Gong De Lin

Take the discreet lift up to Level 3 on Swanston Street—if you know, you know. Gong De Lin turns out an entirely vegan banquet of Shanghai-style comfort food high above the CBD rush. Plant-based diners and their meat-eating friends order across the sprawling menu without scrutinizing a single ingredient. Regulars steer tables toward the crisp sweet-and-sour pork and sizzling Szechwan beef, both nailed right down to the texture. The kitchen leans into allium-free recipes with genuine wok hei, turning out bubbling tofu and mushroom claypots alongside boiled dumplings stuffed with watercress. Slip in during quieter hours when the staff make the dining room feel like dinner at a friend’s family table.