Bondi’s Vegetarian Havens

Herbivores, rejoice! Read on to find out where the Bondi vegetarians eat when they venture out to grab some plant-based grub.

Funky Pies

The humble pie, it’s an Aussie favourite. An Aussie icon. An Aussie staple, if you will. And thanks to Funky Pies, vegetarians need not miss out on this crispy, overbaked national dish.

The karma-believing owners of Funky Pies aim to address the way food impacts the environment, society and the generations to come after us. With their biodegradable take away products to the sweat-shop free uniforms, these guys clearly have a moral conscience, and they also have mad vegetarian pie-making skills. Oh, yes.

Try the organic and gluten free G’day Satay with pumpkin, kumera and potato in a spicy satay sauce, and the gluten free Moroccan Bean Tangine with chickpeas, red kidney beans, lima beans, black eyed beans in a spicy home made harrissa sauce.

Where: Shop 2/144-148 Glenayr Avenue

Nalini’s Wholesome Streetfood

With all the hoo-ha about the importance of a healthy gut biome and the consequent kombucha and kefir boom, it was only a matter of time before restaurants starting spruiking flora rich dishes. Nalini’s shtick is a “fully probiotic themed and 100% gluten free menu” that shows healthy food can be fun and delicious.

Although they don’t claim to be vegetarian, there doesn’t seem to be any meat on their Indian-inspired menu that is championed by nuts, seeds, hummus, kraut, falafel and vegies. They have a changing menu of adventurous falafel bowls and tasting plates, like this week’s Rainbow Thali with coconut and beetroot curry, Ayurvedic dal, turmeric rice, roasted sweet potatoes, Indian spiced potatoes, salad and poppadums.

We recommend trying the Masala Wrap – Indian spiced potatoes, apple slices, curry kraut, coriander, mint and coriander sauce, chilli date tamarind sauce, and the Rooibos Chai Smoothie – coconut milk, sweet potato, water kefir, prebiotic dietary fibre and plant protein powder. Perfect to take away and eat in the park.

Where: 1 Newland Street

Lauries Vegetarian

With a local following verging on cultish, Laurie’s offers a changing mix-and-match menu of six hot dishes and five salads. You could get everything from Balinese vegetable curry with rice noodles, poppy seeds and dill coleslaw one day, and the Cajun tofu with corn, carrots and spices, lasagne and Burmese noodles the next. You could even get something crazy that you’ve never heard of. You just don’t know – and that’s the exciting and delicious part!

What you do know is that you’re going to enjoy homestyle vegetarian and vegan dishes and probably seek acceptance by the Laurie’s dining society.

Where: 286 Bondi Road

Earth To Table

Wholesome, vegan, raw, organic, gluten free, wheat free, dairy free and sugar free food. Pretty sure Chef, Julie Mitsios, has ticked every trending health food buzzword doing the rounds at the moment. And with the flavours getting dished up at Earth To Table, she can back it up.

Packed with kale, bok choy, spinach, cucumber, mint, parsley, orange and seasonal fruit, Mitsios’ Give Me Power smoothie will have you ‘incredible hulking’ through your day. There are also organic tonics, aromatic teas, ice blended pick-me-ups, heart warming chai’s, cold pressed coffees and delicious Willy Wonka-coloured sweet treats.

Where: 85 Bronte Road

words by niall roeder