Returning to Brisbane after so many years away is something I have always approached with a mix of curiosity and caution.
This is the city that shaped me, confused me, challenged me and, at times, hurt me. It is also the city I left in order to make sense of the world on my own terms. Coming back has never felt simple, but this time something felt different, and a big part of that difference has been seeing Brisbane through a vegan lens.
Read more below.
When I was younger, Brisbane was not a place you would associate with plant-based living. Being vegan could feel lonely and inconvenient. This visit has been a bit of revelation, however. Walking streets I know intimately and seeing vegan cafes, fully vegan restaurants, clearly labelled supermarket options, and bustling market stalls offering compassionate food has genuinely caught me off guard.
There is something deeply poignant about passing through places where I once experienced some quite harrowing moments and now stopping for a vegan pastry or a nourishing lunch without a second thought. Those same streets hold old memories, but they are now layered with signs of progress and kindness. It does not erase the past, but it does soften it.
Going home can feel like stepping backwards or hovering in a strange emotional limbo. We leave for reasons that often include survival, healing, and the need to build ourselves from scratch. Returning can bring up questions we thought we had answered years ago. This time, however, Brisbane has met me with warmth, accessibility, and a sense of belonging that I was not expecting.
Being able to exist fully as a vegan here has changed the tone of the entire trip. From grabbing a drink, to browsing supermarkets, to sitting down for meals without compromise, it has been easy to feel well fed and included. This city now offers a happy and dynamic vegan experience, and that matters more than some people might realise.
This trip has opened my eyes and softened my heart. Brisbane still carries its complexities, but it also carries compassion in a way that feel tangible and real to me.
Here is a short list of my favourite vegan spots in Brisbane:
The Green Edge – vegan supermarket and eatery with a fabulous ice cream counter
Veganyumm – sensational vegan bakery
Tian Ran – vegan pan-Asian restaurant on the Gold Coast but close enough to be included
Grassfed – vegan burger truck popping up around the city
VegeRama – top quality vegan lunch spot in city centre
Dicki’s – fab vegan cafe/brunch spot in New Farm
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