• CLOSED: Iku Wholefoods Kitchen - Westfield Plaza

  • (41)
    27

    Closed

  • White Vegan
Vegan
Japanese
Macrobiotic
Organic
Western
Buffet
Fast food
Salad bar
Juice bar
Take-out

Part of the Iku chain. Provides quick and healthy meals for lunches and snacks. Has gluten free options. Confirmed closed, Mar 2021.


Venue map for Iku Wholefoods Kitchen - Westfield Plaza
© OpenStreetMap contributors

41 Reviews

First Review by GlennFraser

Fingercuts

Points +201

Herbivore
21 Jun 2020

Re-opened after Covid19 shutdown

Thought I should add an update review for this ever-reliable business.
While most places in this arcade were closed for the first-half of 2020 shutdown, Iku opened early and did takeaway using sensible and compliant Covid-safe practices. So dig in, people, they're currently open.

Pros: Clean, All vegan

JasonMegchelse

Points +46

Vegan
04 Mar 2020

Hit the (sweet) spot

I just had the pear and walnut cake but it was moist and delicious.

Pros: Lots of sweet options, Looks like you can buy pies to take away, Lots of savoury options too

RainyP

Points +60

Vegan
30 Dec 2019

Cold and stale

I had the millet ball. It was served cold with nothing along no chutney or ketchup. Maybe their other options are good. But this one wasn't.

Philistine

Points +80

Vegan
14 Sep 2019

Glad we found this place

Found it here and glad I did... what a great take out.... had the regular salad and a tofu pocket.... great taste and smiling service at a reasonable price... we will be back!

Pros: Great selection of salads and sides.

Veganueasy.com.au

Points +89

Vegan
09 Jun 2019

Healthy Vegan Chainstore

Iku is a great chain store for healthier vegan foods, they usually have some Asian dishes as well as lasagne, pies pastires etc but made with wholefoods. It’s not the kind of place hou would take a non-vegan as the food isn’t ‘passable’ and does seem to lean towards focusing more on health than on taste, but still enjoyable food and In some suburbs such as North Sydney and Neutral Bay it’s one of the most convenient fully Vegan restaurants.

Kryssiee

Points +432

Vegan
18 May 2019

Too Delicious

Everything I’ve ever eaten from here has been amazing!

Pros: Lots of vegan options , Organic and healthy options

Cons: Slightly expensive

Vegan_Van_Girl

Points +629

Vegan
18 Apr 2019

Great options

Great hot & cold options. Everything I’ve had has been really tasty.

AlessandroTano

Points +18

Vegan
04 Apr 2019

Minestrone

I’ve just had the Minestrone and it was amazing.
Soo good! I’m Italian and guys, it was like eating my mom’s minestrone.
Well done guys 👌

Tiger111333999

Points +1350

Vegan
24 Nov 2018

A great healthy vegan option in junk food courts

Basically iku becomes the real only vegan option for somebody that wants to eat healthy. They have a lot of nice fresh salad and mini cupcakes and baked pies. You will love the rice bowls and the lentil salad. I recommend this place if shopping around and wanting to eat correct food.

Pros: Fully vegan, Fresh

Cons: Expensive if you are hungry.

lmd06

Points +327

Vegan
17 Oct 2018

Delicious!

We had the lasagne with salad and caramelised tart with salad and shared a chai tea. The lasagne was so good! It’s probably a favourite of mine. Chai tea was the best chai tea I’ve had as I’m not normally a chai tea fan. Staff were friendly and let us taste the chai first.

Pros: All vegan, Healthy, Quick

PaulsBuffet

Points +3233

Vegan
25 Sep 2018

Always a good choice

Wetsfield food court can be a bit busy, so I like to come here because they’re usually very fast. The food is tasty, never had any issues. Staff are always cheerful and eager to help.

goldie

Points +106

Vegetarian
07 Aug 2018

yuck

August 2018 popped in to the Westfield Iku for a quick snack lunch. Grabbed a rice paper roll and a rice ball, items that i have eaten many times over the years from various Iku shops. Sat at a table at the food court, bit into the rice paper roll, started to chew, and it was inedible. The outer wrap was like hard plastic. I had to spit it out, so then returned it to the shop. I showed the woman behind the counter how you could tap on the outer wrap and feel how hard it was. She apologised and gave me another. I said I would try it right there, and it had the same problem. So I just took another rice ball instead. She said she will tell the kitchen and perhaps they hadn't soaked them well enough. Seriously - you're making food for people, surely someone can check first that it's decent.
Even the rice balls weren't that great, not as good as they used to be. Realistically this review is about all the Iku's as all the food comes from the one central kitchen. I also left a review edit on the Neutral Bay one as I stopped eating there due to the food being too salty as well as the price rises. I first ate at Iku Glebe in the 1990s and it used to be a stalwart for vegetarians but I won't eat there again unless I'm absolutely desperate.

Pros: they apologised and replaced the yuck food

Cons: stale hard rice paper rolls , salty, bland , expensive

luvlau

Points +460

Vegan
27 May 2018

Fast, Fresh & Wholesome Vegan Food

So happy with the Iku chain of real food stores. I had a delicious Kale, Cabbage & Almond salad with Tahini dressing (recommended!!) which was fresh and tasty, and a sweet potato ‘snack’ ball. I was very satisfied and will definitely purchase over any of the other fast-food stores in this particular eatery.

veganvirtues

Points +2748

Raw
12 Mar 2018

Iku Market Street

Came to one of many Iku's around the city. Can never fault them great food. Had a mushroom and spinach tart had salad on the side. Great all should try Iku's places located around Sydney.
$12,90. Has a very large selection of delicious VEGAN foods to pick. From millet balls or brown rice fritters to salads, mains lasagne, tarts, a curry or casserole also treats luke black rice&sago pudding, bancha slice.
Love food. Gets the Happy Cow sticker ( not able to put up?)

Pros: 100% plant based, Staff helpful, Great Vegan Food

deejay96

Points +30

Vegan
18 Dec 2017

Delicious salad and choices

We ate at the Westfield plaza. Great selection on display to choose from. Plus there’s the option to take away or sit in the food hall

tofutus

Points +59

Vegetarian
08 Dec 2017

Healthy fast food option

I find the food tasty and not bland. It's healthier than the next door option that someone suggested (Guzman y Gomez at Westfield Plaza). They have options for people who don't eat onion and garlic (like me), just ask the staff. Conveniently located around CBD. I go there every time I visit Sydney and need a fast meal.

Pros: Healthy not greasy, No onion and garlic options, Fast and convenient

JackSlack

Points +202

Vegan
17 Jun 2017

Bland, unimpressive fast casual

Iku Wholefoods is next to a Guzman y Gomez. I really want to emphasise that because the comparison is really dead on point. Guzman is the definition of 'fast casual' — meals run about $15-$20, the food is tasty if a bit bland and the whole thing is usually decent filler. Done right, the 'tasty' bit is good enough that the 'filler' is ignorable as a problem — Flavours run to the robust while either avoiding divisive notes (like bitter, sour or spicy tastes) or provide enough variety to accommodate all people.

Iku Wholefoods also belongs in the fast casual segment, but does not succeed there. Despite charging comparable prices to Guzman (which is right next door), the food I experienced was altogether worse. The curry served directly out of a bain marie I found flat, devoid of spice and flavourless; the millet ball on the side dry and unappetising. Kombucha was available but expensive and not worth the cost.

Iku Wholefoods does have some aspects to recommend it to vegans; there's a wide selection of foods on hand that vegans can eat which is nice, but it would be nicer if I had any confidence in finding any of them worthwhile — which I don't. They boast a 100% health guarantee but what this means is wholly ambiguous. And this variety and dubious health claim does not come cheap; a main plus a snack plus kombucha would easily come close to $20.

For that price, I'd expect better, and to be honest I think most people could find better nearby.

There is, after all, a Guzman next door.

Updated from previous review on 2017-06-17

Pros: Good vegan selection of mains and desserts, Kombucha was nice

Cons: Flat, dull, flavorless food, Expensive

veganvirtues

09 Dec 2017

JackSlack, it was a bit hard to decipher ur criticism, you mentioned that other place xt door many times. Not sure if u preferred that place or Iku. Just review Iku, HC promotes vegan places some 'vegans' critique 'carni' places? Not sure why.

JackSlack

10 Dec 2017

VeganVirtues: I feel my review is entirely clear. It's a negative review of Iku, using Guzman y Gomez as a point of comparison both to situate Iku Wholefoods as a similar 'fast casual' style outlet and to negatively judge Iku. I'm writing the reviews the way I find helpful, with more context and discussion than a simple statement of preference.

CourtneyDunn

Points +23

Mostly Veg
26 Apr 2017

different and healthy

I really enjoyed my meal. I had a savoury tart with a green salad and dressing, a raw treat made with coconut oil and bancha tea. In terms of making a healthy choice you can't go wrong here.

Pros: tasty , quick , very healthy

Cons: everyone behind the counter looks miserable!

Rosa veg

Points +2060

Vegan
13 Apr 2017

Good cakes

We really liked the vegan cakes and salads . A small place in a food court , it worth a visit .

WoodyAndBertie

Points +870

Vegan
23 Mar 2017

OK but bland

I have been here several times in the past - it's a good standby for lunch or a takeaway dinner in Sydney CBD. This time I had a large mixed salad, a rice ball and a millet ball. All good but a bit on the bland side and the price was pretty high.

Pros: Good location

Cons: Food is bland

Damodon

Points +260

Vegan
18 Feb 2017

Great staff, ok food

Enjoyed my visit to Iku at Pitt St. Very nice, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff.
Food is not bad but not spectacular value. The quality is perhaps the food court version of vegan whole food. It certainly didn't taste fresh but it was enjoyable. I guess if they microwave the food in front of you then you shouldn't be expecting quality fare.

Given that the quality is only ok I would have liked the prices to be more appropriate for the food.
I found them a little expensive for what it was.

Overall pleased I went.


Updated from previous review on 2014-11-14

Pros: Great staff, Interesting food

Cons: not great value , Not very fresh tasting, 'Hot' food was only warmish and cold in parts.

Midge

Points +77

Vegan
31 Dec 2016

Great for takeaway!

We stopped in here for food for a long day's hike, and we so enjoyed our wrap and the raw cookies. Wish we'd been able to take salads along; these looked delicious, too.

http://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/blog/2016/12/11/dining-well-in-sydney-australia-part-three/

Pros: Great for takeaway, Reasonable prices, Healthy, fresh, wholesome

Cons: Mall location

EverydayTastiness

Points +2685

Vegan
30 Dec 2016

tasty vegan

Tasty vegan option in a food court. This is the "centerpoint" store which is open during the holiday break while all the rest are closed. The food was good, a millet rosemary ball and a chocolate cake slice. Both were very oily. I would go back again.

Pros: all vegan

Cons: oily

sglcklch

Points +2815

Vegan
29 Dec 2016

Yummy vegan food in a mall food court

I came here a few times to get takeouts during my stay in Sydney since it was very close to the hotel I stayed in. Got different things every single time and they were all consistently good. All vegan to boot! Only wish they would stay open for longer into the evenings, but it seemed that the whole food court ran more or less on the same hours.

Pros: great food, all vegan

Cons: not open for dinner most of the week

Fidzie

Points +48

Vegan
16 Dec 2016

awesome!!

Love this place! Great easy options on the go without tasting mass produced!

Pros: everything is vegan!

laraschimpf197

Points +20

Vegan
14 Oct 2016

Best vegan Lasagne I've ever had!

I would always come back for the kombucha and the Lasagne!

Guacamole

Points +415

Vegan
27 Sep 2016

Wholesome Vegan Food

Iku is an all vegan chain serving tasty and wholesome lunches and snacks. While the quality is good I find it quite pricey for the portion sizes you receive. It's great to have an all vegan chain in Westfield however there are now plenty of other vegan options in the city that offer better value.

Pros: Healthy, Tasty, Vegan

Cons: Expensive, Small portions




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