- Top Rated in Auckland
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Sunflower Thai Vegetarian Restaurant
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Vegan
Vegan
Thai
Take-out
Asian
Casual restaurant offering vegan menu of Thai and Asian style dishes using vegetables, a variety of mock meats, no garlic or onion. Sample items include salt n' pepper fried tofu, fried rice with vege ham, vegan chickn burger, green curry, noodle soup with tofu & veggies, and savory sesame pancakes. Accepts cash and NZ Eftpos. Open Mon-Fri 12:00pm-3:00pm, 5:00pm-9:00pm, Sat 11:00am-9:00pm. Closed Sun.
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50 High St, Shop 6, Auckland, New Zealand, 1010
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Last update on 19 Jan 2024 by Guest
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187 Reviews
First Review by studioahimsa
meowww32
Points +125
Delicious Thai!! - Edit
everything is vegan! delicious mock meat meals -- i got the peanut chicken -- GREAT! spring rolls were great too -- just make sure to ask if something is GF, a lot of the 'meats' are breaded! cant wait to go back!!
Read moreCons: none!!
Guest
hanny102
Points +95
delicious - Edit
Perfectly yummy thai food. Very casual setting.
Read moreGuest
psiphi75
Points +270
Just about... average - Edit
I have been to Sunflower Thai a few times and it is pretty average. It is not just a Thai restaurant as the name implies, it has many Asian dishes.
Read morePros: Not too pricey
Cons: Can get gelatonous food
Guest
Summertime
Points +25
It's allright - Edit
I went to Sunflower on my last worktrip to Auckland. I'm not a big fan of mock meats/fake meats, but I wanted to try this place because I love thai food and it was conveniently located within walking distance of my hotel.
Read moreI ordered a dumpling soup and the green curry. Where the dumpling soup was lacking flavor, the curry was bursting with flavor. I do like spicy food, but this was too much, even for me. If you don't like spicy food, definitely don't order the curry. It also doesn't come with rice, you have to order it seperately.
The service was allright. The waitress was friendly enough, but 30 seconds after she gave me the menu and I was still busy reading it she already came over and asked what I wanted.
The decor is definitely lacking. Don't go here thinking you'll be in a warm and cozy environment. It had more of a cheap look and feeling to it.
Pros: Central location
Cons: Average food
Guest
Ryecatcher
Points +2222
Sunflower Thai Vegetarian Restaurant - Edit
Located in downtown and quite nicely done up. Lots of interesting quotes on the walls, lots of space to sit and good vibes. About the colour I was not sure, the walls are painted in a bit sickish green, but that's a matter of taste.
Read moreThe menu is more about quality and selected taste than quantity (as far as you can say this about a more or less quickly serving Chinese middle-class restaurant). I had a great soy duck with some fried vegetables and rice, that I enjoyed quite a lot.
The staff was very friendly, the prices were absolutely decent and it didn't smell as oily as in other similar places.
Only they should replace the much-thumbed menu cards and the should get some tablecloths since the tables are stained to an extend you cannot wipe it entirely clean anymore. That's really no hard thing to do, but would make a big difference.
Good choice even for a bit more sophisticated standards (regarding the food, not necessarily the cleanliness).
One slightly odd thing happened there to me: At the beginning the waitress explained to me, that "Sunflower" is a vegan restaurant. But since I have studied the menu, I find that hard to believe. Most certainly she meant vegetarian. The odd thing about that is that you wouldn't expect a vegetarian restaurant to confuse these two terms.
Updated from previous review on Thursday January 15, 2015
Guest
moonbug
Points +146
Dismal in more ways than one - Edit
I love Thai cusine so was looking forward to this, but unfortunately this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had.
Read moreWalking in the feel of this place is "cheap & cheery", so we didn't expect fine dining, but given the good reviews still expected good food. Apparently cold water or ice was out of the question, which is fine for such a casual venue.
The menu is quite small and aimed at a lunchtime crowd with lots of dishes coming with rice or noodles. They were also quite heavy on dishes with eggplant (not my thing personally). Which is fine, however when we ordered we were told that they couldn't do vegan versions as they had run out of certain vegan mock meats and were using egg ones. This was surprising given both menu and signage indicated this was a vegan restaurant. They also couldn't specify which dishes they could do vegan until we ordered again.
Eventually we had to call back the waitress to take our second order- roast "duck" with vegetables and a curry. The "duck" arrived and quite simply it lacked all flavour. It didn't taste bad, it simply tasted of nothing- none of the herbs or flavours you associate with Thai cusine. Or any cuisine.
After 15 minutes we asked where the curry was, hoping that it also wouldn't be a dud. The waitress said, "I didn't think you wanted it" as if somehow confirming the order she read back to us and cancelling half the order were the same thing. No apology, no effort to get it made.
We decided to bail, and I asked what type of sauce they used on the "duck" because it was very bland. I was told it was barbecue sauce and everyone liked it. Apparently the customer is always wrong here.
I'd give this place negative stars if I could. Avoid at all costs.
Cons: Staff incompetent , Terrible food
Guest
Winterdragon
Points +462
Nice place with lots of variety - Edit
Huge menu with many interesting vegan things on it. Excellent vegan pad thai. Reasonable prices. Somewhat odd opening hours.
Read morePros: Great variety, Tasty food, Reasonable prices
Cons: Odd opening hours
Guest
Jacki
Points +40
Really, Really Tasty And Fresh! - Edit
Really flavourful and fresh ingredients with subtle blends of spices. Everything we ordered was delicious... and vegan!
Read morePros: Friendly Service, Great Food
Cons: Closed On Monday, A Little Hard To Find Location
Guest
jencompgeek
Points +311
My new favorite place - Edit
We ate here during a recent visit to Auckland and were blown away. The food was so delicious! The menu states that they use no animal products and I didn't see anything that looked non-vegan. We had some spring rolls, pad thai with "chicken" and fried noodles with "chicken". The portions were very generous and the price was reasonable. My only complaint is that we couldn't eat there again since they are closed on Sundays.
Read morePros: delicious, good value, vegan
Cons: closed Sundays
Guest
kim2121
Points +449
Delicious! - Edit
During a visit to Auckland I stopped in at Sunflower Thai and had the vegan pad Thai for an early dinner. So delicious! I wish I could eat here every day! The restaurant was a bit hard to find as it was located behind a Chinese dumpling restaurant, but just walk toward the back of the building, around the Chinese restaurant, and you'll find it. Such a great restaurant for vegans and vegetarians!
Read morePros: Delicious Food, Friendly Service, Good Value
Cons: Interior is a bit dark
Guest
Shawn Bishop
Points +88
Best Vegan In Auckland - Edit
I can't rave enough about this restaurant. It's my absolute favourite. I eat here at least once a week, and often buy takeaways for dinner. The food is delicious, the prices reasonable, and the staff are very friendly. I highly recommend the fish cakes (not fishy at all, totally vegan, with a sauce that is to die for), and the spicy chicken. Don't let the names put you off, it's all vegan. I bring guests and friends regularly, and they're always impressed. You will be, too! (Easiest to park in Victoria St carpark, and take elevator down to ground floor. Come out and turn right. Entrance is a few shops up on your right, restaurant is at the back.)
Read morePros: Excellent food, Friendly staff, affordable
Guest
preppyvegan
Points +117
Best in Auckland! - Edit
I love Sunflower! The staff are friendly and the food is great! I go here two to three times a week for lunch, favorites include the pan friend dumplings, money bags, spicy chicken and the green curry. The portions are generous and include rice. There is a good mixture on the menu of healthy soups, noodles, stir fry veg and mock meat/tofu. Mains are $10 - $12, almost impossible to match that in the CBD! I can't recommend Sunflower more, it's so refreshing to have an entirely veggie place so conveniently located!
Read morePros: excllent food, friendly staff, good value
Guest
Kelsurfs
Points +87
Excellent choice - Edit
I went to the Sunflower Cafe today. We found it by accident as we were walking up High St and they had their sign out. What a great treat to find a whole cafe full of like minded people committed to a Vegan diet. Fantastic.
Read moreThe menu is extensive and there are loads of choices. I spoke to the owner who is a Thai gentlemen. He bought the restaurant from the original owners who were Taiwanese, plenty of Vegan food there. They are committed to being Vegan and have introduced some Thai dishes on the menu as well.
It is well worth a look.
Pros: Good Food, Good Prices, Simple Cafe
Cons: A little bit hard to find, but worth it.
Guest
VeJo
Points +213
A very pleasant meal - Edit
This was probably the heartiest and cheapest meal we had during our trip to Auckland. The food was very good value: the usual Asian vegetarian style, not too greasy. The staff were extremely friendly. The video playing in the background (of some kooky young Japanese reporters sampling the restaurant's wares) was fun, but got annoying after about the third run through. It might be better for atmosphere not to have the TV.
Read morePros: Good simple food, friendly staff, inexpensive
Cons: Video player
Guest
msvegan
Points +377
Best Veg in downtown AKL - Edit
This place was great a couple of years ago when it was run by an old Taiwanese couple. They sold it and the current owners have simplified the menu.
Read moreIts still pretty good for dim sum and basic noodle soups etc.
There lunch buffet can be good if they have seasonal veggies they have prepared from their farm.
Pros: Vegan Food, won tons, dim sum
Cons: not very flavorful, simple menu, pricey for quality
Guest
dumpling
Points +69
Handy - Edit
I worked in the city for a while and this was handy and great place for a single person to go and eat.
Read moreLove the seasonal vege dumpling soup, Vege chicken burger, crunchie Vege pork, Guabao. They also have a lunch time buffet and reduced the price for a month to encourage people to donate to the Christchurch earthquake appeal. I wonder who did ha ha. The buffet was so worth it at that price, it tasted sooo much better. When they stopped I went back to the menu.
Pros: good for single people, cheap enough, variety no onion & garlic
Cons: sweet & sour bottled sauce
Guest
msblack
Points +118
Ho-hum for me. Woah-yum for my mates. - Edit
Sunflower Cafe/Fortune has improved from a few years back. Everything use to be covered in MSG which I'm allergic to so I could only ever have the deep fried 'chicken' nuggets and chips. Now they don't use MSG (except for the dumplings) so I have a greater range to choose from. I'm far from being crazy about the place, I much prefer Golden Age in terms of taste, but a fair few of my friends absolutely swear by Sunflower Cafe. It is much cheaper than Golden Age so it's a good place to go with a lot of mates and not spend too many dollars. But when I'm hungry and on my own, I wouldn't choose to dine there, plenty of other places around town.
Read morePros: cheap, central location
Guest
Blue Cloud
Points +98
Excellent foood!!!!!!!! - Edit
I really enjoyed my dining experience at Sunflower Cafe. The range is extensive and the staff, yes, were extremely welcoming and friendly. The pricing is appropriate. The rice and noodle dishes have so much vegs and mockmeat in them. Really satisfied!
Read morePros: Great range of food, Inexpensive, Friendly staff
Guest
Dmitry
Points +215
Not bad - Edit
It's practially vegan as they said there only 2 items in their extensive menu that weren't. I had very nice boiled dumplings, laver (seaweed) and ham soup, which was OK (the "ham" tasted sort of pickled-ish), pickled veges and beef (with a kind of noodles), which would have been quite yummy if it hadn't been rather hot and hotter as I got to the bottom of the bowl (say that you'd like it mild if it matters to you). I also had a couple of nice juices, one of which was made of few layers of different kinds, which was tasty. I thought I detected a slight tiny wiff of tap water in their free water bottles (probably filtered), and I advised them to consider cheap bottled spring water instead (less eco-friendly for some). I had my meal while reading NZ vegetarian mag and overall it was not bad at all. The service was quick and the staff very friendly. I popped in Sat morning it was open, but the lady said actually they were not, so check the hours.
Read morePros: practically vegan, good food, friendly staff
Guest
misssakura
Points +61
Don't expect gourmet cuisine - Edit
We first started going to the sunflower about 3 years ago. It was easy to miss, a dingy back room of a run down mall.The menu was so vast that it would take 10 minutes just to go from cover to cover. Luckily they have brightened up the interior since then and cleaned up. Food safety is vastly improved (I did once see a cockroach underneath a fridge). The other great thing is that they have reduced their menu to just 2 pages since their early days. Sunflower vegetarian is junk food. I mean that in the nicest possible sense. When I want an indulgent, greasy chinese takeout this is my go to restaurant. You won't find health food here. Sunflower excels with their fried rice dishes which are comfort food to the max, the 'ribs' being my favourite as well as any sweet and sour type dish. The good thing is they do put a lot of vegetables in with the food unlike other chinese restaurants in the area. They make the best wontons, ask for extra sweet chili sauce. I keep going back because they do try to improve, the staff are friendly and the food is good, if not amazing. You get quite a lot of food for the money. Also it's best to avoid rush hour as they only have 1 chef who can get a bit slow at times. Call in advance to see how busy they are. One time we waited for 45 minutes. If you combined a fried rice (they do an excellent fake egg stir fry rice) from here with the sticky pork from Golden Age you'd have the best of both worlds! Not very practical but hey.
Read morePros: good value, friendly staff, lots of choice
Cons: a bit greasy, service can be slow
Guest
philjdomm
Points +945
unfortunate mishap - Edit
hole in wall type...
Read moreask them to reduce their sodium....
other than that, its all right
Guest
Petesternz
Points +1447
Struggling to see the beauty - Edit
I've read the reviews, but just don't get them. I have eaten here twice, and yet to experience even a decent meal. In fairness, I did try to get the dumplings, which I've seen someone else order (takeaway), and they were out. The food I've had was greasy and bland. The buffet looked uninspiring, and my tastes of a friend's meal confirmed the look. In a location where strong other vegan offerings abound (Raw Power, Revive), I don't see the appeal of this place. Stay away in particular from the soups, which turn out to be water, oil and noodles.
Read moreCons: the food
Guest
Jeff Sanders
Points +81
Happy Fortune - Edit
I've never knew the actual name of this place, we just call it 'Fortune' for some reason. I've been going here for years, this place is simply the best! Value for money, great friendly staff, awesome food and a menu that doesn't seem to end. The dumplings are always good, steamed buns with red bean paste, banana sago pudding, chicken fried rice, the noodle dishes, the curry... I could go on. The decor is a little basic but who cares, there was always a big group of us dining here when I was in Auckland. Damn I miss that chicken fried rice! 谢谢你
Read morePros: Tasty, cheap, friendly staff
Cons: not open 24 hrs
Guest
Aloo
Points +7703
Asian style- authentic - Edit
Despite the elevator music, a nice place to sit and lots of options on the menu. Staff very friendly and helpful. They checked with me about dairy in one of the options I had ordered, which was much appreciated. Lots of mock meats, good for the non-vegos that were with me, they were satisfied and happy with thier meals. Non-BYO or licenced.
Read morePros: Food, service
Cons: that, elevator, music!
Guest
studioahimsa
Points +32
good place! - Edit
i have been here for 3 weeks and have been to vegetarian cafe 4 times! i ove their dumplings and spring rolls most. a lot of their stuff has fake ham which i hate but its a good place for a snack.
Read morePros: cheap, good location, good hours
Cons: fake ham, non-fake meat dishes smal, NOT SPICY
Guest
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