich garlic dip on the side.

   

Michael also voted for the Opor Labu ($24), a mild curry featuring pumpkin and potatoes with plentiful broth.

   

We had to go back for another round of Roti Serabi ($8) for the spongy coconut batter and very spicy gulai sauce.

   

My favourite of the night was probably the Tahu Telor ($25), a huge tofu and egg omelette sliced into wedges, topped with garlic soy sauce and herbs. I've been fond of salty omelettes on rice since Middle Fish days, and this one really hit the spot. (I might consider ordering it on its own if I found myself here ordering alone!)

   

As if this weren't all enough colour and flavour, there were Krupuk and Acar on the side for spreading across the dishes. 

Having eaten and talked so much already, we agreed that dessert wasn't necessary (though I will certainly report back if I ever get a spoon into the Cendol Panna Cotta!). Even without it, we'd confirmed Makan was as handy as fun as we found it on our first visit.

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You can read about our first visit to Makan here.

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Makan

Collins Way, Melbourne CBD
menu 

https://makaninmelbourne.com.au/

Accessibility:  Makan has a step down from its Collins Way entry into the main restaurant floor. (Michael thinks there is potentially another flat access point from elsewhere in the building, but prior arrangements might be needed with the staff outside of business hours.) The tables are regular height and generously spaced, with a mixture of padded benches and backed wooden chairs. We ordered at our table and paid at a low counter. Toilets are gendered and include an accessible option.

Makan

August 2, 2024

   

We were in the city for a Friday night Wheeler Centre event and needed an after-8pm dinner. Michael googled around for Indonesian food and Makan rapidly came up with available seats. Others will know it because it's run by the Seger sisters from My Kitchen Rules, or simply because they're more on top of the city dining scene than we are! As so many Melbourne restaurants are, Makan is tucked a fair distance down a laneway, so spontaneous walk-ins are surely less common. It's got a very familiar contemporary atmosphere with polished concrete, neon lights, pastel finishes and a prominent cocktail bar.

   

To my delight, they're on top of their mocktail game as well. All seven options appealed to my tastes and it was the novelty of the Coco Pandan Highball ($12) that I ultimately had to try. It was a super-sweet close sibling to the soda-and-condensed milk Es Soda Gembira I recently sampled at Sendok Garpu, with the bonus texture of grass jelly.

   

Michael observed that vegan wines were well-marked amongst the drinks, which is funny because we couldn't see markings for dietary requirements on the standard food menu. Nevertheless, plenty of it looked veg-friendly, and we chose one dish from each of the subsections.

First, there was Bakwan Sayur ($21) from the Plates, a very battered tangle of shredded vegetables accompanied by green chili mayo. These were fun but ultimately a touch too oily for me.

   

I was less ambivalent about the Roti Serabi ($10) from the Bites. Described on the menu as 'coconut crumpets', they're made from a batter of coconut milk and rice flour, are perfect for soaking up the rich and spicy gulai sauce, and are garnished with serundeng (spiced and roasted shredded coconut). Just my kind of snack!

   

From the Large offerings, it had to be the Tempeh Lodeh ($32) for us. Here was another lovely coconut broth, holding the most tender, flavourful tempeh pieces, plus browned cauliflower and okra, garnished with crisp tempeh chips. We made sure most of the broth was soaked up in our Side of Nasi Serai ($7), and brightly flavoured bowl of rice with lemongrass.

   

We had room to negotiate one dish from the Sweets. Again, I was torn in several directions and ultimately we were both satisfied with the Teh-ramisu ($17), a cutely layered cup where the sponge fingers are soaked in a subtly sweet Indonesian jasmine tea, interspersed as usual with mascarpone cream, and then garnished with chocolate shards. It's less assertive than a traditional coffee-infused tiramisu but has its own charm.

Having no prior knowledge or expectation, finding a comfortable seat and kinda-fancy last-minute vegetarian meal at Makan was the best case scenario for our Friday night out. We'll certainly file it away for future reference.

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Makan has also received a positive review from Kulture Kween.

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Makan

Collins Way, Melbourne CBD

9642 3109

food, mocktails 

https://makaninmelbourne.com.au/

Accessibility: Makan has a step down from its Collins Way entry into the main restaurant floor. (Michael thinks there is potentially another flat access point from elsewhere in the building, but prior arrangements might be needed with the staff outside of business hours.) The tables are regular height and generously spaced, with a mixture of padded benches and backed wooden chairs. We ordered at our table and paid at a low counter. Toilets are gendered and include an accessible option.

Kariton Sorbetes

April 21, 2024

   

We squeezed a visit to Kariton Sorbetes between our last two comedy shows and it might have been the highlight of my night! I've been eyeing off their Filipino-flavoured gelato for a few years, reading the complimentary reviews, and made one failed attempt to visit their original Footscray venue before this successful sample of their newer Chinatown shopfront.

Their menu is in regular rotation and we hadn't pinned our hopes on trying any particular famous flavours. Michael took the creamy, chocolatey approach, ordering a cone ($8.70) with Tita-misu (coconut mascarpone gelato, coconut sponge fingers, Vietnamese coffee caramel and chocolate soil) and Milo Dinosaur (Milo gelato, malted milk chocolate ganache, Milo honeycomb).

   

Meanwhile, I had a cup ($8.70) stacked with Brazo de Mercedes (toasted marshmallow gelato, mandarin-yuzu sorbet) and TMT (Thai milk tea gelato, coconut milk crumb, coconut sugo jelly). I'm not generally a marshmallow gal, but its tangy citrus counterpart was the balance it needed.

We thought all four flavours were absolutely brilliant! I'd like very much to go back when I have the time and appetite to make my way through a Taho or Halo Halo.

We didn't notice clear dietary information on site but there's some online, so vegans and coeliacs might be best off doing a little research in advance. We reckon it'll be worth the effort.

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Kariton Sorbetes

177 Russell St, Melbourne CBD

menu: one, two

https://www.karitonsorbetes.com/

Accessibility: Kariton Sorbetes has a flat entry and somewhat narrow, roped queuing system. There are few seats, mostly low backless stools. We ordered, paid, and picked up our icecreams at a low counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Pinchy's

February 13, 2024

   

Pinchy's brands itself as a lobster and champagne bar so I was a little surprised when our vegan friend Jess invited us to celebrate his birthday there. He has excellent taste so I put my trust in him and in Pinchy's - it turns out that they have a vegan 'made friendlier' six course tasting menu ($60 per person and significantly cheaper than their seven courses 'by the sea') and it's a lot of fun. 

   

The extensive drinks list includes fancy, unique cocktails and mocktails - Michael got into the swing of things with a spicy marg ($22), while I sipped on a sunset tonic ($14). Another popular choice around our table was the nectar of the night ($22), which includes a colour transformation at the table through the combination of butterfly pea tea and lemon juice.

   

We didn't have to wait long before the food started arriving! First came these ultra crisp miniature spiced tofu tacos, with a light salsa and lots of avocado mousse.

   

The Caesar salad tartlet came draped in a fine sliver of celeriac; inside was a smoky, savoury mixture of confit garlic, lettuce, capers and vegan parmesan.

   

The beetroot tartare was a striking square with a toasty nori crouton base, earthy tender beetroot filling, and a little piped avocado on top.

   

The leek croquettes, served with herb oil, might have been my favourite - I love that combination of crispy-crumbed shell and molten interior.

   

Though the charred capsicum crisp was listed first on the menu, it arrived late on. I know these shells best from the dish pani puri, and it was a little jarring to eat one stuffed with roast capsicum rather than potatoes and mint water!

   

The vegan tasting menu climaxes with a pillow-soft bun stuffed with charred lion's mane mushroom and a small side of potato crisps. I doubt it tastes anything like a lobster roll but it's a joy all its own.

   

The gentlest nudge from the wait staff had us ordering some truffle fries ($14), which were served with a terrific truffle aioli.

   

More generally, the staff were an absolute delight - professional, funny and friendly, completely on top of the vegan menu and especially attentive to the one coeliac in our party. The vibe of the venue is a little ostentatious for my tastes and I never imagined the menu would be for me either - but I'm glad to be proven wrong and had a very memorable time at Pinchy's.

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For write-ups of the seafood at Pinchy's, you can read a generally positive account on Whatever Floats Your Bloat and a more effusive review on Olive Sundays.

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Pinchy's

1/200 Bourke St, Melbourne

0420 783 719

menu

https://www.pinchys.co/

Accessibility: We took the stairs up to Pinchy's and, although I didn't notice a lift, there is a wide and shallow ramp inside so there seems a reasonable chance that one is available. Furniture is densely packed, a mixture of booths, low tables with backed chairs and high tables with backed chairs. We ordered and paid at our table. We didn't visit the toilets.

Patsy's

December 11, 2023

   

On my Monday birthday, I chose to have a quiet dinner with Michael at Patsy's. Patsy's is a vegetarian restaurant tucked away near the Queen Victoria Market. It's located in a charming old building and has a high-quality yet homely atmosphere, with sturdy and varied wooden furniture and double doors opening onto a leafy courtyard. The Patsy's team grow much of the produce they serve in their own country garden.

   

I was still feeling a bit delicate following a recent COVID infection and was glad to see non-alcoholic beer, wine and cocktails available in the drinks list. We both tried rhubarb-centred concoctions - on the right is Barb's Sober Now ($16) featuring rhubarb syrup, NON-75 and almond bitters ($16).

   

We shared as much as we could across the menu. The pâté of mushroom, butter and thyme was rich and plentiful for the serve of charred focaccia that we received ($23), and a some cornichons added a pickley contrast. Meanwhile, the chickpea panisse ($16) and black garlic aioli were golden-rich all the way through and not worse for it.

   

Amongst the mains I was most excited for the charred corn ravioli ($35) and, indeed, it became my favourite dish of the night. The corn was blended with scarmorza cheese and stuffed into the ravioli, but also charred as whole kernels and folded into the brown butter sauce; a few crispy sage leaves finished the dish.

   

The beige of the fregola sarda ($32) belied a full-flavoured broth; garlic shoots, capers, pine nuts and a green olive salsa added more variety in flavour and texture. For some extra veg, we added a side of green beans ($18) topped with a sweet Sicilian pine nut and currant agrodolce.

   

Unusually, we skipped out on the chocolate-based desserts to try two fruitier alternatives. The parfait ($23, pictured left) was made from ground macadamias and matched with tangy peach-based sauce, filling and a dehydrated wafer. Meanwhile, a crustless burnt cheesecake ($22) was baked in paper and topped with brandy-spiked cherry halves and crushed pistachios.

Patsy's had just the atmosphere I was seeking: special but quiet and comfortable, prioritising great produce over tricks and trends.

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Patsy's

213 Franklin St, Melbourne

9328 7667

entrees & mains, dessert

https://www.patsys.com.au/

Accessibility: The front door has a small lip and there is a little landing inside that requires a pivot and a step or two. Furniture is medium spaced, mostly sturdy, regular-height and wooden with backs on chairs; there are also cushioned benches, high bar seats and outdoor furniture in places. We didn't visit the toilets. We ordered and paid at our table.