Looking for vegan food in Hamilton? You’re in the right spot. Chances are that if you’re visiting Hobbiton, you might spend the night before or after in Hamilton, as it’s the closest major city to the film site. We planned our trip to do Hobbiton first thing in the morning, followed by the Waitomo Glowworm Caves in the afternoon. We did little activity on this day on purpose (as we did a ton of driving) with the focus on Hobbiton. There’s also plenty of other things to do in Hamilton but in between them, you’ll want to eat.
We actually stayed in an Airbnb (a shipping container with chickens!) in the town of Tamahere, and there are plenty of spots where you can find vegan food nearby or in Hamilton proper. Here’s my list!
Hello Rosie
One of Hamilton’s only vegan restaurants, Hello Rosie serves delicious Western-style “junk” food in a brick-and-mortar location, but it used to be a caravan. They have 5 stars on HappyCow with 41 ratings/reviews and you can check their Facebook page for exact timings. I was disappointed that I couldn’t go because the food looks fantastic, especially the mac n’ cheese bites and milkshakes.
Basil Thai Kitchen
If you’re looking for Thai food, head to Basil Thai Kitchen. Their menu is clearly labeled, but they have a separate vegan menu. You can get traditional dishes like pad Thai or pad see ew, or stir fry and rice. You can also specify the level of spice that you want. They’re ranked 4.6/5 based on Google reviews, so this restaurant is a safe bet for good food.
BurgerFuel
We were so exhausted from our day that we ordered delivery for dinner that night. One of the options was BurgerFuel, which is a New Zealand burger chain. They serve mostly beef burgers but serve two plant-powered options, one of which is vegan as is and one that can be modified to be vegan. I got the V8 Vegan one, which has pumpkin, carrot, chickpea and ginger as the base of the burger topped with vegan cheddar, avocado, beetroot, and vegan aioli. It was a decent burger, and I appreciated that they included vegan cheese and condiments. It would have tasted better fresh but it’s not a bad option.
Vegan Buffet
Formerly called Chinese Healthy Vegetarian Food, Vegan Buffet is Hamilton’s second of two vegan restaurants. Despite the name change, the buffet is no longer offered. Don’t fret: you can still get tasty Asian food, like dumpling soup and soy fillets.
St. Pierre’s Sushi
St. Pierre’s Sushi is a major New Zealand chain with locations in most major cities, including four locations in Hamilton. If you’re in a pinch for food, I recommend coming here. They have a separate vegetarian section with vegan options that include the vegetarian regular, vegetarian double avocado, inari crunch, seaweed slab, vegetarian fusion, and more.
Punnet Eatery
Located in nearby Tamahere and not central Hamilton, we stopped at Punnet Eatery to get coffee the next morning. Their shakes and smoothies can be made vegan, and I got a vegan iced mocha. They also have a few vegan options both in their case but also on the menu, including baked beans, mushroom arancini, middle eastern quinoa salad, and fries.
The Desi Food Club
As of this publication, The Desi Food Club is temporarily closed but it’s a vegetarian Indian restaurant with reported vegan-friendly dishes.
Two Birds Eatery
Two Birds Eatery is another place I wish I’d had the chance to visit. It’s a cafe located in Hamilton East that offers a humble bowl with falafel and a vegan oxley breakfast. All of their smoothies and smoothie bowls are vegan, and they even have a vegan hot choc(olate), which isn’t easy to find.
Hamilton also has a few other vegetarian restaurants like Madam Woo’s and Beeji Dhaba that will offer vegan options. One of these (thanks to a comment down below!) is Singh Sweets, a pure vegetarian “Indian”/Punjabi restaurant in Waikato. Although a quick glance at their online ordering menu doesn’t have vegan-friendly options clearly labeled, most of their food appears to be vegan-friendly. Many of their snacks (onion bhaji, samosas, momos, etc.), main entrees (daals, aloo gobhi, veg jalfrezi), and their South Indian and Indo-Chinese menus should have options. I would also ask if the chaats can be made without dahi/raita (yogurt), because those may also be vegan-friendly when modified.
Did I miss any vegan food spots in Hamilton? Let me know down below!
Hello, I would like to add Singh Sweets Hamilton, Indian Vegan restaurant if possible to your blog please.
This was added, thank you!