Smith + Daughters

My mates and I (you may remember us as the 3 guys with the funky t-shirts!) came by this past Sunday, and what an experience it was! Every single dish we tried was absolutely fantastic. Honestly, there wasn’t a single dish we didn’t enjoy, which was such a pleasant surprise. The staff were incredibly welcoming and made us feel at home. Huge shoutout to them for being so kind and attentive. We had such a great time that we’re already planning our return. Next time, we’ll be bringing t-shirts for the team as well. Food, service, and value: all 5 stars! The only reason I’m giving 4 stars for atmosphere is because it was a tad chilly. Thank you for making our Sunday so memorable!

Good vibes and lovely service – it’s definitely the place to be! The food was amazing: we had several starters, one main, and still found room for dessert. Every dish was impressive, and we truly appreciated the chefs’ hard work in crafting a great dining experience. Unfortunately, each plate had a few small flaws that kept us from having that real “WOW” moment. Still, it’s absolutely an amazing place to enjoy food in Melbourne! Great job, guys!

What a great plant-based dining experience in such a beautiful, vibrant space! The staff went above and beyond to ensure we were well taken care of. The food and drinks were absolutely incredible. The menu has something for everyone to enjoy together. It was a perfect dining experience all around. I’ll definitely be back soon!

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Smith + Daughters, and it was an unforgettable experience. From the moment I stepped in, the warm, vibrant atmosphere and the welcoming staff set the perfect tone for the evening. The attention to detail in every dish was remarkable. The flavors were bold and beautifully balanced, with each plate thoughtfully presented to delight both the eyes and the palate. The aromas alone were enough to make the experience special, drawing you in before even taking the first bite. The cocktails were crafted with precision, offering unique and refreshing combinations that perfectly complemented the meal. Opting for the set menu was an excellent choice—it showcased the creativity and expertise of the kitchen, with each course flowing seamlessly into the next. Smith + Daughters is a true gem, proving that plant-based dining can be just as indulgent, satisfying, and exciting as any other culinary experience. I can’t wait to return! Alex from Perth

From the moment I walked into Smith + Daughters, I knew I was in for something special. The venue is striking — a bold, contemporary space that sets the tone for an unforgettable dining experience. The staff especially Liv were absolutely amazing: warm, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, she made the whole evening feel even more personal and engaging. What truly sets this place apart is the food. Every dish bursts with flavour, showcasing both creativity and finesse. Head chef Sharon Martinez is nothing short of a goddess in the kitchen — a true culinary genius whose passion and artistry shine through in every bite. I left already planning my next visit. If you haven’t been, go. If you have, you’ll know exactly why I’ll definitely be back.

My partner and I visited smith & daughters on a Saturday night for our anniversary dinner. overall, my partner and I were a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong - the meals that were good - were deliiicious, however we just didn’t feel it lived up to the “hype” that smith and daughters tends to get among vegans and non vegans alike. It just wasn’t a complete experience, and things were just missing little touches. We were confused that some dishes were Mediterranean, some American, some African (?) so our plates were just a mesh of all these different distinct flavours. We also felt that for the price tag it has, it doesn’t really compare to other vegan “feed me” options around Melbourne, such as Patsy’s, rice paper scissors, SHU etc. We ordered the 4 course meal and 2 cocktails. Our cocktails were watered down a lot and came after the first course had already been served, which is fine but it would have been nice to have them before hand. First course was great - especially loved the mushroom skewers! Second course we were served beans & rice and gumbo which were both quite plain and overly salty. Rice was undercooked, beans were tasteless, gumbo tasted like gravox and only had 1 piece of sausage in there. So disappointing. Lucky the third course to redeemed the dining experience, however our plates still had the salty gravy taste from the previous course. Mac & cheese and the mushroom schnitzel thing were delicious and generous in size, and it definitely screamed “smith and daughters” with the mock meats & recreation of classic non vegan recipes. I wanted more of this!! The dessert was the star, we had the brownie. Absolutely divine, sticky, salty, rich + fluffy. Would go back for that. Our waiting staff were all really lovely but just some little things we noticed took away from the smoothness of the night, such as clumsiness when collecting plates or just not collecting and replacing dirty plates at all. Also just delays when asking if we wanted to order more drinks while we were waiting for our food etc. We also saw a waiter sitting down at the empty table next to us when taking another tables order, which seemed really lazy. We were also there for almost 3 hours due to long wait times, and we felt this was just a bit too long. Ambience in there alright, a little bit cold and just needs some more cosiness. I think to really go all out on the goth theme, there just needs to be a bit more work to really get there. If I were to recommend to a friend, which I probably wouldn’t, I would say to go on a weeknight when it’s less busy, and order a la carte. We would have been better off doing this to avoid so many beans haha. I really wanted this to be a great dining experience but we were let down. The food just doesn’t match the price tag or the reputation unfortunately.

Friend and I dined at the counter as we booked with only 4 days notice. Anticipating several different taste sensations, we opted for the Chef's 3 Course meal Entree we had the crab hush puppies, BBQ baked beans, and Mac 'n cheese. The hush puppies and BBQ beans were pretty tasty, and moreish. The Mac 'n Cheese, pretty average. We eagerly looked forward to the next course but found all three dishes bland and lacking flavour. The Jerk Oyster mushroom looked like a nice cut of meat but didn't even have the umami accent of the mushrooms, the rice and beans, as well as shrimp gumbo were also very average and lacking in flavour. Neither were anything we wanted to take home in a doggie bag. For dessert we shared the banana pudding which was light and very tasty. This and the BBQ beans were the dishes that deserved the recognition and reviews, as well as the watermelon margarita. The wait staff were good but not as outstanding as other reviews have noted. For example, they seemed genuinely invested in our trying the dishes but then didn't check back with us to see what we thought once we had tried them. Not once. One member of the kitchen staff let the side down completely: his long hair was only partially tied back and when he wasn't busy was on his phone, maybe it was for work, but it was a bad look.

Amazing experience. We had the set menu for 6 and food just kept coming. We loved the beetroot salad, mac and cheese, the cabbage and the brownie. Meat eaters: please give it a try before judging it for being plant based. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.