Best Vegetarian and Vegan Places in London Worth Visiting

London's plant based food scene has undergone a genuine transformation over the past decade. What was once a limited landscape of brown rice bowls and apologetic vegetable plates has become one of the most exciting dining territories in Europe. When I first started seeking out the best vegetarian and vegan places in London back in 2015, I could count the genuinely compelling options on one hand. Now, walking through neighborhoods like Stoke Newington, Hackney, or Bermondsey, you'll find serious restaurants where the absence of meat is not the point but simply one characteristic among many. This guide represents years of return visits, forgotten coats left on chairs, arguments with friends about whether the nut roast really was better than the roast chicken, and dozens of meals that made me grateful to be living here.

Mildreds Soho: The Original Scene Restaurant

The Soho branch of Mildreds has been operating on Lexington Street since 1988, making it one of the city's longest-running vegetarian restaurants. The building itself is unremarkable from the outside, wedged between a betting shop and a fashion boutique, but push through the narrow door and you'll find a warren of rooms spread across three floors that somehow always feels both cozy and energetic. The clientele skews young and creative, with tables of designers, actors between auditions, and couples on first dates filling the space by early evening.

The kitchen here does not pretend to be anything other than what it is. The food is hearty, unpretentious, and genuinely satisfying in the way that British comfort food should be. The crispy seaweed starter arrives as dark, glistening sheets of dried nori that shatter when you bite them, leaving a salty, umami-rich finish that bears no resemblance to the limp seaweed salads you find at chain sushi places. The "not roast chicken"nut roast has achieved near-legendary status among regulars, and I have watched tourists who stumbled in skeptical leave with second helpings scraped clean. The sourdough bread comes from neighbouring bakeryBrick Lane Beigel Bake, and the butter isproper cultured butter, not some afterthought spread.

If you are heading to the Soho branch, arrive before seven on a weekday evening and claim a table in the window room on the first floor. The weekend lunch service descends into chaos after half past twelve, with queues stretching down the street and a thirty-minute wait even with a reservation. The kitchen runs a slightly reduced menu on Sundays, so call ahead if there is a specific dish you are chasing. Most visitors to London do not realise that Mildreds also has locations in Dalston and Kings Cross, both of which have their own distinct personalities but share the same core menu.

The Gate Islington: Fine Dining Without Apology

The Gate opened on Upper Street in 1989, back when calling a restaurant "vegetarian" still felt like a political statement. The founders, brothers Andrew and Michael Walker, set out to prove that plant based cooking could hold its own against any fine dining establishment in the city. Thirty-five years later, the restaurant occupies a gorgeous Georgian townhouse with high ceilings, original cornicing, and a garden room that fills with afternoon light in summer. This remains one of the best vegetarian and vegan places in London for a special occasion dinner.

The menu changes with the seasons, but the cooking style has remained consistent throughout the restaurant's history. Flavours are bold and unashamed, with Middle Eastern and Indian spices frequently appearing alongside more classical French techniques. The beetroot carpaccio with whipped goat's cheese, candied walnuts, and a sharp blood orange dressing has been on the menu in various forms for over two decades, and it remains one of the most copied dishes in London vegetarian cooking. The mushroom risotto achieves a depth of flavour that I have rarely encountered anywhere, with porcini mushrooms lending an earthy intensity that seems impossible given the absence of stock or anchovy.

Reservations are essential for weekend dinners, and you should expect to spend around ninety pounds per person if you are ordering the tasting menu with wine pairing. The set lunch on weekdays offers exceptional value at thirty-five pounds for three courses, making this one of the most accessible fine dining experiences in Islington. The restaurant does not take large groups on Saturday evenings, which actually works in your favour if you are planning an intimate dinner for two. Parking on Upper Street is a nightmare after six in the evening, but the Angel tube station is a ten-minute walk away, and several bus routes stop directly outside.

Vanilla Black Bloomsbury: The Art School Dropout's Dream

Tucked away on a quiet side street near the British Museum, Vanilla Black occupies the ground floor of a Georgian building that was once used as artist studios. The restaurant takes its name from the gothic novel that the owners were reading when they chose the name, and the aesthetic carries through in the dark paintwork, candlelight, and dramatic table settings. The kitchen is run with a philosophy that every dish should be visually striking before it is tasted, which results in plates that often look more like installation art than food.

The tasting menu format is the only option here, and you can choose between five or seven courses. At around sixty-five pounds for the shorter menu, this represents solid value for the creativity on display. Dishes change every six to eight weeks, but certain signatures have persisted. The cheese course always includes a selection of British artisan vegan cheeses, sourced from specialist suppliers in Somerset and Devon, paired with house-made fruit chutneys and crackers baked fresh each morning. The wine list focuses on natural and organic producers, with particular strength in orange wines from Georgia and Slovenia.

The Bloomsbury location means this restaurant draws a significant academic crowd, with University of London professors and museum curators forming a regular breakfast and lunch clientele. The weekday lunch service is notably quieter than dinner, making it ideal for a business meeting or a contemplative solo meal. Most tourists to London never venture beyond the main drag of Tottenham Court Road, missing out on this charming pocket of Bloomsbury that feels almost continental in its pace. The nearest tube is Tottenham Court Road, but Holborn is also walkable, and the walk takes you past several excellent secondhand bookshops.

Gauthier Covent Garden: French Sophistication Without Compromise

Gauthier sits on Store Street, a narrow lane that runs between the chaos of Tottenham Court Road and the polished tourist bustle of Covent Garden. The restaurant opened in 2009 as Gauthier Soho before relocating to its current location, and it remains one of the most formally elegant spaces among London's vegan restaurants. The interior mixes Parisian bistro warmth with modern minimalist touches, with exposed brick walls, leather banquettes, and candlelit tables that make everything look flattering after dark.

The menu is exclusively vegan, with French and Italian influences dominating. The kitchen uses neither eggs nor dairy, yet somehow produces a mushroom vol-au-vent that tastes richer than any butter-laden version I have encountered. The socca flatbread with roasted chickpeas, preserved lemon, and herb oil has become something of a signature, served in a cast iron pan with the chickpea flour pancake still sizzling from the oven. The desserts deserve particular attention, with the chocolate torte achieving a intensity of flavour that satisfies even confirmed chocolate addicts who may be skeptical about vegan baking.

Service here runs with formal precision that you would expect from a restaurant twice the price. The staff are knowledgeable about both the ingredients and the sourcing, with several producers highlighted on the menu including an organic vineyard in Kent that supplies the house wines. Lunch at Gauthier represents excellent value, with a two-course menu available for twenty-eight pounds that compares favourably with sandwich shops and chain cafes in the surrounding area. The Covent Garden location draws a pre-theatre crowd from the nearby Royal Opera House and Prince of Wales Theatre, so you should book ahead for evening shows.

By Chloe Covent Garden: The American Import That Stayed

When By Chloe opened in London in 2018, it arrived with significant hype attached. The New York original had built a devoted following for its Instagram-friendly aesthetic and genuinely delicious fast-casual vegan food. The London branch occupies a prime position on the corner of Endell Street and Upper St Martin's Lane, with floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the interior with light during the day and glow warmly after dark. The menu differs slightly from the American version, with some UK-specific items added to reflect local ingredients and tastes.

The signature dishes translate well across the Atlantic. The Guac Burger with sweet potato fries remains the most popular order, a black bean and quinoa patty loaded with avocado, pickled jalapeños, and chipotle aioli on a brioche bun that somehow manages to be both sturdy and soft. The seasonal smoothie bowls change regularly, with a recent version featuring activated charcoal, dragon fruit, and passion fruit that looked striking enough to stop traffic on the street outside. The bakery section produces vegan croissants and muffins that are among the best in the city, achieving a flakiness that should not be possible without butter.

The restaurant gets extremely busy during the weekend lunch period, with queues forming after one in the afternoon on Saturdays. Weekday mornings before eleven offer a completely different experience, with plenty of space and a quieter atmosphere that suits a leisurely breakfast. The location makes this a convenient stop if you are visiting the Royal Opera House or exploring the museums around Covent Garden. One thing that many visitors do not realise is that By Chloe also operates a delivery-only kitchen nearby, which means you can often find the same menu available through delivery apps if you prefer to eat in your hotel. The Wi-Fi near the front windows is unreliable, which can be frustrating if you are trying to work, but the back of the restaurant has a stronger signal.

Tibits Bankside: Riverside Dining for Every Appetite

Tibits occupies a gorgeous riverside position on the South Bank, directly opposite the Tate Modern and a short walk from Shakespeare's Globe. The restaurant sits on the ground floor of a modern development, with outdoor seating that overlooks the Thames and provides some of the best views available at any vegetarian restaurant in London. The concept is unique in the city, offering an all-you-can-eat buffet of vegetarian and vegan dishes priced by the weight of your plate, with additional options available from the à la carte menu.

The buffet selection changes throughout the day, with breakfast items giving way to lunch and dinner offerings. The Indian section consistently excels, with dal makhani, vegetable korma, and various rice dishes that are genuinely good rather than merely acceptable buffet food. The salad bar is exceptional, featuring house-made dressings and a rotation of grains including farro, freekeh, and bulgur wheat that add real substance beyond the usual lettuce and tomato. The dessert section includes a chocolate fountain that operates on weekend afternoons, a particular favourite with families and anyone who remembers the appeal of fondue from childhood.

The riverside location means this restaurant is perpetually busy with tourists, particularly during the summer months when the outdoor terrace becomes one of the most sought-after spots on the South Bank. Booking is not possible, which can lead to frustrating waits during peak periods. My recommendation is to arrive during off-peak hours, ideally between three and five in the afternoon on a weekday, when the buffet is fully stocked but the crowds have thinned. The Bankside branch is considerably larger than the Mayfair location, making it more reliable for accommodating larger groups. The nearest tube is Blackfriars, but Southwark and Waterloo are both walkable, and the Thames Path runs directly past the front door.

Redemption Notting Hill: Clean Eating With Edge

Redemption began life as a pop-up in a Notting Hill church hall and has evolved into one of the most interesting spaces in the vegan restaurant London landscape. The current location on Portobello Road spans several rooms in a Victorian building, with an open kitchen that allows you to watch the cooks working and a bar area that becomes increasingly lively as the evening progresses. The aesthetic is deliberately stripped-back, with bare brick walls, wooden tables, and plenty of plants softening the industrial edges.

The menu focuses on what the owners call "conscious eating," with gluten-free and raw options clearly marked alongside the standard fare. The jerk cauliflower with coconut rice and mango salsa has achieved something close to iconic status, with the cauliflower roasted until it develops a caramelised exterior that holds its shape against the spicy jerk marinade. The superfood salads change seasonally but always include a grain base, a protein element, and an array of fresh vegetables dressed with house-made vinaigrettes. The cold-pressed juices and smoothies are worth seeking out even if you are not eating a full meal, with the green juice blend available at breakfast representing the most effective hangover cure I have encountered in any restaurant.

Portobello Road is famous for its Saturday market, which brings enormous crowds to the surrounding streets. Redemption stays open during the market but is effectively impossible to enter between eleven and three on Saturday without a significant wait. Sunday mornings before ten offer a completely different experience, with a breakfast menu that includes vegan full English options and excellent coffee from a local roastery. The restaurant does not serve alcohol, which keeps prices reasonable and attracts a particular crowd that appreciates the dry, witty tone of the menu copy. The lack of alcohol means you should not expect a classic bar atmosphere, but the mocktail menu is inventive enough to compensate.

Sutton and Sons Stoke Newington: Fish and Chips, Transformed

Sutton and Sons occupies a prominent corner position on Stoke Newington Church Street, a residential neighbourhood in north London that has become one of the most vibrant pockets of vegetarian and vegan eating in the city. The restaurant opened as a fully vegetarian fish and chip shop, and while it has expanded its menu over the years, the fish-free fish and chips remain the signature offering. The interior is bright and cheerful, with yellow walls, wooden benches, and a menu board written in chalk that gives the space a genuinely traditional chip shop feel despite its modern sensibilities.

The vegan fish is made from banana blossom, which flakes in a way that genuinely mimics cod when battered and fried. The batter is light and shattering, achieving the essential textural contrast between crisp exterior and soft interior that separates good fish and chips from mediocre versions. The chips are thick-cut and double-fried, with a fluffy interior and golden exterior that holds up well even when covered in mushy peas. The curry sauce is made fresh each day and represents some of the best you will find in any chip shop in London, vegan or otherwise. The mushy peas are bright green and properly seasoned, a minor detail that separates serious operators from casual ones.

Stoke Newington has long attracted a creative, progressive community, and the surrounding area offers plenty of reasons to make an afternoon of your visit. The nearby Abney Park Cemetery is one of the most atmospheric green spaces in north London, a overgrown Victorian burial ground that now functions as a nature reserve. The Church Street itself is lined with independent shops, vintage furniture stores, and several excellent pubs that serve real ales. Sutton and Sons does not take reservations, and the queue during weekend lunch service moves quickly but can be substantial. Early evening on a weekday, around six o'clock, offers the best chance of finding a table immediately on arrival.

When to Go and What to Know

Timing your visit to these restaurants can significantly affect your experience. Most of the establishments covered here experience their busiest periods during the same windows: Friday and Saturday evenings between seven and nine, and Sunday lunch between noon and two. If you want to avoid the worst of the queues and secure a table without advance planning, target weekday lunches or early evening sittings before seven. Many of these restaurants