A few short years ago had someone asked you to recommend a good vegan restaurant in London you would have been hard-pressed to answer. The plant-based movement was viewed as niche and difficult to maintain with most restaurateurs concluding there simply wasn’t a market for it.
Well, how times have changed. Since World Vegan Month was founded in 1994, with Veganuary following a decade later, millions have signed up to take part and 2022 is expected to be the movement’s biggest year yet – and restaurants and retailers have been quick to offer menus and products to meet the growing trend. Suffice to say, if you’re looking to try out the plant-based lifestyle this year, it should be a breeze. Here’s our guide to the best vegan restaurants in London.
Pied à Terre, Fitzrovia
The Michelin-starred Pied à Terre in Fitzrovia has long been applauded for the care it takes in catering to vegetarian and vegan diets. Founded in 1991 it currently holds the title of longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant in the UK, with current executive chef Asimakis Chaniotis bringing his Greek influence to the restaurant’s classic French cooking. While the menu isn’t purely plant-based, its vegan tasting menu is regularly voted one of the best in the business, with highlights including smoked coco beans with white balsamic, Scialatielli carbonara and dark chocolate mousse with figs.
Visit pied-a-terre.co.uk
Holy Carrot, Knightsbridge
One of the newest additions to the capital’s vegan restaurant scene, Holy Carrot opened within the chic Urban Retreat wellness space in Knightsbridge in 2021 to offer the neighbourhood’s well-heeled inhabitants upscale plant-based fare in a relaxed all-day dining environment. Ingredients are seasonal and ethically-sourced while all dishes are gluten, sugar, preservative and additive-free.
If all that sounds a little holier than thou, don’t worry – nothing has been sacrificed in terms of flavour. There’s a decadent Sunday brunch on offer, featuring treats such as apple and cinnamon pancakes and miso caramel sponge cake, while the main menu offers a satisfying mix of salads, Asian-inspired small plates and sliders.
Dirty Vegan, White City
Going vegan doesn’t have to mean your diet is all green juices and chickpea crisps – at least that’s what Dirty Vegan, sister brand to the highly indulgent burger chain Dirty Bones, believes. Its home at Westfield White City makes it the perfect alternative mid-spree pitstop and the menu, which features a range of classic burgers, hot dogs, ‘chicken’ and fries, alongside vegan ice creams and milkshakes, is every bit as tempting as your usual fast food guilty pleasure.
A cook-at-home meal kit for two is also available, containing two Beyond Meat cheeseburgers (complete with vegan American cheese, demi brioche buns, relish, pickled jalapeños, jalapeño dressing, red onions and gherkins) and skinny fries with onion and garlic salt, along with an Old Skool Fashioned cocktail (Baked apple Bulleit bourbon, Rosso vermouth, vanilla and cinnamon) each. Sounds like a great night in to us.
Visit dirty-vegan.com
Gauthier Soho
Helmed by eponymous chef Alexis Gauthier, who has been vegan since 2016, Michelin-starred Soho restaurant Gauthier is another London fine dining favourite offering something a little more special for those choosing to go plant-based. As of 23 June 2021, the restaurant became 100 per cent plant-based, marking quite the departure from the usually meat-and-dairy heavy dishes found in the French gastronomy stable. Choose between a five- or eight-course tasting menu filled with intriguing dishes such as red wine and beetroot borsch, crisp butternut tatin and cashew and walnut fromage with quince and pickles.
Club Mexicana, Soho, Spitalfields and Covent Garden
Image: Nic Crilly/Hargrave Photography
With outposts in Soho, Spitalfields and Covent Garden, Club Mexicana has filled the taco-shaped hole in London’s vegan scene with its commitment to big flavours, quality ingredients and absolutely no chickpeas. Ever. Having started life as a street food operation, Club Mexicana opened its first permanent restaurant in August 2020, and now offers a more extensive menu of nachos, tacos, burritos and cocktails – all of which are completely vegan. Started with the fully loaded nachos (topped with, queso, ground ‘beef’, guacamole, salsa, pink onions, pickled jalapeños, chipotle oil and chilli-lime salt) before moving on to the classic Al Pastor taco or ‘chorizo’ and sweet potato burrito. A frozen margarita is also a must.
Purezza, Camden
Vegan pizza: not the oxymoron you might think thanks to the culinary wizardry happening over at Camden’s Purezza. The UK’s first fully vegan pizzeria now also has locations in Bristol, Manchester and Brighton thanks to the simple reason that its pizza is great. And we don’t mean great for vegan pizza. We mean great for any pizza. It helps that Purezza’s chefs develop all their ingredients, including a signature brown rice mozzarella, cashew cheese, coconut cheese and sourdough base, in-house giving them the freedom to curate a menu that spans everything from a simple margherita to a lavish black truffle and pulled porketta pizza. There’s also a range of vegan dough balls, dips and desserts available, including a salted caramel brownie you won’t believe is dairy-free.
Patty&Bun, across London
While not technically a purely vegan restaurant, another of London’s fast-casual comfort food favourites turning its hand to plant-based fare is the ever-popular Patty&Bun. Its core line-up of vegan burgers and sides include Impossible ‘Chicken’ Nuggets, ‘brisket’ loaded chips, milkshakes and plant-based versions of the chain’s best-selling Hot Chic and Ari Gold burgers.
Visit pattyandbun.co.uk
Norma, Fitzrovia
Fitzrovia-based Sicilian restaurant Norma will be going the whole, ahem, hog this World Vegan Month with a slew of vegan options on both its a la carte and tasting menus. Taking its cues from the restaurant’s classic Italian fare, the menus will boast dishes including roasted whole broccolo Romanesco, pumpkin tortellini and poached quince while the small plates supper club will feature chickpea panelle with salsa verde and aubergine parmigiana among other enticing treats.
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