Matcha Mylkbar is an entirely plant-based restaurant located in Melbourne’s South-Eastern beach suburb of St. Kilda specialising in matcha-infused burgers and all-day vegan eggs.
One of the most exciting things about being a vegan is finding restaurants, stores and real life people who are vegan, too. Luckily, when we waltzed on into Matcha Mylkbar in Melbourne’s St. Kilda, we were surrounded by ethically conscious people and a menu we didn’t have to scour for vegan options. Massive win!
Our super energetic host in the background smiling. What a good sport!
This may sound really strange, but although we were all a bunch of strangers just eating food in the same location, I felt like we had so much in common. It was like we had all shunned blissful ignorance and taken the red pill, knowing full well that society would mock us, challenge us and make us feel like compassion was an alien emotion. Despite all this, I was a bit scared to start a conversation with a random, however, I felt a connection with our host as he was super energetic, had moved from rural Victoria to Melbourne city and seemed in absolute bliss that he was working in a vegan restaurant.
When we visited, it was Australia (Invasion) Day – the 26th of January, and being a public holiday it was pretty busy. Also, sadly for us, we were slapped with Australia’s joyless public holiday surcharge that meant our bill ended up ten percent heavier. Ouch.
The Mylkbar is all about fresh ingredients – mostly burgers and thick-shakes. If you’re into this kind of fare, you’ll love it. The burger buns are green and delicious. The dough is infused with whole green tea – matcha prior to baking and gives the bun an almost luminescent green vibrancy. I’m sure you find it as visually appealing as I do. It looks even better in person if that is at all possible. Just as a little side note – matcha is incredibly healthful and it is worthwhile checking out some of Dr. Greger’s videos regarding matcha. One thing – buy the Japanese matcha not the Chinese. This is mainly due to stricter Japanese farming regulations, which means the end product is safer for you.
And for those who love ice cream, Dr. Greger shares another hilarious, yet very informative and helpful way to eat matcha ice cream without the nasty side effects of dairy. Ick!
Nutritionfacts.org should be everyone's go-to source for the latest in evidence-based nutrition.
Snapshot Summary!
What’s to love?
Matcha Mylkbar is a place for vegans to order whatever they want from the menu. The place sells incredibly good food. The burger I ordered was the pulled jackfruit burger and it was amazing. The flavours were sublime and if you’re a meat eater and want to go vegan, jackfruit is the plant version of pulled pork – except without all the pain, suffering and gas chambers (let’s be real here – gas chambers are a part of any pork product). But O.M.G.. jackfruit will be your saviour!
Additionally, you’ll get some tasty sweet potato fries to go with your burger. Carbs are your friend! I would have preferred air fried chips, but we can’t have exactly everything we want, right?
Hayley and I both ordered some pretty decent thick-shakes to wash our meals down. They were stacked with whole food goodness. Think whizzed up nuts, flax and almond milk, here. Because I make my own green smoothie and especially awesome choc-peanut-banana smoothie exactly how I like it, this wasn’t quite as scrumptious as my own very special concoction. It was still delicious, though!
Any failings?
Really, just the one. The price. On top of our bill was the hefty ten percent surcharge, however each one of those shakes were close to ten bucks each. That's quite a hit.
For two burgers and two shakes on a public holiday, we paid over $70. We were both in shock, despite the very clearly labelled prices on the menu.
It just set in when we were at the register and had to fork out the cash. It was a little hard to swallow.
Verdict
There is no way you can come to Melbourne for any length of time and not visit Matcha Mylkbar. If you’re put off by the price, I get it. It’s a natural reaction. Just don’t get a drink. A burger each is a must try – even if it’s only to say you’ve been there. It’s sort of like going to NYC as a vegan and not going to Red Bamboo in Greenwich Village. Insanely stupid.
While you're in St. Kilda, go check out the pier. If you go at the right time (dawn, I think), you'll see the cute little penguins. The whole experience is FREE.
See you on the next adventure, kiddies!
All the best,
Nick.
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Wow for the first time I have seen a green burger which is really amazing......thanks for sharing the post
Yeah it was my first green burger, too!
No worries, glad you enjoyed it!
Nick
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Nice restaurant and good food .. i like.
Thanks for dropping by!
Nick
Love going to Matcha Mylkbar! Unfortunately vegan options are widely available in Melb but they still come with a huge price tag because of the effort involved in making them. Hopefully the high demand for that slowly changes it though! If you're still in Melb or ever back in Melb I have made a post about the best vegan places to eat sorted by areas if you're ever lost :)
Hey there!
Thanks for dropping by! You should add a link to that post so we can all benefit from your knowledge.
We are back home in the Gong now, but we love Melbourne! I'll be writing more about our last visit including a mention of Red Sparrow (unless it gets a post all of it's own!) Our vegan pizza place that we adore is Gigi's pizza in Sydney.. it is a standout pizza joint to visit in Newtown if you're ever up in Sydney.
Thanks again for leaving a comment and taking time to read my work. It means a lot!
Cheerio.
Nick
The Red Sparrow probably needs a post of it's own let's be honest haha. There's soooo many options in Melb I'm yet to try them too! It's pretty overwhelming sometimes which is a funny situation to be in for a Vegan.
I am looking forward to going up to Sydney just to try the food so will definitely add that to my list. I've got my eyes on the all vegan yumcha there.
Here's a link to the Melbourne guide! https://steemit.com/travel/@thetinykitchen/best-vegan-eats-in-melbourne-a-comprehensive-guide
Have a good night!
Ana
haha.. Indeed. I should allocate time for Red Sparrow!
Thank you for the link. I've also had a look at your other work - really top notch. While you're in Syd, also check out Bodhi - it's just off College Street. You have to walk across the square in front of the cathedral and down some steps.
Cheerio,
Nick
Wow, this place almost makes me want to go to Melbourne. That green bun looks insane.
Also, there's a vegan discord server now, if you want to come meet/chat with other steemit vegans.
https://discord.gg/9HwWkYX
How did I not know about that one
The restaurant or the Discord server? Sorry, I forgot to tag you, but I'm glad you found your way to it anyway.
Also, you know about the restaurant now. Get down there.
Hey Choo.
Isn't the green just divine??? Drinking matcha now as I type.. mmmm
Nick
looks really nice , even the green burger bun x
The green bun was the best bit!!! It doesn't taste weird or anything. Just looks amazing, right?
Nick
yes it looked really cool , don't know if it is the same stuff but I drink matcha green tea powder I know you can bake with it , is it the same then ?
Yes. The same thing.
Nick
the green burger is interesting! seems like you had a great outing :) glad to nominate this for ocd-resteem...
Hey.. Thanks for nominating! Looks like I got some airtime on OCD.. thnx!!
It was a fun day out. The whole time in Melbourne was really memorable. I've got to get back down there. Great city.
Nick
Yw, and wish you more fun and cheer! :D
Wait hold up. This is a green burger. Reminds me of the spongebob episode.
tehehehehe!!
I love posts on vegan restaurants.
I recently did one on Sage, my favorite vegan restaurant in Los Angeles. The first photo is their jack fruit nachos (my favorite thing to eat there):
https://steemit.com/food/@zetetrahedron369/sage-a-plant-based-bistro-and-brewery-los-angeles-ca
I also recently ate some vegan Indian food and ate jack fruit in an Indian cuisine context for the first time. Here is a photo:
https://steemit.com/art/@zetetrahedron369/conscious-life-expo-in-los-angeles
I love how jack fruit is gaining popularity!
OMG.. isn't LA magnificent for vegan food???
After our three months of travelling around North American we had like two nights to chill and decompress a bit before our long flight back home to Syd from LAX. We just chose a sort of random airbnb on the outskirts of town and lo and behold within walking distance (like less than 3 minutes!) we had a vegan thai restaurant. We ate there twice and got to talking to the owner. She was lovely and so down to earth. It was a pretty lovely experience.
Hayley and I both love the US.. and need to spend more time in LA again. Ohhhhh so many memories from that trip!
Take care,
Nick
Wow! I am happy that Japanese green tea is used.
I will cheer for your wonderful challenge.
I don't have confirmation that Japanese green tea was used, but I'd assume it was considering how carefully and meticulously run the place was run. I just ensure my own matcha purchases are Japanese in origin.
Have a super night.
Nick
WOW. I'm so surprised by how expensive it was. I also have never heard of this (I live in the US and we don't have this) "public holiday surcharge." That's bizarre! I'd love to try that bun.
Oh yes.. it's a thing here.
I'm glad I didn't assume everyone had it across the world. No idea why businesses do that. I'm sure someone in the Aussie hospitality industry can enlighten me.. although.. I'm guessing here that it is because the wages are much higher on a public holiday for staff (think $40 an hour after penalty rates are applied).
Yes.. come to Aus and try our amazing food. If you go to Melbourne, you will be spoiled for choice for vegan food. Sydney is pretty good too (getting much better) and even our seaside Steel city, Wollongong is making leaps and bounds in vegan eats!
Nick.
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Great to see more a d more other vegans here!
Like your style
Thanks for this article
And the delicious looking vegan stuff!
Hugs and Steem on
AWW! Hugs back at you!
Thanks for the kind words. I'll try my best to keep providing this kind of content if people enjoy it! And I'm glad you did!
All the best,
Nick
I did not know that restaurant when I lived in Melbourne I disagree with being a vegan but I usually try also vegan restaurant and/or food just because I am curious
Evening!
I am curious, too! Which aspect of veganism don't you agree with? I get why you may not like vegans .. we can get cranky with people's apathy at times considering the needless deaths, but as for disagreeing with a philosophy that promotes peace and compassion to all sentient beings, I'll need a bit more of an explanation of your though process if you're up for it.
Totally glad you've tried some new foods - Matcha Mylkbar was actually the very first place I tried pulled Jack Fruit! Never had it before until then!
Have a great night!
Take care,
Nick
It is just not easy to summarize my thoughts well I love your sentence "a philosophy that promotes peace and compassion to all sentient beings" but also the vegetables and plants are sentient beings and we are eating that . For example If I eat eggs and/or milk I think it will not affect seriously chicken and/or cows . Regarding the jackfruit I ve never taste I want to taste it. You too have a great one and take care
Thanks for getting back to me!
Cutting a carrot just isn't the same as cutting an ear of your dog or hurting an animal. Might be why we have animal cruelty laws in Australia and not plant cruelty laws.
If you eat eggs, that industry, by design discards all male baby chickens. They are killed either in a grinder pulverising them while they are alive or suffocating them. I cried for weeks and weeks after my pet budgie died. It still breaks my heart thinking of him and that he isn't with me. He was a bird and is no different to these poor creatures being killed by the billions.
Milk comes from the systematic rape and theft of female cows. Their babies are taken from them and are either enslaved themselves, or if male ..similar fate to male chicks. Kept for a few weeks then boltgunned to death as babies.
No treatment of an animal as a commodity ends pleasantly nor should be viewed as acceptable.
The jackfruit was a real kicker! I'd definitely seek it out. If you eat it at a vegan restaurant, you're probably going to get in a very high quality dish. Vegans have a thing about people having perceptions of our food being second grade so they go to extreme lengths to produce absolutely exceptional food.
I don't mean to sound "preachy", but I hope these facts about the animal industry help to clarify your understanding about what really happens.
Take care!
Nick
I respect but I partially agree with you not all animals have a bad treatment like that . Then anybody has the right to choose his/her ethics and/or his/her nourishment. By the way thanks for sharing your opinion and for this conversation take care too
Sorry I think you're mostly mistaken. Killing the by products (males) is absolutely necessary to producing these products on a commercial scale.
The right to choose probably should end where another's life comes into question.
If we don't need to kill, why would we? It is like smacking a child for no reason. Why hurt the child? Why hurt and kill animals?
Personally, I cannot find strong enough reasons to do so. Nutrition isn't one of them, nor is a temporary taste on the palate.
Thanks for the respectful discussion. Take care and I hope to see you back here, too.
Cheers.
Nick.
Thanks to you for sharing your point A discussion is useful to know what you think and show what is my point or view or idea. Take care enjoy your food and your trips
This looks insanely delicious =) I love to see new places and vegan restaurants =) Great post :)
Thanks Nicole.
Glad you enjoyed the post! It was very yummy!
Take care.
Nick
Those green buns!
I need to try some pulled jackfruit as I haven’t yet - I made my own burger patties from beans etc and they’re great, I’ve gotta go somewhere that makes better vegan burgers than me haha!
I had some in Brighton recently but they weren’t great to be honest!
I did have some spicy nacho bean burgers before that were so crisp, I need to replicate!
Great post again :) peace!