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The best vegan (and vegan-friendly) restaurants in Christchurch

Friday, February 9th, 2018

Portershed

(322 Lincoln Road, 021 258 3525)

This vegan café quickly gained a loyal following after winning the regional People’s Choice award in the 2018 Meadow Fresh New Zealand Café of the Year awards. A lovely twist of irony given Meadow Fresh is a dairy company! Go for classic Kiwi café favourites like custard squares, sausage rolls and mac ‘n’ cheese – all made vegan.

The Origin

(95 Westminster Street, 03 355 5939)

Contemporary, creative plant-based dishes match the modern, light-filled fit-out in this popular suburban café. Also known for exquisite desserts and cakes, and boutique coffee and tea brews (all the teas are 100% New Zealand grown and organic) – check out the Steam Punk brewing machine!

Town Tonic

(335 Lincoln Road, 03 338 1150)

A smart, contemporary restaurant, Town Tonic is renowned for its innovative cuisine made from fresh, local produce, and includes a special menu just for vegans. The ‘Honest Menu’ features an exciting array of plant-based tasting plates that will thrill taste-buds and dispel any notions that vegan food can’t be interesting!

The Lotus-Heart

(363 St Asaph Street, 03 377 2727)

A vegan-friendly vegetarian restaurant operated by students of Sri Chinmoy, it’s part of a centre that also includes health, gift and world music shops, as well as being a venue for meditation workshops, so you can expect a peaceful atmosphere that exudes well-being. The food is prepared from locally grown and organic ingredients where possible, using plant-based cheese and milks, so there are plenty of vegan possibilities, as well as gluten-free and raw food options.

Gatherings

(Unit 5/ 2 Papanui Road, 021 0293 5641)

Award-winning vegetarian restaurant and ‘living wine’ bar taking the concept of ‘pop-up’ dining and putting it in a more permanent setting. A daily tasting menu is designed around regional and seasonal produce, with vegan options, and the restaurant is committed to sustainability including the use of ‘living wine’, made without chemicals and with minimal technological intervention.

Antidote

(Shop 6, Carnaby Lane, New Brighton, 03 595 2126)

Antidote is a ‘juice bar’ that also serves salads, breakfasts, lunches and desserts. This vegan café is tucked away, but worth seeking out for its fresh and healthy cuisine (and amazing smoothies!). Dedicated to making the world a better place, Antidote serves mostly raw and organic foods, all in a relaxed setting.

The Shroom Room

(48 London Street, Lyttelton, 03 328 9459)

Iconic vegetarian café offering a laid-back, alternative atmosphere perfectly in keeping with its portside location. The outdoor terrace is ideal for enjoying the local vibe on fine days. Their menu is packed with plenty of vegan options. Generous portions and hearty fare are the order of the day – think burgers, pancakes and thick-shakes – served up alongside a funky soundtrack.

Raw Sugar

(73 Manchester Street, 03 365 3333)

This cool inner-city café is officially vegetarian but wins praise for its extensive vegan menu, including an option for vegan Eggs Benedict. Beautiful presentation and great coffee are sure to make this one a new favourite.

Dream Garden Vegetarian Café & Restaurant

(62 Kendal Avenue, 03 358 8485)

A suburban location and casual atmosphere makes visiting Dream Garden easy (it’s near the airport, if you’re wondering). The menu of Chinese cuisine is probably more vegan than vegetarian – and staff are happy to modify the vegetarian dishes for vegan diners. A wide range of meat substitute dishes is on offer here too.

Chanakya South Indian Cuisine

(Shop 5, Surfside Mall, 68 Hawke Street, New Brighton, 03 388 7049)

This hidden-away gem serves lots of vegan options, all of which are specified on the menu. Named for a renowned philosopher and economist of ancient India, this spot is a wise choice for high-quality cuisine. We at Green Dinner Table recommend the Masala Dosa and the Eggplant Salaan!

Thai Container

(151 Bealey Avenue, 021 139 4881)

Thai Box

(270 St Asaph Street, 021 842 429)

Thai Container is a hugely popular food truck on Bealey Ave. It now has a sister restaurant, Thai Box in more permanent digs. Go to either outlet for awesome, cheap takeaways. Or, dine in the cool surrounds of Thai Box. Pretty much anything on the menu is available in a vegan option and the super-friendly staff are very accommodating.

Call ahead

In addition to these vegan and vegan-friendly cafés and restaurants, more and more eateries around Christchurch are including vegan dishes on their menus. Plus, many or are willing to modify dishes to suit. If in doubt, call ahead and ask about vegan options. You might find that the chef is willing to create something special just for you!

Awesome food in your own kitchen

And if the decision gets too hard, cooking at home is always an easy option – especially if you’re a lucky Christchurch local getting your weekly menu delivered by Green Dinner Table!

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Keeping your vegan resolution: 6 tips for going (and staying) vegan

Friday, January 19th, 2018

But, how do you go vegan and stick to it?

As we all know, making a resolution and keeping it can be two very different things! Whether you’re quitting smoking, aiming to hit the gym or trying to cut back on meat, resolutions are easier said than done. It’s not that you aren’t committed, it’s just that old habits do die hard. And, when the demands of everyday life get in the way, new resolutions (no matter how positive) can fall by the wayside. The trick is to anticipate the challenges that are sure to come sooner or later. Have a strategy in place for how to deal with them when they do.

Go vegan your way

  • Some will go ‘cold turkey’ (sorry!). Others might start by cutting out meat, before reducing dairy and eggs. For some it might mean going vegan for ‘x’ number of days each week and gradually increasing the number of ‘vegan days’. There is no right or wrong answer. The point is that you’ve changed your intention and now you need to find the right way for you to change your habits.

Meal planning is key in making the switch to plant-based eating.

  • Arriving home from work at 6pm, tired, hungry and wondering what to make for dinner will have you reaching for your old meat-based staples. Take time on the weekend to plan your vegan meals for the week, stock up on all the groceries you’re going to need, stick the menu on your fridge, and you’re set. Subscribing to a plant-based delivery service like Green Dinner Table makes it even easier. You’ll get a menu for the week, recipes and all the ingredients you need delivered to your door. You won’t even need to step inside the supermarket.

Dining out

  • Now that you’ve got your meal plan down and your pantry is stocked with plant-based goodies, what are you going to do when your friends suggest heading out for dinner? Fortunately, restaurants are catching on to the popularity of vegan eating and it’s a lot easier to eat out than it used to be.
  • There is still the occasional hospitality dinosaur out there, where the only vegan thing on the menu is chips, but most restaurants will happily accommodate your needs, if you ask nicely.
  • A good trick is to call ahead and ask about vegan options – then you can show up knowing there’ll be something you can eat, and you might even strike it lucky and have the chef whip you up something special!
  • Remember that Indian restaurants are often a good bet – plant-based eating is widespread in this part of the world – but southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Italian and Mexican restaurants often have good options too – though you may need to ask them to hold the cheese, sour cream, yoghurt or fish sauce.

Be prepared

  • As the ad for a certain chocolate bar goes, ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry!’ Making good decisions is infinitely harder on an empty stomach. Make sure your pantry and fridge are well-stocked with (healthy) vegan snacks and get into the habit of carrying a few with you so you won’t be caught short and find yourself reaching for a non-vegan option because it’s the closest treat to hand (and mouth!). Try nuts, fruit and vegan protein balls, for a start.

Variety is the spice of life

  • Many people who switch to a plant-based diet find that food suddenly gets more exciting, not less. A lifetime rotation of the same-old meat-based dinners is replaced by a brand-new playing field where the options are all fresh and exciting. But, if you do find yourself replacing your old set of meals with a new set that is equally limiting, it’s time to get creative!
  • There are plenty of ideas online, as well as an ever-increasing number of vegan cookbooks.
  • Using a plant-based delivery service like Green Dinner Table is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and try something new – with a professional chef coming up with the menu each week, there’s no way you’ll get bored!
  • Cooking for non-vegans can rattle even the most committed plant-eater. After all, nobody wants to serve up a meal that goes uneaten. But this is your time to shine – who knows, you might just open their eyes to a new way of eating. There are some dishes that offer an easy transition from meat-based diets – familiar foods that can be given a vegan twist while still packing a flavour punch. Curries, stir-fries, pastas and, of course, tacos are all hugely popular, easy to make vegan, and offer so much flavour that no one will miss the meat.  

Put these tips into practice and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying the benefits of plant-based eating in 2018! And remember it takes time to create new habits. So, if you do have an off day, don’t beat yourself up over one individual meal. Focus on the bigger picture: the new, healthier and kinder vegan habits you’re putting into place.

 

 

 

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