At Kyïv Social, in the inner Sydney suburb of Chippendale, you’ll find sorrel-green borscht, plump potato dumplings and porcini-stuffed cabbage rolls. You’ll also find a very accomplished team at the family-style diner – the maître d’ is also an obstetrician, while the waitstaff includes a bank chief economist and a pilot.

Created to employ Ukrainian refugees and provide meals to those in need – both in Sydney and Ukraine – the restaurant is the latest addition to the Plate it Forward stable, which includes Colombo Social and Kabul Social. “I want the power of food to give diners empathy and respect for the bravery and resilience of refugees,” says founder and CEO Shaun Christie-David. “Food is a love language we can all understand.”

Across Australia, there’s a wave of ethical restaurants that put purpose before profit. While their focus might differ – some break down barriers to employment such as disability or housing instability; others aim to bolster the arts or raise money for community events – the universal metrics are the same: great food, coffee and cocktails.

You’ll likely be won over by the excellent gnocchi with wallaby ragù at Hobart’s bustling Hamlet café without ever realising it’s a registered charity. Since opening in 2016, the welcoming spot has provided training to more than 730 people with disability, some of whom now work at prominent local venues, including MONA and MACq 01 hotel. “Most people who come here aren’t aware that we’re a social enterprise – they’re just here for a great experience,” says co-founder Emily Briffa.

At Adelaide’s Aurora, largesse takes an artistic bent. Part of the Centre of Immersive Light and Art, the restaurant’s profits help creatives stage exhibitions and performances in the emerging East End precinct. Dishes such as venison tartare with black garlic emulsion and quail scotch eggs dabbed with smoked cream fit the arty brief while, behind the scenes, head chef Bilal Javed is focused on delivering a positive workplace.

“Our ethos is centred on sustainability – for our staff, our food and our artistic purpose,” he says. “Kitchens can be hard places to work. We’re determined to treat everyone with respect and to give them that important work/life balance.”

Social solidarity comes full circle at SalamaTea in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine. Owner Hamed Allahyari volunteered at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray as a newly arrived refugee from Iran, when he was unable to find a job as a chef. Today, a team of asylum seekers and new migrants hone their employment skills at his café, serving breakfast falafel plates stacked with hummus, fried haloumi and smoked eggplant and evening Persian feasts.

“When I got to Australia, I found not many people knew about Persian food,” says Allahyari. “Australian tastes were different but I’ve seen customers embrace the dishes. My favourite would have to be fesenjun, which is slow-cooked chicken with pomegranate molasses and walnut paste. I promise if you try it, you’ll like it.”

Keep reading for eight more ethical Australian restaurants serving delicious dishes with a feel-good factor.