- info@markandvinnys.com
- G07, 38-52 Waterloo St Surry Hills 2010
- +61 2 90077789
There is a particular kind of disappointment that comes with opening a restaurant menu as a vegan and finding three pages of pasta, pizza and Italian comfort food… followed by one lonely salad.
Italian food should be fun. It should be generous, comforting, a little indulgent and worth talking about afterwards. Being vegan should not mean sitting at the table with the least exciting plate.
The good news? Italian cooking has far more plant-based potential than many people realise.
Tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, pumpkin, herbs, garlic, olive oil, grains and pasta have always played an important role in Italian food. With the right technique, they can become rich sauces, satisfying mains and genuinely memorable dishes without needing meat or dairy to carry the entire meal.
That makes modern Italian dining particularly interesting for anyone exploring vegan restaurants Sydney has to offer.
And if you are looking specifically around Surry Hills, Mark & Vinny’s brings a modern Italian approach to the table, with a menu that currently includes vegan-marked pasta, gnocchi, lasagne, vegetable dishes and shareable plates. The restaurant is located on Waterloo Street in Surry Hills and describes itself as a modern Italian restaurant built around fresh ingredients, traditional techniques and contemporary creativity.
So, what should you actually order?
Here is our guide to some of the most interesting vegan Italian dishes at Mark & Vinny’s, along with a closer look at why Italian cuisine works so well for plant-based diners.
Italian cuisine is often associated with parmesan-covered pasta, creamy sauces and cheesy pizza.
But that is only part of the story.
Take away the cheese and meat for a moment, and you still have an incredibly useful collection of ingredients:
Tomatoes bring sweetness and acidity.
Mushrooms bring savoury depth and umami.
Olive oil adds richness.
Garlic and herbs create aroma.
Eggplant and pumpkin provide body and natural sweetness.
Pasta, gnocchi and grains make a meal feel substantial.
That combination gives chefs plenty to work with.
The trick is understanding that vegan Italian cooking isn’t simply about replacing every dairy ingredient with a substitute. Sometimes the better approach is to build the dish around ingredients that already have plenty of flavour.
A good mushroom sauce, for example, does not need to pretend to be meat. Properly browned mushrooms have their own deep, savoury character.
Likewise, roasted pumpkin does not need to imitate cheese. Its sweetness can balance herbs, spice, acidity and salty elements beautifully.
That is what makes plant-based Italian food interesting.
It is less about asking, “What can we remove?” and more about asking, “What can we do with what is already here?”
There is no universal answer.
The best Italian dish depends entirely on what you want from the meal.
If you want something rich and comforting, pasta or lasagne is probably going to win.
If you want something soft, hearty and warming, gnocchi makes sense.
If you want something lighter, a vegetable and grain-based dish can be a better choice.
And if you are sitting around a table with friends, a crispy starter designed for sharing might be the perfect beginning.
At Mark & Vinny’s, the current menu gives vegan diners several different directions to go in rather than forcing everyone into the same type of meal.
That variety is one of the things worth looking for when comparing vegan restaurants Sydney offers.
A restaurant with one vegan dish technically caters to vegans.
A restaurant with several different styles of vegan food gives you an actual choice.
And choice is what makes dining out enjoyable.
Before getting into individual dishes, one useful detail: Mark & Vinny’s current menu uses dietary markers and identifies vegan options with a “V” designation. The restaurant also notes vegan, vegan-option, gluten-free and other dietary information on its menu.
That makes the menu easier to navigate, but the interesting part is the range of dishes available.
Here are a few worth putting on your radar.
There is pasta.
And then there is pasta that gives you something to talk about.
Mark & Vinny’s Charcoal Bucatini is one of the more distinctive options on the current menu. It combines charcoal-infused bucatini with cashew cream, smoked mushroom pancetta, vegan egg yolk and vegan parmigiano, with cashews listed as an allergen.
The interesting thing here is not simply that the dish is plant-based.
It is the layering.
You have the chew of bucatini, the creaminess of cashew, the savoury depth of mushroom and the familiar salty character associated with parmesan-style finishes.
Mushrooms are particularly useful in vegan cooking because of their umami character. When cooked properly, they can add a satisfying depth that prevents a dish from feeling flat.
The cashew cream also shows another common technique in modern plant-based cooking: using nuts to create richness and body.
So if you are the kind of person who orders pasta when you want comfort food rather than something “healthy”, this is the sort of dish worth looking at.
It feels like a proper pasta decision.
Gnocchi has a special place in Italian food.
It is soft. It is filling. It holds onto sauce beautifully. And it is one of those dishes that feels appropriate when the weather is cold, when you have had a long day or when you simply want dinner to feel like dinner.
The current Mark & Vinny’s menu lists its Gnocchi Del Giorno with potato gnocchi, broccoli pesto, pumpkin, peas, vegan feta and sage.
That combination is interesting because it brings together several different flavour directions.
The pumpkin adds sweetness.
The peas bring freshness.
Broccoli pesto adds a greener, more savoury element.
Sage provides that unmistakable herbal note associated with comforting Italian dishes.
And the vegan feta gives the dish a salty, creamy component.
It is a good example of why vegan food does not have to be complicated to be satisfying.
Sometimes you just need a few ingredients that make sense together.
Let’s be honest.
If someone tells you they are going vegan, one of the first foods they might worry about missing is lasagne.
Layers of pasta. Rich sauce. Creamy béchamel. Golden cheese on top.
It is not exactly the first dish that comes to mind when you think “plant-based”.
Which is why a good vegan lasagne is such a useful test of whether a restaurant understands plant-based comfort food.
Mark & Vinny’s current menu describes its Lasagne Vegana as layers of pasta with roasted vegetables, Napoli sauce, vegan béchamel and vegan mozzarella, baked until golden.
The important part is the roasted vegetables.
They give the filling more character than simply using a basic vegetable mix. Roasting concentrates flavour and brings out natural sweetness, which works particularly well against the acidity of a Napoli sauce.
The vegan béchamel then adds the creamy element you expect from lasagne.
It is familiar without being exactly the same.
And that is the point.
Good vegan food does not always need to convince you that it is identical to the traditional version. It just needs to make you want another bite.
Not every Italian lunch needs to involve a mountain of pasta.
Sometimes you want something colourful, fresh and filling without feeling like you need a nap afterwards.
The Rainbow Bowl on the current menu combines farro, roasted and glazed pumpkin, fioretto, edamame, corn, beetroot hummus and macadamia dukkah.
There is plenty happening here.
You get grains for substance, roasted vegetables for warmth, edamame for texture and protein, beetroot hummus for creaminess and dukkah for crunch.
That last part matters more than people realise.
Texture can make or break a plant-based dish.
If everything on the plate is soft, the meal can quickly become monotonous. Adding something crunchy, toasted or crispy creates contrast and keeps every bite interesting.
For lunch, especially, that balance can be appealing.
There is a reason crispy food rarely survives long on a shared table.
Someone says, “Let’s just get one to share.”
Five minutes later, everyone is mysteriously reaching for the last piece.
Mark & Vinny’s Truffle Polenta Chips are a natural candidate for that situation. The current menu lists them with roasted chilli and tomato aioli and vegan parmesan.
Polenta is made from cornmeal, and when prepared correctly it can move from soft and creamy to beautifully crisp.
That contrast makes it particularly good as a starter or sharing plate.
It is also a useful reminder that vegan dining is not only about finding a main course.
A really enjoyable restaurant meal is built in stages.
Something to share.
Something substantial.
Something fresh.
Maybe something sweet at the end.
That is how you turn “I need a vegan option” into an actual dining experience.
Mushrooms are one of the most versatile ingredients in plant-based cooking.
They can be grilled, roasted, sautéed, stuffed, turned into sauces or used to add depth to pasta.
Mark & Vinny’s current menu includes Fungi Provenzal, built around sautéed mushrooms, garlic, parsley, olive oil and herbs, finished with parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs and marked vegetarian.
For vegan diners, this is one to confirm with the restaurant before ordering, because the published menu’s dietary labels and ingredient descriptions can change.
The broader idea is worth noting, though: mushrooms are one of those ingredients that can make Italian food feel deeply satisfying without needing a meat-heavy centrepiece.
One of the easiest ways to make a satisfying vegan pasta at home is to stop thinking of the sauce as something that needs to be thick and creamy.
Olive oil can do a lot of the work.
Choose spaghetti, bucatini, linguine or another shape that can hold onto the sauce.
Cook it in well-salted water.
This is the step many home cooks skip.
Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the cooking water.
That starchy water can help emulsify the olive oil and create a sauce that coats the pasta rather than sitting separately at the bottom of the pan.
Warm extra virgin olive oil in a pan.
Add sliced garlic and let it cook gently rather than burning it.
Then add ingredients such as mushrooms, chilli, spinach, roasted vegetables or fresh herbs.
Transfer the cooked pasta into the pan.
Add a splash of pasta water and toss everything together.
The starch from the water helps bring the oil and liquid together.
This is where you can make a simple pasta taste restaurant-worthy.
Try:
The lesson is simple: you do not need a heavy cream sauce to make pasta feel indulgent.
Good ingredients, proper seasoning and technique can do plenty of work.
Part of the answer is versatility.
Italian cooking does not treat vegetables as purely decorative.
Think about dishes based around tomato, eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, pumpkin, beans, greens and peppers.
These ingredients can be roasted, grilled, sautéed, baked or turned into sauces.
Then there is pasta.
Pasta is essentially a blank canvas.
You can pair it with bright tomato sauces, earthy mushrooms, vegetables, herbs, olive oil or richer plant-based sauces.
That makes Italian cuisine particularly adaptable.
There is another reason, too: Italian food is social.
You do not necessarily have to order one enormous dish for yourself.
Antipasti, sides and pasta can all be shared.
That means a table can order several things and build a meal together.
For a mixed group, this is a big advantage.
The vegan diner does not have to sit quietly with their one approved dish while everyone else explores the menu.
Everyone can participate.
If you have been searching for Italian restaurants surry hills nsw, you are looking at one of Sydney’s most interesting neighbourhoods for dining.
Surry Hills has long had a reputation for independent restaurants, cafés, bars and creative food businesses. It is the kind of neighbourhood where dinner can easily become part of a bigger evening.
That matters because choosing a restaurant is rarely just about the food.
You might be meeting friends after work.
Planning a birthday dinner.
Taking someone out for a date.
Looking for somewhere to have lunch before exploring the city.
Or simply trying somewhere new on a Saturday night.
Mark & Vinny’s is located at G07, 38–52 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills, placing it directly within that neighbourhood dining scene.
The restaurant describes its offering as modern Italian cuisine, combining traditional techniques with contemporary creativity.
That positioning also makes the menu interesting for diners who want Italian food without necessarily wanting a strictly traditional experience.
If you are searching for vegan restaurants Sydney has to offer, do not judge a restaurant by the presence of one vegan dish.
Look at the whole menu.
One vegan salad is technically an option.
Five different types of vegan dishes are a much better dining experience.
A good menu should let you choose between something rich, fresh, savoury, crispy or comforting.
Shareable starters make group dining much easier.
If you are dining with friends who have different diets, a restaurant with varied choices is usually easier.
Clear menu information helps diners make informed decisions.
This may be the simplest test.
Read the vegan options.
Do any of them make you immediately think, “I want that”?
If the answer is yes, you may have found somewhere worth trying.
This is where a modern restaurant can have an advantage over a highly specialised menu.
Imagine a table of four.
One person is vegan.
One is vegetarian.
Two eat everything.
Nobody wants to spend twenty minutes negotiating where to eat.
A restaurant with a varied menu solves the problem before you arrive.
At Mark & Vinny’s, the current menu includes vegan-marked dishes alongside vegetarian and broader Italian choices, giving different diners room to order according to their preferences.
That makes the restaurant relevant not only to people actively searching for vegan food, but also to anyone planning a group meal where dietary preferences differ.
And honestly, that is often the real challenge with restaurant planning.
It is not finding food.
It is finding a place where everyone is excited about the food.
Still unsure what direction to take?
Use the craving-first approach.
“I want pasta.”
Go towards the Charcoal Bucatini.
“I want something comforting.”
The Gnocchi Del Giorno is the obvious style of dish to consider.
“I want lasagne.”
Choose Lasagne Vegana.
“I want something lighter.”
Look at the Rainbow Bowl.
“We want to share.”
Start with Truffle Polenta Chips and build from there.
“I want dessert.”
The current menu lists a Ginger & Cashew Cheesecake as vegan, made with cashew cheesecake, ginger, a crunchy biscuit base and seasonal fruit.
And if you have a food allergy rather than a dietary preference, always speak with the restaurant team before ordering. Menu ingredients and preparation can change, and shared kitchen environments can create cross-contact considerations.
Sydney is full of restaurants competing for attention.
The difficult part is not finding somewhere to eat.
It is finding somewhere that gives you a reason to come back.
For vegan diners, that usually starts with choice. You want more than one safe option. You want dishes that sound genuinely appealing. You want to be able to eat with friends without turning dinner into a dietary negotiation.
And sometimes, you simply want pasta.
That is where Italian food has an advantage.
Its foundation of vegetables, herbs, olive oil, grains and pasta gives chefs plenty of room to create plant-based dishes that are comforting, creative and satisfying.
If you are exploring vegan restaurants Sydney for your next meal, Mark & Vinny’s in Surry Hills is one restaurant worth putting on your list.
And if your search is specifically for italian restaurants surry hills nsw, it offers a modern take on Italian dining alongside a menu that currently includes vegan-marked dishes such as Charcoal Bucatini, Gnocchi Del Giorno, Lasagne Vegana, Rainbow Bowl and Truffle Polenta Chips.
The best part?
You do not have to decide whether you want vegan food or a good Italian meal.
You can have both.
