Lona – St Kilda’s contemporary Spanish/South American tapas restaurant – has made some recent additions to their all day menu that’s had vegans talking seaside to city. Their widespread indoor, outdoor and garden seating is said to be one of the most polished-yet-charming venues St Kilda has seen, and their menu could also be described as just that. The restaurant certainly delivers on juicy meat dishes (after all the Spanish and South Americans arguably do this best) while also serving up those vegan options which have been the talk of the town. Take their Tierra Tacos for instance, which use smoked paprika, salted cauliflower and spicy beetroot, their mushroom toastadas filled with beetroot, corn, Spanish onion and tumaca, or their most recent addition, the vegan slider of slow-braised BBQ’d jackfruit, sweet apples, cabbage and carrot. It’s served on a gluten free, friendly bun too.
The Cornish Arms down Brunswick way has been always regarded highly for their pub classics. Their angus porterhouse, grain-fed scotch fillet and chicken parmas are said to be what meat eaters return for most. Their dedicated vegan menu is what truly deserves applause. The vegan parma of mock chicken, rich napoli and cheez is their most popular, yet there’s plenty more to explore on this menu. Try their vegan double-down of two southern-fried mock chicken pieces, sandwiching lettuce, tomato, cheez and facon, or their vegan hot n spicy box of Southern-fried popcorn chicken, shoestring fries, jalapeño poppers, a soft dinner roll and salad. Or just go for my favourite, the vegan souvlaki of spiced duck and chicken seitan with mixed salad, wrapped up with special garlic sauce & chilli.
So if you’re a strictly plant-based eater, or a consumer of all, rest assured these venues will always have a table waiting.
