London’s best vegan restaurants
There’s a wide array of vegan food on offer across the capital, from sweet pastries and Ethiopian injera, to fake sushi and Chinese takeaway. London local and passionate vegan Serena Lee rounds up her top nine places to grab a plant-based bite…
01/01/2022Updated 30/08/2023
Four Seasons pizza with artichokes, olives, wild mushrooms and smoked beetroot
Purezza
Where: 45-47 Parkway, London NW1 7PN
This unassuming vegan pizzeria has won awards at the World Pizza Championships, PizzAward in Naples, and more – all up against traditional, non-vegan pizzas. And while its wood-fired, sourdough pizzas are truly delicious, Purezza also offers a range of tasty vegan small plates including mac and cheese and slow-baked ‘meatballs’, making it a desirable pitstop for hungry plant-based foodies. It has locations in Brighton and London, and the latter is a just short walk from Regent’s Park, so in the summer it’s perfect for grabbing a takeaway, wandering up to the park with friends and enjoying one of London’s most beautiful green spaces.
Crosstown’s chocolate truffle ring doughnuts
Crosstown
Where: 4 Broadwick Street, London W1F 0DA (plus multiple stores and vans across the UK)
Vegan doughnuts are a dime a dozen in London these days, but Crosstown’s are firm favourites. While its range isn’t entirely vegan, it has a fantastic grip on what makes a good vegan doughnut without compromising on flavour or quality. What’s more, it often releases limited-edition flavours to mark special events in the calendar – so keep an eye out for those. Otherwise, its long-standing chocolate truffle is always a reliable option as is the lime and coconut, which has the perfect balance of a creamy filling with zesty icing. Don’t be put off by the price (£5 a pop) – they really are worth it.
Rainbow cake and other delights at Vida
Vida Bakery
Where: 139 Brick Lane, London E1 6SB
Vida Bakery is highly recommended for custom vegan birthday cakes, but it also serves the vegan community as a sweet treat paradise, offering cupcakes, rainbow cake slices, cookies, hot drinks and more. It’s a dairy-, egg- and gluten-free café founded by the talented Dani and Vane, who helped to launch what we know as London’s vegan scene today. Stop by if you’re visiting Shoreditch – Vida is on Brick Lane (open Wednesday to Sunday) and is hard to miss with its colourful window displays.
The original Neat Burger
Neat Burger
Where: 4 Princes Street, London W1B 2LE (plus multiple locations across London)
There are so many of vegan-friendly burgers outlets across London now that’s it hard to narrow down the best of the bunch, but a favourite is Neat Burger. Backed by sporting superstar Sir Lewis Hamilton, Neat Burger aims to bring vegan fast food to the masses (and doesn’t leave you feeling stuck to the sofa afterwards like many fast-food eateries do). With nine branches already up and running in London, the chain hopes to cement its place as a household name for quick and easy vegan fast food. Burgers, fries, hot dogs, shakes and nuggets – as well as lighter fare – are all on offer. Remember to add tater tots to your order, too. They’re irresistible.
‘Petit sushi set’ at 123V
123V
Where: Fenwick, 63 New Bond Street, London W1S 1RQ
Upmarket department store Fenwick hides a secret in its basement: the 100 per cent vegan casual dining restaurant, 123V. Chef Alexis Gauthier has concocted an expansive menu that offers not only plant-based staples including falafel salads, rice bowls and vegan burgers and quesadillas, but also the most impressive array of vegan sushi in the capital. ‘V-tuna nigiri’ is made of succulent watermelon while the ‘V-salmon nigiri’ is based on compressed carrot. The ‘V-prawn tempura’ is also an absolute must – try them all with a bottomless sushi, worth every penny of the £30 price tag. The whole concept is health-focused – think vibrant colours and nourishing, hearty meals. It even boasts a vegan wine and cocktail list, so it’s the perfect refuelling point after a spot of shopping in one of London’s most-loved locations. Breaking news: a new outlet is slated to open in Fitzrovia.
Vantra’s raw cacao brownies
Vantra
Where: 5 Wardour Street, London W1D 6PB
Opened in 1999, Vantra was a pioneering fully vegan eatery in London’s Soho. Its food has remained consistently high quality in both nutritional value and in flavour, and it’s still a popular London location. Dishes are served buffet-style (opening image) and all meals are made from plants – you won’t find mock meats or oil-based ‘cheese’ here. An all-time favourite is its mushroom stroganoff, but its smoothies, hot drinks and desserts are all delicious, too. Owner Mui Phong describes Vantra as a “tranquil sanctuary”, and the experience here will leave you feeling as if you just had a good night’s sleep, despite being right in the bustling heart of the city.
Loving Hut Archway
Where: 669 Holloway Road, London N19 5SE
Before the influx of new, competing vegan establishments opened up across the capital, there was Loving Hut, a veteran vegan restaurant that’s been feeding Londoners for more than a decade. With an extensive buffet menu comprising Chinese takeaway classics such as sesame toast, steamed dumplings and soy-based ‘meat’ in the traditional Chinese style – and manned by a friendly team – it’s a tasty and reliable urban vegan option.
The house special comes with a bit of everything (Southbank Centre Market/Jake Davis)
Ethiopiques
Where: Southbank Centre Food Market, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
Ethiopian cuisine is naturally very vegan-friendly, with a plethora of dishes based on pulses. Here, set dishes offer something for everyone, and the draw for many diners new to Ethiopian food is injera: the spongey, fermented bread used to scoop up lentils and mop up delicious sauce. If you’re looking to eat the rainbow, look no further: Ethiopiques’ colourful combinations will fill you up, and for a fair price, too. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Vegan döner gyros with all the trimmings
What the Pitta!
Where: 53 Brick Lane, London E1 6PU (plus Camden)
Offering Turkish-inspired vegan street food, What the Pitta! is a cult favourite amongst herbivores and omnivores alike. It offers vegan döners, gyros, mezze boxes with incredible dairy-free tzatziki, as well as falafel wraps and London’s best baklava – plus its bread is freshly-baked (which makes all the difference). It’s the kind of food that proves vegans don’t have to miss out on anything – it’s all here in London.
London’s vegan experiences
Being vegan isn’t all about eating plant-based food. Try these alternative experiences in the heart of the city
Nobody knows the UK like British Airways. The airline operates flights from London to every corner of the country, including Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast and Jersey
