Smith + Deli

"There’s so much variety at this vegan dining hall that wait staff often have to reassure diners that yes, it’s all plant-based. That includes the hot pastrami sandwich, the bacon-and-egg brioche roll, the salted-caramel cannoli, and the tiramisu donut. Chef-owner Shannon Martinez pioneered the cuisine in Australia and is known for cold-cuts, cheeses, and almond croissants that are almost as good as the real thing. Staff are cheery, laidback, and likely to have more than one piercing, and Martinez’s neo-goth style extends to a shoppable range of tees, tote bags, coolers, and cat-eye sunnies. Look out for ramen nights at more upscale sibling restaurant Smith & Daughters next door, when you can get impossibly creamy tonkotsu and sip yuzu highballs." - Ellen Fraser

"There’s so much variety at this vegan dining hall that the staff regularly has to assure customers that yes, it’s all plant-based. That includes the meatball sub, the black forest cannoli, the full English breakfast, and the seafood laksa. The setup is cafeteria-style, so you can load up your own tray and get the necessary fuel you’ll need to go vintage shopping on nearby Smith and Brunswick streets. Or get your vegan cold-cuts, cheeses, and almond croissants to go, and snack along the way." - ellen fraser