Vegans, veggos, and Thai food lovers, listen up. A new, 100% vegan Thai restaurant has recently opened up in Dover Gardens, and it’s the first of its kind to launch in Adelaide since 2019. Introducing PingAn Veggie Time, a family-run operation that just expanded into a second location a short trip from Brighton Beach and Westfield Marion.
Stepping into PingAn Veggie Time on Sturt Road, diners are met with the cheerful smiles and friendly service of a family-run institution, where the aromas of family recipes and homemade sauces invite you into a warm, authentic Thai food experience.
Originally established in 2017, the restaurant became a standout spot for vegan cuisine in Clayfield, a suburb in Brisbane’s inner-north. The owners then moved to Adelaide in 2019 and quickly opened their first location at Plant 4 Bowden. Owner Fon says Adelaide was the perfect place for a small family business.
“We liked the city because it’s not too busy or crowded. It’s a warm city and it’s good to have the family here. We’re also so grateful to the Kaitatzis family who own Plant 4 Bowden,” Fon says. “They helped us a lot when we were opening up during COVID, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”
Once in Adelaide, Fon and her husband Dusit decided to downsize their business to spend more time with their son and the namesake of their restaurant, PingAn, whose name means “peaceful”. The whole family is vegan – PingAn was raised vegan and is “a happy and healthy vegan boy”. They hope to promote veganism as a healthy lifestyle choice with environmental benefits, and encourage people to eat and grow more vegetables.
Fon also said that Adelaide foodies love Asian and Thai food but don’t have a lot of vegan options, so they wanted to share their passion for vegan food with their customers “who love our food and don’t mind eating vegan”.
Their menu features a variety of standout dishes, including the best-selling vegan Pad Thai, savoury satay noodles, and a delicious peanut stir fry made with a signature homemade peanut sauce. For curry lovers, the Thai curry is a highlight, crafted with freshly made curry paste.
Entrees include veggie or sweet potato spring rolls, steamed BBQ buns, curry puffs, tofu bites, skewers and dim sims. Catering to dietary restrictions, everything is prepared without onion or garlic to accommodate for those with allergies, and there are plenty of gluten-free options available. For a refreshing drink, they also offer a specially prepared vegan Thai tea, a sweet, creamy drink with flavours of black tea and subtle spices.
“If you enjoy Thai and Asian food, you don’t need to worry about cross-contamination. It’s 100% vegan food,” Fon says.
They threw open the doors of their Dover Gardens location last Saturday February 22nd, to an almost overwhelming crowd of hungry foodies. Many locals within walking distance to the restaurant have been dining before or after their trips to the beach or Westfield Marion. Fans of the existing Plant 4 Bowden location have also been pleased to not travel as far to get their vegan Thai fix.
“The first days went very well,” Fon says. “We had almost too many customers, lots of community support, very big smiles and warm hearts. It’s a good feeling to see the restaurant packed with people. We can’t thank everyone enough for supporting our small family business.”
In the future, Fon says they’re hoping to operate full time at Plant 4 Bowden and their new Dover Gardens restaurant, and would love to open a third location in the future. But for now, PingAn Veggie Time is focused on continuing to satisfy the hungry customers at their current venues.
You can find their new restaurant at 85b Sturt Road, Dover Gardens.
WHAT: Ping An Veggie Time
WHEN: Bowden: Wednesday and Friday from 12pm to 8:30pm | Dover Gardens: Thursday to Sunday from 12pm to 3pm then 4:30pm to 8:30pm
WHERE: 85b Sturt Road, Dover Gardens SA 5048 | Plant 4 Bowden, 5 Third St, Bowden SA 5007
For more information, click here.
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