Plant-based dining: Where have Sydney's vegan restaurants gone?

Plant-based specialty restaurants are becoming rare in Sydney with more than 10 eateries closing over the past 18 months. Among the major losses are pay-as-you-feel restaurant Lentil As Anything, parkside yum cha Bodhi and ramen joint Lonely Mouth.

Bondi ice-creamery Chachas and Newtown deli Suzy Spoon's vegan butcher have closed their bricks-and-mortar retail doors in order to refocus on factory operations in food manufacturing and retail distribution.

Others, such as Otis (formerly Golden Gully) in Leichhardt, have abandoned the vegan model in favour of a menu with broader appeal (goodbye cashew cheese, hello burrata).

Suzy Spoon's founder Suzy Spoon says last year was tough for vegan hospitality. Prices of key ingredients in her mock meat products shot up by more than 100 per cent. Staff were hard to find. Shipping was expensive and often delayed.

Founder of Vegan Lebanese Australia Zed Bechara described on Instagram how his Bondi store sent him "broke multiple times" before it closed in July. He has begun selling homemade seitan "chick'n" online.

Spoon says: "Business owners really struggled. Many that could cope at the start of the pandemic are not coping now."

Veganism is still a hot topic but now everyone is offering it.

Vidya Forrest, Chachas vegan ice-creamery

Chachas founder Vidya Forrest says shop sales suffered as inflation rose and people tightened their belts. On New Year's Day of 2022, the ice-creamery brought in less than 40 per cent of the sales it had tallied that day before the COVID pandemic. "It was just shocking," she says.

Competition may have added to the crunch. Plant-based diets have increased in popularity, with an estimated 2.5 million Australians identifying as vegan in 2019, according to Roy Morgan Research.

Research from three leading Australian universities found nearly a third of the population further reduced their meat consumption in the 12 months to August.

This has led to a substantial increase in vegan offerings at non-vegan restaurants and stores. The 2022 Global State of the Hospitality Industry report released last week by Lightspeed commerce platform shows more than half of fine-dining restaurants now offer more vegan options.

Meanwhile, data collected by Vegan Australia revealed Woolworths expanded its range of vegan products on its website by more than 220 per cent, from 550 to about 1800, from 2019 to 2022.

An Aldi spokesman says their stores frequently introduce new plant-based products, such as Earth Grown vegetarian sausages and Yoconut Dairy Free Dessert.

"Vegan-friendly items are increasingly popular, and when it comes to meal planning ... we've found vegan customers are really looking for good sources of plant-based protein and quality dairy alternatives at an affordable price," he says.

Forrest says: "Veganism is still a hot topic but now everyone is offering it. Back in the day you'd have to go to Newtown to eat something [vegan], but now you can go just about anywhere. Saying your venue is vegan is no longer enough of a differentiator, you have to offer more."

This approach has led to success for Forrest, who reports business is "better than ever", emphasising the health benefits of her refined sugar-free and gluten-free ice-cream.

Plant-based Redfern pub The Sunshine Inn opted to broaden its appeal with the inclusion of dairy, with menu items such as halloumi burgers and smashed potatoes with parmesan.

"There's a limited number of people who are vegan in Sydney," says head chef Lizzie Tillet. "By offering just a couple of dairy items you end up getting people who wouldn't normally eat a vegan meal eating an 80 per cent vegan meal."

Spoon says: "People who are clever, who make really beautiful food, their cafes and restaurants will survive." She cites Newtown pizzeria Gigi's as an example.

Hospitality veteran Peter Varvaressos plans to open Greens Super Market in Newtown later this year – a one-stop plant-based shop stacked with housemade vegan cheeses, meats and gourmet meals.

"I'm thrilled there's more vegan options in major supermarkets … and [non-vegan] cafes because it forces the smaller people to lift their game," he says.

"Gone are the days when we're competing against ourselves. We're competing against everyone now. Bring it on."