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The Vegan Hot Spots Travis Barker & Kourtney Kardashian Need to Visit in Melbourne
Kourt and Travis have touched down in Melbourne. These are the vegan-friendly venues our Melbourne editor thinks they'll venture to, in between Blink 182 setting the stage alight.
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian have touched down in Melbourne in line with Blink 182’s Australian Tour…and it has sent me into an absolute spin.
I did not realise they were currently on tour (living under a rock status, confirmed). If I had known, I would have been better equipped to reach out and tell them where the best vegan restaurants in Melbourne can be found (they totally would have checked their Insta DM, I just know it).
Instead, I’ve decided to last-minute scramble together (tofu scramble, that is) all of the best vegan spots in Melbourne I think they might visit during their downtime between shows.
Guiding them morning through night around Melbourne (especially Fitzroy, because our grungy northside ‘burb is a natural fit for these pop-punk lovebirds) to natural wine bars, nourishing cafes and boundary-pushing restaurants, is something I really felt I could have a helping hand in (in my head).
They’ll surely be keen to enjoy a good matcha or vegan ice cream along the way, too.
Use this as a guide to live out your own Kardashian-esque vegan dream day out. Go on, you know you want to!
Sister of Soul
True to its name, this vegan and vegetarian café has a whole lot of soul, contributing to St Kilda’s community gardens in between nourishing its locals with wholesome, delicious food.
Many of their dishes have become staples for their loyal fanbase, like the zucchini-layered rawsagna with cashew cream, sticky miso eggplant, and rainbow Buddha bowls.
I think Kourtney and Travis would love to start their day here, new bub in tow. Kourtney will order up the corn and chickpea fritters and a spiced carrot latte, while Travis will delight in a nourishing acai bowl and magic mushroom latte.
73 Acland Street, St Kilda
Follies
This vegan antipasto bar was made for a quick little Kourtney and Travis date before he hits the stage with his bandmates. Follies is a new spot in town but is already winning rave reviews for its stellar cocktails, incredibly fun and nostalgic 70’s aesthetic, and tasty arancini selection served on sticks.
The plant-based cocktails really are a highlight, featuring names like God Herself (pisco, lime, strawberry, and aquafaba) which I feel Travis would love to order up for Kourtney.
These two smitten kittens will also enjoy waxing poetic over the eye-catching wallpaper and locally-focused wine list, as well as the entirely vegan menu inspired by the traditional Basque Pintxos concept.
Dishes extend across the Mediterranean, taking inspiration from the vibrant Greek and Italian communities that have influenced so much of our city’s culture.
34 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
Neko Neko
This homey diner at the end of busy Smith Street has won a loyal following for its wholesome vegan fare – and Kourtney and Travis will quickly follow suit. The vegan okonomiyaki is a must-try. As are Neko Neko’s entirely plant-based ramen soups, yet offer a superb depth of flavour.
They do three varieties including a soy sauce-based broth, a spicy tofu number, and our favourite, the creamy tan tan ramen enriched with sesame and soy milk.
Every bowl comes topped with an assortment of mashed tofu, pickles, and wood ear mushrooms, while gluten-free diners are looked after with the option of swapping wheat for rice noodles. It’s some of the best ramen in Melbourne – and surely irresistible to this famously plant-based loving pair.
83A Smith Street, Fitzroy
Red Sparrow Pizza
Vegans shall never again look wistfully at the cheesy pull of their neighbour’s pizza, before settling for a marinara. Red Sparrow has mastered the art of non-dairy cheese – their mozzarella features tapioca for stretchiness, while parmesan gets crumbliness from coconut and almond feta is deliciously tangy.
After indulging in a classic margarita, Kourtney and Travis will keep the party going with meat-free pepperoni, or feel virtuous via a super green pizza topped with zucchini and broccolini.
406 Smith Street, Collingwood
Maha
Years pass but the lustre on Shane Delia’s sleek modern-Middle Eastern diner Maha never fades. Never one to shy away from a challenge, his eight-course vegan tasting menu is an explosion of imagination and flavour, from slow-roasted tomato with sumac, thyme and whipped macadamia to sweet pea and broad bean bourek cigars to charred bullhorn peppers with citrus dressing whipped vegan feta. Dessert is no less exotic, with treats like baklava ice cream sandwiches and Turkish delight-filled doughnuts.
This is the fine dining restaurant Kourtney Kardashian has surely starred on her Google Maps before arriving in Melbourne – and there’s good reason for it. This is, simply put, one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne…and if Kourtney and Travis don’t cry happy tears over Delia’s smoked hummus and house flatbread, I will hardly know what to do with myself.
21 Bond Street, Melbourne
Smith & Daughters
Another vegan restaurant that Kourtney and Travis must be itching to try is Shannon Martinez’s acclaimed Smith and Daughters.
Martinez continually takes her “can’t believe it’s not meat” sorcery to new levels of deliciousness. Current menu items include the likes of house flatbread with stracciatella, crispy chilli oil, and charred heirloom zucchini; Chittara cacio and pepe; shiitake and potato croquettes with sunflower and preserved truffle parmesan; and barbecued sugarloaf cabbage with smoked seaweed sauce and puffed sorghum granola. Smith & Daughters’ beloved hashbrown is also getting star treatment, with additions of smoked mushroom XO, labne, and garden herbs to the plate.
Incredible food, every time, with industrial interiors and gothic charm thrown in for good measure. It’ll be impossible for the Barker-Kardashian duo to resist.
175 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Patsy’s
Moody art deco architecture meets northern Mediterranean dining at this meat-free and predominantly vegan Melbourne wine bar. Tucked away in a 1930s Spanish Mission-style building near Queen Victoria Market, Patsy’s is a cosy, gorgeously designed space that’s the perfect place for a casual catch up.
A seasonal variety of refined Mediterranean meals made using fresh produce from the venue’s own market garden grace the food menu, with wine pairings stretching from Portugal to Slovenia.
You’ll likely find Kourtney and Travis tucked away in the courtyard sipping on a min-intervention drop or cheeky glass of vermouth, before stepping inside to feast on summer squash with saffron aioli and Ligurian style pesto-potato pasta, followed by almond milk pudding with green almond for dessert.
213 Franklin Street, Melbourne
Transformer Next Door
Innovative, plant-based dining in a relaxed atmosphere exists at Transformer, newly Transformer Next Door thanks to its recent relocation.
Kourtney and Travis need to ready themselves for nourishing whole foods with a fresh twist at this quintessential vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Melbourne. The approachability of each dish served at Transformer will mean they might even be joined by Barker’s bandmates, DeLonge, Hoppus, and Skiba. A round of the restaurant’s beloved cheesy chickpea panisse will then naturally ensue, elevated by a signature cocktail, or chilled bottle of white from the sleek and unique wine list.
Rear/382 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Loved our list of the best vegan spots in Melbourne we know Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker need to visit? Be sure to also take a peek at our guides to the best new cafes and must-visit Melbourne CBD restaurants.
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