- 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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174 Reviews
First Review by studioahimsa
Siup
Points +3246
Nice staff bad food - Edit
I was very happy when I found a Thai vegan restaurant in Auckland. The location is great and staff are super friendly. Unfortunately, food is bad. I ate vegan Thai food in many countries, and I always loved it. However, this time I was very disappointed. Dumplings were not fresh, and the noodles soup with vegetables and tofu chicken was tasteless. The noodles were like glue, and the tofu chicken was bad. I wish I could always give 5 stars to vegan restaurants, but my review must be honest. I hope they will improve the quality of the food.
Read moreGuest
Sparkymedic
Points +16
Best Thai food and service! - Edit
We visited this restaurant not too long ago. Being travellers from Canada, we weren't familiar with the area. We finally found it and were greeted and seated quickly. The atmosphere was basic but comfortable and welcoming, but don't let the simplicity of decor fool you. This is hands down the best Thai food I have ever had!
Read moreI was also happy to see the chefs exit the kitchen to get the fresh ingredients for our meals.
It didn't take too long to fet our meals , but it was obviouilsy not rushed either. You can tell they take pride in their dishes.
We enjoyed every bite of it!
Unfortunately, they dont take credit cards, which was a bit surprising as they are very close to many hotels in the area.
I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone.
Pros: Service, Taste , Cost
Cons: Too kind
Guest
lostkhaki
Points +40
good for lunch - Edit
not just thai but some chinese too - it used to be a chinese vege restaurant before they took over so i think some of the menu is carried over from that.
Read morethey do a really nice chinese hot and sour soup- fantastic in winter and my favourite is spicy basil with mock chicken.
nice staff- i wish them all the best
Pros: cheapish, fresh
Cons: can be slow at peak times
Guest
sophie666
Points +93
Delicious Vegan Thai Food - Edit
Sunflower has a great selection from their menu, everything from dumplings to curries and sizzling hot plates.
Read moreI really like their Massman Curry and dumplings.
If you're not a fan of meat substitutes then this might not be the place for you.
Many non vegans have been impressed by this place, great friendly service and relaxing casual environment.
Pros: Reasonably Priced, All vegan, Lots of options
Cons: Parking can be difficult
Guest
CallMeTofu
Points +13
Best in NZ! - Edit
Having been to every vegan eatery in the country, and most vegetarian ones too I can say with confidence that Sunflower stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Read morePros: Everything is vegan Cosy environment Friendly staf
Cons: Ruins other vegan/vegetarian restaurants
Guest
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
Veg_travels
Points +124
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 +258
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 +2218
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 +140
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 +422
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 +73
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
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