London is consistently thought of as one of the most vegan cities in the world - HappyCow voted it 'best vegan city' two years in a row, veganlondon.co.uk calls it 'one of the most vegan friendly cities in the world' and it apparently also has the most vegan restaurants in the world. But this can be a blessing and a curse - if you're only in London a week or a weekend, how do you choose which restaurants are the best? And what about cafes?
Best Vegan Restaurants London
To be honest, I haven't come across a vegan restaurant in London that I didn't like, I was really impressed with the vegan scene in London really. So I wouldn't worry about it too much, but if you want my opinion, these are my favourites (Disclaimer: I haven't (yet) been to every single vegan cafe or restaurant in London, but these are my favourites so far):
#1. Mildred's
A London institution, Mildred's has been running for over 30 years(!) – the London chain has expanded in recent years as demand has increased. Branches can now be found in Soho, Camden, King's Cross, Borough Market and Dalston, and the cafes serve up cuisine from across the world – from summer rolls to gyoza, curry and jerk tofu.
Mildred’s opened in 1988, when "Vegetarian restaurants were still stuck in a 60s vibe – doling out ‘worthy’ brown food into earthenware pottery placed on pine tables." They aimed to bring a fresh, modern vibe to cruelty free eating – and it worked, because they're still here 30 years later. Nowadays, they try to source from small business and choose organic where possible, which raised them even higher in our books.
Website: mildreds.co.uk
Opening times:
Monday - Saturday: 9am - 11pm
Sunday: 9am - 10pm
Addresses:
Soho - 45 Lexington Street
Camden - 9 Jamestown Road
King's Cross - 200 Pentonville Road
Dalston - 1 Dalston Square
Borough Market - 1 Cathedral Street
Mildred’s opened in 1988, when "Vegetarian restaurants were still stuck in a 60s vibe – doling out ‘worthy’ brown food into earthenware pottery placed on pine tables." They aimed to bring a fresh, modern vibe to cruelty free eating – and it worked, because they're still here 30 years later. Nowadays, they try to source from small business and choose organic where possible, which raised them even higher in our books.
Website: mildreds.co.uk
Opening times:
Monday - Saturday: 9am - 11pm
Sunday: 9am - 10pm
Addresses:
Soho - 45 Lexington Street
Camden - 9 Jamestown Road
King's Cross - 200 Pentonville Road
Dalston - 1 Dalston Square
Borough Market - 1 Cathedral Street
#2. Mooshies
Sometimes, you just want to indulge in some nice, greasy junk food. If you're a vegan, laying your hands on junk food is a little bit trickier – but Mooshies is here to meet that need. Serving up huge burgers, loaded nachos, vegan milkshakes and more, it's the perfect destination for a pms day!
As they say: "The focus was to serve tasty, healthy meat alternatives, and to encourage the younger generation of Londoners to eat healthier through more exciting culinary methods (e.g. getting one of your five a day in the form of a burger)."
Website: veganburger.org
Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday: 12pm - 9.30pm
Address: 104 Brick Lane
As they say: "The focus was to serve tasty, healthy meat alternatives, and to encourage the younger generation of Londoners to eat healthier through more exciting culinary methods (e.g. getting one of your five a day in the form of a burger)."
Website: veganburger.org
Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday: 12pm - 9.30pm
Address: 104 Brick Lane
#3. Wulf & Lamb London
Trendy plant-based eatery Wulf & Lamb serves up brunch, lunch and dinner in London's fashionable Chelsea. It serves up a tasty selection of comfort food that's all completely cruelty-free. Dishes are available to eat in or take away, and the menu offers up gems like ‘Chili non Carne’ with cashew sour cream, and a spicy bean burger dubbed the Wulf Burger.
They say they serve a plant-based menu because: "With 298,000 edible plant species on this glorious green planet, who wouldn’t want to savour it all? "Of course nuts, seeds, roots and leaves also make for a kinder choice potentially – for your health personally, and environmentally."
The one thing I don't like about them though is that they are cashless (card payments only). Although I personally usually pay by card, I still don't like that you have to. What if you don't have one?
Website: wulfandlamb.com
Opening times:
Sunday - Tuesday: 9am - 9pm
Wednesday - Saturday: 8am - 10pm
Addresses:
Chelsea - 243 Pavilion Road
Marylebone - 66 Chiltern Street
They say they serve a plant-based menu because: "With 298,000 edible plant species on this glorious green planet, who wouldn’t want to savour it all? "Of course nuts, seeds, roots and leaves also make for a kinder choice potentially – for your health personally, and environmentally."
The one thing I don't like about them though is that they are cashless (card payments only). Although I personally usually pay by card, I still don't like that you have to. What if you don't have one?
Website: wulfandlamb.com
Opening times:
Sunday - Tuesday: 9am - 9pm
Wednesday - Saturday: 8am - 10pm
Addresses:
Chelsea - 243 Pavilion Road
Marylebone - 66 Chiltern Street
#4. Best London Vegan Cafe: Cafe Van Gogh
Okay, sure, cafes are traditionally a French thing, but traditionally so are we - or at least approximately 3 million of us are. Nowadays, British cafes are different to French ones - the latter being more about the drinks and the former being more about those three things Brits are married to: cake, sandwiches and tea.
If you have an (annoying) friend who thinks vegan food seems "a bit too healthy" and "a bit too holier than thou" (speaking from experience lol), Cafe Van Gogh is the place to be. The menu is replete with vegan macaroni cheese, vegan sausage rolls and – most importantly of all – what's been described as the best vegan Sunday roast in London.
The cafe is a not-for-profit endeavour, offering employment for local people with challenges accessing the workplace, a zero-tolerance policy on single-use plastics and a local, community-focused ethos. What more could you want?
Website: cafevangogh.co.uk
Opening times:
Tuesday - Friday: 9am - 4pm then 5pm - 9pm
Saturday: 10am - 3.30pm then 5pm - 9pm
Sunday: 12pm - 4.30pm
Address:
88 Brixton Road
The cafe is a not-for-profit endeavour, offering employment for local people with challenges accessing the workplace, a zero-tolerance policy on single-use plastics and a local, community-focused ethos. What more could you want?
Website: cafevangogh.co.uk
Opening times:
Tuesday - Friday: 9am - 4pm then 5pm - 9pm
Saturday: 10am - 3.30pm then 5pm - 9pm
Sunday: 12pm - 4.30pm
Address:
88 Brixton Road
Wrap Up: Quick Guide to the London Vegan Scene
So there you have it, a very quick summary of the London vegan scene which reminds me: throwback to 2016, our first profesh photoshoot in London :) Enjoy!
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