Luke's Bakery

March 23, 2024

   

Luke's Bakery has an excellent reputation amongst our vegan friends for its banh mi, so at last this year we timed a Reservoir visit so that we could pick up lunch from Luke's on our way home. It's a large but typical no-frills-or-furniture bakery set-up so we were in and out and back to the car quite quickly. (If you're a Luke's regular, we'd welcome any tips on where you like to eat your banh mi when the weather's good.)

There's real meat as well, but the five vegan banh mi options are very clearly marked and very appetising: crackling pork, BBQ pork, chicken (five spice or lemongrass), Peking duck and tofu (caramelised or lemongrass) at $9-9.50 each. We received clear advice that the Peking duck and five-spice chicken were our friends' faves, so we split them and loved the experience. As you can see from the photos above, the featured protein is portioned generously and garnished with peanuts. Though I'd surely be satisfied with one of these recommended fillings every visit, I'm interested to try the others too just to be sure.

We were also stoked to see Vietnamese iced coffee on offer ($6) with both dairy-based and vegan-friendly coconut-based options!

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Luke's Bakery

14 Edwardes St, Reservoir

9462 4114

Accessibility: Luke's Bakery has a wide, flat entry with little to no furniture inside for customers. We ordered and paid at a low counter, and picked up at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets. 

Mietta

December 10, 2023

   

I've been following Rosemary Andrews on instagram for a year or two - she's a pastry chef with fine dining experience who made up mixed dessert boxes for online order and pickup in Collingwood. Michael was secretly planning to order a box for my birthday but Andrews abruptly discontinued the offer a couple of weeks earlier! All was not lost - she was working in the background to open a shopfront in Malvern. We made the uncharacteristic move of driving across town to queue up for the second day of opening and secured some special, celebratory cakes from Mietta.

   

Mietta is a small but luxurious-looking space, all white trimmed with gold, and seems designed exclusively for takeaway. When our turn came we rapidly picked four slices, then shared them at our leisure over two days at home.

One of the most eye-catching cakes is probably the raspberry cotton sponge ($16, pictured top) - it's light and creamy and absolutely stacked with tangy fresh raspberry halves. The less showy cheesecake ($11, pictured above) packs just as much flavour - roasted corn, white chocolate and muscovado come together to form a complex, deep caramel.

   

The lemon tart ($11) was perfectly proportioned to me, with a bold filling, nutty crust and restrained and well-torched meringue flourish.

   

A negroni chocolate tart ($10) came with a finicky little tub of sauce that was ultimately its best feature - the espresso-spiked chocolate added brightness and flair to a somewhat dense dessert.

In our opening-weekend rush, I didn't notice any evidence that Mietta can accommodate dietary restrictions. But as someone without them, I couldn't find a flaw in these desserts - every slice was special and balanced and meticulously presented, an ideal birthday treat. 

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Mietta by Rosemary

23 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern

https://www.miettabyrosemary.com.au/

Accessibility: There is a small lip on the door. The interior is small with a flat floor, no seating, and a low display counter for ordering and paying.

Shimbashi Soba II

May 18, 2023

   

Our second visit to Shimbashi was much like the first: we wanted something easy and local for dinner after work, and we even ordered exactly the same dishes. With that lovely meal fresh in my mind, I volunteered to cycle over and grab some of Shimbashi's lunch offerings for us the next day. While it's still possible to eat in a la carte, daytime Shimbashi opens up a small display cabinet by the door with grab-and-go options, mostly sushi rolls and a few bento.

The vegan sushi and tofu bento ($13) captured all of the meat-free options that day. Samples of the tempura zucchini avocado, spicy tofu, and spicy soy sushi were present, along with an assortment of tender vegetables and soft, comforting potato salad. I ordered the zucchini-avo and spicy tofu sushi as full hand-rolls ($4.50 each) to round out a meal for two. All these dishes were lightly chilled and satisfying, with the varied flavours and textures of gently-tended vegetables and judicious spices - I barely even used the soy sauce tubes that I'd packed into the paper bag, and could happily have skipped them entirely.

   

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You can read about our last visit to Shimbashi here.

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Shimbashi 

344 Rathdowne St, Carlton North 

8060 6595 

lunch special bento; tapas, bento & rice bowls; chilled & warm soba; dessert & extras

https://www.shimbashisobamelbourne.com/

Accessibility: Shimbashi has a flat entry. Furniture is a mixture of high benches and regular height tables, all with hard wooden backs and densely packed. I ordered and paid for my takeaway at a high counter.

Nico's

November 12, 2022

   

During my many lockdown walks through Fitzroy, I noticed lots of people loitering around a bright blue sandwich shop; more recently Michael noticed the same phenomenon in Brunswick. It looks like Nico's veg*n options have expanded with time and we've joined the queue for a couple of weekend lunches this month.

Up on the right is the most notable veg*n option, the vegan schnitzel ($15). The schnitzel looks deceptively thin within such a stacked sandwich, but there's actually plenty to sink your teeth into and it has an ultra-crispy crumbing. And don't let the volume of cos lettuce lead you to thinking that this will be bland: it's a festival of condiments with salad cream, nori, koji chimichurri, dill pickles and basil. There's a standard slice of plasticky vegan cheese too.

Nico's salad sandwich ($13, pictured above left) is stuffed to bursting with butter lettuce, cucumber, red onion (OK, I picked this out), tomato, sprouts, dill pickles and a sharp cheddar. It had me nostalgic for the salad sandwiches I'd make at my grandparents' place as a kid, and that I've had since in country bakeries, even though none of those have included sesame tofu dressing, Kewpie mayo, and koji chimichurri like this one.

Both sandwiches used a sourdough loaf that was super-soft, but hardy enough to hold the fillings together. The last vegetarian option that we've yet to try is a truffle mushroom melt ($16) - we haven't been ready for the richness of black truffle paste and two kinds of cheese.

Between Nico's and Rusty's, I wonder if there's a little sandwich trend rising (with Smith & Deli well ahead of the curve). Perhaps it's the natural blend of the decade-old reign of the burger and more recent wellness kicks. I'm more interested in this than either of those predecessors! And even if it's just a little local coincidence, I like it. 

   

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Nico's

1 Piera St, Brunswick East

menu

https://www.nicos.melbourne/

Accessibility: Nico's has a wide, flat entry. Furniture is a series of medium-spaced, medium-height tables and backless stools located outdoors. We ordered, paid and picked up our food from a medium-height counter. We didn't seek out toilets.

Rusty's Sandwich Parlour II

April 30, 2022

   

We grabbed lunch from Rusty's again this Saturday, as we did our circuit of errands around Brunswick. Michael couldn't imagine deviating from the vegan sausage sandwich he ordered on our first visit. I had a shot at the beet reuben ($13). This has a terrific mid-weight filling for autumn: sliced beetroot stands in for the reuben's usual corned beef, vegan mozzarella provides the cheesy element, and then there's the standard sauerkraut and Russian dressing. It's a little tangy, juicy without being sloppy, and just pickley enough. I might've liked a touch more creamy cheese in the mix. Rusty's buns are always soft and warm and just substantial enough to confidently hold it all together.

On this visit we learned that this shop serves hot chips in addition to the fancy crisps we could see at the front counter. They smelled great. Even so, my next Rusty's mission is to arrive early enough for a breakfast sandwich!

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You can read about our first visit to Rusty's here.

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Rusty's Sandwich Parlour 

189 Nicholson St, Brunswick East 

9381 2005 

menu 

https://www.sandwichparlour.com.au/ 

Accessibility: There's a step up at the door. We ordered and paid at a low counter - it's basically takeaway only, just a few stools for dining in, and no toilets that we could see.

Here Fishy Fishy

Update 12/06/2023: Here Fishy Fishy is now closed.

March 18, 2022

   

Our mate Toby recommended the vegan options at Here Fishy Fishy in Newport earlier this summer after we'd had a swim at Williamstown beach. We were impressed, and delighted to learn that there's an outlet in Brunswick East too. I'm trying to sneak in a few more picnic dinners before daylight savings end, so Michael and I agreed to grab some Here Fishy Fishy takeaway after work on Friday. There's a small park conveniently located just across the street for picnicking.

The vegan options are scattered throughout the menu and are well-labelled (gluten-free options are more of a mystery). The vegan fish ($9) is battered jackfruit and it's served with a generous portion of good chips. The jackfruit is lighter and flakier then your average mock fish (such as the super-rich slabs sold in Northcote) but isn't seasoned with anything more than salt, meaning that it doesn't quite rival the Brother Bon gold standard. Hence, sauce is important, and the vegan one comes in 'normal' (aioli-style) and 'spicy' varieties ($1.50 each).

We skipped past the salads (garden, non-vegan Greek, maybe-vegan rainbow, non-vegan halloumi) and Michael took on the vegan chicken burger ($12.50), which is a Toby fave. We didn't know the patty brand, but it's the standard and welcome crumbed style that's increasingly easy to access in supermarkets, layered with lettuce, tomato, and your choice of vegan sauce. For veg*ns who don't care for mock meat, there's a vegetarian corn cake patty and vegan lentil patty available too.

We forgot to get potato cakes ($1.50), but it was probably for the best - we'd eaten plenty already. How lucky we are to have vegan versions of these nostalgic foods so readily available in our neighbourhood.

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Here Fishy Fishy

79 Holmes St, Brunswick East

9384 0434

menu 1, 2

https://www.herefishyfishy.com.au/

Accessibility: There is a small step on entry, and a large clear area for viewing the menu and ordering. A small number of low tables with backed chairs are placed inside and out on the footpath. We ordered and paid at a low counter, and received our food outside.

Rusty's Sandwich Parlour

February 20, 2022

   

   

The sun came out on a quiet Sunday, so Cindy and I decided to finally visit somewhere new for a meal. We walked to Rusty's, a newish place in Brunswick East that's part of Melbourne's growing obsession with fillings between bread. It's a very basic setup - a counter, a drinks fridge and a couple of stools - we grabbed takeaway and wandered around to a nearby park to eat. They've got a solid range of vego options - four of their ten sandwiches are vegan, and there's an eggy vego one as well.

 

   

Cindy ordered the Shroom - mushroom escabeche with vegan feta and watercress ($14). It's mix of finely chopped, marinated mushrooms and onions with a surprising sweetness bursting through. I couldn't resist the vegan sausage - vegan salami with vegan fior di latte, watercress and chilli jam ($14).

   

I loved this - it mostly hinges on the store-bought vegan salami, and it's probably something that would be fairly easy to put together at home. Still, there's something really lovely about being able to go somewhere like Rusty's and grab a junky, spicy, vegan sandwich on lovely fresh bread. 

Rusty's is a great addition to the neighbourhood and one I'm sure we'll visit again soon - I'm very keen to go back and try their beet Reuben.

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There are positive reviews of Rusty's on Mamma Knows North and Messy Veggies.

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Rusty's Sandwich Parlour

189 Nicholson St, Brunswick East

9381 2005

menu

https://www.sandwichparlour.com.au/ 

Accessibility: There's a step up at the door. We ordered and paid at a low counter - it's basically takeaway only, just a few stools for dining in, and no toilets that we could see. 

Plain Jane Pizza n Shakes

October 9, 2021

   

What a relief it is to be back sitting outdoors! We asked our mate Lisa if she'd like to be our accompanying vaccinated household for picnic dinner this week. We had Merri Clan burgers in mind, but we didn't check their news properly and they were closed. Lisa and Michael agreed to try Plain Jane Pizza n Shakes while I nursed my disappointment, and by the time our order was ready I was just as keen for it as they were.

Plain Jane has abundant, well-marked vegan options across their omni menu. (Gluten-free bases are available for an extra $4, but other options aren't explicitly marked.) Pizza toppings are thoughtful combinations of veges, with mock cheese and mock sausage appearing on a couple. Our group was split in our favourites of the day - I liked the Sizzling Sausage ($20 large), with its mock meat chunks and melty-but-not-cloying fior di latte. Michael and Lisa were more fond of the Pocket Rocket ($20 large), which deftly balanced pumpkin, walnuts and a balsamic glaze and had no need for cheese at all. A foil-wrapped loaf of soft, buttery garlic bread ($4) was actually the first to be finished.

   

We had a nice pause in the afternoon sun before sharing around a vegan nutella calzone ($14). The dough was softer and lighter than I expected, similar to eating a bakery bun. But it was our fourth doughy dish, and we were all full and eager for a gentle cycle home afterwards.

Plain Jane also offers vegan options on many of their fancy shakes, including Oreo and peanut butter caramel flavours - I might consider swapping out the dessert calzone for one of them at a future Preston picnic.

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Plain Jane Pizza n Shakes

Shop 14D, 18 Gilbert Rd, Preston
9480 1919

menu

https://www.plainjanepizzanshakes.com.au/

Accessbility: Plain Jane has a small lip on the door. Inside we stood at a high counter in a narrow passage to order, pay and pick up our order.

Northcote Fish & Chips

August 29, 2018

A few months back the veg*n telegraph pounced on the news that Northcote Fish & Chips were trialling a vegan menu, so when we were looking for a quick dinner in Northcote we headed straight there. The sign on the street promising vegan dim sims made it clear we were in the right place.

The vegan menu has mock prawns and scampi, a pumpkin burger, mushy peas, salad plus dim sims, fish, chips and potato cakes. We stuck with a a pretty classic fish and chip shop order - a couple of dim sims ($1 each from memory), a serve of the Vish ($8.5), a scoop of chips ($3.9) and a couple of potato cakes ($1.25 each). 

The dim sims were fine - I'm not hugely nostalgic for them, but they're nice fried little parcels of cabbage and other veggies, served with some soy sauce for dunking.

The fish was the star of the show - an oatmeal and soy fillet, wrapped in nori and beer-battered. It absolutely delivers the fried fishy goodness you've been missing. Throw in some excellent crispy potato cakes and good chips and you've got the perfect mock fish meal. The guy who runs the joint is super friendly and it's very well located - this place is destined to become a Melbourne vego staple.

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The only other post we can find about Northcote Fish and Chip is Messy Veggies announcing the vegan range back in July.

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Northcote Fish & Chips
341 High Street, Northcote
9482 9079
vegan menu
https://www.northcotefishandchips.com.au

Accessibility: There's a flat but narrow entryway and a few well spaced tables inside. You order and pay at a low counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Mankoushe IX

Edit 12/04/2026: Mankoushe closed in January 2026. We miss them a lot!

August 14, 2016

Though it's still pretty chilly, there are signs that winter is receding - the neighbourhood magnolias are flowering, the magpies look ready to swoop any day now and we've seen 20 degrees again, just the once. It's enough to inspire Michael to get up early for bird-watching, and for me to grab a picnic blanket and meet him for lunch.

Rather than preparing our own spread, we picked up lunchboxes from Mankoushe ($13 each). They'll cater to all manner of special dietary requirements, and the packages were vegan by default on the Sunday that we dropped in. We enjoyed dense little packs of a half-dozen dishes - grainy salads, garlicky sauteed greens, fresh tomatoes and pickley cabbage, nuts folded into a starchy mash, and slightly saucy lentils. Michael ably shovelled up his share with a wooden fork while the sun was still shining; I was slower. The wind picked up, the sun ducked behind a cloud, and I tucked up the last third of my food for later. We escaped the rain, at least. It's still a bit early for picnicking, but perhaps you can find a more sheltered spot to enjoy this splendid takeaway meal. 

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You can read about one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight of our previous visits to Mankoushe.

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Mankoushe

323 Lygon St, Brunswick East

9078 9223

lunchboxes $13

http://mankoushe.com.au/

Accessibility: There's a small step up through a narrow-ish entry but everything's more generously spaced once you're in. We ordered and paid for our takeaway at the counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Mr Burger

Update 27/1/2019: This Mr Burger location is closed, but they still have a number of other sites around Melbourne.

November 2, 2013

We were aiming for a pre-market breakfast on Saturday morning, but by the time we got going and dragged ourselves onto the tram we were both too impatient to take a detour up to Elceed or Twenty and Six Espresso. Our initial fallback plan was to swing by Invita, but a bright orange sign pointing down an alleyway convinced us that it was more of a burger kind of morning.

Mr Burger are part of Melbourne food-truck madness, with a fleet of trucks serving up burgers all over the city (although the fleet looks to be one down at the moment). One of their trucks is parked semi-permanently in a little alleyway just off Therry Street by the Queen Vic Markets. It's a good setup - there's plenty of tables and chairs, music blaring and just a generally pleasant vibe (at least at 11:45 in the morning).

The menu is super simple: there's two meaty burgers and the Mr Veg (falafel pattie, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard, mayo and tomato sauce, $10). Chips come in either $3 or $5 sizes. The felafel pattie is vegan, but the buns are egg-washed, so vegans might be better off at Beatbox (full nutritional info for Mr Burger is available here). Both Cindy and I had a vague fear of the felafel pattie - they're often a bit dry. This wasn't a problem with the Mr Veg, it tasted like a decent felafel mix and had an excellent texture. Even if the pattie had been dry, the condiment explosion served up by Mr Burger would have covered it up pretty well - I'm completely in favour of combining sauces, and this combo is pretty classic. In fact the whole experience was working the classic US burger vibe - a super puffy and sweet bun, rudimentary salads, pickles and a big pile of mushy sauces.

If you've got a craving for junkfood and have already worked your way through the LotF menu then Mr Burger is worth a shot - their trucks pop up all over the city (check their website for locations), their prices are reasonable and the food hits the mark nicely.

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There's a lot of enthusiasm for Mr Burger out there. I Spy Plum Pie, new international students, Ebezilla's Food Blog and It's an expensive but delicious habit all enjoyed the veggie burgers, while Burger Friday, Burp! Appetit, I Am Famished, EAT AND BE MERRY FOR TOMORROW WE DIE(T), The Burger Adventure, Yellow Eggs, Ramen Raff, the indolent cook, Naomi Bulger, rojak rojak, mostmagnificentburger, VCLUXE, Footscray Food Blog, The Very Very Hungry Caterpillar, Gastronomical ramblings, consider the sauce and scatteredroundtheworld loved the meaty options.

Let Me Feed You: Melbourne,and MEL: HOT OR NOT were a bit less impressed. 

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Mr Burger

Therry Street, Queen Vic Markets (plus many other locations)

9329 7304

burgers $10
http://mrburger.com.au/

Accessibility: Will vary by location. There's a flat entryway to the courtyard at the markets. Tables and chairs are high and you order and pick up your meal at a very high truck counter.

Good Freakin Food

Update 15/06/2023: Good Freakin Food is no longer in operation.

October 16, 23 & 29, 2013

My work buddies and I have been in mourning for Hello Aubergine since she packed up and moved out of Melbourne. Despite all the treats available on Gertrude Street, there was something lovely about having a steady stream of varied, healthy and delicious lunches delivered to the office each week. We’ve been missing it.

Thankfully, we’re finally moving on. Good Freakin Food have taken up where Hello Aubergine left off (minus the bike-based delivery system). They provide a vegan and gluten-free lunch each week, delivered anywhere in inner-city Melbourne. We get our deliveries on Tuesdays (Fitzroy, Abbotsford, Collingwood, Carlton, North Melbourne, West Melbourne and Brunswick) and there’s a follow-up round on Wednesdays (Richmond, South Melbourne, Port Melbourne, CBD, East Melbourne). You need at least three orders to get them to swing by and I would really, really encourage you to start recruiting your office mates. This is some fantastic food.

Lunches are basically salad-based, with three components - a veggie-based mix, something grainy and some sort of treat on top. The first week we scored a Middle Eastern rice and quinoa salad with currants, almonds and herbs, topped with a salad of spinach leaves, grated carrot and beetroot, pepitas and capped off with quinoa crumbed eggplant chips and a homemade pesto dressing. Seriously amazing.

The second week (pictured top) was based around a broccoli and pumpkin fritter, with a zucchini and sweet potato salad and a rice, carrot, currant and herb base, plus three delightfully fresh asparagus spears draped across the top. It didn’t quite hit the heights of the eggplant, but it was another burst of freshness to help kickstart the working afternoon.

Just to make sure I didn't mislead our readers, I snuck in a third lunch. The non-salad centrepiece this time was a pea and carrot arancini block, with a brilliantly crispy coating. The first salad was a simple mix of greens and cabbage with pumpkin seeds, raisins and goji berries. It mixed nicely with the second: a cold noodle salad with beetroot, carrot, zucchini, chickpeas, sunflower seeds and a sesame dressing. A few colleagues wanted a bit more punch in the dressing, but I liked the mild, fresh flavours (nothing has quite matched the basil dressing though).

The salad boxes are $12 and are more than enough food to get you through until dinner, but you can supplement your order with organic coconut and cacao sweet treats ($3) or a fresh cold pressed mixed juice ($7). If you want the full set you can order the lunchbox at a slightly discounted price of $20.

We’ve managed to grow our weekly lunch gang from 4 to 9 in just three weeks as people peer across desk dividers or overhear our rave reviews in the lunchroom – and it’s been satisfying vegos and non-vegos alike in my office. So like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter or keep an eye on their webpage – orders go in on Monday and then you just sit back and wait for the deliciousness to arrive. Enjoy!

Good Freakin Food
delivering to the inner city
orders to info@goodfreakinfood.com.au
veg lunches $12
facebook page

Accessibility: delivered to your door!

Kake Di Hatti II

Update 12/06/2023: Kake Di Hatti is now closed.

August 31, 2013

We visited Kake Di Hatti in our first months of blogging, and have since stopped by occasionally for no-frills but satisfying Indian meals. We now live just a short walk away, and have recently learned that they're vegan-friendly (just quiz them about ghee!). We picked up a few dishes to share with friends while needlessly but gleefully re-watching Step Up Revolution.

Kake's subjee pakora ($3.99) are potato and eggplant discs dunked in a gluten-free chickpea flour batter, which were beautifully tender but lacking a bit of crispness once we got them home. The gluten-eaters enjoyed dense wholemeal roti ($1.70 each).

From there we helped ourselves to creamy mixed vegetables ($8.50), a butter-free daal makhani ($5.99), alu cholle (chickpeas and potatoes, $8.50) and vegetable kadhai ($11.99). The daal and alu cholle won votes for favourite curry, though I had some lingering disappointment that they couldn't prepare their saag dairy-free.

Even as we crept back to the table for second and third spoonfuls of our favourites, we had a lot of leftovers. The benefit of takeaway Kake Di Hatti is that you can dine on it for days!

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You can read about our first visit to Kake Di Hatti here. Since then it's received positive reviews from Nigel Adler, EAT AND BE MERRY, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE(T), Melbourne Fun, Sharking for Chips and Drinks, my diet "starts" tomorrow, the melbourne local, foodie about town and Skinny Glutton, and met with indifference on Ray Is Always Hungry.

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Kake Di Hatti
128 Lygon St, Brunswick East
9387 7771
veg dishes $3.99-11.99
http://www.kakedihatti.com.au/

Accessibility: Kake Di Hatti has a couple of steps on entry and a fairly crowded interior. We ordered by phone, then picked up and paid for food at a high counter.

NL House II

August 8, 2013

We've enjoyed cheap takeaways from Nasi Lemak House for a few years and missed them when they closed for renovations for a number of months. They've now re-opened as NL House with a trendy new look and less seating, indicating a shift towards takeaways. The equally bright young staff member behind the counter was super-helpful and would be the perfect adviser for anyone making their first foray into Malaysian food.

The current menu is shorter than before - the two notable veg options are NL (nasi lemak) tofu ($8.90) and laksa veg ($9.50). To the best of my knowledge they're both vegan and the laksa is gluten-free*. On a blackboard they promise that past dishes such as char kway teow and mee goreng will return at some point.

It's certainly a simpler, takeaway style nasi lemak that we're served. The basic version consists of coconut rice, fried tofu puffs, peanuts, a light and crunchy pickled vegetable achar, and traditional or sweet kelantan sambal (both of which we believe are shrimp-free). The cucumber and fried egg they used to include are now available at extra charge, and the pappadums appear to be entirely absent. I liked the pickle, and the sambals have a helluva kick, but I found the box unwieldy to eat from.

We both sipped teh tarik ($3.80) to quell the sambal spice, and I gazed at the other neon drinks and jellies.

With this perky makeover, NL House has lost some of the features we were fond of - the seating, menu and nasi lemak have all been stripped back to a minimum. The food remains cheap and tasty, even if they're cunningly charging more for extras that previously came standard. And since it's all getting served in boxes, you now may as well order takeaway and take it down to the park.

*We've since received an email from reader Scarlett indicating that the sambal and stock might not be as veg-friendly as we thought, so question the staff to your satisfaction before ordering.

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You can read about our first visit to Nasi Lemak House here. The new incarnation gets the nod on Asian Restaurants in Melbourne.

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NL House
115 Grattan St, Carlton
9348 1572
veg dishes $8.90-9.50
facebook page

Accessibility: The door has a small lip to accommodate the sloping footpath. Tables are quite crowded both inside and outside. We ordered and paid at a low-ish counter, then received our food at our table. We didn't visit the toilets.

Snag Stand II

January, 2016: We noticed from the tram the other day that Snag Stand appears to have closed, replaced by a Mr Burger outlet.

May 18, 2013

It feels like forever since we first visited Snag Stand outside Melbourne Central. I've developed a taste for the Lord of the Fries hotdogs and we've even got into the habit of making our own versions at home (pro tip: potato crisps on a hotdog are surprisingly excellent). Still, we've been meaning to return for ages  - the veggie chorizo has been well-loved and everyone raves about their chips.

So on a lazy Saturday afternoon in the city we decided to stop by. The menu hasn't changed too much but it's clearer about what's vegetarian and they've added the chorizo to the original potato, smoked apple and sage dog. Neither of their designed dogs are vegan, but you can build your own from components (be warned: at last reckoning neither the onions or the mushrooms were vegan-friendly, and I'd be surprised if that had changed).

We stuck with the standard menu option - a veggie chorizo with semi-dried tomatoes, rocket, chipotle aoli and shredded Spanish goat's cheese on a brioche bun ($9.90), with a side of chips and herbed aoli ($3.90 + $1 for the dipping sauce).  The chips were small but excellent - crispy and heavily seasoned with plenty of aoli for dipping. You can see why they've got such a great reputation.

As for the hot-dog - first up: don't order the brioche bun. At least I wouldn't next time. Though Cindy disagrees, I don't really understand the appeal of it as a hot dog bun and would much prefer a basic roll. Second up: this chorizo is pretty damn good, possibly even better than our homemade attempts. It doesn't have the dryness that you sometimes get with a veggie dog, and it had some nice smoky flavours going on as well. The whole mess worked okay, but I reckon I'd go for a simpler option next time - just a dog, some mustard and some onions in a standard roll. We'll see.

It's great that there are two vegan dogs on offer at Snag Stand (and good ones too - probably pipping the Phat Brats versions) but kind of a shame that they don't go the extra mile and offer up some more vegan toppings to go with them. As a vego though it's worth a stop - a $10 hot dog is a bit extravagant but you can be guaranteed something pretty delicious.

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Green Gourmet Giraffe seems to be a regular visitor, while Louise By Degrees has an excellent (if slightly old) run-down of what's vegan on the Snag Stand menu.  Live Blissful went to the Brisbane store and enjoyed their vegan offerings.

Meatier bloggers are mostly positive about Snag Stand - see The Blog of Sharlene K, Food Made With Love, Eat. Play. Shop., Melbourne Date Night, hypothesesofagradstudent, The Very, Very Hungry Caterpillar, Yellow Eggs, Sarah Cooks, We Love Melbourne, table to tummy, Ichigo Shortcake, two munch, Kran & Nina, Suchgoodlife, HEARTLEA, Seminmalista, egg tarts and apple pie, food.loves.my.mouth, Let's Get Fat Together, Gastronomical ramblings and We Dare Food.

tirache and lunchosaurus were less impressed.

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Snag Stand
corner Latrobe & Swanston Sts
vegetarian hot dogs $6.90-9.90
http://snagstand.com.au/

Accessibility: Snag Stand opens directly onto the Swanston St footpath, which is reasonably flat and without too many obstructions. Ordering and pick-up occurs at a low-ish counter. The few tables available are high set.

Hello Aubergine

October 30, 2013: Hello Aubergine has sadly packed it in. Pip has moved onto new adventures away from Melbourne.

January 10, 2013

That photo above was my lunch at work this Thursday: a smoked tofu wrap, with chilli relish wrap, tahini cream and a pile of fresh veggies. It was totally vegan, super delicious, delivered to my office by bike and cost me $10. Pretty amazing right?

It's all thanks to Hello Aubergine, a new business that does once a week vegan lunch deliveries in the Fitzroy and Collingwood area. Troy put me onto it, courtesy of this article in Broadsheet, and I put an order in straight away. It's a small business, with a staff of one, a coverage area of two suburbs and one delivery a week. But what's lacking in size is made up for in variety. Looking over the Facebook page is like reading through a cookbook called 'amazing vegetarian lunches' - there are rice paper wraps with chilli ginger tofu, coconut rice salad with lychees and cashews, zucchini lemon and fetta sandwiches, maple marinated tempeh baguette etc etc etc. It's mouth-watering.

My first taste of their wares was very satisfying, if a little messy. The chilli relish and tahini cream had soggied things up a bit, but that was the only problem - the smoked tofu was great, the veggies crispy and bursting with flavour and the two condiments combining into a creamy, spicy mix. Yum. 

Hello Aubergine deliver lunches in Fitzroy and Collingwood (although there are plans to expand) on Thursdays (orders in by 10am Wednesday). There are always two options: something salady and something sandwichy, with at least one of them vegan and pretty regular GF options - keep an eye on their Facebook page for weekly menus. Lunch turns up at your door sometime between 12 and 1. Give it a try - I'll definitely be going back for seconds (and thirds).

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It doesn't seem like any bloggers have given Hello Aubergine a go yet - it's a pretty niche market I guess.

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Hello Aubergine
Your place! (provided it's in Fitzroy or Collingwood)

All lunches $10
facebook page (this has the menu on it each Monday morning)

Deliveries for lunch on Thursdays, but you need to email you order to  orders@helloaubergine.com by 10am Wednesday.

Accessibility: As accessible as your workplace, home or chosen picnic spot.

Moroccan Soup Bar II

Update 04/01/2023: Moroccan Soup Bar has now moved to North Melbourne, and offers pick-up and delivery only.

The Moroccan Soup Bar is one of those Melbourne institutions that seems to have existed forever. And been insanely busy the whole time. In some ways it's a precursor to trendy no-booking places like Mamasita: if you've got a group of less than 6 you can't make a booking and even now, more than a decade after it opened, there are queues waiting for the doors to open at 6pm.

We've been a few times and always loved it, but it's always hard to muster up the energy to go somewhere when you know you're going to have to spend an hour or so waiting for a table, so it's fallen off our radar a bit in recent years. At least it had, until we read Nouveau Potato's post recommending the combination of takeaway MSB and a picnic in Edinburgh Gardens. What a revelation!

You need to bring your own containers for takeaway at the Moroccan Soup Bar but it's well worth the effort - for $25 we got three containers full of typically delicious food (the chickpea and yoghurt dish the standout as always). Pack a picnic rug, a cocktail in a thermos, a couple of plates and some cutlery and, provided the weather's decent, you've got yourself the best damn picnic in Melbourne. The only disappointing thing about our meal on Sunday was that it made us realise how many fantastic summer nights we've wasted.

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The Moroccan Soup Bar is well-loved - read all the raves at: Veggie Friendly, Nouveau Potato, Green Gourmet Giraffe, I Eat Therefore I Am, Ruby Bean and The Hungry Peas, Melbourne Boozehag, Melbourne Dining Experiences, i found you in melbourne, juganaut's foodie thoughts, Urban Muslim, Iron Chef Shellie, i couldn't help but wonder, Melbcheapeats, i like your... flavours, little lady (twice), my garden feast, $30 date night, Food: alternative, exceptional, ethnic or otherwise and wooden spooning. Miss T: Princess Vegan and vegan about town testify to its vegan-friendliness as well!

There are a few dissenting voices, mostly finding the whole experience a bit yoghurt heavy: gila makan, Melbourne Culinary Journal, mochii eats, Let's Get Fat Together and because I cant cook.

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Moroccan Soup Bar
183 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North
9482 4240
We paid $12.5 a head for our food, but I think it varies based on how much they can fit in your containers.

Accessibility: We didn't really pay attention since we were eating in the park - there's at most a small step on entry, and the place is generally pretty crowded.

July 15, 2011: Taco Truck

Last Friday night Michael and I met for an early dinner in the park. It's not a great time of year for picnics but takeaway tacos are another matter entirely! The Taco Truck is regularly in our neighbourhood and we've been curious to give it a go.

Tacos are $6 each (with bonus corn chips if you order 2) and there's always a veg option. Although Jess tried a mushroom-based taco early on, I gather that this potato one is more frequently on the menu. It's a big pile of gluten-free deep-fried carbs, as demonstrated by the amount of yellow in this picture. Jalapeño ricotta, 'slaw and salsa verde on top break it up, but only just. I hear they'll go vegan on request and assume that just involves omitting the ricotta.

It's all good fun, and great that there are veg and gluten-free options, but on a cold dark night I think Taco Truck rates most for the novelty value. And then when the queues lengthen next summer, it might be quicker and cheaper to whip up some lentil, tofu chicharrone or tofu 'chicken' tacos at home.

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Taco Truck's veg options have already been covered by The Big V and That Jess Ho. 

"...it pleases us", BOX CHALLENGE and hookturns.com got onto Taco Truck in its first fortnight of opening, and it's since appeared on blogs Dave Plus Food, little lady and eat, drink, stagger.

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Taco Truck
Location announced via twitter and facebook
9023 0888
veg tacos $6 each
http://www.tacotruck.com.au/

Accessibility: This will vary mostly with location, however the counter is very high.

April 7, 2011: Gertrude Street Grub - Piadina Take Away

August 8, 2015: Fitzroyalty reports that Piadina have packed it in after four years of good lunches on Gertrude Street

It's been a long time between Gertrude Street Grub posts - mostly because on the rare day that we don't have any leftovers, I can't resist revisiting Sonido or Trippytaco. But Brian's post on Piadina Take Away alerted me to a new option for the days where I have neither lunch from home or time for a proper outing. Takeaway lunches around my work have been limited to some fairly rudimentary cafe options, with Fatto a Mano too far away for a speedy trip.

Which is where Piadina Takeaway comes in. It's a fairly plain looking takeaway joint (which I think used to be a fish and chip shop) - there's a couple of plastic tables, lots of bare tiles, and a general undecorated vibe. Thankfully, the food is great. They've got a small brekkie menu, some sandwiches and a selection of half a dozen piadinas.

There are a few vegetarian options, of which I've sampled two: the roasted beetroot with carrot, rocket, dukkah and tahini yoghurt ($9.50) and the mushroom with tasty cheese and thyme ($8.50). They're made fresh to order (obviously the beetroots have been pre-roasted), with the flatbread getting some nice crispy brown bits on the grill, and everything inside warming up deliciously.


The beetroot one was a roaring success - sweetness, spiciness and yoghurty tang making for one of the best sandwich-style dishes I've had in ages. The mushroom version wasn't quite as good: the combo of grilled mushroom, melted cheese and thyme is pretty fantastic, but everything had gone a bit soggy by the time I was back at my desk.

Still, they're streets ahead of the other local sandwiches - I'm not sure I'll go anywhere else for my desk-based lunches in future. So don't be fooled by the lack of a flashy fitout, this place does some of the best lunches on Gertrude Street (although our vegan and coeliac readers will struggle I'm afraid).

Kudos to Brian at Fitzroyalty for putting me onto this place. Nobody else seems to have discovered it yet.

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Piadina Takeaway
130 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
9419 8819
veg lunches $7 - $10

Accessibility: A couple of biggish steps to get you inside but once you're in there's plenty of light and space.

October 2, 2010: Half Moon Cafe II

A week long thread about falafel on Mess and Noise had me craving a trip to Half Moon Cafe to resample their outstanding wraps. Cindy and I rustled up Toby to accompany us and hit the bike path. Things haven't changed much since we visited more than three years ago - lots of different falafel wrap options, a range of other delicious treats, insanely friendly staff and cheap, cheap prices.

Cindy kicked things off with a fresh fruit cocktail, a carrot and mixed fruit juice that rejuvenated her from the bike ride.

This time around she decided to have a full serve of the foul medames (we'd had a tantalising free sample on our last visit). At $6 for a good size bowl of creamy, beany flavour this is a good value lunch. And it's so, so, tasty - Cindy had to be constantly vigilant to ensure that Toby and I were restricted to sneaking only a couple of spoonfuls each.

I had to get my falafel fix, and settled on one of the wraps from the specials board: lettuce, rocket, eggplant, cauliflower, babaganoush and yoghurt dips ($6).

They really deserve their falafel reputation - the little balls of fried goodness are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and filled with delicious herby flavours. The accompaniments were pretty great as well - smoky babaganoush, soft roasted cauliflower and plenty of greens. I could have used a few more pickles, but I think that was basically my ordering at fault.

Half Moon remains one of Melbourne's best lunch places - incredibly cheap, vaguely healthy and completely delicious food, served up by super-friendly staff. Now that Mankoushe is offering a similar set of attractions a little closer to us it may be harder to lure us all the way to Coburg, but if you're in the neighbourhood I can't recommend it enough.

Read about our first visit of Half Moon here.