Lentil as Anything is series of pay-as-you-feel, organic, vegetarian restaurants in Melbourne, Australia. There are currently three restaurants, the first of which opened in 2000 in St. Kilda, the largest is located in the former Abbotsford Convent, in Abbotsford, an inner eastern suburb of Melbourne. And the most recent opened in Footscray in December 2009. Lentil as Anything is a multicultural and refugee friendly organisation. Opening hours are roughly 9am to 9pm.[1]
Live music, world music, films, and artworks are often performed and displayed at the restaurants, particularly at Abbotsford, where the restaurant has become a public meeting place with many patrons traveling from the inner north and east. Food is sourced from local organic food suppliers, prepared on site and often served in buffet style allowing guests to choose their own meals. There are also a small range of vegan and gluten free options. All locations also feature espresso coffee and some cakes. Lentil as Anything also offers a catering service and notably catered for the Green New Deal conference in Melbourne in 2009.
The restaurants wholly rely on the generosity of their patrons, volunteers and suppliers to operate, receiving no government or church funding. Patrons are asked to "pay what they feel" the meal, service and beverages are worth by contributing an amount of their choice into a box at the counter. The Abbotsford and St. Kilda locations initially faced large financial debt due to mismanagement and other factors, many of which have since been resolved. The introduction of week-round buffet at Abbotsford saw a significant boost in patronage during 2009.
In 2010, a documentary on the restaurant The Naked Lentil was aired by SBS.
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In 2005, Lentil as Anything was one of the first organisations to set up in the newly publicly available Abbotsford Convent.
In February 2010, Lentil as Anything was informed by the board that runs the Abbotsford Convent that their lease would not be renewed and thus, would have to move out of the premises. It is believed that the board wish to put a tender out on the space to attract a high-rent paying tenant and/or increase the commercial profile of the Abbotsford Convent. The decision by the board gives no consideration of the cultural, ethical and social importance of Lentil as Anything amongst the alternative, disabled, refugee and arts communities, and fails to acknowledge the formative and pioneering role of the restaurant in the Abbotsford Convent.