Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Indian
Hare Krishna affiliated restaurant in a tucked away location, so look for it. Offers Indian vegetarian food such as samosa, pakora, dal, and combo plate meals. Around one-half of the menu items are vegan. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-5:00pm.
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Lawson St, Shop 7, The Pier Arcade, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
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Last update on 10 Oct 2020 by Pradsm
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34 Reviews
First Review by KelseyApple
Lanky
Points +412
Surprised by the other reviews here - Edit
The best thing about the Cardamom Pod is that is one of only a few vegetarian places in Byron.
Read moreThe worst thing is that food is cooked off site and heated up with a microwave.
A friend of mine who worked there for a while refused to eat the food he was serving.
The food itself is ok, but hardly standout. The quality is on par with those take-away Indian Home Diner style places we see around in the cities, however is costs almost double.
For a region that seems quite cosmopolitan, Byron Bay's food is still pretty White. Even the Chinese places in the area stick to 1980s classics like sweet and sour pork. The lack of authentic ethnic cuisine in the region might be why so many reviewers here praise the bland food at the cardamom pod.
Pros: Vegetarian, Convenient
Cons: Microwaved food, Bland, Overpriced for mass-produced takeaway
SeanSubhadraPinnell
this is a wrongly advised and untruthful review. nothing at the cardamom pod is cooked offsite but everything is cooked daily and fresh in the kitchen, and heated on the stove at night except in times where there are only small amounts to be heated at the end of the night. its not very thoughtful or nice to make statements on a public forum that are completely wrong and the quality and freshness of the food is the particular quality that has been bringing the locals in droves for almost 15 years. next time you review a place take the time to find out the facts and don't write about peoples hard work and passion in an offhand way based on hearsay . thanks dude. i challenge you to come in and see the food being prepared any day and find out whats up then we can print your apology. subhadra, chef/owner
Read moreLanky
Thanks for clarifying, Sean. You only heat up some of the food with a microwave, not all. Good to know.
Read moreThe "hearsay" you speak of is actually coming from a close friend who worked there for several months. It would surprise me greatly if he was mistaken in his belief that he was using a microwave to heat up pre-prepared food. It would also surprise me greatly if he was making up wildly false claims about the establishment in which he worked. I would be happy to come in and see you preparing fresh food- what would be a good time to do that?
Guest
NomadShane
Points +126
Cute Cafe Like Eatery - Edit
Its a small cute little cafe style eatery with outdoor seats. You order by the plate and pay $9 for 1 choice with rice, and add $3 for each additional thing you put on your plate. Decent portion size, I left perfectly full. Free water and free smiles.
Read morePros: Service
Cons: Size
Guest
Nikki1801
Points +963
cute place.. - Edit
This place is tucked away down a side alley (like many quirky shops in Byron!) so take your time finding this place like all the others.
Read moreI don't remember specifically what I ate here, I think I picked an item from the buffet and a snack like a samosa. Very friendly staff, and they also sell the byron bay bliss balls (which are delicious snacks- I uploaded a photo. Pretty useless, but thought I might as well upload it anyway!
Guest
vegan mikal
Points +565
Small in size but not on taste! - Edit
Cardamom Pod is a tiny place at the back of a small arcade. It has a bain marie with some hot food and a display fridge with salads and desserts. The prices are spectacularly low: $5 for dahl and rice, $6 for a couple of chunky kofta balls in rich tomato sauce and rice, $9 for some lovely curry and rice. The desserts start from a ridiculously low $4.50 for a massive serving of fruity halava with ginger cream.
Read moreWe loved our lunch: it was easy, it was tasty, it was very quick, and it was cheap to boot. $32 for three meals and two desserts is hard to find in 2012 Australia. Best of all, the fitout is relaxing yet clean, crisp, and even stylish - a kind of New Age Indian chic (this venue is Hare Krishna, after all).
If you find yourself with a rumbling tummy in Byron Bay, this place is a must. Find some pennies and give it a shot - you won't be disappointed!
PS: Vegan food is mostly marked, but do mention you are vegan if ordering desserts or, in fact, anything at all - just in case. Indian vegetarians don't mind milk products, and this venue serves Indian cuisine.
Pros: Great taste, Lovely ambience, Low low prices
Cons: you can't bring more than 20 friends!
Guest
ekendra
Points +123
Byron Icon - Edit
"The Pod", as it is called by locals, is an iconic Byron Bay veg cafe for a reason. I haven't been for some time because they've opened a new place in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast which is more convenient for me.
Read moreI've had everything on the menu and I find the highlights hard to choose as I like it all. The dahl is the best I've ever had. The samosas with pineapple chutney are yum. Do not miss the pumpkin cheesecake.
The service is always friendly with spiritual Hare Krishna vibes. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the quality of ingredients.
Guest
Neerga
Points +52
Disappointed - Edit
Having only heard positive things about the Cardamom Pod, I gave it a go. I was a bit disappointed with the food, it was nice but nothing to rave about. I probably wouldn't eat there again as there are other places I can eat in Byron Bay that serve better meals.
Read morePros: Cheap
Cons: Food was ok
Guest
KelseyApple
Points +89
Yay! - Edit
I'm so glad to see that this restaurant is still doing there and doing well. I visited 3 years ago and it was delicious and cheap. I had the vegan platter and I have to say that my favourite part was the pakoras with mango chutney!! mmm... If you are in Byron, you can't miss this place!!
Read moreGuest
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