Gopals

This was a real pleasant surprise for me as I am not vegetarian but I found myself pleasantly surprised by the variety of food available and the taste was sensational. I had the vegetarian lasagne which was a delight with a beetroot salad that was a first for me and it was so good. I went away thinking that if that's how vegetarian food tastes then I could convert. It's very light on the stomach which was a nice feeling.

We didn't know what to expect when we walked in, and were blown away! We paid $10 each for a massive plate of scrumptious food (fresh, filling, well seasoned). The restaurant was peaceful, even amidst the lunch rush. Thank you team!

We came twice to Gopals to have lunch as we simply fell in love with the food and the atmosphere. The price is more than affordable for the amount of food you get, including both soup, juice and salad in the feast plate option. Super recommended, a lucky find for us who are vegans!

Found this hidden vegetarian Restaurant and made ạ delicious experience. Varity of salads with a bean croquet, lentil soup and chickpeas curry. All for a very fair price. Will come again.

One of my favourite places to eat at in the city. Vegetarian lasagna is delicious and the choice of salads perfect. Definitely well worth the walk up the stairs to get there. Friendly and good staff. Would definitely recommend.

I loved everything, the restaurant looks nice and the menu has plenty of options. I had the vegan lasagna, 2 different salads and dessert. It was delicious and affordable. Very friendly service, and I was grateful to be in the home of Hare Krishna 🫶💖

Went in on a Tuesday for lunch. It’s a bit hidden with just a staircase off Swanson st leading upstairs and for lunch, there is usually a line to be served but it moves relatively quickly. The platter is the best value with 2 curries, rice, 2 salads and you can add a samosa or roti for extra. It then comes with a pudding dessert and a lemonade or lassi. All for $13! You get a tray to put that all on and then find a spot to sit. The food is delicious and it’s a great spot for cheap and cheerful vegetarian cuisine. Highly recommend.

My favorite vegan option in the city, as it is the best balance of quality, price, variety and nourishment, with and Indian twist. Plenty of salads to choose from. Their roti is delicious and vegan desserts are also quite tasty.

This has to be the best vegetarian fare in Australia. Reminds me so much of a yoga retreat I went on a few years back. Perfectly balanced curries combine with fresh salsa with important items like chick peas and quinoa. Top it with tahini dressing and down with mango lassi (the best I have ever had). A perfect meal! And then there is cake.....

Great value for money at this place, which is run by Hare Krishnas and is completely vegetarian (with heaps of clearly-labelled vegan options). It's located up a staircase on Swanston Street. Look for the white sign that says "Vegan Vegetarian" and the stairs that seem (oddly enough) to lead straight to a men's restroom and you've found it, ha! They have salads, curries, a few sides like samosas and pies, a couple of desserts, and three drink options. You can load up on rice, 2 curries and 2 salads for only $9.50. Or you can do the Vegan Platter, which is what I did -- rice, 2 curries, 2 salads, dessert, and drink for $11.95. Throw in a soup for $12.95 (the "Feast Plate.") Or you can just pick and choose which curries or salads you want from the display case, although this isn't as good a value for your money as the platters because each salad and curry is $4.50, which adds up fast. The food here is good but not great. Their hot food is way better than their salads, which are bland and uninspired. But the curries are hearty and warming and flavourful. I got the vegetable kofta ball (amazing) and the kidney bean curry (yummy) with the cold chickpea salad (boring) and the beetroot salad (meh). You can choose your dressing on the salads -- two of three are vegan. I got the tahini and it wasn't a very nice tahini. But the nice flavours of the hot food, dessert, and drink made up for it. They have 1 vegan dessert -- when I was there it was a date, raisin, and cashew halwa -- delicious! For the drink I chose the lemon and mint, which was light, sweet, and refreshing. Other places similar to this are Crossways (close by) and the Om Vegetarian locations (there are four). All are Hare Krishna vegetarian places with cheap, tasty food. I find Gopal's to be the one with the nicer, sleeker atmosphere, with its trendy hanging light bulbs and dim lighting and white walls, whereas the Om Vegetarians and Crossways are more into fluourescent lighting and brightly painted walls, giving off more of a "cheap and cheerful and maybe a little dirty" vibe. The food choices are also more varied at Gopal's. All of these places are great value for money, but if you're dining with more of a pickier friend, I'd probably say choose Gopal's.

Clean and simple is how I would describe Gopals. Take the stairs up to a clean establishment with lots of seating and bar type seating near the Windows. Food price ranges from 5-13 dollars. I got the vegan platter which includes two salads, two curries, roti or rice, dessert and a drink. I got the beetroot and chickpea salads with Tahini dressing. The kofta and a tofu green curry. Also got a mango lassi and the semolina pudding with vegan custard. The food was quit tasteless and average but fresh. The mango lassi was watery. The best thing was the semolina pudding with vegan custard made out of almond milk. Value for money and you'll definitely feel full and revitalised after due to the freshness of the food.

What a delightful meal. Salads, curries, tahini balls, tofu and so much more. Certainly an enjoyable meal and worth a look. There is nothing nicer than being greeted by a friendly face and farewelled as you leave. The restaurant was busy and the mess were being dished up left right and centre. I would highly recommend this little eatery even for those that aren't vegetarians. Happy eating.

For under $10 you get rice, 2 main dishes & 2 salads, there's a choice of four main meals a day & if you're real hungry a few extra coins will get you Roti or samosa. Even deserts!!! Everything is vegetarian & the vast majority vegan. This has been here, run by the Hare Krisna's for decades but still serves it up. Newly painted& new tables & chairs means it looks sparkling again. A cheap vegan feed.

Swanston street holds two Hare Krishna establishments, where one has the opportunity to dine one well priced foods amongst the sounds and smells of the religious experience. Gopals is the more pricey of the two, but with that price comes finer dining. The serving sizes and selections ate generous and diverse enough to keep any eater satisfied. The space is fill of light and often a calm place to have a meal. Lunches are more busy than dinners, as many come from work nearby. And do not fear, this no cult, and the food is great.

Well - courtesy of Yelp - I made my way to Gopal's Vegetarian restaurant My first time in what was accurately described by a previous reviewer as a no-frills affair. Walking upstairs to the sound of the sitar I discovered a Mini Uni Refectory set up where one could order a range of 'specials' by mixing and matching I sought the advice of the good natured staff and went with a plate of brown rice, Asian stir fry with tofu and soya, vegan kofta in tomato sauce, chickpea and mung bean salads. This was accompanied with a glass of apple and wheatgrass juice and a nut and fruit bliss ball all for $11.50!! Very much the homemade flavour I devoured the plate and went back to to top up with some lentil soup and brown rice - $6 So for $17.50 I was fully satiated as I sat at the window over looking the busy night life of Swanston street A solid place for 'no fuss fuel' for those on a plant based diet.

A Melbourne institution since 1980, and has a well earned reputation for quality vegetarian and vegan dishes at a very reasonable price. At it doesn't disappoint the food was amazing, with friendly and informative staff. Highly recommended

I've been avoiding Gopal's for years because the last time I went (around 2005) I was told that everything had gluten in. Even the rice - apparently the chef added gluten to food. No kidding. I went back today for lunch because I'd heard that I could eat there again. It was cheap, air conditioned and quiet, all things I really needed. My group sauntered in to an empty restaurant and faced a bemused server, clearly not used to the numbers, asking him what it was I could eat. Turns out very little. I had the salad. The gluten free knowledge is terrible. The friends I was with really enjoyed their food, though, so good to go provided you're not looking for them to cater for allergies.

Loved it. Quiet calm atmosphere. Grab your tray, choose your meal and drink, pay then eat. I got the $11.90 weekly special which included 2 salads, soup, 3 side dishes, dessert and a drink. The servings were generous. Filling and delicious. The halava with custard was the perfect dessert.

When I worked in the Bourke St Mall in my early twenties as my colleagues would go to subway or Gloria jeans in their coveted lunch break I would slip away to gopals and sit with hara Krishnas, hippies, travellers and students and I loved it. It was pretty much the same curry every day with tvp as a meat substitute which I was never super keen on, but for $5, free recipe books and lots of fun music this was my strange, peaceful, escape right in the grossest part of the city from a job I hated.

I am not vegetarian, but I love good quality, nutritious, & delicious food. Gopals is a fantastic secret. It's nicer than other "no frills" vegetarian places; beautiful big windows from which you can watch the street, nice decor, lovely relaxed atmosphere. In the kitchen you can see a little sign that instructs "Cook for Krishna with love & devotion!" And you can definitely feel that love in the quality of the food. It is all absolutely delicious and well made, and my body always feels nurtured afterwards. The servings are really generous - don't be fooled by the name of the "not so hungry" plate; Two curries and two salads... And this ain't no half-a***d salad. Even the rice is really good. And the desserts are great too. This is now my go to when I'm hungry in the city and need something healthy & hearty, I hope it becomes yours too. Oh and it's GREAT VALUE.

The food is decent and the portion sizes are good considering how cheap it is. One of the best places to eat if you're on a budget.

There are no frills at this veggie/vegan Hare Krishna restaurant... but the food is seriously good :-) Best samosa's we've ever had... great spinach pie... yummy chickpea curry... fresh salads... etc. etc.... ;-) There aren't many places you can eat such great food for such a great price... just don't expect silver service :-) LOVED IT - highly recommend it if you are looking for very good quality veggie/vegan food...

It was cheap and pretty good. I did not like the dessert, though. I forget what it was called but it looked like cake in a bowl with some sauce poured on top. It was meh. Did not finish. The rest of the food was tasty, and portions were generous.

Large servings, with plenty of options to choose from. The food was delicious and the salads fresh. It's a very calm place perfect for a relaxed vegan/vegetarian lunch when you're in the city.

Not been here for years though I used to love it. Based on a review from 2 years ago re gluten free options not being available (eg. gluten added to rice) regardless of how they were initially advertised I'm relucant to eat here again. I was told on facebook they have gf options but I've been told that before and found on further investigation that food has been contaminated. Has anyone else with celiac disease eaten here recently and can tell me how it went? I'm reluctant to try it as don't want to get seriously ill.

I love this place for it's inexpensive and health(ier than other cheap options) food that caters for my dirty veganism. Having said that, I wouldn't bring someone along if they weren't already aligned with the vego/vegan lifestyle. I don't think you would win any friends. Me...I'm full and satisfied.

Horrible!!! The food looks horrible, had dinner last night. Still feeling it. Don't go here! 0 STARS!!!