Where to find the best vegan food in London

Thanks to ethical eating initiatives such as Veganuary, more people than ever before are taking the plunge and going totally meat and dairy-free in 2018.

It's lucky then that PETA recognises London as the most veggie and vegan-friendly city on the planet, with more and more specialist restaurants (and pubs) opening every year.

The days of dull, earnest vegan dining in the UK are long gone. In fact, in 2018, there are so many vibrant and vivacious dishes to try in the city that it's difficult to know where to start.

So, from delicious street food vendors to Michelin starred restaurants, these are the best places to eat vegan food in London.

​222 Veggie Vegan

If you’re really serious about your vegan and vegetarian eating in London, then you’ll know all about North End Road in W14. The high street has gained a reputation in recent times for it’s great meat-free options. As well as being home to London’s only vegan supermarket, you’ll find a large selection of well-regarded restaurants dotted along the street. 222 Veggie Vegan (see above) is one such establishment offering some of the freshest vegan food you’ll find in the area.

222 North End Road, West Kensington, W14 9NU. 222veggievegan.com

Biff's Jack Shack

If you’ve jacked in the animal products but find yourself pining for a bit of meaty satisfaction, did you know you could find it in a piece of fruit? Biff’s Jack Shack specialises in “filthy AF” vegan junk food made with jackfruit, which has a texture akin to pulled pork when cooked. The deep fried fruit is served as “wingz” or in well-stacked burgers, dripping with chipotle slaw, smokey bacun jam and burger “cheese”. Find them at street food markets and residencies across the capital.

Broadway Market on Saturdays and 182 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7UY. biffsjackshack.com

Genesis

It’s pretty rare that you find vegan Malaysian food anywhere, never mind as delicious as the Char Kway Teow at Genesis. Commercial Street’s latest 100 per cent vegan haunt specialises in ‘healthy’ junk food, which basically means you can pig out without feeling stodgy or over indulgent, and their Malaysian street noodles are a real highlight. Make sure you try the excellent tacos and the chocolate milkshake too — it’s the best vegan shake you’ll find anywhere in the city.

144 Commercial St, E1 6NU, eatgenesis.com

Sugar

The four branches of Indian restaurant chain Sugar, found in Hammersmith, Covent Garden, Harrow and the West End, offer a huge range of vegan curries, as well as vegan lentil pizzas. All four boast accessible menus, making it good for group trips with vegans and meat-eaters alike.

Various locations. sagarveg.co.uk

Mildred’s

Mildred’s has become a veggie institution since opening in Soho in 1988 and few chains in the city offer such a wide range of delicious vegan dishes either. With locations in Soho, King’s Cross, Dalston and Camden, this is a great option for meat-free diners all over the city.

Various locations. mildreds.co.uk

Govinda’s

Tucked away in Soho Square, just around the corner from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, Hare Krishna restaurant Govinda’s is known for serving a wide range of delicious vegan curries. It’s location makes it a pretty ideal lunch spot for shoppers in the area and the healthy, affordable menu is one to try out.

10 Soho Square, W1D 3DL​

Club Mexicana

Club Mexicana has been throwing meat-free fiestas since 2013, serving up tantalising vegan tacos filled with jackfruit carnitas, baja tofish and more. This month, the street food stalwarts will be joining forces with a pair of publicans to open The Spread Eagle, the city’s first 100 per cent vegan pub. Fried “chicken” torta burritos washed down with vegan beer? Don’t mind if we do.

Unit 215 - 216, Camden Lock Market, Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8AF. clubmexicana.com

Vanilla Black

Sophisticated Holborn eatery Vanilla Blank is one of the smarter restaurants in the city, serving exclusively meat-free dishes. The vegan five-course dinner with wine pairings will set you back £87 per person but for an exclusively meat-free dining experience this good, it’s well worth it.

17-18 Took's Ct, London EC4A 1LB Holborn vanillablack.co.uk

Honey & Co

Yes, we know honey isn’t vegan, but Honey & Co in Fitzrovia offers up some of the best vegan meals you’ll find in the city. Husband and wife team Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer run and own the three branches of Honey & Co, serving delicious and precise dishes in clean, bright dining rooms.

Various locations. honeyandco.co.uk

Essence

Shoreditch and Hoxton are hubs for vegan eating in the city and Essence is one of the best you'll find in the area. LA celebrity chef Matthew Kenney opened the restaurant on Leonard Street in August and the meat, dairy, gluten, and refined sugar-free plant-based dishes proved an instant hit.

94 Leonard St, London EC2A 4RH. essence-cuisine.com

Ethos

Ethos in Fitzrovia takes a very unusual approach to the dining experience, with customers serving themselves and paying for their food by weight. Quirkiness aside, the kitchen offers up fresh, feel-good vegan and veggie food, as well as a good selection of gluten-free options.

48 Eastcastle St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 8DX. ethosfoods.com

Picky Wops

There’s no pick-me-up quite like a slice of pizza pie and Picky Wops are making sure no vegan is left behind. This totally vegan pizza restaurant offers a staggering eight different types of vegan cheese – from coconut mozzarella to cashewnut camembert. You can also pick from six health-charged alternative flour bases, from spirulina to hemp, and add a seitan sausage or two.

7, Shopping Palace, North End Rd, Fulham, London SW6 1NN. pickywops.com

The Gate

The Gate has been serving fantastic vegan and veggie food since it opened way back in 1989, and serves clean, healthy-eating menus across three branches in Finsbury Park, Marylebone and Hammersmith. The brunch menu, with vegan pancakes and vegan full English, is particularly strong.

370 St John St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4NN. thegaterestaurants.com

Gauthier

Gauthier’s made history when it became the first Michelin star restaurant in the UK to offer a vegan tasting menu in 2015. It’s been providing vegan fine dining ever since and for £126 diners can enjoy a full eight courses with wine pairings. If you really like treating yourself to a luxurious vegan dining experience, this is the place to do it.

21 Romilly St, Soho, London W1D 5AF. gauthiersoho.co.uk/