Even a few years ago, a list of the best vegan restaurants in London would have been painfully short. Now, it’s hard to narrow down our favourite ones – with the plant-based revolution only expected to gather further momentum in 2020 with more and more people pledging to ditch meat and dairy altogether.
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FARMACY
Farmacy’s flagship restaurant opened in Notting Hill in 2016. Its abundant menu is alive with truly delicious and healthy seasonal food, all served in a beautiful setting. Its owner, Camilla Al Fayed, created it in the image of vegan cafés in Los Angeles and as such the interiors are awash with pale woods, natural materials and earthy tones.Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner, Farmacy promotes plant-based organic eating and a chemical free approach, connecting everything between the soil & the sun. All ingredients are either grown on the farm, or sourced from local, sustainable and environmentally conscious suppliers.
The restaurant is a true supporter of local farming, and champions biodynamic sustainability, aligning with The Biodynamic Association and Demeter certified growers and farmers. Farmacy has an extensive plant-based offering, from their plant-based brunch and ‘High’ Tea through to delicious organic wine and sugar-free cocktails. Farmacy is also the first London restaurant to serve CBD; the non-psychoactive constituent of the flowering plant cannabis which is renowned for its feel-good potential and health-boosting benefits.
Farmacy, farmacylondon.com
74-76 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5SH
GAUTHIER
Gauthier is the perfect offering if you like fine dining. Chef Alexis Gauthier has already pioneered an entirely plant-based tasting menu named 'Les Plantes', but has now taken things to the next step by pledging to make their entire menu vegan, and we can't wait to see what other vegan creations he comes up with. The courgette flowers are exceptional.
Gauthier, gauthiersoho.co.uk
21 Romilly St, Soho, London W1D 5AF
WULF AND LAMB
Despite the name, this restaurant features a completely plant-based menu. With a menu that includes everything from chilli ‘non’ carne to pulled jackfruit pies, Wulf & Lamb is the Chelsea's go-to vegan restaurant for the locals and out-of-towners alike. The restaurant is a laid-back, unpretentious affair, and even serves plant-based pizzas if you are looking for something more casual. I've been told that the signature spicy bean burger is a must for the uninitiated.
Wulf and Lamb, wulfandlamb.com
243 Pavilion Rd, Chelsea, London SW1X 0BP
TREDWELLS
For truly modern British cuisine with a vegan twist, Tredwells is the place to go. 'Cocktail shakers rattle and black-apron-clad waiters attentively swish past; the atmosphere in this white-tablecloth restaurant is as lively as the Soho scene outside, seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows,' saysSara Kiyo Popowa, author of An Opinionated Guide to Vegan London.
'The vegan tasting menu highlights seasonal produce with delicately prepared dishes like Jersey Royals with seaside succulents, pea tortellini and Yorkshire rhubarb. The non-vegan tasting menu may look a little more substantial but go with the excellent wine pairings and you’ll soon forget any potential culinary inequities.'
Tredwells, tredwells.com
4A Upper St Martin’s Lane, WC2H 9NY
ETHOS
Step away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street and into the haven that is Ethos. This buffet restaurant is rich in fresh, simple dishes, with a varied selection of both hot and cold dishes. Paying by weight means you may not realise how heavy certain dishes are before paying (we are looking at your cauliflower), but you’ll be compensated the filling, hearty meals on offer.
Ethos, ethosfoods.com
48 Eastcastle Street, W1W 8DX
CUB
'The moment you step into this intimate, sophisticated space, with its saffron-yellow upholstered booths (and, look closely, table tops made out of recycled yogurt cups), you know you’re in for something special,' explains Sara Kiyo Popowa, author of An Opinionated Guide to Vegan London. As well as being vegan friendly, the menu at Cub is ingredient led and informed by sustainable supply and waste reduction.The menu transforms ingredients gathered from small British producers – seaweeds, hay-smoked roots, microorganisms and rare blooms – into a playful sequence of edible delight.
Cub,lyancub.com
153 Hoxton St, Hoxton, London N1 6PJ
CARAVAN
Caravan, with its industrial interior and chic clientele, is all about effortless style. 'These restaurants – five of them, at the last count, but each with individual character – have a relaxed set-up, with a long, creative and globally inspired menu,' saysSara Kiyo Popowa, author of An Opinionated Guide to Vegan London. The small plates and bowl dishes are strong on plant-based options: from crispy chilli-salt tofuto burnt sprouting broccoli with curry leaf oil.
Caravan,caravanrestaurants.co.uk
1 Granary Square, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AA
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