If it’s been a while between visits, we reckon you should take a walk down Newtown’s Australia Street, ’cos there’s a bit going on. Sydney’s favourite charcuterie, cheese and booze haven, Continental Deli, has welcomed sibling venues: Flora, an all-day vegetarian restaurant, and Mister Grotto, a seafood diner, with Italian spot Osteria Mucca, and boutique accommodation Australia Street Suites, in the pipeline. (Also found on Australia Street is Westwood, one of our fave pizza joints). The venues are spearheaded by Paisano & Daughters, a family-owned hospo business which also shares DNA with Porteño, Humble Bakery and Bastardo.
But back to Flora. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, as well as breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, Flora’s focus is to bring seasonal, sustainable, nourishing and – importantly – tasty vegetarian eats to the already strong plant-leaning community.
The menu, headed up by head chef Jude Hughes (ex-Three Blue Ducks, South Australia’s The Summertown Aristologist), spotlights locally sourced ingredients and wood-fired cooking, with dishes showcasing ferments and house-made cheeses and vinegars. You could start your day with ricotta and cacao husk pancakes served with smoked maple syrup and espresso butter; amped-up avo toast with green chilli sambal, braised zucchini and pepita butter on “life changing seeded toast”; or a Kangaroo Valley three-egg omelette filled with Monterosso cheese, poblano peppers and salted black bean dressing.
Lunch and dinner options include the Flora burger with a house-made pattie, cheese, lettuce, tomato and tartare sauce on a freshly baked milk bun; and the everything salad bursting with sprouts, tempeh, ferments and cashew ranch. We also like the look of the drinks menu – spanning coffees in the morning to cocktails and vino for lunch and dinner – which features only Australian offerings. Bloody Mary, made with Archie Rose vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire, that’s you.
Wood-paneled walls, a marble-topped bar, vintage knick-knacks and soft yellow tones add to the warm and polished space. We say: come make friends with salad at Flora.
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