Here are the Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Canberra

Canberra may be small but the food scene sure is mighty! We truly are spoiled for choice when it comes to options in the capital.

From excellent Japanese to decadent Italian bites, there's something for everyone. And the same goes for those keen to eat meat-free.

Whether you’re vego, looking for vegan options or simply trying to eat less meat, these are the six of the best vegetarian restaurants in Canberra (and entirely plant-based ones, too) to try.

Sweet Bones Bakery and Cafe

Sweet Bones is a staple of Canberra’s vegetarian and vegan dining scene. The entire menu is plant-based, from the tasty breakfast staples to the bakery options.

Everything at Sweet Bones is utterly delish, but we can’t go past the Black Mountain Burrito with brown rice, smokey beans, scrambled tofu, kale and corn salsa and the housemade granola with coconut whipped cream and seasonal fruit.

If the cinnamon buns are on offer when you visit, make sure to take a couple home for later.

8/18 Lonsdale Street, Braddon 

Local Press

Local Press is a wholefood cafe that uses ingredients that are unprocessed, unrefined and free from preservatives and additives. The dishes are seasonable and nutrition-focused without sacrificing flavour – think a rice flour and coconut crepe with spiced veg and chutney, or a ciabatta roll with roast mushroom, spinach and vegan cheese.

Technically Local Press isn’t entirely vegetarian, but meat-free dishes do make up a significant part of the menu for vegan and vegetarian options. Plus, if you’re dining out with a few meat-eaters, you’re bound to find food to suit everyone’s tastes.

The cafe is located on the tranquil Kingston Foreshore, so if you want to fuel up before you work out, make it your starting point for a walk around Lake Burley Griffin.

35 Eastlake Parade, Kingston

Monster Kitchen and Bar

Monster Kitchen and Bar went full vego a few years ago and is now one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Canberra.

The venue takes a fine dining approach to vegetarian food, serving up dishes that are big on creativity, seasonality and deliciousness. Fermentation and pickling are also common techniques across much of the menu.

The food changes seasonally, but you can expect inventive plates like vegetarian beef tartare with sheep’s yoghurt, pickled shallots and beet tapioca cracker; butternut squash katsu with wild rice, spring onion and katsu curry; and lavender creme brulee with banoffee foam, cinnamon ice cream and apple in various guises.

Ground Floor, 25 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra City

Au Lac Vegan Cuisine

Au Lac is another beloved dining spot among Canberrans with a menu featuring vegan and vegetarian options. The restaurant prepares dishes from Vietnam, China, Malaysia and Thailand, completely sans dairy and meat. Instead, there are  mock meats on the menu, including faux chicken, beef, pork, duck and seafood.

Au Lac is a great place to visit with a group and we recommend ordering a selection of dishes to share because we promise you’ll have a hard time narrowing it down to just one.

Need a few recs? Try the crispy soy duck, the veggie steamed buns, the Vietnamese crepe, the laksa and the satay stir fry. Finish with the fried soy ice cream.

4/35-39 Woolley Street, Dickson 

Smith’s Alternative

If you’re heading to Smith’s Alternative for a gig, show or talk, you’ll be glad to know you can eat here, too. The venue admittedly has a fairly limited menu, but everything that is on offer is very good – and almost all vegetarian.

Smith’s Alternative has a rotating roster of toasties that are vegetarian, vegan or meat-filled (if you’ve got a non-vego in your group), as well as cheese platters to suit both vegetarians and vegans. 

Smith’s Alternative also lets you bring in food from elsewhere, if you’d prefer to BYO your eats from another of the best vegetarian restaurants in Canberra.

76 Alinga Street, Canberra

The Fish Shack

With a name like ‘The Fish Shack’, you’d be forgiven for thinking this joint does actual fish. Instead, everything here is plant-based, utilising faux seafood and meats in place of their traditional counterparts.

You can order lots of takeaway classics at The Fish Shack, including fish ‘n’ chip packs, schnitzels, fried chicken, burgers, tacos, Reuben sandwiches and loaded fries – none of which include meat – and there are several milkshake flavours to pick from, too.

The Fish Shack is also conveniently located smack bang in the centre of Civic, making it easily accessible no matter where you’re living or staying in Canberra.

87/105 Petrie Plaza, Canberra City

Loved this edit of the best vegetarian restaurants in Canberra and looking for more foodie inspo? Check out our guides to the best cafes in Canberra and the top gluten-free spots in Canberra.