PLANT POWER

FIVE OF THE BEST VEGAN RESTAURANTS

NUDE SISTERS SHOP 3/90 MARKERI STREET, MERMAID WATERS

Nude Sisters is rocking its new summer menu. Manager Loren Telfer highly recommends the “new concept” vegan pancakes. “They’re served with our housemade hazelnut spread, vegan honeycomb, cookie crumb and salted caramel COYO ice cream,” she says. If savoury is more to your taste, you best try the new burger with black bean, quinoa and mushroom patty, rice paper “bacon”, lashings of fresh salad, barbecue sauce and paprika aioli. Go for a side of the cheesy fries. THE LC MIAMI 2176 GOLD COAST HIGHWAY, MIAMI

The LC, or Lovechild Marketplace, is all about the vibe. It also happens to be vegan, but not in that in-your-face way. The foodie hub houses half a dozen eateries offering a wide selection of cuisines and specialties, including ramen, pizza and bakery treats, with a cool cocktail bar in a relaxed setting boasting patio and alfresco seating — or scatter cushions if you’d prefer. There’s also some cruelty-free retail thrown in. It’s open every day from 7am- 9pm. ELIXIBA THE KITCHENS, ROBINA TOWN CENTRE

Elixiba’s menu has been given a seasonal spring clean. Manager Steph Elsworth recommends regulars try the new Caesar salad with eggplant “bacon”, then there’s Elixaba’s vegan take on mac and cheese, featuring creamy pesto. “It’s a brand new menu, but of course we’ve kept all our popular dishes. We’ve just given them a bit of a revamp.” The bar is still serving its botanical cocktails and herbal brews, including kombucha on tap, in its enchanted forest domain. GIRI KANA 2 NIND STREET, SOUTHPORT

There are enough vegan delights on Giri Kana’s vegetarian menu to earn its spot in the line-up. “All of our breakfast menu and all of our desserts are vegan,” manager Carrie Osborn says. The newest hit among Giri Kana’s following of herbivores are Friday vegan doughnuts, a different flavour each week including choc hazelnut, strawberry-glazed, cookies and cream, pecan pie and caramel apple crumble. “Our raw vegan cheesecakes are also very popular,” Carrie says. LORD OF THE FRIES PARADISE CENTRE, 8-10 CAVILL AVENUE, SURFERS PARADISE

Lord of the Fries serves up fast food favourites: hot chips, burgers, onion rings, nuggets, hot dogs and shakes, all 100 per cent vegan. It started as a Melbourne food truck dedicated to perfecting the ubiquitous hot chip. Although it has expanded rapidly, Surfers Paradise is the only Queensland store. Hot chips remain the undisputed specialty. There are four cuts: classic, chunky, shoestring and sweet potato with a selection of sauces.