Purple Peanuts

Great ”modern’ Japanese restaurant with healthy options in the middle of the city. Love their brown rice option for sushi and meals, and they have a variety of salads and beverages too, including Kombucha! Affordable and good portion size. Place is a bit small with limited seating, though they do takeaways.

This is one of my all time favourite Japanese places.
Amazing and simple food with a good mix of classics dishes with some Western style items, balanced well with a bit of salad and pickles depending on what you order. I’m still trying to pick a favourite because they’re all delicious.
In the fridge you’ll find drinks (alco and non), smaller items, sashimi packs, deserts.
Two items I love are the matcha shake which is balanced really well. Not ridiculously sweet but still a good grade of matcha. And matcha chocolate block. It’s rare to find someone who uses a good grade of matcha in a proper way.
The shop itself is a bit Japanese retro with old posters and nick-​nacks around. Limited tables inside so get in early but there a few outside or around the side in the alley.
I just wish my company had more job sites in the area so I could come here more often.
Gozaimasu!

This is now my favourite Japanese takeaway. Foods fresh original and you get far more bang for your buck.
My only thing I was not a fan of was when I was ordering the young lady did not make me feel welcome no smile and when I ordered (eat in) I was not offered a drink or miso. Just the price of what I ordered no please or thank you. But the chef who works really hard to please everybody saved my impression. Was offed more rice when my dish looked a bit small. Top work!
Love the food A++

Quick, simple and delicious.
This little gem at the southern end of Collins Street can get very busy during lunch hour but they are quick with their food.
Their food feels healthy and definitely delicious. Their deep fried rice balls is an easy snacks.
The staff is friendly enough.

Simple and healthy fare at a reasonable price. Definitely a must try if you are in the area.
The staff are pleasant and helpful if you are stuck about what to choose.
Its a tight space so take away is recommended if you are dropping by for lunch during the weekdays

The busiest lunch take away southern cross side of town probably best describes this joint. Japanese fusion cuisine with pre packed sushi, and salads, and made to order items (about 10 items)
Items I like and have tried — salmon sashimi with Apple pear and rocket salad has to be one of my top mentions. It’s a fusion I haven’t seen much place else. Very fresh (it’s a cold dish !!) but yet filling (it’s got boiled white rice in the salad). Like I said — very clever fusion
Tied for top mention on the list — kakuni pork belly — this is a larger filling and yummy item. Slow cooked pork belly in spicy gravy atop steaming hot rice. Some salad to top it off and now you are rolling :) a piece of heaven for a pork belly, spice fan I am.
If there’s a second place, that’s for the gyuzara, spicy and comparable to the Korean bulgogi — my memory fails me here. I always go for my favourites. But hey, food is also about what memory it leaves.
The other items are good too, like the sushi and arancini balls like Japanese version, or the chicken teriyaki — but nothing like my fav items above. That’s just me though!
Mind that the prices are on the higher side for a takeaway place, and it’s cash only, and the queues are huge at lunch. If you go here with those items expected, you will be rewarded with some excellent and consistent food. Feeling adventurous? Try the spicy sprinkle normally found in ramen joints — it’s fiery atop the above dishes.

I love Purple Peanuts so much! Shunted along at the end of Collins St, Purple Peanuts is a good, authentic-​food haven in the CBD, and is an untapped treasure (that being said, there’s still a line out the door at a lunchtime — but I’m surprised it’s not longer). Everything you’d expect in Japanese fare, their menu is split into hot and cold food, and there’s a ready-​to-​go bar too stocking sushi, salads and onigiri. If you close your eyes and block out the city-​sounds, lifting morsels to your mouth, you could almost think you were in Japan, the flavours are perfect! Though, as authentic as they are, they have some modern/​australian twists! They serve roll-​sushi with both white or brown rice, and the rice options both go for the onigiri as well, which is fried until golden-​crispy crunchy on the outside, and slathered with your choice of sauce (I recommend sesame — it’s like goma, you won’t regret it)! Their salads are akin to those you’ll find in the good organic/​trendy cafes throughout Japan — lots of brown rice, japanese potato salad, broccoli salad with tofu dressing — nom! Free help-​yourself white picked ginger and more shichimi togarashi (7-​flavour chilli) than you can poke a chopstick at the self-​serve station, and nab yourself a cup of their delicious miso to warm you up on a chilly winter’s day.
Practicalities: They are cash-​only, and there is the aforementioned line although it moves quickly. Aim to arrive 11:45am and you might even be rewarded with one of their rare and cosy sunny seats along the window so you can eat in comfort away from the bustle of the line.

Purple Peanuts is packed during weekday lunch hour and the queue does go out the door. Don’t be put off though, service moves quickly and tables seems to move around reasonably quick too. The biggest trouble you have here is to decide what to get.
Sushi selection at the front counter offers white and brown rice selection and don’t miss the deep fried sushi triangle or ball (tuna or vegetarian). Comes drizzled with your choice of sauce and is a crowd pleaser.
There is cool and amazing selection of cold dishes on your left, my favourites include the Tuna tataki and spicy salmon sashimi (all served beautifully, generously and just super tasty)
Up on the board is your selection of made to order dishes, from hot– like japanese curry, chicken teriyaki, soup and cold selection.
Yes if you are around the area you must come here to get lunch!

I love this place. It has the best Japanese food this side of the CBD.
It is always packed, and with good reason as it offers excellent Japanese food. I get annoyed when a café offers all the Asian cuisines. Guys, pick a cuisine and be ace at it. Don’t try and cover the whole continent.
I digress.
Purple Peanuts does excellent hand rolls (with brown rice), onagiri balls and the best chicken teriyaki ever. Juicy, plump and delicious, and comes with a side salad and the option of brown rice.
When I am this side of the CBD, I always swing past here for lunch. Get in early if you want a seat, otherwise you’re standing out the front like a hooker with your tasty morsels of food.

I was introduced to Purple Peanuts late 2013 and was promised the best sushi in the CBD. My friend did not tell a lie. Purple Peanuts has the best sushi I have eaten in Melbourne. I have found with some sushi places there is far too much rice and not enough of the good stuff (tuna or chicken). Purple Peanuts has the right combination. My personal favourite is the spicy tuna hand roll.
They even have a selection of different hot foods and even burgers. I have not tried these yet but I look forward to trying these soon.
I highly recommend you eat here.

Want clean Japanese in a snap? Have time to savour a brown rice salad with a beer after work? This is your place — sit inside or out the front and watch the heaving foot traffic of pedestrians on their way to Southern cross station.

FRESH, HEALTHY, AUTHENTIC … once you’ve been to Purple Peanuts it’s the stick by which you measure everything else (in the take away Japanese category).
You’ll typically see a long line queuing outside but they fly through the orders making the wait only a couple of minutes, as they seem to have as many staff as there are customers. The prices are reasonable but the main attraction is the non-​standard meals on offer like Prawn Burger, Vegetarian Californian Rolls and great fresh sushi plates. It’s so refreshing to leave behind the standard Chicken Curries and experiment a little whilst not going down the road to unhealthy fried /​oily foods.

This Japanese café does the job in delivering great Japanese dishes. I went here on a Thursday night, wasn’t too busy but busy enough. We secured a 5 seater and each ordered our dishes. They were sent out to us very efficiently.
The ambiance is just like your average café, although it was a bit cold as they left the door open with a plant weight. Try the Chicken soba noodle curry!

One word: solid.
Even though this place is super busy around lunch time and can look a little chaotic, the service is still always quick and the food is fresh. There’s a little bit of seating inside, but I think that most customers prefer to grab their lunch and run.
The prices are all very reasonable and the curries are cooked fresh and hot. While the sushi is pretty great, I’m a huge fan of the chicken curry. The chicken is always cooked just right, and although the curry itself is a tiny bit bland it’s complimented for some seriously tasty pickles that make the dish perfect.
The only setback is that they only take cash, so come prepared!

I love their origini grill rice ball. Yummm~~~!
The curry menu it’s also good, low-​moderate, peppery-​like spiciness.
Their salads are good, loved their creamy potatoes salad, sesame veggies salad or rice salad. They have new noodle salad but I found that it was a bit salty.
Their green tea panna cotta it’s a bit bitter, but my daughter loved it.
Overall, pretty authentic little busy Japanese take away, be there before 12pm to avoid office lunch time crowds!

We visited the purple peanut japanese café in February and absolutely loved it. They offer typical japanese food beyond sushi and sashimi such as curry rice, Gyudon, teriyaki, soba items and onigiri. I too recommend trying the panna cotta — we had a sesame and mango one that we adored.
The staff is very friendly and the food arrived very very quickly. I think the café closes at about 8 or 9 pm on weekdays so watch out for that if you’re going for a late dinner.
This recommendation was written by Katrin S. If you enjoyed my recommendation, I’d appreciate a «helpful» or «cool» given.

Very good and affordable Japanese food on the go. I say on the go because its right by Southern Cross station and, therefore, makes for a great stack before hopping on the train.
Any of their brown rice sushi’s are delicious and very filling.
But my go-​to order is a sashimi salad with ponzu dressing! very light and refreshing!

Expectations certainly led to ambiguity and disappointment after my visit to Purple Peanuts Japanese Café on Collins Street. There has been a fair amount of hype and positive press about this place in recent times. It is certainly popular as there is a queue out the door and every table, both inside and out was taken. I wasn’t going to let that turn me off so I persevered.
After getting toward the front of the queue, I was shouted at by one of the staff who asked me to order. It was a vexed situation as I had reviewed the menu on the wall and nothing looked so exciting that I wanted to order it so I was waiting to see what they had on display in the glass case, where the queue terminated as sweaty legal tender was exchanged at the terminus for the food and beverage, in this «cash only» funky café.
Ultimately I ordered a few sushi rolls — two spicy tuna rolls and one Japanese lobster roll along with a small cup of potato salad. What I liked about the rolls is that the café doesn’t try to deceive you. In a fair amount of cases you will see sushi rolls with a fair amount of fish sticking out on one side however after you purchase it, you are disappointed that the fish doesn’t occupy the whole roll. This dodgy tactic isn’t employed at this café. The tuna wasn’t exactly spicy and I wouldn’t consider the addition of a strip of red capsicum a qualifier for the title. The Japanese lobster roll was bland and just okay. It certainly wasn’t worth waiting in the queue for. My highlight was the potato salad as there were fresh and crunchy vegetables in it and was generally worth the money.
Not discounting the food fully as there are some value for money items on the menu and there is a reason why the place is so popular that a queue forms down Collins Street to get in however my gripes with the place is that there is no air conditioning, it is loud and you have about the same chance as getting a table as you do winning the Lotto. In fact, I retreated to a food court north of the café just so a seat could be secured. I may have to strategically return to this place in the off hours (if there are any) so that the crowds that can be likened to those at Southern Cross station are off doing something else and a more positive experience can be had.

Definitely a must-​try if you’re stuck for lunch options in the starker end of the CBD. The sushi rolls are great and I’m a big fan of the soba noodle salads.
Be prepared to queue — this is no hidden gem.

I bump in to my friend Jarrod as I’m walking up the street. «Gee, that’s looks good — is that from that Purple Peanuts place?»
He’s eyeing off my little sushi pack. Eggplant and tamari rice balls with flamed salmon sashimi on seaweed salad neatly packed in to a box with a clear lid. And yes, he’s right — my lunch today is from Purple Peanuts — a tiny little place on Collins Street that is jammed on any given weekday lunch time with students, travellers, and suits.
Sushi rolls, salads, bento boxes, and other assorted hand-​sized snacks make for a quick meal on the run. If you have time, try and score a table and settle in with a big bowl or curry, miso soup or sashimi based salad. It’s fresh, delicious and quick — everything you want in a Japanese lunch spot.