Best Vegetarian Cheap Eats, Melbourne, Australia
Top Five Budget Vegetarian Restaurants & Places to Eat in Melbourne
Sep 22, 2009
Melbourne is a gourmand's heaven. Home to Australia's largest number of restaurants, Melbourne's dining options are multicultural and wide-ranging. They can also be nice and cheap, if you know where to go. Below is a compilation of the top five cheapest restaurants / eateries to grab lunch or dinner.
Try Melbourne's Seaside Suburb St Kilda & pay What you Want at Budget Vegetarian Restaurant 'Lentil as Anything'
Very popular, 'Lentil as Anything' in Melbourne's vibrant beachside suburb St Kilda is as cheap as it gets. This petite vegetarian establishment offers a range of veggie options from traditional vegetable curry to the unusual but undeniably delicious 'Japanese Pancake.' The food is exceptionally tasty, especially considering the eatery is just run by volunteers. In keeping with the spirit of charity, this fantastic food establishment allows its customers to decide themselves how much their meals are worth.
While any donation is accepted, $5-10 is a guideline. Located at 41 Blessington St, 'Lentil as Anything' is perfect not just for those on a budget but for anyone who simply loves good food and great value. Open for lunch and dinner, it is served by Tram 96 from the city. The damage? You decide.
With tasty filling Indian meals for less than $12, it's no surprise St Kilda starlet 'Bala's' is constantly packing in the punters. While it's mostly a takeaway, the over-the-counter service doesn't take from its popularity. One of Melbourne's cheapest and most popular takeaway's, it's the perfect place to go for some great vegetarian-friendly late-night grub. Located at 1e Shakespeare Grove, St Kilda, Bala's is served by Tram 96 / 16. The damage? $12 maximum.
Eat in Melbourne City for Super Cheap $6 Vegetarian Buffet Meals at 'Crossways'
To eat cheaply in the heart of the city, the general assumption is a confinement to McDonald's or Hungry Jacks. But fear not for hippie hotspot 'Crossways' is located right along central Swanston Street and serves up a different vegetarian meal for each day of the week. Ranging from traditional Indian dishes to tastes of Thailand, this meal deal – at a mere $6 ($5 for students) – is hard to beat.
And the best bit? It's all-you-can-eat buffet style, plus dessert. It may be a bit slap-dash and lack the elegance of the usual city restaurants but if good value for good food is the order of the day, this is the place to be. The damage? $6 ($5 for students.)
Boasting portions as healthy as the dishes themselves, 'Vegie Bar', a Fitzroy institution, is the place to come hungry. Queues are expected at this popular eatery, which speak volumes about the quality and value of its delicious vegetarian food. With communal tables, this place has got a relaxed vibe, perfect for that quick work lunch. Located at 380 Brunswick St, this vegetarians heaven is open for lunch and dinner and is served by Tram 96.
Hit Windsor's Popular bar 'The Lucky Coq' for Fantastic $4 Vegetarian Pizza's
Posh Prahran is right beside it but Windsor's 'Lucky Coq' bar / restaurant is one of the most relaxed and unpretentious quirky hangouts south of the river. But it's not just its laid-back, grungy interior and cool reputation that draw the hundred-odd punters each night so much as its $4 pizzas. Every Monday - Friday (12pm-4pm and 7pm-11pm) and every Sunday (all day), the price of their pizzas are almost halved. All pizzas on the menu (many of which are vegetarian) are a mere $4, making this casual den a top student hangout.
Delicious and big enough for dinner, their pizza's are as tasty and unique as they are cheap. An unusual melange of everything Mexican, the Poncho pizza – an explosion of cheese, black beans, jalapenos, nachos and a healthy dollop of sour cream – is one of the biggest sellers. Try their chocolate / cheese dessert pizza – it's also $4 and tastes better than it sounds. While most establishments on the perpetually peopled Chapel Street are constantly hopping, the 'Lucky Coq' takes the biscuit (or the pizza.)
Queues form for tables here despite its vast size every weekday evening so come before 7pm, after 9.30pm or anytime Sunday. With all toppings offered, it's the perfect spot for vegetarians and their carnivorous friends alike. Located at 179 Chapel St, the Lucky Coq is open everyday, midday til late and is served by Tram 6. The damage? $4.
For info on the top sights and attractions in Melbourne, read Top Sights & Attractions in Melbourne, Australia.
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