London vegan restaurants 2023: plant based food in the capital and where to find them
Veganism is the practice of eating only food not derived from animals, and typically avoiding the use of other animal products.
In the last couple of years vegan and plant based diets have exploded in growth with millions across the country switching from traditional diets choosing to embrace vegan and vegetarian lifestyles.
WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME VEGAN?
Whether it’s for ethical, medical, or environmental reasons, people embrace veganism for a whole host of different perspectives.
Whatever an individual’s reason might be for making this change, the definition of what makes someone a vegan remains the same.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN?
A vegan is someone who chooses to abstain from using and consuming animal products in their diet, and day to day life.
Veganism differs from vegetarianism because where a vegetarian may not consume meat as part of their diet, they may still consume or use other animal products such as dairy, eggs, certain chesses, alcohols, and chocolates.
WHAT DOES A VEGAN EAT?
A vegan diet is plant based and is made up primarily of fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses and other naturally occurring foods.
In recent years there’s been a huge influx of vegan recipes and vegan products allowing vegans to create a wide range of nutritious and tasty dishes from a wide range of different cuisines.
VEGAN RESTAURANTS UK
From vegan pizza to vegan ramen, to help you celebrate Veganuary and provide you with the ultimate plant based bible, we’ve listed some of the best and innovate vegan restaurants across the country.
Fine dining vegan restaurants
Creating an ethos that blends old-world training with new-world techniques, Kirk Haworth's Plates restaurant offers an elevated take on plant based cooking that draws upon his own personal health journey.
Where: 538 Kingsland Road, E8 4AH
Holy Carrot is a plant-based restaurant, open for all-day dining. The restuarant seeks to create a warm and inviting environment with a vegan menu that focuses on using ethically sourced, seasonal produce, prepared in a mindful manner. All dishes are gluten-free, sugar-free as well as being free from preservatives and additives.
Where: 2-4 Hans Crescent, SW1X 0LH
Alexis Gauthier's award-winning Gauthier provides an emphasis on vegetables across all dishes through the restaurnt's seasonal 100% plant based tasting menu. The restaurant is housed in a chic Soho Townhouse that also features five private dining rooms for parties of all sizes.
Where: 21 Romilly Street, W1D 5AF
Rishim Sachdeva (ex-Chiltern Firehouse, The Fat Duck, The Dairy) is known for his creative, flavoursome plant-first dishes, with the menu at Tendril focussing on fresh, seasonal produce, and taking inspiration from Rishim’s enviable restaurant kitchen experience in both London and India
Where: 5 Princes Street, W1B 2LQ
CASUAL VEGAN RESTAURANTS
A firm favourite amongst South Londoners, En Root celebrates fresh seasonal vegetables, wholesome pulses and aromatic Gujarati spices to deliver a unique, internationally influenced menu.
Where: 28 Peckham Rye, Peckham, SE15 4JR; 5 Ascot Parade, Clapham, SW4 7EY
Since opening in 2020, Pastan has become a strong London leader for creating delicious handmade vegan pasta that tastes great and helps you live better.
Where: 12-14 St John’s Street, EC1M 4AY
Facing Heaven offers vegan asian influences including dishes orginating from Cantonese, Yunnan and Shaanxi provinces. 100% plant based there are even a few Puerto Rican, Portuguese and American menu items on the menu as well.
Where: 1a Bayford Street, E8 3SE
A 100% plant based restaurant in the heart of London’s Borough Market, brought to you from the team behind Mildreds. Mallow serves seasonal, sustainable food, inspired by cuisines from all over the world.
Where: 1 Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE
Tofu Vegan offers a completely plant based menu suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Many of the restaurant's dishes are made with tofu and mushrooms, or with Asian imitation meats made from bean proteins and other meat-free ingredients. Expect big enticing Sichuanregional flavours.
Where: Various locations
An establishment for London vegans, Mildreds offers a 100% plant based menu all day, every day. Serving internationally inspired, colourful food, Mildreds has welcomed guests since the opening our the very first Mildreds in 1988.
Where: 45 Lexington Street, W1F 9AN
Founded by Andy Goodwin (Ex Dabbous, Som Saa & Andrew Wong) ALTER exists to challenge the common perceptions of vegan food by drawing inspiration from global street food cultures rather than working with meat and dairy substitutes.
Where: 15 Leman Street, E1 8EN
Based in Walthamstow, SpiceBox is a local, award-winning curry house serving fresh and flavourful Indian vegan food. Spicebox is also incredibly aware about waste and recycling, adopting a host of initiatives to reduce waste and end single use plastic.
Where: 58 Hoe Street, E17 4PG
Andu Ethiopian Cafe offers guests fresh, high-quality vegan Ethiopian dishes to satisfy tastebuds, with a purpose is to provide every customer with an unforgettable experience; ensuring guests receive an outstanding, welcoming service alongside our delicious food.
Where: 528 Kingsland Road, E8 4AH
Powerplant is a plant based concept restaurant & bar, that offers a fun, healthy, tasty and inspiring sensory experience. Good food and good company are guaranteed thanks to a diverse range of events, talks, and activities for guests to partake in.
Where: 89 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AR
The Black Cat café is a vegan café, ensuring that all food, cleaning products and materials are 100 plant based and non-tested on animals. The café aim for the food they showcase to be attractive and tasty to people who aren’t vegan yet, helping push a change in attitudes.
Where: 76A Clarence Road, E5 8HB
Naifs is a family-run vegan bistro serving a delicious set meal in a jolly, welcoming setting. Providing vegetable focused dishes, Naifs' food showcases the abundance and beauty found in plants, pulses, and thoughtfully made products. Dishes are produce led and designed to go together.
Where: 56 Goldsmith Road, SE15 5TN
Since opening in 2004, 222 Vegan's aim has been simple – to welcome everyone with satisfying, delicious food. All dishes are prepared to order by Ben and his kitchen using fresh natural ingredients, and techniques which preserve taste and nutritional value.
Where: 222 North End Road, W14 9NU
Club Mexicana offers Mexican-Californian inspired street food that happens to be 100% vegan. Located in Carnaby, the restaurant represents a perfect central spot for casual vegan food for Londoners, with an extensive drinks menu available.
Where: Kingly Court, W1B 5PW
Wulf & Lamb is a plant based restaurant with two locations in London. The menu is entirely plant based, crafted to satisfy your craving for comfort food by creating vegan versions of familiar classics. Each dish is stacked with flavours and surprising ingredients, drawing inspiration from around the world.
Where: 243 Pavilion Road, SW1X 0BP
Itadaki is a Japanese restaurant focused on offering guests organic, vegan meals; as well as a host of workshops on sustainable food and the benefits of following a vegan diet.
Where: 139 King’s Cross Road, WC1X 9BJ
VEkitchen provides a casual yet extensive 100% plant based food offering, including super salads, naughty burgers, hot classics, luscious, natural and organic wines & beers, kombuchas, shakes and so much more
Where: 39 Northcote Road, SW11 1NJ
An vegan establishment in Camden, Purezza provides a range of vegan pizza's and pasta that has got diners of diets itching to visit. Divided across two floors with 120 staff, Purezza is London's largest vegan restaurant and one of it's most highly regarded.
Where: 43 Parkway, NW1 7PN
Organically and biodynamically prepared between the soil and the sun, Farmacy offers guests food nutritionally curated for those passionate about taste, provenance and ‘living food’ recipes that are good for human health and sustainability.
Where: 74 Westbourne Grove, W2 5SH
Stem & Glory is a 100% vegan business with restaurants located in London and Cambridge. Their aim is to make a contribution towards this shift and uptake of vegan and plant based diets, whilst serving amazing food to diners eaach dish at a time.
Where: 60 Bartholomew Close, EC1A 7BF
VEGAN FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS
Halo Burger is a Brixton vegan institution, and a burger lover's dream, providing an amazing range of plant based fast food goods that will statisy the hunger of diners (vegan or otherwise!).
Where: 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ
This casual offering from michelin-starred chef Alexis Gauthier combines a welcoming restaurant experience with some of the most popular world cuisines, all together in one place. From creative sushi, to comforting burgers, all fight for attention on one super-fun menu.
Where: 63 New Bond Street, W1S 1RQ
An East London institution, Temple of Seitan is a vegan fried chicken shop that has increased it's offering to include vegan kebabs, burgers and a whole range of side dishes. Definitely not one to miss!
Where: 5 Morning Lane, E9 6NA
Founded in 2018, Unity Diner strives to provide incredible vegan food that’s not only made with love, but that also directly helps bring about positive change for the animals and the earth.
Where: 60 Wentworth Street, E1 7AL
Based around the corner from Camden Town and Camden Road stations; What the Pitta! provides 100% plant based kebabs to vegans and non-vegans alike. The team pride themselves on ensuring that every single wrap is as special as that first one.
Where: 89-91 Bayham Street, NW1 0AG
Based in Shoreditch, The Vurger Co. is a vegan fastfood outlet providing diners a plant-based menu that include vegan burgers, fries, mac n cheese and shakes, as well as specials such as a vegan crispy chicken menu and exclusive “Pork” Burger.
Where: 6 Richmix Square, E1 6LD
Offering plant based burgers such as The Neat, The Cheese and The Chick'n, Neat Burher also offer a plant-based hotdog and vegan sides to accompany your burger or dog. Sides include skinny fries, sweet potato fries and tater tots (a deep-fried potato dish that’s a staple side in the US).
Where: 4 Princes Street, W1B 2LE
RESTAURANTS WITH VEGAN OPTIONS
The Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social is the flagship of owner Jason Atherton's global restaurant empire. As well as providing a renowned range of traditional british and european fare, Pollen Street Social offers mouth watering vegetarian and vegan options.
Where: 8-10 Pollen Street, W1S 1NQ
Bubala (meaning ‘darling’ in Yiddish) is all about vibrant food, culture, and a passion for hospitality. Starting as a pop-up, Bubala has since turned into 2 permanent restaurants, in the heart of Spitalfields and Soho.
Where: 65 Commerical Street, Shoreditch, E1 6BD; 15 Poland Street, Soho, W1F 8PR
A fine dining favourite and London's longest standing Michelin Star restaurant. Pied à Terre provides Luxurious dining, including award winning vegetarian and vegan menus.
Where: 34 Charlotte Street, W1T 2NH
Dinings SW3 is renowned for its elegant and modern take on the Japanese Izayaka - a style of cooking combining authentic Japanese and European cuisines, providing vegan and vegatarian dishes alongside other elements of their menu.
Where: Walton House, Lennox Garden Mews, SW3 2JH
BAO's vegan options include dishes such as mapo aubergine with chi shiang rice; Sanbei tofu balls with basil ranch; and whipped tofu with cong zhua bing. The XO sweetcorn and daikon bao buns are also a must.
Where: 53 Lexington Street, W1F 9AS
Scully's offers bold, sometimes bizarre flavours across their vegan tasting menu. Expect dishes such as as purple beetroot, urap sayur, peanut and chilli miso, betel leaf with tomato sofrito, lime shio koji and pickled green peaches, and Scully's famous arepa with eggplant sambal and coconut labneh.
Where: 4 St James's Market, SW1Y 4AH
An independent restaurant built on Japanese principals; friendly service, fresh food bursting with flavour, natural cooking techniques and food which is enjoyed with all five of the senses. ROBATA offers delicious vegan offerings that give other element of their menu plenty of competition.
Where: 56 Old Compton Street, W1D 4UE
Offering some of the best New York style pizza in London, Voodoo Ray's also provides plenty of vegan and vegetarian options including the El Niño (vegan chorizo, pickled onion vegan mozzarella, chipotle mayo, salsa verde, tomato sauce) and Queen Vegan (artichoke hearts, green olives, red onion, sunblush tomatoes, tomato sauce, green sauce).
Where: 285 Rye Lane, SE15 4UA
The Gate focuses on creative and healthy vegetarian and vegan dishes, loaded with flavours and presented beautifully. The restaurant sources ingredients with care, intensifying flavour by careful cooking and by combining ingredients in unexpected ways.
Where: 22-24 Seymour Place, W1H 7NL
Considered by many as one of London's best chippies, Sutton & Sons not only provides classic fish and chips but a 100% plant based alternative perfect for those experimenting with Veganuary 2023.
Where: 218 Graham Road, E8 1BP
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