Dining Guide · The Grand Palace, Sydney CBD
Best 9 Vegan Restaurant in Sydney
Sydney has become a thriving destination for vegan food lovers, offering everything from plant-based fine dining to casual vegan cafes.
At a Glance
Basement, 261 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 (02) 8021 7696 bookings@thegrandpalace.com.auSydney's plant-based dining scene has expanded across every suburb — from fully vegan restaurants in Surry Hills and Newtown to vegan-friendly Indian fine dining in Sydney CBD. Whether you need a vegan dinner near Wynyard, a weekend brunch in Darlinghurst, or a group booking that caters for plant-based guests, this guide covers the best options across 8 Sydney suburbs.
Quick Answer
The Grand Palace (Sydney CBD, halal-certified Indian fine dining) runs a genuinely dedicated vegan menu across starters, curries, rice and biryani, available lunch and dinner daily — the strongest choice if your table mixes vegan, vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests. For fully plant-based kitchens, Shift Eatery and Yulli's in Surry Hills are Sydney's best-known options, and Taj Indian Sweets in Harris Park is a reliable fully-vegetarian pick with vegan dishes marked throughout.
Compare at a Glance
The Grand Palace runs a mixed halal Indian menu with a dedicated vegan selection; the rest of the list is fully vegan kitchens.
| Restaurant | Area | Style | Dietary Highlights | Good for Groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Grand Palace Indian RestaurantOur Pick | Sydney CBD | Indian Fine Dining | Full vegan menu; all curries dairy-free, ghee-free on request; clearly marked dishes | |
| Shift Eatery | Surry Hills | Vegan Café | 100% plant-based; every dish is vegan; GF options available | |
| Le Gourmand | Newtown | Vegan Patisserie | 100% vegan kitchen; artisan pastries and desserts | |
| Yulli's | Surry Hills | Vegetarian Restaurant | Extensive vegan menu; GF options; cocktail bar | |
| Masala Kitchen World Square | Sydney CBD | Indian Restaurant | Vegan dishes clearly labelled; curries, dals, and dosas | |
| Foreign Return | Surry Hills | Modern Indian | Dedicated vegan menu section; seasonal and regional dishes | |
| Taj Indian Sweets & Restaurant | Surry Hills | North Indian | Curries adaptable dairy-free and ghee-free; affordable vegan options | |
| Chatkazz Harris Park | Harris Park | Indian Street Food | Many naturally vegan street food dishes; vegetable-based menu | |
| Grace of India | Milsons Point | North Indian | Dairy-free adaptable; vegetable curries and lentil dishes |
The Grand Palace Indian Restaurant
Our PickSydney CBD · Indian Fine Dining
Full vegan menu; all curries dairy-free, ghee-free on request; clearly marked dishes
Good for groupsShift Eatery
Surry Hills · Vegan Café
100% plant-based; every dish is vegan; GF options available
Good for groupsLe Gourmand
Newtown · Vegan Patisserie
100% vegan kitchen; artisan pastries and desserts
Good for groupsYulli's
Surry Hills · Vegetarian Restaurant
Extensive vegan menu; GF options; cocktail bar
Good for groupsMasala Kitchen World Square
Sydney CBD · Indian Restaurant
Vegan dishes clearly labelled; curries, dals, and dosas
Good for groupsForeign Return
Surry Hills · Modern Indian
Dedicated vegan menu section; seasonal and regional dishes
Good for groupsTaj Indian Sweets & Restaurant
Surry Hills · North Indian
Curries adaptable dairy-free and ghee-free; affordable vegan options
Good for groupsChatkazz Harris Park
Harris Park · Indian Street Food
Many naturally vegan street food dishes; vegetable-based menu
Good for groupsGrace of India
Milsons Point · North Indian
Dairy-free adaptable; vegetable curries and lentil dishes
Good for groups
The Grand Palace — Indian Fine Dining, Sydney CBD
The Grand Palace runs a genuinely dedicated vegan selection across starters, curries, rice and biryani — not a token dish or two, and not just the vegetarian menu with dairy removed. Every vegan dish is clearly marked, served lunch and dinner, daily, in a basement dining room styled after India's royal palaces. The same kitchen is halal-certified and HACCP certified, so a table mixing vegan, vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests is handled without anyone compromising.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: Full vegan menu · All curries dairy-free/ghee-free on request · Clearly marked dishes
Shift Eatery
A 100% vegan café in Surry Hills built around breakfast and lunch — sandwiches, plant-based bowls, and a vegan bacon-and-egg bagel that's become its signature order. It's walk-in only, no reservations, so turn up rather than book.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: 100% vegan; gluten-free options not confirmed — ask in person
Le Gourmand
A vegan French patisserie known for its macarons and pastries. Its Newtown storefront appears to have moved to online-only gifting and corporate orders rather than a walk-in café — worth confirming current opening status before a visit, though the vegan macarons are still available via their site.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: Fully vegan French patisserie
Yulli's
A Surry Hills institution for vegan and gluten-free Asian-fusion small plates, with a genuine cocktail bar attached — san choy bow, crispy tofu with green papaya salad, and ginger dumplings that hold up against any non-vegan small-plates menu in the area.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: Fully vegan and gluten-free menu
Masala Kitchen, World Square
A modern Indian menu in the World Square food precinct with vegan dishes clearly labelled across curries, dals and dosas — a convenient CBD lunch option if you're already in the World Square area.
- Dietary: Vegan dishes clearly labelled on the menu
Foreign Return Indian Restaurant
A modern Indian restaurant and cocktail bar in Surry Hills with a dedicated vegan menu section covering seasonal and regional dishes — a more contemporary, bar-forward take on vegan Indian dining than the classic curry-house format.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: Dedicated vegan menu section, labelled V/GF/DF/NF
Taj Indian Sweets & Restaurant
A 100% vegetarian restaurant and sweets shop with vegan, gluten-free, Jain and no-onion-no-garlic options marked directly on the menu — one of Harris Park's most reliable vegan-friendly stops, with a second location in Surry Hills.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: 100% vegetarian; vegan, gluten-free, Jain and no-onion-garlic options marked
Grace of India
A harbourside North Indian restaurant at Milsons Point with vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal options available — a scenic alternative to the inner-city options on this list, with harbour views alongside the curry.
- Dietary: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal options available
Conclusion
Sydney's vegan dining options run from dedicated plant-based kitchens like Shift Eatery and Yulli's, to fully vegetarian institutions like Taj Indian Sweets, to mixed-menu restaurants that take vegan dishes seriously rather than as an afterthought — which is exactly where The Grand Palace sits. A genuinely dedicated vegan line-up, halal-certified, in a Sydney CBD dining room built for a proper night out rather than a quick bite.
For a group with mixed dietary needs, The Grand Palace remains the simplest option — vegan, vegetarian, halal and non-vegetarian guests all eating from the same table.
Ready to experience it yourself? Tables fill fast on weeknights.
Nirav Shah
Nirav Shah is a hospitality professional with a strong passion for food culture, restaurant design, and exceptional customer experience. From over 10 years, he has explored Sydney’s diverse culinary scene with a thoughtful and informed perspective, gaining hands-on insight into how successful restaurants deliver quality dining.
With a deep appreciation for flavor, ambience, and service, Nirav focuses on both lunch and dinner experiences when evaluating dining venues. His recommendations are shaped by personal visits and careful research, highlighting restaurants that consistently offer memorable and well-rounded dining experiences worth returning to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Grand Palace have a dedicated vegan menu?
Yes — vegan dishes are clearly marked across starters, curries, rice and biryani, and the kitchen can adjust select standard dishes to remove dairy and ghee on request.
What's the best vegan restaurant in Sydney for a group booking?
It depends on the group — for a full sit-down Indian meal with a shared vegan set menu, The Grand Palace's group banquets work well; for a fully plant-based menu across the whole table, Yulli's or Mama B's at the Chippo Hotel are solid casual options.
Is Indian food naturally vegan-friendly?
A lot of it is — dishes built around lentils, chickpeas and vegetables are traditionally plant-based. The main things to check are ghee (clarified butter) and cream, which most Indian kitchens, including ours, can substitute out on request.
Which of these restaurants are fully vegan, versus vegan-friendly?
Yellow, Towzen, Gigi Pizzeria, Miss Sina, Mama B's, Little Turtle and Golden Lotus are fully vegan kitchens. Yulli's is vegetarian-based with extensive vegan options. The Grand Palace is a mixed halal Indian menu with a dedicated vegan selection rather than an all-vegan kitchen.
Helpful External Resources
- More vegan dining recommendations across Sydney — Sydney.com — official Destination NSW tourism guide
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