Yahoo News The best vegan and vegetarian restaurants to try across the UK in 2022
Where once vegetarians and vegans had to scour cities for decent meat-free restaurants, today they’re everywhere. Dedicated plant-based restaurants are present in even the smallest of towns, while most restaurants no longer simply play lip service to those who don’t eat meat.
Vegan burger or fake chicken joints abound for those craving greasy food – all the major fast-food chains have joined the fun. Casual-dining chains now cater to the meat-free, some with separate vegan menus, like Wagamama.
On the higher end, fine dining is no longer all about fois gras and veal jus. Gauthier Soho has gone fully vegan, while London’s Pied a Terre has a vegan tasting menu.
Those who’ve long avoided meat know that certain cuisines naturally provide delicious vegan or vegetarian options without compromising on flavour or altering traditional dishes. Indian, Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, Mexican (and, of course, pizza) among others often fit the bill.
Whatever your reason for seeking out meat-free meals, here are some of the best spots around the country to visit if you're looking to make your meals meat-free.
London
Bubala, Shoreditch
Since opening in 2019, Bubala has become one of the city’s most popular meat-free spots. As is common in restaurants serving food inspired by the eastern Mediterranean – in this case Israel – the dishes rarely feel like something’s missing, thanks to an expertly handled variety of textures and flavours. Bubala offers vegan and vegetarian tasting menus, with hits like confit potato latkes inspired by the famous Quality Chop House chips, charred oyster mushroom skewers, and a stellar hummus.
65 Commercial St, Spitalfields, London E1 6BD; bubala.co.uk
Mildred’s
Now with six sites across the capital, Mildred’s has grown from big fish in a small pond to, well, a big fish in a big pond. Since opening in 1988 it has been a firm favourite among London’s vegans – the sort of place to take meat-eating parents without scaring them off. Traditional plant-based fare like curries and quinoa bowls abound, but Mildred’s has embraced the new wave of meat substitutes, with fried chick’n particularly successful.
Various locations
The Gate
Fully established in its own right as a vegetarian and vegan restaurant, The Gate has branches all over the capital. Dishes are beautifully presented, featuring both French and Italian influences to classic British meals. Diners must not miss out on the smoked jackfruit tortillas, baby corn Thai red curry and Green Dragon Salad - featuring glazed smoked tofu.
Various locations
Gauthier Soho
French chef Alexis Gauthier caused a stir when his Soho fine-dining establishment went fully vegan in 2021. Some guests fled, but new ones arrived, attracted by the experimental plant-based take on French classics. The tasting menu includes a vegan version of caviar, a soft sea bun with roscoff onion and seed, and an indulgent dark chocolate tart. Gauthier has also recently opened 123 Vegan, a more casual, fast-food oriented spot in Fenwick on Bond Street.
21 Romilly St, London W1D 5AF; gauthiersoho.co.uk
The Spread Eagle
The Spread Eagle opened in 2018 as “London’s first 100% vegan pub”, aiming to keep the tradition of the East End boozer alive while bringing it into the 21st century. Sceptics might balk at the absolutism (faux leather seats) but the food is solid (think animal-free versions of pub classics) and, crucially, the beer is faultless.
224 Homerton High Street, London E9 6AS; thespreadeaglelondon.co.uk
Wolkite Restaurant
Some of London’s best vegetarian cooking can be found in its myriad Ethiopian restaurants, which do wonderful things with pulses and vegetables. One of the best, Wolkite, is tucked away in an unassuming location near Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Not an exclusively vegetarian restaurant (their meat dishes are stellar), but meat avoiders or reducers can find all manner of delectable dishes to mop up with injera, the giant sourdough flatbread used in lieu of cutlery.
82 Hornsey Road, London N7 7NN; wolkiterestaurant.com
Jai Krishna
South Indian restaurants are among the best spots for meat-free food. There are plenty of popular spots around London, but one of the best is long-standing favourite Jai Krishna. With a canteen-style layout, BYOB ethos and generously priced curries (the brilliant thali costs £7.50), locals have been packing it out for years. The dosa is a snip at under a fiver and worth travelling for.
161 Stroud Green Road, London N4 3PZ; 02072721680
Bleecker’s Simplicity Burger
London burger lovers often cite Bleecker, which has four locations, as the city’s best. And its beef burgers are certainly a thing of beauty. Alongside this, however, is the Symplicity burger, developed by renowned meat-loving chef Neil Rankin, which puts the majority of the capital’s plant-based patties to shame. Made with a sciency concoction of fermented vegetables, it’s funky, umami-packed, greasy and moreish.
Various locations
Southeast and East Anglia
Terre à terre, Brighton
The late Sunday Times restaurant critic AA Gill, regarded by many as the best of his generation, wasn’t always a fan of vegetarian food. He certainly made an exception for this Brighton stalwart, writing in 2010: “It has understood the essential truth of vegetarianism: that it’s just food… this is most probably the best vegetarian restaurant in Britain.” Standards haven’t slipped since, and its globetrotting menu is still up to scratch.
71 East Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HQ; terreaterre.co.uk
Vanderlyle, Cambridge
Vanderlyle has received national acclaim over the past couple of years for its vegetable-led cookery. While not officially a vegetarian restaurant, the 11-course, £70 tasting menu has avoided meat since opening in 2019, and vegan diners can have changes made with advance notice. Expect the likes of cheddar shortbread with stilton custard and fig and port jam, caramelised onion with roasted almonds and licorice powder or savoy cabbage heart with curried butter sauce, puffed rice and fried capers.
38 Mill Road, Petersfield, Cambridge CB1 2AD; vanderlyle-restaurant.com
Moorish, Norwich
For many, falafel is the ultimate vegetarian (and often vegan) fast food. Deep-fried until crisp on the outside, with the herby chickpea balls steaming inside, then stuffed in flatbreads with a selection of salads, sauces and pickles, it’s hard to disagree. Norwich locals swear by Moorish, which has two locations in the city and offers falafel in a variety of combinations, as well as burgers and fake meat wraps.
17 Lower Goat Lane, Norwich NR2 1EL; moorishfalafel.com
Southwest
Root, Bristol
Bristol’s Root is a thoroughly modern restaurant. It serves up small plates, and on-trend ingredients like burrata or hispi cabbage are likely to feature. This is not a criticism, because Root does it brilliantly. It is not entirely vegetarian, but “vegetable focused”. So while you might find a couple of meat or fish dishes on the menu, and certainly cheese, the majority of options are vegetarian or vegan, and absolutely stunning.
Unit 9, Cargo 1, Gaol Ferry Steps, Bristol BS1 6WP; rootbristol.co.uk
Oak, Bath
Similar to Root, Oak is centred around ever-changing small plates based on what’s seasonal and available. Unlike Root, it is completely vegetarian. Guests can opt for a five-course tasting menu or go a la carte, with dishes keenly priced between £7-10. Think ricotta gnudi with buttered chard or charcoal grilled Wye Valley asparagus with wild garlic aioli in spring.
2 North Parade Passage, Bath BA1 1NX; oakrestaurant.co.uk
Willow Vegetarian Restaurant, Totnes
It’s no surprise that Totnes in Devon is home to some of the country’s best vegetarian food, with it’s alternative, new-age reputation. Willow is up there with the best, serving food that stalwarts of the vegetarian restaurant scene will recognise – quiches, curries, falafels – but doing it better than most, and at decent prices to boot.
87 High St, Totnes TQ9 5PB; 01803862605
Midlands
Land Restaurant, Birmingham
With stellar seasonal small plates based on what’s available, served over four- or six-course tasting menus, Birmingham’s Land has garnered a fervent fanbase, spurred on by a gushing review in the Observer in 2020. Expect plenty of Ottolenghi-fied roasted vegetables, with a nod to Asian ingredients too.
30 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham B2 5HU; land.restaurant
The POD Cafe, Coventry
Part of a multi-faceted council-run community space, this vegan café provides one of the most affordable meals around, with the set lunch costing just £8. The plant-based menu changes regularly, but expect a lunch to include offerings like roasted cauliflower and black bean curry, pilau rice and salad, followed by cardamom cake.
31 Far Gosford Street, Coventry CV1 5DW; coventry.gov.uk/thepod
No. Twelve, Nottingham
This Nottingham eaterie focuses on simple, fresh dishes made with local ingredients and avoiding animal-based products. Having only been open a few years, No Twelve has won multiple awards for its “elevated vegan cuisine”. Expect fake meats and cheeses taken to another level, as well as the likes of cauliflower tart fine, teriyaki tofu skewers brilliant desserts.
2-3 Eldon Chambers, Nottingham NG1 2NS; no12nottingham.co.uk
North
Whale Tail Cafe, Lancaster
A Lancaster establishment for the past 25 years, Whail Tail is a traditional British caff, but vegetarian. Think a build-your-own-breakfast menu with all the classics, even a vegan black pudding option. For lunch there are jacket potatoes, vegan burgers and tofu BLTs. Affordable, no-nonsense and delicious grub.
78a Penny Street, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 1XN; whaletailcafe.co.uk
Hypha, Chester
Chester has become something of a foodie hub in recent years, and that’s certainly the case for vegetarian and vegan food, too. The city has a plethora of cheap and fast-food options, but Hypha brings a level of sophistication, with its ever-evolving, “micro-seasonal” tasting menu. Awarded a green Michelin star in 2021 for its efforts in sustainability.
5 City Walls, Chester, CH1 2JG; hypha.uk
The Allotment, Manchester
Not only is this much-loved Manchester spot vegan, but gluten-free too. Like many new-wave vegan spots, it focuses on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. The menu is globetrotting, from chestnut bourguignon to mushroom ramen, ‘fish and chips’ to tofu laksa.
18/22 Lloyd Street, Manchester M2 5WA; allotmentvegan.co.uk
Prashad, Bradford
With longstanding Indian and Pakistani populations it’s no surprise some of the country's best vegetarian cooking can be found in Bradford. Prashad, run by a Gujarati family, aims to blend both the traditional and the modern. The five- and seven-course tasting menus are available in both vegetarian or vegan options, and include the likes of paneer tikka, masala dosa and kofta. Couples should seek out the excellent-value fixed price menu, at £38 for the pair.
137 Whitehall Road, Drighlington, BD11 1AT; prashad.co.uk
Wales
Le Public Space, Newport
An iconic cultural space which includes a music venue and cinema as well as all sorts of creative arts, Le Public Space now also has a bar with a fully vegan menu. The offering centres around fast food and pub classics, so expect burgers, ‘chicken’ wings, pies and more. Perfect post-gig food.
14 High Street, Newport NP20 1FW; lepublicpsace.co.uk
Eartha, Cardiff
Eartha is a restaurant, plant shop and deli rolled into one. Come for the succulents, stay for the excellent cooking handled by the team behind Herbivore (which runs another restaurant in the city). At Eartha, expect local produce handled with care in a regularly changing menu.
213 City Road, Cardiff CF24 3JD; earthastore.com
Scotland
Hendersons, Edinburgh
Opened as recently as October 2021, Hendersons is run by Barrie Henderson, grandson of Janet Henderson, who founded the original Hendersons restaurant that closed due to Covid-19. Long one of the city’s favourite vegan spots (drawing in celebrities), the menu contains nods to Scotland (vegetarian haggis), as well as further afield (miso-glazed aubergine).
7-13 Barclay Place, Edinburgh EH10 4HW; hendersonsrestaurant.com
Saorsa Hotel, Perthshire
Set in the picturesque town of Pitlochry, Saorsa claims to be the UK’s first fully vegan hotel. The restaurant’s tasting menu, at £55 per person, includes a range of delicious treats, including king oyster ‘scallops’, kohlrabi ravioli or beetroot terrine.
2 East Moulin Road, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH16 5DW; saorsahotel.com
This article has been updated with the latest information.
