Iku Wholefood Kitchen - Neutral Bay

Niku is a sizable chain specializing in healthier vegan foods. They offer a variety of dishes, including some Asian options, as well as lasagna, cakes, and pastries—all made with whole food ingredients. This isn’t the kind of place you’d typically take a non-vegan, as the focus is more on health than on fitting conventional tastes, but the experience is still enjoyable. In suburbs like North Sydney and Neutral Bay, it stands out as one of the most convenient fully vegan dining options available.

During our vacation, it was a delightful surprise to discover Iku, especially since we were on the lookout for places that offered plant-based options. The prices are reasonable, and the portions are generous, featuring super fresh ingredients. Plus, everything on the menu is vegan! Highly recommended!

Edit August 2018 (original review from 10 years ago): Unfortunately, the quality of food at Iku has significantly declined over the years, and there have been noticeable price increases. I used to enjoy their dahl, curry, and casseroles, but during my last visit, the food was overly salty. I think I’m done with Iku. As noted in other reviews, the food quality is consistent across all their locations, which is interesting to see; back in the '90s, there was only one place to go. They offer a rotating selection of casseroles, salads, patties, and more each day. I'm a big fan of some of their casseroles. They used to have a delicious chocolate adzuki dessert with soy cream, but it doesn't seem to appear on the menu as often anymore. The rice balls and millet balls are also quite good. Updated from the previous review on September 3, 2008.

I was just on the road from iku for about 4-5 days and got out there 4 times. the salatbar was really delicious, very generously served. I tried the lasagne I loved and tried another heated meal that was dry and not so beautiful. but overall I was really impressed and if I lived in sydney, iku would be my regular lunch break.

If you are a wholefoodist, then even though the name of this place suggests all the food is whole, not all of it is. You need to read all the ingredients. The ingredients of most of their dishes are on their website.