LDNGuide
The 21 Best Vegan Restaurants In London
Our favourite restaurants serving vegan food in London.
Being vegan and eating out can be hard. Maybe you ask the waiter if the tomato soup is vegan, he says “obviously”, and then it turns up with six dollops of cream. Or maybe for the office dinner someone picks a place with vegan options, that turn out to be one sad superfood salad with extra lettuce. Because you’re vegan, lettuce is your staple, right? Fries are your messiah, no? Or maybe, just maybe, you’re sick of leaving early to eat three boxes of Oreos after a complete stranger overhears “vegan” and asks you if you’re getting enough protein. Again.
That’s why we’ve made this guide. So that you can eat out without having to utter the fateful words, “please can you leave the cheese off that”. Here are the best places to eat in London if you’re vegan, plus restaurants that do great vegan options as part of their regular menus. Check out our guide to the best vegetarian restaurants in London too.
COMPLETELY VEGAN SPOTS
Jam Delish, a vibrant vegan Caribbean spot in Islington, has the kind of Good Times energy that will enable a round of colourful cocktails, even on a Tuesday night. You could make a meal from small plates like ‘fish’ tacos and whole jerk plantain with sharp pomegranate, but don’t miss mains like incredibly tender, warming ‘oxtail’ (jackfruit and mushroom) stew. That said, it’s really the buzz of the place, turned-up R&B playlist, and welcoming hospitality that’ll lift your spirits.
Spicebox, a plant-based Indian restaurant in Walthamstow, has got cosy family meals and casual catch-ups written all over it. A combination of the amber and fuchsia cushions (the same colour as their pickled onions), and friendly staff means this is a place where you can have an unhurried, relaxed time. The pani puri and tarka dhal should definitely be on your table, as should the loaded bhaji. It's a small space so book ahead for evenings when the thrum of chatter is at its loudest and friends nick the best bits of the thali specials off shared plates.
Sign up for our newsletter.
Be the first to get expert restaurant recommendations for every situation right in your inbox.
Eat of Eden has one of the largest patio areas at Brixton Village, makes purely Caribbean vegan food, and serves one of the largest single person combo platters we’ve ever seen. Seriously, this thing is huge. You’d be making a mistake if you didn’t get the pumpkin and sweet potato curry, the fried dumplings, and the seaweed fritters. Or you can go for single-item meals (served with a grain and a side) or a wrap, though you’ll likely be taking those away for later because they’re enormous too.
This all-vegan Chinese spot on Upper Street is heaving seven days a week, as everyone tucks into house-made silken tofu in Sichuan sauce, mock meats like Chongqing chicken, and dim sum like soupy xiao long bao stuffed with tofu and mushroom. And it’s all really, really good. The space is so big that it spills out onto the pavement, much like the sizzling fish-fragrant sauce that will likely fall from your greedy spoonfuls.
The reincarnation of tiny vegan Chinese spot Mao Chow, Facing Heaven is just around the corner from the original Hackney location and a little bigger—but you’ll still get cosy with your neighbour. Lip-tingling dishes also remain: plump mock-pork dumplings drenched in kicking chilli flake-infused oil, garlic-heavy stir-fried chrysanthemum and chunks of black pudding (tofu-based but you’ll second-guess it’s not meat), and bouncy cold noodles which have had a XO bath. The red and green lighting, single fake roses on tables, and disco ball in the bathroom add to the slightly-chaotic-but-fun charm. Head here for date night, mates night, or just a solo bowl of noodles.
Andu Café, an Ethiopian spot in Dalston, is one of the easiest choices for a vegan meal in London for every good reason imaginable. Firstly, you can only order one thing: a six-dish platter with injera or rice. Secondly it’s reasonably priced, especially given the generous portions. And thirdly, it’s BYOB.
Mildreds is a Soho institution that has been serving plant-based food since a time when the general public probably thought quinoa was a musical instrument. These days most of the wide-ranging menu is vegan-friendly, and as well as bean burgers there are dishes like tandoori mock chicken, dumplings, and Sri Lankan curry.
OK, we hear you. Wolves are not generally known for their vegan lifestyle. But, as soon as you get past the name of this casual all-day Chelsea spot, you can appreciate the menu of burgers, pasta, pies, wraps, and importantly, a dairy-free cheesecake. It’s a menu that jumps around the world in terms of cuisine and everything here is vegan. Although it isn’t the most atmospheric place on the planet, if you sit upstairs you can have an alright sit-down experience. Otherwise swing by for one of the grab-and-go options at the counter.
Stem & Glory is quite a dramatic name for a casual, low-key vegan restaurant in the City, but, having tried the meatballs, we’ll let it get away with some theatrics. It serves things from around the world, like rainbow bowls, kimchi pancakes, smoothies, blue corn tacos, and a bao burger that’s entirely worth getting jackfruit down your t-shirt for. If you happen to work nearby, its takeaway menu is prime lunch food.
SPOTS WITH GOOD VEGAN OPTIONS
The vegan dishes at Voodoo Ray’s are both pizzas, and there will obviously come a time in your life when you’re in east London and need pizza. It’s inevitable. The Queen Vegan is covered in artichoke, green olives, sun blush tomatoes, red onion, and their green sauce. Plus, you can either get it as a whole 12-inch pie, by the slice, or delivered. Lovely.
The menu at this Peruvian restaurant in Shoreditch is split into soil, sea, and land, which means that from the moment you sit down you can just direct your eyes to the soil section and know you’re in safe hands. There’s also a full vegan tasting menu that involves dishes like mushroom ceviche, caramelised aubergine, and chilli mayo. It’s a casual, cool place that’s perfect for a catch-up with friends over brunch, date night at the bar, or swinging by for a plate of brussels sprouts with wild rice after work.
There are Dishoom locations across London, all serving excellent Indian food. And importantly, Indian vegan food too. There’s everything from the vegan Bombay full breakfast, to small plates like chickpea curry, to vegan lassis, and a whole host of other options. Unless you’re rolling with a group of six or more, dinner at Dishoom operates on a walk-in basis, but the King’s Cross site is often your best bet for beating the queues.
Despite the number of extended family members who are deeply concerned that being vegan means that you won’t have enough vitamin B12, what they should be worried about is that you don’t have enough options in restaurants. Luckily, the vegan menu at Fitzrovia’s East Street has everything from Singapore noodles, to a black pepper stir-fry, to pad krapow tofu. I.e. enough options so that you too can spend 45 minutes staring at a menu stuck in indecisive terror. This big East Asian-inspired spot has a street market look with plenty of neon signs and it’s just as perfect for a solo bowl of yaki udon as it is for a big group meal.
Mr Bao is basically the David Attenborough of restaurants. If you don’t like it then you’re probably a bit weird, hate puppies, and have an online dating profile that’s full of pictures of you from 10 years ago. OK, that’s a bit harsh, but between the cool and casual interiors and excellent Taiwanese food, it’s pretty much impossible to not like this little Peckham spot. On the vegan menu, you’ll find things like tofu bao, sweet potato chips with a vegan sriracha mayo, and our favourite thing here, the shiitake mushroom bao.
Much like if you watched Good Will Hunting because you’re into fresh game, or were expecting a tale of a Tango Rolex from A Clockwork Orange, sometimes names are misleading. It’s understandable that you might not expect one of London’s best vegan burgers from a place named Meatliquor, but that’s exactly what you’ll find here. This loud and proud part-diner part-dive bar is just up from Oxford Circus and is open every night until 3am, so whether you need black bean chilli fries in the midst of shopping, or several rounds of Nashville spice-dusted nuggets after several rounds of drinks, this place has got you covered.
Along with misconceptions that being vegan means you’re exceptionally healthy all the time and that 90% of your paycheck goes on Linda McCartney sausages, another is that being vegan means you have to miss out on some of London’s best restaurants. Restaurants exactly like Bubala. Luckily this Middle Eastern spot in Spitalfields isn’t only serving some of the best all-vegetarian food in London, but it has plenty of vegan options too. You’re in safe hands no matter what you order—but if you leave without getting the fried aubergine with date syrup you’re doing it wrong.
This shiny and slick restaurant off Carnaby Street serves food inspired by Istanbul. Which means the mezze, both hot and cold, is spectacular. Luscious muhammara, sweet with peppers and pomegranate, is made for scooping up with the crisp and warm wood-fired pide. Give us bread and a bucket of this and we're happy. A good portion of the mezze at Zahter is vegan which is the best part of a meal here anyway, so order a selection, get more than enough pide, and try one of the house cocktails while you’re at it.
Black-eyed bean stew, ackee croquettes, and nkatekwnan—a bear hug in groundnut soup form, with its own sticky mashed rice and sesame island—the majority of the set menu, sharing dishes at this pan-African restaurant in Southwark are conveniently vegan. Each dish is an ode to the chef’s Ghanaian childhood memories and travels across the continents, from hummus inspired by a trip to Tel Aviv, to a Cape Malay-inspired rice dish. Added bonus—each person can pick their set menu choices. So the whole table doesn’t have to order exclusively vegan.
With an upbeat dining room painted a cheerful pink, Chuku’s in Tottenham has the ability to create loud and proud unforgettable flavours and make it look oh-so easy. And the best part is that these are flavours for everyone: the meat is halal and the gluten-free options are endless, and all but one of the small plates are vegan. The spot even provides a valiant service for anyone who is hungover or experiencing a brutal dose of the Sunday Scaries with its weekend brunches. So it’s the perfect option if one half of the party is vegan and the other half claims to be “allergic” to vegetables.
Lahpet West End
Lahpet’s original restaurant is in Shoreditch, but in our opinion, its Covent Garden spot is bigger and better. Downstairs there’s a buzzing open kitchen and big sharing tables that are perfect for anyone who’s on a solo mission to eat some excellent noodle soup. Upstairs, the lighting is a little moodier and there are lots of two-person tables that will suit a date night involving lentil chow chow, several small plates, and a round of Lahpet’s pickled tea take on a classic martini. Expect great vegan options, gluten-free numbers, and enough ginger to shock you out of your urban blues.
One of our favourite pizza places in London, this Spitalfields spot specialises in super-thick Detroit-style, marinara-heavy pizzas. Any of the vegetarian options can be made vegan on request, making it an excellent choice in the area. Hit this place up for the kind of meal that will have you needing a nap afterwards, or better yet pick up a box and take it straight home to eat in bed.
