The Best Vegan and Vegetarian Food in Woolloongabba

Brisbane is a melting pot of delicious food. And as that melting pot expands, so too do the options inside catering for every diet. 

We’ve seen the resurgence of Burger Bars and 90’s Australian Chinese. Tapas with a twist, and Greek feasts that would make every mouth drool. But it’s the vegan and vegetarian restaurants and menus that have piqued the interest of foodies across Brisbane. 

More and more people are opting for more interesting (and less meaty) meals. It’s not just the same old same old tofu and tears anymore. We’re talking bolder flavours, fuller tummies, and more innovative dishes than ever before. It’s time to swap your steak for something new, and try out this list of the best vegan and vegetarian venues in Woolloongabba and Brisbane. 

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Woolloongabba’s Vegan and Vegetarian Scene

While vegan and vegetarian restaurants are popping up across Brisbane faster than mushrooms in a field, it's the vegan and vegetarian options in Woolloongabba restaurants that are stealing the show. Unlike the fad of faux meat and dairy replacements, these restaurants go above and beyond to create phenomenal flavours from original ingredients. 

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Who Serves Plant-Based Food in Woolloongabba

These vegan and vegetarian Woolloongabba restaurants are proof that you don’t need meat to have a delicious meal. 

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Pawpaw Café: So Nice, You’ll Come Back Twice

Breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner Pawpaw Café has become a staple for vegans and vegetarians wanting a delicious meal out. A menu dominated by South-East Asian flavours, it only takes a quick squiz over their breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus to show its covered in vegan and vegetarian options. In fact, it's famous for them.

The long-established Pawpaw Café first popped up in Woolloongabba and now has an option in Balmoral too. Pawpaw’s contemporary chic paired with scrumptious menu options are the reason people keep coming back for more Pawpaw. 

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Mirchh Masala: The Best Eats from the Streets

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Indian street food is famously delicious… but not just for its butter chicken. It's the dahls, the curries, the samosas and more that make Indian street food restaurant Mirchh Masala a drool-worthy option in the Woolloongabba restaurant scene. 

All the usual delicious vegan and vegetarian options are the menu, plus a side menu of extra goodies just for our plant-based friends. 

In particular, the Aloo Paratha flatbread stuffed with mashed potato, spiced up with Indian traditional spices, and the crispy Pani Puri with a mixture of potato, onions & black chickpeas accompanied by spicy mint water & tamarind chutney are the dishes most vegans reach for from Mirchh Masala. 

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Fables Bar and Café: A Taste for Theatre

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Anyone who knows Woolloongabba restaurants, knows never to be surprised at where you find delicious eats. And so, on the ground floor of The Princess Theatre in Woolloongabba you’ll find Fables Bar and Café. Relaxed, funky, and fresh, Fables is a hidden gem for coffee, cocktail, and wine lovers alike who also enjoy plant-based dishes. 

Most of the dishes in the menu are first and foremost vegan or vegetarian, from there you can add animal by-products like eggs, bacon or feta. It's a fun flip on what we’ve come to expect from breakfast and tapas menus - having veggies at the heart of a dish rather than meat. 

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Detour: The Vegan Go-To 

Let the hundreds of 5-star reviews guide your tastebuds to the crem-dela-crem of vegan and vegetarian dining in Woolloongabba - Detour. 

At the heart of Detour is a simple idea - inclusive, sustainable dining. Detour Woolloongabba believes that plant-based dishes aren’t boring, instead they nourish, delight, and inspire. The menu is split equally between Herbivore and Omnivore items… we’ll put the Omnivore menu to the side for the moment.

The Herbivore menu shows why Detour restaurant Woolloongabba is one of the best vegan and vegetarian venues in the city. Each dish is lovingly, and thoughtfully crafted with locally sourced, sustainable, and ethical ingredients that even the most meat loving foodie is sure to love. 

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Vegan & Vegetarian Options at South/City/SQ

The newest foodie precinct in Woolloongabba, South/City/SQ has come out with a bang. Many bangers in fact when it comes to vegan and vegetarian food offerings. While most menus have vegan options, Little Red Dumpling has inched ahead. 

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Little Red Dumpling: Up & Coming Asian Local

While only a young restaurant, Little Red Dumping is earning its 5-star reviews over and over again. The funky and fun Little Red Dumping is quickly becoming a fan favourite amongst vegans and vegetarians in Woolloongabba. At first glance, yes, the menu is full of options with meat and by-products, but look a little further and you’ll find the full Veges menu. 

Little Red Dumpling is the new go-to for Chinese vegetarian and vegan food. In the words of Little Red Dumpling themselves, it's all about sipping beer and eating dumplings. 

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Veges Bao & Soup Menu

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Unlike a lot of Chinese restaurants, vegans and vegetarians can enjoy a full meal at Little Red Dumpling without compromising on cost or flavour. 

The Little Red Dumpling plant-based options include standouts like Vege Xiao Long Bao in Hot Soup, Red Chili, or Sweet Soy Chili Sauce jam-packed with awesome asian vegetables and flavours like black fungus and mung bean vermicelli.

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Stay Near the Best Vegan & Vegetarian Food Scene

For foodies, there’s nothing worse than having to travel far and wide for the best eats. Luckily, the best Woolloongabba restaurants are close by when you stay at Rambla @ South/City/SQ. 

With your belly full of the best vegan and vegetarian food Brisbane has to offer, you can roll straight into bed in your stylish short-term stay. What’s even better though, is as Rambla @ South/City/SQ is a collection of contemporary studio apartments, you have a kitchen waiting at home to serve up your delicious leftovers. Did someone say round two?   

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Book your stay at Rambla @ South/City/SQ today. 

‍Further reading: Ready to kick on after your dinner? Here’s how to spend the ultimate night out in Brisbane.