Welcome! Let's get this started.
or
Finish logging in.
- Top Rated in Auckland
-
Sunflower Thai Vegetarian Restaurant
-
183Loading...
-
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.
196 Reviews
First Review by studioahimsa
Alan16
Points +46
Very good! - Edit
Was quite busy when we went there -- had a few mock meat dishes. All was very good. They said everything was vegan -- not sure what is not?
Read morePros: Food
Guest
EmmanuelNZ
Points +18
Simple restaurant but yummy vegan food - Edit
Love that place. Simple, but so much options. Loved the curry, the Samosas and very rich menu. Asian food but tasty and cheap.
Read morePros: Lots of options. Vegan and veg.
Cons: Simple restaurant. But also cheap
Guest
AklBoy
Points +18
my favorite in the city centre - Edit
Introduced by friends and been back plenty of times. Great place to go before a show. Love having Thai food and knowing it won't have seafood in it (that might kill me). I find it weird to call stuff after meat, but always found something I like on TLD menu.
Read moreGuest
ThomitheRanger
Points +13
Vegan, fair - priced, friendly, tasty - Edit
Not the most beautiful place, but food and service make up for it!
Read moreGuest
CharlotteC49
Points +133
Meh - Edit
Think there's a bit too much fake meat for me, but if you like fake meat and Thai food this is the place for you!
Read moreI wasn't overly impressed by what I ate, but it tends to be open a bit later than other places in the centre and is, well, pretty central!
Updated from previous review on Thursday March 24, 2016
Pros: Inexpensive, Central
Cons: Too much fake meat for me
Guest
PuritaMok
Points +64
I love the choice here! - Edit
There's just so many delicious dishes here at Sunflower. Have always eaten here during University days and now work days. I love their dumplings and their noodle dishes. The decor makes the place quite homey and relaxing too.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Great variety, Good value for money
Guest
Zoebaikie
Points +39
I'm obsessed! :D - Edit
If you haven't been to sunflower, go there asap!!!
Read moreAmazing "chicken" burger and peanut satay curry!! Oh their dumplings! Devine!!!! Full vege menu which is just so groundbreaking :)
Pros: Everything
Guest
meilyrox
Points +50
Making ethical normal - Edit
A great asian-style, all plant-based and cheap option. I didn't believe it was vegan when I looked at the menu... I had to ask again and confirm. It's strange but great to be able to order from a menu that seems normal. I took a whole bunch of omnivore mates there and they loved it too. We all ordered things and shared. So nice to have that option! Love LOVE LOOOVVVEEE Sunflower. If you REALLY like spice go for the Lamb-like skewers. The duck-like dishes are great... actually everything is pretty awesome.
Read morePros: Cheap, Great to take everyone to, Food
Cons: Not 'up market', Sometimes don't have everything
Guest
Exquire
Points +311
A legend in the making - Edit
You might be walking down High Street when suddenly you see it - a sign for Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant hidden down the back of a ground floor corridor. That’s how I found it - randomly - and in those days the shy staff would play classical music and bring you peppery rich marinated tofu with fluffy rice and chewy noodles. The restaurant is still clean, and the menu is mostly unchanged, but the staff have livened up and the place feels a little bit warmer as the years have passed.
Read moreSunflower are the first choice of take-away food in my house. It’s got good size servings of delicious, simple Asian food for decent prices, and that’s a winning combination.
Pros: Cheerful vegan chow, Novelty value
Guest
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 +209
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
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business
See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 0 times.