Looking for the best vegan restaurants in Tauranga? Vegan food in Tauranga ranges from fully plant-based cafes baking cakes and cabinet food each morning to restaurants running a separate plant-based menu at dinner. Whether you want a vegan brunch in the CBD, gluten-free baking or a plant-based pasta night on Wharf Street, the options below are a good place to start, including Vitality Kitchen on Willow Street and Sugo in the Wharf Street dining precinct.
1Vitality Kitchen
Vitality Kitchen is a fully plant-based cafe on Willow Street in the Tauranga CBD, serving a full kitchen menu alongside cabinet food, vegan cakes and gluten-free treats. The kitchen is led by chef and baker Mané, and the cabinet is baked fresh in-house each day. It suits vegans, people eating gluten free and anyone after a plant-based breakfast, brunch or lunch in the city centre, and the team also runs the Vitality Organics coffee caravan in Mount Maunganui.
Services
- Plant-based brunch and lunch from a full kitchen menu
- Cabinet food baked in-house daily
- Made-to-order vegan and gluten-free cakes for celebrations and weddings, with online ordering
- Vegan and vegetarian catering for work meetings and events
- Coffee brewed with Wahla Beans, their own locally roasted coffee
Highlights
- Everything on the menu is one hundred percent plant based
- Kitchen led by Mané, who has been vegan for over ten years
- Early weekday opening from 6:30am
- Sister cafe Vitality Organics at 322 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui, open seven days
Location & Contact
Name: Vitality Kitchen
Address: 114 Willow Street, Tauranga CBD, Tauranga 3110
Phone: 027 278 9963
Website: vitalitykitchen.co.nz
2Sugo
Sugo is an Italian-inspired restaurant on Wharf Street in central Tauranga, headed by chef Ian Harrison and known for house-made pasta and hand-stretched pizzas. Alongside its main menu it offers a dedicated plant-based menu, and plant-based dishes on the main menu are clearly marked. It suits mixed groups where some diners eat vegan and others do not, with bookings taken for lunch and dinner and walk-ins welcome.
Services
- Dedicated plant-based menu available at every service
- House-made pasta and Neapolitan-inspired pizza
- Saturday bottomless brunch
- Set menus for groups of 12 or more
Highlights
- Plant-based (pb) and plant-based-available (pba) dishes marked on the main menu, such as salt-baked beetroot with cashew nut cheese
- Gluten-free options labelled throughout the menu
- Located in the Wharf Street dining precinct in the Tauranga CBD
Location & Contact
Name: Sugo
Address: 19 Wharf Street, Tauranga 3110
Phone: 07 571 4138
Website: sugosugo.co.nz
How to Choose the Right Vegan Restaurant in Tauranga
- Fully vegan or vegan-friendly: a fully plant-based kitchen removes any doubt about ingredients, while a restaurant with a separate plant-based menu suits groups with mixed diets.
- Time of day: many plant-based cafes close mid-afternoon, so check hours if you are planning a vegan dinner rather than brunch.
- Allergies and gluten free: if you also avoid gluten or nuts, look for clear menu labels and ask how the kitchen handles cross-contact.
- Location: the Tauranga CBD and Mount Maunganui both have plant-based options, so choose based on where you will be.
- Catering and cakes: for events, check whether the business takes made-to-order cake and catering enquiries and how much notice it needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tauranga Vegan Restaurants
Where can I find vegan food in Tauranga?
Vegan food in Tauranga is concentrated in the city centre, around Willow Street and the Wharf Street dining precinct, with more plant-based cafes along Maunganui Road in Mount Maunganui. Both areas are easy to reach from most suburbs.
What is the difference between a vegan restaurant and a vegan-friendly restaurant?
A vegan restaurant or cafe serves only plant-based food, so there is no meat, dairy or egg in the kitchen. A vegan-friendly restaurant serves a mixed menu but offers plant-based dishes, sometimes on a separate menu, which can be the easier choice when only some of your group eat vegan.
Can I get a vegan dinner in Tauranga?
Yes, although many fully plant-based cafes in Tauranga open for breakfast and lunch only. For a vegan dinner, look for restaurants that run a dedicated plant-based menu in the evening and book ahead on busy nights.
Are vegan cafes in Tauranga also gluten free?
Many plant-based cafes offer gluten-free cakes and dishes, but not every vegan item is gluten free. If you have coeliac disease or an allergy, tell staff when ordering. New Zealand Food Safety explains what food businesses must do about allergens in its guide to food allergies and intolerances.
Can I order vegan cakes or catering in Tauranga?
Yes. Some Tauranga vegan cafes bake made-to-order vegan and gluten-free cakes for birthdays and weddings and cater work meetings and events. Contact the business directly with your date and numbers, as pricing is usually quoted per order.
Is there vegan food in Mount Maunganui?
Yes. Maunganui Road has several cafes serving plant-based food and coffee, and it is a short drive or bus ride from the Tauranga CBD if you want to combine a vegan meal with time at the beach.
Do I need to book a vegan restaurant in Tauranga?
Cafes generally work on a walk-in basis, while dinner restaurants take bookings and fill quickly on weekends. For larger groups, call ahead so the kitchen can plan plant-based dishes for everyone.