Vegan
American
Italian
Mediterranean
Fast food
Beer/Wine
European
Gluten-free
Licensed vegan Italian street-food restaurant. Menu includes burgers, focaccia, fried sides, salad, and desserts. Open Tue-Sat 5:00pm-9:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-8:00pm.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
-
28 King St, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia, 2042
-
Loading...
-
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
-
-
Last update on 31 May 2025 by Guest
Update business info -
Added by donfred on 22 Feb 2023
-
-
70 Reviews
First Review by SuzanneGoldberg
phoebeiris
Points +82
Absolutely amazing - Edit
Absolutely amazing food I will definitely be coming back! Loved the carbonara, konjamari, suppli, and polpetz.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-11-11
Guest
EdYan
Points +3587
Love it - Edit
We came at lunch on the weekend, the place had a nice buzz, played cool music and the owner was so friendly and welcoming. The menu had so many things on it I wanted to try. In the end we had the crispy zucchini 'Don Bun' (burger) and the crunchy schnitzel foccacia. Both were so nicely presented and absolutely delicious with unique and very Italian flavours. The chic mousse for dessert was perfection. I will absolutely be back multiple times and look forward to working my way through the entire menu!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-12-02
Pros: Amazing food, Friendly owner, Relaxed vibe
Cons: Noisy buses on the road
Guest
homebodyhaus
Points +4885
Must-Try Vegan Italian Spot 🇮🇹 - Edit
The eggplant sandwich was absolutely amazing — non-negotiable, you have to get it! The flavors were spot-on, and the vegan feta tasted so much like the real thing it’s hard to believe it’s dairy-free. Everything was super flavorful and fresh. Definitely put this place on your list!
Read moreGuest
KateBohmer97
Points +644
Delicious vegan Italian food - Edit
Delicious and nice atmosphere. 100% vegan. Not that many menu options to choose from when we went there, the banquet looked like the best option for next time.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-10-11
Pros: 100% vegan, Tasty , Nice atmosphere
Cons: Expensive , Not a huge option to chose from the regular menu
Guest
chatreuse
Points +4716
Amazing tasting plate and great service - Edit
The tasting plate at $45pp is great value, we couldn't finish it all.
Read moreMy favourites were the
- Calamari: subtle seafood smell, great taste, feels like was breaded in couscous and fried (a bit too crispy for me though), good sauce
- Mushroom ragu: YUM! Fable in bolognaise sauce on creamy mash
- Caserrece carbonara: delicious, esp loved the bacon cubes made of tofu..? Very tasty, succulent texture
Everything else was good too:
- zucchini fritte: moist inside, crispy outside
- suppli: rough breading, little bland, mainly rice, similar to arancini
- green beans in garlic: very good
- olive meatballs on polenta chips: very good meatballs, olive taste but not overwhelmingly so, great texture, very crispy polenta w/bol sauce
The service is SO GOOD, the owner was on the way out but stopped to seat me, the other staff are so warm and friendly too.
The evening I was there it was quite a buzzy ambience, there were two people with hyena laughs which reverberated annoyingly in a smallish space.
----
Previous review
I had high expectations coming in, and unfortunately It didn't quite reach that for me. While I appreciate that the focaccia is housemade, it was a bit too soft for my liking, almost falling apart.
We had the house made crisps as well, which had a lovely salty rosemary flavour, but due to their shape and thinness, some were a little oily.
The lemon blueberry granita was delicious, fresh, fruity and refreshing.
I would still come back to try the eggless bacon.
Updated from previous review on 2023-05-21
Pros: Granita was delicious, Tasting plate, Warm and quick service
Guest
Teriyaki_Tofu
Points +171
Delicious food in lovely warm atmosphere! - Edit
I was expecting great food from other reviews but was pleasantly surprised at how charming and warm the atmosphere was too! It was a classic, nostalgic little Italian restaurant. We shared the calamari for entree which was delicious but I did think the tartare sauce could use a little more acidity. For mains, we all got the carbonara since we were carb loading prior to the Sydney marathon. The portions were huge and I would generally recommend sharing the pasta from here, however my boyfriend was able to eat all of his and half of mine too 😁 For dessert we shared the chocolate mousse which was also very good. Would love to return.
Read moreGuest
YURIEEEEEEE
Points +484
Best vegan Italian restaurant in Sydney 💚 - Edit
This is the best vegan Italian restaurant in Sydney for me.
Read moreKind and friendly staff.
A very nice, casual, and clean store.
We ordered three dishes for two people (carbonara, zucchini frites, and chocolate mousse), and all were absolutely delicious.
I'll have to go back again to try other dishes!
Guest
Itsjustplainallie
Points +1250
Great homely Italian joint - Edit
Great sandwich spot with lots of creative vegan options. Keen to try the pasta next time! Owner was also super friendly. Was a little on the pricier side about $45 for a sandwich, chips and a drink.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-08-10
Pros: Options
Cons: Location
Guest
JudeTheCat
Points +758
Authentic Italian Food. But vegan! - Edit
Just like mama would make!
Read moreThe owner and I had a lovely chat about the wish for vegan food to be more accepted in Sydney. He was so passionate. The food was incredible. The banquet definitely the way to go.
Pros: Authenticity, Quality, Passionate owner
Guest
TimNa
Points +36
Fantastic - Edit
A fantastic tasting banquet. The host had so much charisma and the meatballs were omg good.
Read moreGuest
EmiEats
Points +1116
Amazing Vegan Italian Food - Edit
After dining don Fred’s 7 course banquet, I would definitely come back and take my non vegan friends here because I believe they will love it. Presentation is on point and every dish was full of flavour. My favourite was the carbonara pasta and mushroom ragu. If you feel like the slushie form of freshly squeezed orange juice, the orange granita drink would be recommended!
Read morePros: Lovely customer service, Close to Macdonaldtown Station, Clean restroom
Cons: Pricey standalone dishes if not in a banquet
Guest
Kathrynmike
Points +132
Incredible - Edit
We got the set menu and tried 7 things. Everything was excellent. Our favourites were probably the ragú and the focaccia. We struggled to finish everything, but we managed it because we didn’t want to leave anything behind. We will definitely be back.
Read moreCons: We recommend an indoor seat
Guest
Tofulicious
Points +1597
Great Food and Service - Edit
The banquet is to die for - especially the mushroom ragout (too soon?! 🤪🍄🟫) - bring an appetite, not for the food-averse hearted
Read morePros: Great service , Delicious (if heavy) fare, Reasonably priced banquet
Cons: Heavy, this foodwhore unable to finish the banquet
Guest
holeaf
Points +459
Change your world - Edit
If you are living or travelling anywhere near Sydney come to don Fred now!
Read moreGreat food, great drinks and great specials.
Pros: Authentic
Cons: None
Guest
Jessica Bailey
Points +667
Traditional & delicious Italian food - Edit
I love Don Fred's, the atmosphere is always welcoming and warm and it feels like a genuine Italian trattoria. We went for a quick pre-show dinner and had the olive meatballs with polenta chips, mushroom (fable) ragout on mashed potato and pasta carbonara. All three meals were tasty and satisfying. Service was fast and friendly.
Read morePros: Authentic Italian food, Delicious food, Lovely team
Guest
sanderadio
Points +390
Absolutely amazing - Edit
Fun little Italian restaurant with the most delicious dishes. Their sauvignon blanc is great as well. Would certainly recommend and come back
Read morePros: Banquet is outstanding , Staff is super friendly , Reasonable prices
Guest
Rachelxvegan
Points +378
Been back several times- delish food - Edit
Been to Don Fred a bunch of times now and every time it hits the spot! Their focaccia is amazing, super friendly owner and decent prices. Highly recommend!
Read moreGuest
asiancurlyazu
Points +128
Mamma mia - Edit
Everything is amazing, owner is always super friendly!!
Read morePros: Carbonara , Konjamari, Polpetz focaccia
Guest
raslw
Points +53
The banquet - Edit
The banquet was recommended to us and it was amazing. Delicious food and a great way to introduce us to their menu.
Read moreGreat service and beautiful smile.
Guest
Aminthevegan
Points +47
Oh MY DEAR GODDDDD! I would give milky way if I could. - Edit
Polpetz, melts you.
Read moreRicotta & zucchini, blows your mind (I generally don't like zucchini)
Mushroom ragu is GODLY. I did not want to finish it.
Carbonara is out of this world.
Choc mousse the other items on the menu are just a platform for this hights.
It's impossible to walk out disappointed.
Pros: Food., Hospitality., Price.
Cons: NA, NA, NA
Guest
TommyHawthorne
Points +1672
Wow, authentic home style Italian fare ❤️ - Edit
Absolutely loved it.
Read moreDon Fred offered our group of 1 vegan and 4 omni's an absolutely fantastic experience on Saturday night.
We tried the banquet which was very affordable and a great value for money at $45 per person we tasted an adequate 7 different dishes chosen by the chef, and waddled back to our car afterwards very satisfied.
This is making vegan and plant based food accessible l, and attracting customers without pretense and creating return customers because the food is so good, and really, so cheap.
I loved Don Fred.
We started with :
Fried Konjamari with a seaweed tartare and a campsiscum carparcio.
The Konjamari was so very similar to salt and pepper squid, which I personally dislike, so awesome of you like that, but I wouldn't have chosen it and wouldn't again. Too "fishy" for me.
The capsicum carparcio was light, thinly sliced and delicious.
Zucchini fritte with a tomato dip and the roasted garlic green beans were simple but executed, the perfect side.
Fable mushroom ragout with a Parm mash, was bloody fantastic. A really rich and homey dish that I would be happy to eat any day, for any course or occasion. My Omni friends were seriously impressed and thrown out confused by how meat like the texture of the fable shrooms were. Hence they loved it.
The "show stopper" carbonara, was everything you want from a carbonara pasta dish.
It was really good, however I think they went a little too heavy on the imitation bacon flavorings. One comment was "a little less msg next time". Which is fair it tasted a lot like packet carbonara mix. Which is by no means bad.
The home made polpetz on polenta was very good. The house made olive "meetballs" were delightful paired perfectly with the sauce.
This made up for the let down which was the hard chewy polenta fries underneath, id have preferred they be soft and tender.
The wine list was very limited which was disappointing, I got a lemon slushy...
However, outsourcing and improving this aspect of the business would really enable more sales and revenue.
Id love to see an appropriate wine list to pair with what was incredible food.
Thank you, I'll definitely be back.
✌️🤙
Pros: Mushroom ragout , Polpetz , Carbonara
Cons: Limited wine choices , Hardness of polenta fries , "fishy-ness" of the Konjamari squid
Guest
Jonnyd400
Points +67
Perfect - Edit
We are regular visitors to don Fred. It is the perfect vegan spot.
Read moreThe owner, Lorenzo, is always friendly and attentive.
The food is varied, well-priced and delicious. #Veganuary
Pros: Food, Friendly owner/staff, Atmosphere
Guest
Ezey11
Points +1525
Cosy Italian vibe - Edit
Had the Zuchinni and ricotta focaccia and orange granita
Read moreThe focaccia was soft and perfectly baked, with a light, airy texture and just the right amount of olive oil. The crispy fried zucchini was golden and well-seasoned, and the vegan ricotta added a creamy, tangy element that tied everything together. The orange granita was refreshing and zesty,.
Overall, a great experience—I’m looking forward to trying more options on the menu. #Veganuary
Guest
SeitanSeitanSeitan
Points +3352
Great Italian vibes! - Edit
Tasty food and lovely staff. Always a pleasure to visit. I was so happy to finally get their delish Carbonara. Pastas changes daily.
Read moreGuest
Miharvey
Points +103
Delicious! - Edit
We had the tasting menu and everything was amazing
Read morePros: Amazing food, Great menu, Friendly service
Guest
Kittybiscuit
Points +9474
Such a tasty focaccia - Edit
Came here for a late lunch. The menu is on the blackboard and you can order from a QR code.
Read moreI was hungry and ordered the focaccia with zucchini chips and almond ricotta and basil and lemon. It was a good sized serve and the flavour was refreshing and delicious. The focaccia was so soft and tasty too.
I also had coffee which I loved being served in a stovetop espresso maker.
We also had the crisps with rosemary. I loved the flavour.
My partner had the americano burger which he enjoyed.
Really nice staff and food. If I had more time I would go again.
Guest
DarknessGurl
Points +290
Nice, but... - Edit
The konjac texture was amazing. And the sauce that it comes with really gives it a nice seafood taste.
Read moreThe Americano burger was average. Tho onions were bland, it had a good smokey flavour, but the price was just CRAZY. $27. I feel like it would be better with a more acidic sauce or addition of pickles or something like that.
I'd go again to try other things because everyone seems to rave about this place, but I just don't get the hype.
Lovely staff 😊
Aminthevegan
Try some Italian food there. It's an Italian restaurant afterall...
Read moreGuest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business
See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 16017 times.