With Byron Bay’s cosmopolitan flavour, don’t be surprised to find plenty of amazing vegan food and vegetarian options around – with fresh ventures popping up all the time!
Plant-based eating hit the town some time ago with a vengeance – not surprising given Byron’s long-time status as a hub for alternative culture. Whether you’re up for a healthy snack, a liquid-based superfood elixir or want to organise a special dinner, there’s something out here for you.
You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to appreciate the thrilling tastes and multiple health benefits this style of eating has to offer. Without further ado, let’s delve into Byron Bay’s best plant-based eateries.
Azure Bar and Grill, Elements of Byron, 144 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay
Executive Chef Ebony Baker’s curated menu reads like the pages of her passport. Each dish begins by recognising the authentic beauty of each ingredient, with a focus on foraging as much as possible from the grounds within the resort. Ebony and her team then create a perfect flavour balance. Azure Bar and Grill offers numerous dishes to tempt vegan and vegetarian diners.
No Bones, 11 Fletcher Street, Byron Bay
Make no bones about it. No Bones, the restaurant on Fletcher Street just up from the beach, has made some serious waves in a town renowned for them. Using locally sourced, seasonal and organic ingredients, this plant-powered place is garnering sky-high reviews from a fast-growing base of vegetarian and carnivorous fans alike.
You’ll be stunned by the flavours of the No Bones ‘satay’ skewers, ‘prawn’ tacos, and a host of other vegan and vegetarian dishes. The cocktails are exceptional, too. We love the No Bones ethos, which is basically an invitation to join the movement to “save the earth, one brussel sprout at a time”.
Pixie Food & Wine, 139 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
A little bit retro and all the way delicious, Pixie Food & Wine has warm lights, sexy cocktails, game-changing wines and a menu with Sicilian roots. Whilst not a fully vegan restaurant, Pixie does offer some quite tantalising vegetarian options.
Try the zucchini flower with ricotta, mint and sweet pumpkin to begin, move on to the basil pesto alla genovese on cavatelli, green beans and reggiano with an heirloom tomato salad on the side.
Vagabond, Habitat, Porter Street, North Byron
FOLK, Sunrise Boulevard, Byron Bay
Byron Bay General Store, 26 Bangalow Road, Byron Bay
Late mornings and laid-back vibes are something of a given in Byron Bay. You’d be hard pressed to find anything remotely resembling a city-type rush hour or folks in suits (unless it’s a wetsuit, of course).
Within walking distance of Elements of Byron, Vagabond is a vegan and vegetarian icon of Byron Bay. This cafe is a natural hive of sweet and savoury breakfast and lunch options. Try the miso, eggplant and zucchini galette or the famous plant-based NYC club sandwich combined with a rich, aromatic coffee.
For those inevitable late starts, there are plenty of brunch spots where you can kick back, enjoy an almond latte and people watch at your leisure. If you’d rather lounge on a grassy knoll than a chair, FOLK is our hands-down first choice (you can just about stroll there from Elements – it’s just over 2kms away). This place is contemporary rustic, cosy, and has a great selection of vegan food and vegetarian dishes.
Another fine purveyor of plant-based food is the Byron Bay General Store, an iconic community building which has survived many incarnations since its beginnings in 1947. Today, it stands as a popular eatery, showcasing creations such as vegan waffles served with coconut ice cream. It’s environmentally friendly, too.
The Roadhouse, 142 Bangalow Road, Byron Bay
Saint Maries, 25 Tweed Street, Brunswick Heads
Milk and Honey, Station Street, Mullumbimby
If there’s one thing we’ve discovered in life, it’s that not all pizzas are created equal. Which is why we’re going to help you cut to the chase with some local tips to make your visit to Byron Bay even more enjoyable.
On Bangalow Road in Byron Village The Roadhouse is a vegan-friendly coffee house and restaurant that supports sustainable farming and has a curated menu of dishes made from nourishing whole foods. With an array of vegan and vegetarian pizzas you won’t be able to resist a slice washed down well with one of their many cocktails. Gluten free? Eat here fearlessly.
Make your next stop Saint Marie’s Pizza Restaurant a short 16 minute drive away in Brunswick Heads. Start with wild mushroom arancini balls and finish with, our favourite, the Jerry pizza, a perfect mix of pesto, spinach, zucchini, broccolini, mushrooms and chilli. Find your pizza’s perfect match at the wine bar.
An easy 20 minute drive from Elements stands the legendary Milk & Honey in Mullumbimby. This casual restaurant is a hit with the locals and can fill fast, so it may be worth reserving one of its alfresco tables. Specialising in artisan wood-fired pizzas (with many plant-based choices), Milk & Honey is all about letting the flavours of quality ingredients speak for themselves. We recommend the crispy zucchinis as a starter. Any cheese can be switched to vegan cheese plus gluten free bases are available for all pizzas.
Santos, 105 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Fundies, 61 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Byron Bay has plenty of healthy food shops, which is handy if you’re looking for a snack!
On Byron Bay’s main drag are two well-entrenched organic and wholefood stores. Get something light (sweet or savoury) at Santos. You can either enjoy the buzz of Jonson Street out front or head to its tucked-away garden café at the bank. By the way, Santos has another branch closer to home in the Industrial Estate.
Another tempting place for vegans and vegetarians is Fundies Wholefood Café, known by all and sundry simply as Fundies. Here, you can sip on an LSD (Latte Soy Dandelion tea) or get an energy rush with a slice of delicious healthy cake. A top spot for mingling with an eclectic range of locals.
Main Street Burger Bar, 18 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Top Shop, 65 Carlyle Street, Byron Bay
Old Maids, 30 Tweed Street, Brunswick Heads
Burger joints may not seem like the most obvious choice if you’re on the hunt for plant-based food. But Main Street Burger Bar has a tantalisingly good vegetarian and vegan repertoire. Try the haloumi number or Vegan Main St. Burger, and make sure to order the Mexican spiced jackfruit salad. Using only premium local produce, this burger venue plies feel-good food and boutique beers – or real shakes, to top off that diner experience.
A little out of town with lovely views is another fantastic choice for vegan food and vegetarian burgers – The Top Shop. This casual takeaway and dine in corner store is really popular with everyone from school kids and bikini-clad babes to coffee aficionados. The classic veggie burger comes with a chickpea patty, beetroot, sprouts and relish.
In the casual cool of Brunswick Heads, Old Maids Burger Store marries the finest wares of some of the region’s kings of produce to create an entire menu of vegetarian burgers (all of which can be made vegan). There’s plenty to choose from but the fried tempeh, slaw, kimchi, avocado, house mayo and chilli of the Namaste Burger are pretty hard to beat!
B Smoothie Bar, Habitat/5 Easy Street, Byron Bay
In Byron Bay’s tropical climate, there’s nothing quite as rejuvenating as a power-packed smoothie, made-on-the-spot juice or nutritious fruit-laden bowl with other goodies. Specialising in natural protein and superfood blends, B Smoothie Bar in the Arts and Industry Estate is a store that celebrates the raw power of wholefoods. The store has an on-site smoothie bar where you can pick up whey protein based smoothies (charged with ingredients such as Kakadu plums, turmeric and cacao), plant-based drinks and deeply satisfying smoothie bowls.
Frankies Gelato Naturale, Shop 8/8 Fletcher Street, Byron Bay
Fresh, handmade, all-natural and churned on site Frankies, just across the street from No Bones, is home to gelato that sings the song of its high-quality local ingredients. Made through authentic Italian processes that never interfere by introducing colour, preservatives or additives, Frankies features numerous vegan sorbets. We love the lychee and Davidson plum, and the Sicilian lemon.
Want more inspiration for things to do in Byron Bay? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Byron Bay.
