Places to go in London for vegan food

One of the city’s finest plant-based burger joints, Neat Burger brings vegan dining to a whole new level. Each of its five London locations offer the same limited menu to ensure they’re keeping their word when it comes to planet-friendly food. So whether Camden or Victoria is your local, you’ll be able to pick up the sustainable SMASH burger – complete with onions, a double Neat Meat patty, plant-based cheese and plenty of sauce – alongside a selection of sides and desserts.

Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch daily – and for evening dining on Thursday, Friday and Saturday – this East Dulwich eatery proves just how versatile vegetables are with its varied vegetable-centric menu. Expect everything from spiced leek fritters served with coriander and parsley yoghurt to vegan arancini, which is available upon request. The elegant-yet-informal dining space also offers a selection of baked goods ranging from banana bread and raspberry brownies to buttery almond croissants.

Boasting two London locations in Marylebone and Chelsea, Wulf and Lamb offers an all-day dining menu which covers brunch, lunch and dinner. Recreating familiar classics with an entirely plant-based ingredients list is the restaurant’s USP, and their famed Mac’N’Cheese is perhaps their finest example. Whether you’re in the mood for a superfood salad or something a little more comforting, you’re sure to find something you love here, and it’ll be full to the brim with surprising ingredients and flavours from around the world.

Proudly serving 100% vegan food, following a five-year transition, Gauthier brings fine French gastronomy to London’s Soho district. Expect two elegant plant-based tasting menus from this renowned establishment – one at £45 per person and another at £75 per person – and delight in the ambiance of this truly remarkable restaurant.

No need to skimp on traditional Italian food because here at The Italo’s they offer vegan cheese across their delicious menu options. From Marinara pizza to the Vegetariana via Mediterranean pasta dishes and tasty antipasti plates. There’s also a great lunchtime meal deal Monday – Friday where you can choose from homemade sourdough pizzas to salads and bowls of mouthwatering pasta.

Bringing the same laid-back atmosphere and colourful plant-based menu to each of its restaurants, Mildreds promises friendly service, great food and lively vibes wherever you choose to go. With several London locations, and a sister venue called Mallow in Borough Market, there’s likely a location near you. Sourcing organic ingredients from small businesses wherever possible, and with many dishes naturally vegan and gluten-free, Mildreds offers something for just about every diner.

Since its establishment in 1989 by brothers Michael and Adrian Daniel, the Hammersmith restaurant brings the founders’ Indo-Iraqi heritage to its carefully curated menu selection. With a focus on healthy eating, and ingredients sourced as locally and sustainably as possible, the vast vegetarian menus have scored the hotspot numerous awards and accolades from a range of reputable authorities.

Combining local and global ingredients, sourced for their excellent taste and health benefits, the Nine-Elms-based café nourishes guests with its plant-rich menu – which changes seasonally for sustainability purposes. Offering choices for vegan, flexitarian, gluten-free and dairy-free diners, Linnaean provides a truly inclusive dining experience. Whether you’re stopping by for breakfast, bottomless brunch, nibbles or afternoon tea, be sure to check out the brand’s hair, beauty and medi-spa offering, all located under the same roof.

Since the launch of its flagship Notting Hill restaurant in 2016, Farmacy has continued to provide delicious, healthy and seasonal food to Londoners in a beautiful, atmospheric setting. Whether you’re seeking brunch, lunch, dinner or high tea, there’s a menu for you filled with plant-based options, that are also free from dairy, refined sugars additives and chemicals. Plus, every ingredient used is either grown on a farm or sourced from local, sustainable and environmentally conscious suppliers, reinforcing the restaurant’s status as a true supporter of local farming and biodynamic sustainability.

The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences has ranked fourth in a top 10 list of Best Vegan Gourmet Casual Tasting Menus in the UK, with a score of 19. The vegan menu is comprised of five courses at £10 each, including a vegan “brie”. The hotel is also a stone’s throw from Hyde Park Corner tube station. The Athenaeum’s Head Chef, Ian Howard, offers three tasting menus at 116 at The Athenaeum – one of which is vegetarian and one of which is vegan. The chef, who was previously Head Chef at one of London’s most celebrated meat-centric restaurants, Roast in the heart of Borough Market, also devised a vegan festive tasting menu after seeing a growing demographic of ‘plant-curious’ diners in London. As well as this, The Athenaeum also offers a vegan afternoon tea; the UK sees 3,600 Google searches for “vegan afternoon tea” every month, showing that it’s a popular activity for plant-based diners.

Plant-based plates in the heart of Peckham – Omni is dedicated to being the ethical dining choice in its neighbourhood. Veggies are the star of the show, sourced from local suppliers, they’re imaginatively prepared to create the kinds of surprising flavours that’ll make you want to eat your greens like never before. And the kitchen rustles up everything fresh; from daily focaccia dough, to its very own zero-intervention lemon-chilli-cello, miso and drinking vinegars. So the tastes you’ll enjoy are unique to the restaurant and involve hardly any waste (recyclable packaging is used too).

The wine list has been curated with consideration; each comes from small and independent European producers and are bio-dynamic, organic and free from any animal products. Or if you’re into your mixology, why not order a Spiced Pear Gin Fizz with cardamom, cloves, ginger and fresh pear; a Sake Negroni (made using London-local Kaze junmai ginjo sake); a Devils Margarita (sweet and sour with a bit of a twist); a Peach and Lavender Gimlet; or a Fig and Bay Leaf Rum Old Fashioned.

The city’s very first vegan pub, The Spread Eagle has made a name for itself by honing in on a much-needed niche. Located in E9, The Spread Eagle has taken everything into account for the vegan community, from not only the food, but all the fixtures being chosen with a zero-animal product ethos. It’s a climate-friendly boozer for the modern age — and for all ages. Plus there’s a programme of events to compliment your eating and drinking experience; top DJs play till 2am at the weekends, there’s a regular quiz and frequent other special events.

From its unassuming spot in Honor Oak Park, Babur has been quietly and consistently elevating Indian cuisine in the area since 1985, and – crowned London’s Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Restaurant Awards 2022 – is still being recognised as one of the best around. Better yet – it has an additional, entirely vegan menu.

On the vegan menu you’ll find spinach and sweet potato samosas, jackfruit and young peas dosa, and baby aubergines with cauliflower and new potatoes, as well as classics such as aloo gobi, masala uttapam, and vegan Thali. Every starter and main dish also has the option to come with a wine pairing too, if you’re looking to take your evening from ordinary to elevated.