Not for profit icon Lentil as Anything to close its restaurant doors

The not-for-profit community dining hub, Lentil As Anything, will close its three Melbourne restaurants at the end of February.

Founder Shanaka Fernando says Lentil As Anything is no longer viable to run, citing financial difficulties due to the pandemic. 

Fernando said the pay-as-you-feel restaurants located in Abbotsford, St Kilda and Thornbury would close on 27 February. 

Lentil As Anything has been around for 21 years and asked patrons to pay what they felt a meal was worth. Reports show they have served over 20 million vegan and vegetarian meals during that time. 

According to Fernando, the Melbourne restaurant provided over a million meals a year at its peak, with only a third paid for.

Last month, Lentil as Anything’s Sydney restaurant located in Newtown closed its doors over unpaid rent. 

In a statement Fernando said, “The backpackers and uni students were about 70 per cent of our clientele and they made up a similar number of the 5000 volunteers we needed annually as well to supplement our paid workforce.

“But with the closing of the borders our numbers dwindled considerably.

“We still provided about 100,000 free meals during the lockdowns, but we are now in a position where our income is not meeting the cost of our outgoings.”

Fernando has been on WorkCover since November, this, and a lack of government support during the pandemic led to the decision to close.

In October 2020, a GoFundMe campaign was set up which raised $373,000 giving the company the opportunity to pay its debts and to keep running a little longer.

Crowd-funding campaigns were also started in January for the Melbourne and Newtown restaurants, but were unsuccessful in raising the funds needed.

Fernando said he was “very humbled” to see the concept blossom, while those in need sought social connection and a meal.

“I know it has helped out many thousands of people whether they are local or from overseas. And to see how many people have worked or volunteered at Lentil and gone on to successful lives and careers is very satisfying,” he said. 

“We have tried to hang on as long as we could, but it is now untenable.”

Irit Jackson, 21^st February 2022