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Finding somewhere with vegan meals that doesn’t make you feel like a pain is a joyful experience.
While there are currently only a few dedicated vegan cafes in Geelong (no restaurants) there are some amazing restaurants (and bars) that cater well for vegans.
Geelong restaurants with Vegan Food
Recess
Recess is the perfect restaurant to visit in Geelong if you have dietary requirements as the entire restaurant is Gluten Free, and they have heaps of vegan choices as well including vegan dessert options.
Gnocchi is one of the things I miss most as a vegan, it was my go-to favourite meal when I was vegetarian and I love that recess seems to maintain a version of Vegan Gnocchi on their menu year-round! I just revisited in December 2023 and what I love is that when a meal has a vegan option they substitute the products you don’t just go without – you still get feta, just a vegan feta, and you still get mayo with the chips but a vegan one.
Plus if you sign up for their ‘birthday club’ (add your DOB to your account) you get a free bottle of wine when you dine on your birthday!
El Santo de Los Tacos
Serving up delicious Mexican food in a restaurant with a fun retro vibe, El Santo may not be a vegan restaurant but it has a vegan option for many of its meals (except sadly for dessert).
They also have a pretty mean drinks menu, many tequila-based of course, but with plenty of other options too!
There also open late on the weekends and to 9 pm other nights except for monday, incase you’re looking for late-night vegan food in Geelong!
Nicols Paddock
I recently visited Nicols Paddock and I can’t believe I never knew this gorgeous restaurant was a stones throw from Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre! The restaurant is hidden up a small road to the side of the old winery building, just through the roundabout down the old Colac road.
The restaurant is in a beautiful earthy feeling building, perfect for drinking wine inside in the warmth in winter or sitting outside looking over the vines in summer.
They have a dedicated tapas share style vegan menu, as well as a ‘Feast Option’ where they bring out share meals and they were happy to cater for vegans as part of this when we visited.
Being brought out a feast of many vegan options was a true treat – we all know the life of having one menu option to choose from in many places!
Unfortunately, I was having such a good time I forgot to take photos of everything but the snack platter at the start and dessert at the end. Whoops.
From chickpea chips to the most divine roast pumpkin with vegan yoghurt it was a proper food experience and a special night as I rarely have the budget for this kind of treat but it was a similar price to an entree and main at most restaurants these days.
While dessert was extra (and I was really so full I shouldn’t have ordered it) it was delicious and so nice to have a vegan dessert option.
Novotel Waterfront Restaurant, Bar & Lounge
Tempo Kitchen and Bar at Novotel Geelong Waterfront has been freshly renovated in late 2023 (it’s just reoponed)however unfortunately it has substantially fewer vegan choices on its menu now that its a ‘grill’.
I have left it on this post though because it does have a vegan main and a vegan dessert so while its very limited choices, having a vegan dessert option so you can join in both courses is great and still better than many pubs etc offer.
Also, did you know if you purchase an annual Accor plus membership (it’s priced to include a nights accommodation at an Accor hotel) you get 50% off dining for two people at the Novotel restaurant as often as you like as long as your a member.
Frankie Bar
With an amazing Asian inspired share menu and extensive drinks list, Frankie Bar is the perfect place for a fun night out with friends or a couples date night with a vegan.
While Frankie is a restaurant and bar with delicious vegan food and it also caters for other dietry requirements as well. Their menu is designed to be shared, and there is enough choice that you can share dishes with more than one vegan or get some of your own and some to share if your with a carnivore.
In fact, their menu even has a section at the bottom which shows which food is ok for vegans, coeliacs, gluten free, low fodmap, vegetarian and dairy free!
Frankie is also a cocktail bar so there are over 30 cocktails to choose from on the menu!
Geelong Bars with Vegan options
The 18th Amendment Bar
If you have visited you know why the prohibition-themed 18th Amendment cocktail bar is so loved for a good night out – if you haven’t been yet it’s an experience that should definitely be on your radar.
Its cocktails are mostly vegan, made withAquaFaba used as a vegan substitute instead of gross raw egg white. Any options that are not vegan are marked as such on the menu as containing milk.
The drinks are the star of the show and many are elaborately presented or have cool quirks like creating a popping sensation in your mouth!
While their snack menu is basic, it does include smoked and flavoured nuts as a vegan option.
Geelong Cellar Door Wine Bar & Store
The Geelong Cellar Door Wine Bar & Store has a vegan platter on its menu so you don’t have to go without wine snacks. Hopefully, it gets vegan cheese added to it in the future (macadamia feta is good hint hint lol).