Green Gourmet

great selections, loads if space

Lovely food and service

I went here for lunch and we had a great variety of yum cha that was all very tasty. Staff were friendly. There was plenty of seating and would be good for groups.

They offer a buffet style lunch menu that's charged by weight of your plate. Very fair in my opinion.
Weekends offer a Yum Cha style menu.

All of their food is delicious with a spacious eating area that can fill up fast on busy nights.

Customer service is good, but not spectacular.

This place has tonnes of seating inside blocking out the main road noise. The food is so yummy with a buffet style self service where you pay by weight or an extensive menu. The menu is very expensive though however if you eat buffet style it's not as bad.

Green Gourmet is a treasure trove of vegan dishes, and literally blew me away with its extensive menu and interesting dishes. The black bean "fish" was so, well, fishy I had to double check it was vegan. Though I went for a dish from the main menu, the buffet option is a great choice for trying out all the dishes they have to offer, and is an awesome choice for weekend takeaway!

Epic vegan menu with loads of options. Loads of gluten free options all labelled on menu. Really kind and knowledgable staff. Big portions for a fair price :)

Although it's a little on the pricey side for a la carte, the food is always delicious and the restaurant is always clean and welcoming.

For a cheaper meal, try the lunchtime buffet :)

Some items are just hit or miss, my favourite item was the Beijing 'duck' pancakes. The menu is very extensive, so there are options for everyone!

this was a great place to find on the north shore. definitely worth trying out. the food was good and the tea was amazing!

While I really liked the food here, the desserts were my favorite. There were a lot of options, even GF options. If you're looking to eat a healthy meal, it's probably not the place for you.

I like Green Gourmet IF and when I have a craving for Asian vegan fast food - which is rare. The buffet provides all of that, and the sit-down menu, it's reasonably priced too. I'm not a fan of mock meats or processed foods but if I were vegan during my uni days I would've been here a lot of the time chilling with mates or solo, reading and eating. Atmosphere is really nice and relaxed but I have come here for takeaway mostly.

I had the not bbq pork buns and the Sichuan eggplant. Fantastic!

Green Gourmet is always a fun fining experience. I enjoy the appetizers / entrees the most here, which has lots of different delicious options. The steamed buns, rice paper rolls, dim sim, nori cutlets and dumplings are all great, as it the wonton soup. The salads are light, healthy & delicious. And although I am not generally a big fan of mock meat, the Beijing roast duck is nice for a fun treat, and is very tasty.

As has been noted in other reviews, there is lots of mock meat & fried dishes on the menu, but it is possible to avoid these given how extensive the menu is. Some dishes I think are a bit overpriced, but in general I think Green Gourmet represents pretty good value.

I have also tried the buffet, which has pretty limited options that rarely rotate. It can also look a bit sad past 8pm, with some trays often quite empty. For takeaway, the rice paper rolls & dim sims are good choices.

Overall I like the dining experience that Green Gourmet offers.

We went here considering the good reviews, on the premise it may be different, but in the end it followed the trend of a typical slimy processed foods place you can expect from similar eastern style vegan establishments.

Has an alright store next door, but pretty much everything contains palm or coconut oil (palm and coconut are both responsible for indonesia's deforestation).

If you are to have the buffet there, have it as early as possible to the start of the buffet, as the food goes cold and old as is not turned over and the heating mustn't work that well, the food just sits there, it's the same food the entire time. They said the buffet starts at 6pm (how long it sits there before the buffet starts is another question), we ordered at about 8.15pm or so, and weren't pleased after tasting the food. We ended up getting half our money back and leaving.

Maybe if you like the typical slimy processed foods scene, you'll like it, otherwise, this place is no different, so give it a miss.

I love going to have the buffet here. Lots of nice food. Most dishes have some type of mock meat.

In my opinion the food all taste a bit the same. I don't find it feels healthy. And there are certain things there I simply can not eat as they are so so meaty! It really grosses me out!

Hey, but that's just me! Go make up your own mind… you may love it!

Have a lovely day.

Cheerio!

It's surprising to see a mix of positive and negative reviews about Green Gourmet, because I have always loved this place! The buffet has been great in my experience - varied, well stocked, with many enticing options. Rice paper rolls especially good. The laksa from the menu is my boyfriend's favorite, the vegetables are sliced very long and thin and mixed with the noodles, which he loves! The food is prepared in a fresh style, not all greasy, as sometimes happens with Chinese food.

I know this place is a Newtown vegan institution but I'm not sure why, especially considering the other options close by. I've been a number of times and I've been underwhelmed every time.

I've done yum-cha twice and there were few options - and all the offerings were similar to each other. I've done the buffet a few times and always felt it was not stocked enough and that I was fighting for scraps, and that much of the offerings were too old. I ordered off the menu once and was uninspired. The last time I went I was bamboozled by how they let the walls get to the dirty state they were in; I'd be embarrassed if it was my place.

The staff seem nice enough and there is often a lively vibe. Being associated with Vegan's Choice next door and knowing that Vegan's Choice also sell non-vegan options also makes me a little uncomfortable.

I think I've given this place enough chances - no more. But others seem to like it so try it - maybe you'll leave with a different experience from me.

I think this place is great, I feel relaxed and at home every time I come here. Not at all pretentious and it feels like I'm always running into friends at other tables. The buffet is great, the laksa is delicious and the desserts are wonderful. I think the vegan icecreams can be a little bland... depends on the flavour you choose, but I can't complain about much here... The lighting could be dimmer!

I agree with the last reviewer. It was my first visit, but won't be my last. Very good food, with nice flavour, and it is not too oily or heavy. Not the best Asian vegan place I've ever been too, but well worth the time and money. They do nice fake meat dishes, and everything had good flavour.
Updated from previous review on Thursday February 22, 2007

Visited again last night and feel much the same. I understand why people like it. The menu options are outstanding, and everything looks good. That said, I've had much better mock meat Chinese style in recent months at Tian Ran on the Gold Coast, and Lotus Pond in Victoria, BC. I don't feel like Green Gourmet is just that delicious. Everything is solid, and the options are tremendous, but the food is just good, that's all. Still worthwhile, but a pricey dinner for good food, so know what you're getting into.

I've been going to Green Gourmet since they opened more than 10 years ago, and I must say, it keeps on getting better, if not also more expensive (!).

Green Gourmet offers À la carte as well as a buffet that is charged by weight. I used to always order off the menu, which is probably slightly fresher and better quality than the buffet, but lately I've found myself grabbing a quick dinner for the buffet- it's very convenient!

Probably the best aspect of Green Gourmet is the Yum Cha on Sat and Sundays. Make sure you get there early when it's busy because that way you'll get the best variety of yum cha.

I think this place has done very well. The only thing I dont like is that they make the food look like meat! It's just not necessary! But anyway, it's all vegan and that's very cool with such tasty food. The desserts are really nice too. Looking forward to going back!

I visit Sydney regularly, but funnily enough have only been to Green Gourmet twice, but both times the yum cha has been great.
Good atmosphere, friendly staff, and the variety of dishes is worth a try for anything visiting.
Some of the fried yum cha options were a bit overly greasy and oily, however the steamed options like the buns and the dumplings were excellent.
Can get a little pricy if you want to sample alot of the dishes, but I have left both times very satisfied.

Really good vegan food! Yum Cha is awesome, and the buffet gives you the chance to try a good range of things all in one visit.

If you're only visiting Sydney (like me), it's only a couple of train stops out of the city, and an easy walk from the station. Well worth it, I always try to make time to pop in when I'm in town.

Don't forget to check out next door as well, vegan cakes, ice cream and groceries to go!

The food is scrumptious - in addition to the dishes listed in 'pros', I love the 3 treasures chow mein and the 'oysters' (battered mushrooms - be careful to let the heat out before biting). Tragically, the weekend yum cha service is usually very bad - you can sit there for an hour and get 3 things, 2 of which are stone cold. Week days/nights are best because there are more staff and you can get served. Don't bother ordering the fancy teas - you'll get jasmine regardless and be charged the higher price. The first time we ordered the ice cream, it was so creamy we didn't eat it because we didn't believe it was non dairy. This is also a great place for family meals with non-vegetarians - our relos actually ask us to take them there. Afterwards (till 8pm) you can pick up some delicious vegan ready made chilled foods and pantry items in the shop next door (including the icecream). The great cooking staff are sadly let down by some of the serving staff (on weekends) including the owner I am sorry to say who sits up the back chatting to his friends while you wait 20 mins just to get a menu (this was not a one off experience either). I've had some very frustrating experiences here, but if approached strategically, I still think it is one of Sydney's best.
Updated from previous review on Friday August 29, 2008

Update: I am delighted to report that in the last couple of years this restaurant has had a complete turn around in its customer service standards and I can now wholeheartedly recommend it. The food continues to be as fantastic as ever. They have also continued to expand and evolve the menu over time so there are often new things to try. Current favourite is the naughty but nice 'better than calamari' which never fails to set people raving and wanting to order another one. I also love the organic burdock root salad which is so fresh and lovely. They now have lots of staff on the floor who are friendly and treat you like long lost family (unlike previously when they always acted like they'd never seen you before even though you went there every week). The owner Colin is a friendly and good hearted person who also helps out when things get too busy. We now always get the right tea (rosebuds with fresh chopped lemongrass) and quite often they make it for us before we even order it! But the cherry on top is the weekend yum cha, which is now the best in the land. Huge variety of hot fresh delights coming faster than you can poke a stick at! My number 1 fave!

Really liked this place, grab anything you want from the buffet! (all vegan) then you get charged by weight :) i always have a hard time choosing what to buy at restaurants because i want a bit of everything, and this place fulfils this desire. would definetly recommend.

This is one of those places that serves dishes to share rather than complete meals. You need to go with friends and order a variety of stuff to get the most out of it.

The food is generic Chinese vegetarian, Beijing style. Nothing is spicy or oily, which is a negative for me but possibly a plus for you.

The huge menu is all vegan, which is great to see.

I've heard so many positive things about Green Gourmet! I came here quite late on Sunday evening & tried the buffet. The food wasn't kept very warm & also it was pricier than I expected at $15 for a place. Zero ambience at this place however the staff are friendly. The ice cream is lovely, especially the dark chocolate flavour. I will give it another go sometime, maybe it is better at lunchtimes / ordering off the menu rather than buffet.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday January 31, 2012

This place surprised me. I had it described to me as 'vegan chinese' so I was weary at first but it was much better than I thought it would be. It can get a bit pricy if you order off the menu. However the buffet (which is priced by weight) is a good way to keep the cost down and try different things. The service has also been quite friendly every time I've gone.

I have been coming to green gourmet on an extremely regular basis (read - eats out far too much) for years. And what can I say - I still love this place. And I haven't even tried everythg on the menu. In fact my partner and I regularly debate whether we should try something new (so tantalizing) or pick an old favorite... He always wants the monks choice hotpot and the burdock salad. My current favorite is the nori cutlets with salty plum sauce. With larger groups the banquet is pretty awesome. We prefer to order from the menu rather than the buffet.

fresh, good variety & i like the concept of paying for food, by its weight lol, sigh! nice ambiance & very spacious. good for large groups.

I have eaten here twice and both times left feeling very disappointed, and so has everyone who was dining with me too. I don't understand why everyone raves about this place. The first time, I ordered a fake meat based dish - BBQ Pork from memory - big mistake! It was absolutely horrendous (although the buns weren't too bad). I've since recently tried other fake meat dishes at different restaurants and have realised that they can actually taste great, but Green Gourmet just haven't mastered it - which is bad considering their menu is very fake meat based! The second time, I tried a mushroom dish and it was equally bad and unappealing. I'd try it out for a third time if I wasn't scared I'd be just wasting my money again.

The food here was fairly good, the vegies were cooked perfectly, and the fake meat was somewhat convincing (for those that need it).

You can rack up an expensive meal though, as there's lots to choose from, and once you've piled your plate high it's weighed, and charged accordingly.

Still, I enjoyed my feast and would go back again. The attached shop allows you to buy fake meat products.

food is great but they rely too much on mock meat. The place is very clean and the food is not too oily. Certain dishes are but i don't pick those. They have really nice staff and i like the smorgesboard.

They offer really good Yum Cha dishes - in my opinion the best in Sydney. Staff are always friendly and approachable.

My 1st experience (based on great reviews/recommendations) has not let me down. I had self-serve (priced by weight) and got to try a little of everything. Most things were delicious, and the variety had something for everyone - from buns, fresh spring rolls, to various stir fried, stuffed tofu, stuffed mushrooms, fried entree items, sticky rice. Many of which are familiar to non-vegans (but this is the vegan version! And they'd be none the wiser!)
I ate till I was stuffed, and my favourite item (i went back for seconds) was making me feel queasy. Reasonably good value.
Nice, easy going atmosphere with friendly staff. Even my non-vegan friends liked it. :)
cant wait to go again!

Great vegan chinese food at a fantastic price! They do get busy so sometimes you have to wait, but I've never waited more than 5 minutes. Love the choice of yum cha on wkends or menu or buffet for lunch/dinners. The menu is huge and it'll take you ages to choose something as it all sounds yummy!The restaurant hasn't got the best decor and is very open with lots of tables but the food makes up for it.

When I lived in Sydney I used to go to Green Gourmet at least once a week. It's my favourite restaurant in Sydney and I can't wait to go back to for a visit just so I can eat there again. The prices are great, the service is fast and the food is delicious.

Over the three years that we were customers at Green Gourmet we took heaps of non-vegan and non-vegetarian friends there for the yum cha and every one of them loved the food - even though most of them were expecting not to.

I've never had the buffet, we prefer to order off the menu when we are there for dinner, but it always looks delicious!

Did I mention that I love the Green Gourmet?? :) You should definitely go there!

This is asian (chinese) vegan. Ive been twice for yum cha on a Sunday and its always packed. The food is OK, a good selection but some are a bit hit and miss. It does the fake meat. Nice dumplings. I'll go back here. It was about $18per head for yum cha (we ate a lot though!!). It isn't fantastic but it is OK.

vegan dessert...like SFCity Cafe Grateful! organic dessert

This place is pretty good -- lots of variety. Coming from Melbourne, we've not found anywhere as good as Natural and Healthy Vegetarian Restaurant in Doncaster yet... or Enlightened Cuisine in the city (Melbourne). But Green Gourmet comes close.

This is my favourite vegan restaurant. It is such a delight to always be able to order straight off the menu without having to cross exam the staff about what dishes contain. The staff are unobtrusive but will help you if you seek their suggestions. The owner Colin is a wonderful person who has taught us so much about food & lifestyle.
Some fascinating dishes and a wonderful grocery next door. If you are on a budget the buffet is available every night except Mondays.
Lovely drinks as well.

Green Gourmet must be one of the oldest vegan restaurants in Sydney as everyone knows of it! They have a buffet by the plate if you prefer to try it all, but the meals are better to buy (in terms of quality). Those fried entree's really load down your plate. The tofu ice cream is great, but small quantity. The meals are good, chinese style. The vibe is happy there.