New Gold Coast vegan restaurant ‘first of its kind in Australia’

The only thing leftover at the end of the night at this new Gold Coast restaurant is vegetable scraps. We take the first look at Mermaid’s new vegan restaurant, which the owner claims is the only zero waste and plastic free kitchen in Australia.

New vegan restaurant Mother Nirvana in Mermaid is completely organic, zero waste, plastic, preservative and gluten free, and owner Adam English says it's the first of its kind in Australia. Picture Glenn Hampson

MOST of us know modern society’s way of consuming isn’t sustainable yet few of us do anything about it. A new Mermaid Beach restaurant is hoping to change that.

Mother Nirvana is a whole food, vegan eatery opened last month, a pop up restaurant occupying Marie Anita’s Organic Cafe at night.

And if you’re thinking ‘not another vegan restaurant’, rest assured, this is not just another vegan restaurant.

The plant-based kitchen is entirely zero waste, plastic, oil, preservative and gluten free, and owner Adam English says the only thing left at the end of the night is vegetable skins.

“The only rubbish is food scraps that are collected and put back in the garden and returned to the soil,” Adam says.

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Customers have been intrigued by the “cheese” appearing atop of pizzas, made from four plant-based ingredients. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“It’s just a complete cycle that doesn’t impinge on or doesn’t degrade any system.

“It’s organic and gluten-free, no added sugar, no oil … no problem at all.

“It’s also a plastic free, zero waste kitchen, which puts it at the only one in Australia.”

The menu features pizzas, toasties, sandwiches and smoothies, made fresh on site with ingredients sourced from Gold Coast farms.

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Adam says diners have been intrigued by the melted “cheese” appearing atop of pizzas, a product made from four simple ingredients.

“People want to know what the cheese is all about,” Adam says.

“It’s made from potatoes, Himalayan rock salt, yeast and untreated Currumbin Valley spring water.

Mother Nirvana sells pizzas, pies, sandwiches, toasties and salads. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“The water is mineral rich, and it’s one of the four ingredients in the potato cheese.”

The dishes are named after popular films and television shows (the Home Alone pizza, Crocodile Dundee sandwich and SpongeBob salad), pairing with Mother Nirvana’s community loungeroom concept.

A screen plays classic movies and documentaries in the dining room, and families can play boardgames and video games while they eat.

“It’s also a pop culture kitchen, it has the first licence from Village Roadshow in Australia to screen movies, like a home-on-the-couch sort of vibe,” Adam says.

“There’s a TV with a Super Nintendo, and board games and educational games.

“It can also help to draw out some people in the community that might feel in solitude or lonely, they can still visit and feel like a community, they can watch a movie that everyone can enjoy.

The only thing left at night is vegetable scraps which are returned to the garden as compost. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“Sunday night has happened to become David Attenborough hour. People have responded to that particularly well.

“It brings everything a bit closer to home and why and how we should eat better for our planet.”

Adam says he wants Mother Nirvana to be much more than a place to eat. He’s hoping it becomes a meeting place for earth-conscious people and starts a movement towards a more sustainable future.

“I’m hoping to start this planetarian movement and define a new meaning for it,” Adam says.

“In time there’s going to be some guest speakers talking about farming and waste-free living (at Mother Nirvana).

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Adam hopes his restaurant starts a movement towards a more sustainable way of consuming food. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“It’s beyond being vegetarian and vegan, it’s about looking after the earth.

“Food is the world’s biggest addiction and that uses so much plastic. Plastic at all points needs to be rejected and refused.

“It’s hard to pioneer a path when there’s no real example set forward. This is a new wave, hopefully one of many that will be followed.”

Mother Nirvana is open from 6pm Friday to Monday at 2364 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach (inside Marie Anita’s Cafe).