Healthy is the new black—and here are seven Australian cafés that prove it

Health food is having a definite moment. No longer do we have to stare into the deep, dark abyss of murky green smoothies or disconsolately poke at bread so dry it makes the Sahara look oceanic.

Now, Aussie chefs have made health food as good to the tastebuds as it is to the rest of our bodies, eschewing the processed and refined in flavour of the stripped back, whole and local approach. Proving that we're on board right around the country, here are seven cafés across Australia serving healthy food that we can really get behind.

1. Ora, Manly, Sydney

 Co-owners of Ora, Alex Johnson and Alex Rast, are so dedicated to health that even the pots are Teflon-free. Ora is a café in Sydney’s Northern Beaches where every ingredient in every dish serves a purpose for your body: ginger to aid digestion, turmeric to reduce inflammation, bone broth to repair cartilage and bones... And the food is fantastic too. Try the Ora Plate for breakfast – eggs fried in ghee with sautéed greens, avo, and delicious ferments.

2. Matcha Mylkbar, St Kilda, Melbourne

 Ever heard about the antioxidant properties of green tea? Well Matcha Mylkbar has, and they’ve dedicated a whole café to the craft. Although matcha permeates much of the menu, there’s loads of other stuff on offer too, and everything is vegan. We love the thought of pulled jackfruit (thanks to its meaty texture when cooked, it’s often used in place of meat in South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine) served with vegan eggs made from agar-agar and sweet potato.

3. Primal Pantry, Paddington, Brisbane 

 A paleo diet might feel too restrictive for some people, but the food here at Primal Pantry is anything but boring. There’s caramel porridge with bananas and dates or broccoli fritters with avocado tahini. There’s even pizza. And have we told you about their takeaway meals, with chicken schnitty crumbed in coconut and served with avocado, fermented veggies and greens? 

4. The Farm, Byron Bay

 Situated on 80 acres of lush Byron Bay land, The Farm is the first out-of-Sydney eatery from Bronte’s Three Blue Ducks team. They grow a lot of what they cook in the restaurant onsite and it’s not just limited to veggies—they’ve got chickens, pigs and cows too, and they all contribute to what shows up on your plate. Go the kangaroo tartare for the leanest protein fix around, or try their signature salad of roasted and pickled veggies with brain-boosting nuts and seeds.

5. Cornersmith, Annandale, Sydney

 If it can be pickled then Cornersmith will pickle it. The legendary Marrickville café and picklery has recently opened up in Annandale in Sydney’s Inner West. Utilising local produce (local gardeners drop off their glut of produce in exchange for, you guessed it, pickles), you never know what’s on the menu each day, as it depends on what’s freshest and at its best, but it’s always a delicious feed. 

6. Perth Organic Kitchen, West Leederville, Perth

 Newly opened in 2016, Pearth Organic Kitchen sources all of its produce as locally as possible, and almost everything is organic. There are no refined sugars in anything, and processed foods aren’t even allowed through the door. Smoothie Bowls are the thing for hot days in this often stiflingly hot city (the peanut butter and chocolate number has our name on it), and even the bacon is nitrate-free.

7. The Nourish'd Kitchen, Stepney, Adelaide

Not only do these guys have a beautiful little café in which you can ponder the world, but they also do a kickass delivery service to suit all your health food needs. Their beef and lamb is sourced from their very own farm and the organic coffee and grain-free banana bread is worth stopping-in for alone.