Review The Lotus-heart Vegetarian Restaurant - Christchurch

Five stars for the beautiful Hindu-influenced decor, friendly staff, and of course, the delicious clean food. We had their Masala coffee, curry, American-style pancakes, and vegan chocolate cake. All was so tasty!

Lotus Heart is our long time favourite and unquestionably best Vegan restaurant in the city. They only serve dinner Friday and Saturday evening and recommend to make a booking. There is a set a la carts menu, but I really recommend to try the special of the day. We have been there so many times but each time chef’s special is different and always amazing. Food is true art on the plate and overall amazing experience. I don’t know how they do it , but every time they can surprise. They do not serve alcohol but there are few alcohol free wine and beer options. It’s one of the most expensive restaurants in town, so only go there for special occasions.

Amazing food, amazing ambience. Must recommended for vegetarians and vegans. The people serving will also speak very quietly which actually shows the core Indian values. You can also do shopping there as they have some products which are quite good. We got Mysore sandalwood which is really good you can try that if you are going there.

Had great time here Food and staff both fabulous Special thanks to chef who put extra effort to make special requirement in food Will recommend

The Lotus-Heart is an exceptional establishment in Christchurch, which includes a vegetarian restaurant, gift shop, and health food store. The restaurant offers an extensive menu of vegetarian and vegan dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The staff are friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I appreciated the restaurant's commitment to sustainability and ethical practices, which was evident in everything from the eco-friendly packaging to the fair-trade coffee and tea. The restaurant is a must-visit for anyone looking for a satisfying and sustainable vegetarian dining experience. The gift shop at The Lotus-Heart is a delightful addition to the establishment, offering a carefully curated selection of unique and beautiful gifts made by local artists and artisans. I was impressed by the shop's commitment to sustainability, with many items made from eco-friendly and recycled materials. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful, and I found the perfect gift for a friend. The health food store is another gem at The Lotus-Heart, providing a range of organic and natural foods, supplements, and personal care products to support healthy living. The store stocks a wide variety of locally-sourced, organic produce, including fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. They also have a range of gluten-free products, herbal teas, and spices available. The store offers a selection of nutritional supplements, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies to support a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, they offer a range of personal care products that are free from harmful chemicals and toxins. Overall, The Lotus-Heart is a must-visit establishment for anyone looking for a satisfying and sustainable vegetarian dining experience, unique and sustainable gifts, or natural and organic food and personal care products. The establishment's commitment to sustainability and ethical practices is evident in everything they do, and it's no wonder that they have become a beloved institution in Christchurch.

What a wonderful place!!! Not only the food and the atmosphere, but the service was incredible. With so many vegetarian delights to enjoy, you can also take a look around to buy incienses, or even instruments. The food was amazing. Such a good mix of flavors and colors!!! Definitely a must

Always love visiting here when on holiday from Dunedin. The widest variety of vegan and gluten free food which is the yummiest! Uniquely wonderful food pairings, amazingly friendly vibes, great atmosphere and just a general calming ambience. I also love shopping at the stores adjoining.. so many things on offer! Slightly steep price-wise, but worth it because they offer such a range and variety of imported stuff under one roof.

Fabulous experience in a beautiful calm environment. Food was exceptional and the staff so friendly and helpful. Will definitely be back. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience. ❤️

Went here on a Friday for dinner. The restaurant is aesthetically designed and the atmosphere inside the restaurant was serene, thanks to the theme. The menu had interesting vegetarian/vegan dishes from different cuisines (mainly Indian). Staff were very courteous. Rarely have I seen a restaurant that went all out to ensure that customers were happy with the dishes served. When one of the customers was not satisfied with the dish, the chef from the kitchen personally came to the table and enquired about the problem. They even offered to not charge for the dish. Had nachos and found it to be really good. They also have a shop adjacent to the restaurant within their premises. Highly recommended if you are into vegetarian/vegan food!

Absolutely delicious food. Warm welcome. Everything done with great care. So much choice for vegans!

Amazing food for three eating Vegan & they catered for No Garlic & Onion as well. Staff were very friendly and it made the special occasion even more special. We will be back again.

Nice place for vegan foodies!.. Must try the creamy shakes and burgers. An Indo western theme reflecting a calm and spiritual atmosphere... Must visit for ambience and novelty dishes... :))

Love this place. The staff are always friendly and helpful, the food is healthy and delicious. A great place to go when you want to feel truly nourished

<br/>Burgers were great. Side of fries and salad not so great. Great atmosphere and lots of vegan options which was refreshing. Side shop with lots of cool well-being products.<br/>

This place is so peaceful the moment you walk in you can't help but mellow out. The peace bowl was really yum and the mushroom too (although on the small side). Hot choc was tasty not too sweet and enough chocolate. Healthy food and filling (:

I love the creativity of the menu at Lotus Heart and the dedication they have to providing delicious options for those of us with Food Allergies. The service consistently meets expectations and is provided and with a gentleness I'm yet to experience elsewhere. Make sure you book in advance, they can often be very busy.

My favourite vegetarian/vegan restaurant, delicious food at really good prices! The humming burger and refrito wraps are both excellent lunch options :)

We had eaten at this place when it was at Cathedral Square. Sad to know that the big quake of 22 February 2011 permanently closed it down :(<br/>Nevertheless, as Indian’s we found the food to be tasteless, under cooked and severely lacking in spices. If you are an Indian or someone who is used to eating good Indian food, 100% avoid this place, you will be disappointed.

I'm not a vegetarian but constantly I would eat just veges for my own comfort. Maybe that's why I can't really understand the vegetarians' crazy love for this place. The deco is unique. And the smell is comfortable. Honestly the food is good, but 5 out of 5? Well, thank god I'm not a vegetarian.

What vegetarian food should be like. I had the sun burger with a side of chips and it was heavenly. The atmosphere is extremely unique, not something you can experience anywhere else in Christchurch. The decor is beautiful and clean and a definite WOW factor. The staff is extremely chill and helpful too. Awesome place.

I am very thankful a coworker of mine introduced me to this place. I didn't realise we had any vegetarian restaurants in Christchurch so this was a great discovery. They have a huge range of different dishes which means I can eat here no matter what I am craving. The staff are very mellow and sweet, chill vibes all round. I always feel fantastic after eating here. The burgers are especially nice and the green lemonade is stunning. Can't recommend enough, even for you carnivores. ;)

Helpful staff and too many food choices to try. Lotus Flower had been on my to-try list for a while. I was lucky to get a seat as it was jam packed for Sunday lunch. The hardest part was chosing what to have! Settling for the Dal and raw pumpkin tart both were tasty and hearty. The dal was smooth and flavoursome with well cooked rice and a small side salad. The tart was smooth and perfectly sweet without being sickly. Would definitely come back and bring a group of friends with me.

The Lotus-Heart has its own unique style - they are not trying to follow the crowd or do what anyone else is doing. That being said, I think that what they have created is excellent and I think that, while being quite different, it has a wide outreach especially to people who like to eat nourishing, healthy, yet tasty wholefoods. It may not would appeal to those with a conservative approach to food (or life) but if you are open to a new experience you will probably enjoy it. They have rebuilt everything from scratch after losing their cafe and their restaurant in the big earthquake and, in spite of going from the very heart of the city where they were in Cathedral Square to a rather industrial area where their current location is, they have created somewhat of a destination with a vegetarian restaurant, that caters well for vegan and gluten free diets, a fabulous range of gourmet tea, fair trade coffee, smoothies, juices, superfoods plus an in-house boutique health store, world music store and gift shop all under the same roof. Be surprised ;)

The Lotus Heart is a vegetarian restaurant and I'm a vegetarian so this review may be a little bit biased! Anyway, if you don't mind a meat-free meal then The Lotus Heart is really good. Everything is reasonably priced. The smoothies and juices are excellent, and I've heard good things about the vegan ice cream and vegan cheese cake.<br/><br/>The new restaurant on St Asaph Street (post-earthquake) has been renovated a lot, and the interior design and facade is worth noting. Going to The Lotus Heart is a great way to understand vegetarian food. Most people think that vegetarian food is boring, lacking in nutrition, and not filling enough. That is only the case when you cook THE WRONG type of vegetarian food! The Lotus Heart is run to a high standard and their chefs specialise in a unique style of cooking. If you're looking for Indian food other than microwave curries, then The Lotus Heart would be the right place (some of their food is South-Indian, I think).<br/><br/>The Lotus Heart does not cook beef steaks, but that's not the point of the place anyways. If you're a white nationalist then you may get a bit of culture shock walking into this place, but I've never heard any complaints about the way staff dress or whatever, so I highly recommend The Lotus Heart.

Brilliant atmosphere, great service, lovely food and a wonderful selection of teas. First time I have tried vegan food, and it was nicer than I perhaps expected. Gift shop is also wonderful, the pricing is decent and the decor superb.

Great food with excellent range and options for the xxx-free people in your crowd. I've been here twice with a crowd, and found good vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free food that is tasty and interesting enough for the dietarily (I made that word up) unfettered to enjoy. Only quibble - could we loose the incense? If you're not used to it, it's almost as distracting someone smoking, and both my son and my mother get close to queasy from it. Otherwise, great.

Healthy, fresh, quality, vegetarian food.<br/>Excellent value.