I had an an all day layover in Brisbane on a flight from Los Angeles to New Zealand. I was super tired and even the glorious sunshine in Brisbane couldn’t perk me up. I just wanted to rest so I took myself off for a relaxing vegetarian lunch at Govindas in the central city.
Central location.
The location at 1/99 Elizabeth St is extremely central. You can easily walk there after taking the train from the airport to the central city train stop. Perfect for people who are on a layover or relying on public transportation.
There is a mall with a small supermarket right next door, where I also purchased a couple of things.
The location is also extremely close to the Brisbane river and South Bank area. There was even a fruit market the day I was there and Brisbane tropical fruit is fantastic. The market was on the north side right by the bridge you walk over to get to the South Bank.
Food + Vegan friendly.
Sorry I didn’t take pics but I greatly enjoyed a huge plate of “chips” (chunky french fries, fried to order) with homemade tomato sauce. This doesn’t sound like a very grown up order but I was jet lagged and chips are a rare treat for me given that they tend to be cooked in the same oil as fish and hot dogs in Australia and New Zealand.
I had a vegan chocolate pudding (basically chocolate + coconut milk) but found it excessively rich and it didn’t have any complexity to the flavors.
The staff were happy to advise about what was vegan, and do a vegan version of the set meal.
The menu was ample but not huge – I think everyone would find an option they wanted to order. A little limited in terms of vegan desserts.
Prices.
I can’t remember what it cost but restaurant prices in Australia are much higher than the US so it seemed both expensive + cheap for Australia!
They don’t take credit cards and I ended up changing $20 US into Aussie money at a nearby money changer. No biggie.
Ambiance.
The atmosphere was casual. It’s upstairs so not suitable for people with mobility issues.
I arrived right when they opened and stayed until the lunch crowd started to pour in. There were a few people who seemed to be having work lunch meetings there.
The Hare Krishna aspect was relaxed and not likely to be off putting to anyone from a different faith (I’m an atheist).
