Lentil as Anything

I've never had a bad meal at lentils. Great people and delicious changing menu of food.

Couldn't get much better for the price you pay.

We came here for breakfast and it was so good we came back for lunch a couple of hours later! It's a great idea for a restaurant and the food is delicious - if you ever go in and they have the Sri Lankan curry plate on, get it! They also do a great soy flat white.
Please, if you go, pay fairly. Lots of people seem to take this piss and pay next to nothing. Another branch closed down fairly recently because people were doing this, which is a real shame. Don't let this happen to the Newtown branch.

Yummy food and welcoming atmosphere

This is a truly lovely restaurant with great customer service. Always meeting new and interesting people!

A non-profit vegan restaurant staffed by volunteers? A fantastic concept but I really wasn't expecting much beyond vegetable curry and some kind of lentil stew...

Boy was I surprised! And rightly so. Okay, so I did have a vegetable curry - a Thai green one to be precise - and it was lovely. I had a mouthful of the spaghetti bolognaise too and it was great - really tasty with a really nice texture. That'll learn me eh?

I hope we left enough (and a little bit more) for the meal as I've heard that there are some that take advantage of the "pay what you feel it's worth" ethic of the place, which really isn't on.

I really liked the charitable cause behind this whole operation. More cities should have a place like this. But the food, although quite edible, left something to be desired. Portion sizes were highly inconsistent. Food was just lukewarm/chilled and got churned out like in a cafeteria. It felt a little sloppy. I guess I just missed out on the best dish—the curry plate—since it was about 90% of the orders from what I could see. That being said, I'd gladly come back for the efficient service and hearty food. Please do consider chipping in more if you have the means.

This is a very worthwhile venture, providing an ever-changing choice of tasty vegan meals every day. But while it is always busy, it is struggling financially. The idea has always been that customers pay what they feel or can afford, which means people down on their luck can always get a nourishing meal, but I am disgusted by how often I see people who are obviously not short of money (expensive laptops or tablets, trendy clothing) dropping merely a few coins or a $5 note in the box on the way out. If you haven't been here, pay a visit, and please put a decent amount in the box.

This place is so great and always packed but as it is a pay by donation that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't struggling. People who can afford it need to pay decent amounts for the great food on offer here. The service is fast and friendly, the food is delicious and hearty (I especially enjoyed the curry plate and Mexican beans).

This place is awesome! It's a pay as you feel restaurant designed to be inclusive. The food is delicious and the menu changes each day. Most tables are communal and I've met lots of great people here. It's a great spot for a weekend breakfast and I love it for lunch and dinner as well. The staff are lovely, it's largely staffed by volunteers. If you can afford to pay what you would at any other restaurant, please do (or give more) as it relies on peoples' donations to continue to exist.

lentils is an amazing community organisation. beautiful people make it up. I volunteered here a while and made great friends. my only issue is that the food varies a lot in portion size and quality. it should be consistently high quality so people feel more inclined to pay for it. lentils also pay for their ingredients, I feel that they could also make a critique on food waste buy cooking with waste food every day, instead of paying for it.

I come here weekly for the Saturday morning class and a feed after. On Saturdays they have a breakfast menu as well as the usual lunch and dinner.l, all 'pay as you feel'. Menu changes daily although you will see familiar ingredients used differently after a few visits (think vegan feta, pastry, and of course lentils). Food is always tasty and presented well. This place is very popular with the Newtown locals. Considering this is a lot for profit staffed by volunteers the food is top notch and service usually good. It does get extremely busy though, so it can be loud, some colourful people (adds to the atmosphere), and sometimes a wait on service. I love Lentils because I have an infant and I feel alright bringing her to yoga so I can have a practice followed by a lovely family meal to start my weekend! For this I make sure I donate for an added meal each time I eat, so others can also enjoy everything this place offers.

purely vegan and a constantly changing menu.
pay as you feel, volunteer run and not-for-profit.

Lentil as Anything is a short walk from Newtown train station.

The restaurant is very community focused. You pay as you feel, it is run by volunteers and usually hosts live music on weekends. Yoga and other events are run upstairs.

A variety of international cuisine is always available on the menu which rotates regularly depending on daily produce.

Must try:
- The curry plates are always good
- Malaysian Laksa
- Chai

If you set aside the fact that it has delicious, fresh vegan food in hearty portions and an ever changing menu, or the fact that every one if its volunteers staff will likely provide best service you've had this year, Lentil as Anything is worth a visit for the very fact that it's ethics are 100% based on community, trust and equality.

It is no coincidence that Lentil always has a healthy queue and, being based on donation only (in which you can literally pay what you want) means anyone from any walk of life can come and enjoy a healthy meal regardless of their situation.

Every city really does need a place like this.

Great ethos, delicious food, friendly staff and constantly changing menu.

I used to live in Melbourne where there were several Lentil as Anythings, so I was very excited when it came here. My first couple of attempts weren't very impressive - the food was very bland, and the service slow. I visited twice a few months later, and the food seemed to have improved a lot. The menu is usually fairly small (two or three options), and the quality is variable, but the concept - of providing food on a pay-as-you-feel basis - is worth rewarding; if you do eat here try to be generous, as they often lose money, but as a charity all donations above $2 are tax-deductible. It also often a good way to meet people - the tables are usually shared, and the unusual experience can lead to good conversations.

Lentil as anything has a great atmosphere. It is a unique non for profit organization, where you pay as you feel the food is worth.

It is a great initiative for the community. You get to sit with all different kinds of people and share your experience with them. And at the end of your meal you get to put your money in the box and there is no judgement.

If you can afford to give generously I highly recommend you do. The donations cover the, rent, utilities, wages and stock. A great way to pay it forward for the next person who isn't as lucky as you.

The staff are very friendly, they are happy to help with any questions about the menu and food is served really quickly!

I love their curry plates! They have a different lunch and dinner menu everyday, you can check it out on @menulentilnewtown (Instagram). No pressure in regards to payment, you can just drop your money in the box without feeling like you're being watched either! I always give a generous donation though as the food is delicious and the idea behind it all is a good one.

Its a great community idea. Vegan varied food that is not brilliant but more than edible. They train people to work in restaurants and you pay as you feel. You meet lots of interesting people there and the food is served fast. Not the best quality but it will keep you nourished. I love that there is yoga and all sorts of other events on up stairs even a non-alcoholic bar on the weekends

Food took a bit long to come out, but it was worth the wait. We all loved our food, I had the curry which was fantastic. The Chai's were nice too. The marble cake was a bit dry (perhaps I should have gotten the Chocolate instead). There was a band playing too which was great. Staff were very nice, and always helpful. A very enjoyable night out, will come back regularly. During the wait (if there is one), there are plenty of things to keep you interested, from asking about their community, listening to the music or band, exploring the area, helping out, or whatever.

Update: Revisited here a few times since, food is usually great, and service is always friendly. Only issue is that smoking is allowed outside, either by those dining outside, or those waiting outside.

Update: Checked with staff, smoking is not allowed and the people who do smoke are rebels.

Updated from previous review from 2014.

Great concept that provides training and an opportunity for people and food to shine. We went there on a busy Friday and found the food excellent (Lasagne was superb and the curry options (Green Curry or Sri Lankan curry plate) were good, if a little small. Desert (coconut rice) was terrible but that could not spoil a terrific meal. Concept of paying what you think the meal was worth, with those who can afford it giving more, and those who can't, less, is brilliant. Be on time, it is busy but well worth the effort.

The whole concept of the place is just beautiful. The restaurant has a very positive vibe. Most of people work here are volunteers and they only hire people that are homeless or refugee.

The service was great! And the food was pretty good as well.
We ordered vegan breakkie, tomato-eggplant soup and dahl with rice. Dahl was my favorite! while the other two was also very decent.


Updated from previous review on Sunday February 01, 2015

I dined at Lentil with my wife & her friend on a Sunday afternoon. The restaurant was busy, with a friendly & happy vibe. The food that we ordered was all decent; the dahl was especially tasty while the tomato/eggplant soup & vegan breakfast were both pretty good. The scrambled spinach & tofu was a bit oily for my liking though.

You may find more amazing food elsewhere, but that would miss the point of this restaurant. From the interior decorations, the super-friendly volunteer staff and the discrete collection box which allows you to pay as much as you feel, this place oozes kindness and inclusion. Lentil is a perfect example of veganism being about more than just being kind to animals.

I hope this concept grows.

Delicious, friendly, casual dining!