England has become a fantastic destination for vegetarian and vegan food lovers. Whether you want a casual lunch, traditional British-inspired dishes, Indian flavours, or a more refined dining experience, there are plenty of places where vegetables are the main attraction rather than an afterthought. What I like about the current vegetarian and vegan food scene is the variety. You don’t have to settle for the same salad or a simple vegetable curry. Restaurants across England are experimenting with seasonal produce, international flavours and creative plant-based cooking. If you’re planning a food-focused trip around England, these are 15 restaurants worth adding to your list.
1. Mildreds – London
Mildreds Soho is one of the best-known names in London’s plant-based restaurant scene. The first Mildreds opened in 1988, and the group now has several London locations, including Soho, Camden, Covent Garden, King’s Cross and Victoria. The restaurant group became completely plant-based in 2021.
What makes Mildreds stand out is its international approach to food. Rather than concentrating on one particular cuisine, the menu takes inspiration from different parts of the world. That makes it a good choice when you’re eating with friends who may have different tastes.
The Soho restaurant is particularly convenient for visitors exploring central London. It’s on Lexington Street and is within walking distance of major shopping and sightseeing areas.
- 100% plant-based dining
- Internationally inspired dishes
- Several locations around London
- Good choice for lunch, dinner or a casual meal
- Menus change with the seasons
- Best for: First-time visitors to London’s vegan food scene.
- Website: Mildreds official website
2. Gauthier Soho – London
For something more special, Gauthier Soho offers a very different experience. Located on Romilly Street in Soho, this restaurant combines French fine dining with a completely vegan approach.
Chef Alexis Gauthier has a long history of working with vegetables. The restaurant explains that its vegan menus became permanent after an earlier vegetarian-focused menu was converted to fully vegan. Today, Gauthier Soho offers set tasting menus designed around refined plant-based cooking.
This isn’t the type of restaurant I’d choose for a quick bite between sightseeing stops. It’s better suited to an evening when you want to slow down and enjoy the meal as an experience.
The restaurant currently offers an eight-course Grand Dîner and a shorter five-course Petit Dîner, with service concentrated on Tuesday to Saturday.
- 100% vegan fine dining
- French-inspired cuisine
- Tasting-menu experience
- Elegant Soho setting
- A good option for a special occasion
- Best for: Travellers looking for an upscale vegan dining experience.
- Website: Gauthier Soho official website
3. Food for Friends – Brighton
Brighton is one of England’s strongest destinations for vegetarian and vegan food, so it would be difficult to make this list without including a restaurant from the city.
Food For Friends has been serving vegetarian food in Brighton’s historic Lanes since 1981. Its menu focuses on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, while vegan options are also available.
One of the things I like about Food for Friends is that it doesn’t feel like a restaurant designed only for dedicated vegetarians. The atmosphere is relaxed, making it an easy choice when you’re travelling with a mixed group.
It also serves brunch and has a Sunday roast, giving visitors more than one reason to stop by. The restaurant says its Sunday roast is served from midday and includes vegetarian and vegan choices.
- Long history of vegetarian dining
- Vegan choices available
- Seasonal, locally sourced ingredients
- Daily brunch
- Sunday roast options
- Central Brighton location
- Best for: Families, couples and travellers exploring Brighton’s Lanes.
- Website: Food For Friends official website
4. The Green Rocket – Bath
The Green Rocket is a strong choice for anyone visiting Bath and wanting a relaxed plant-based meal.
The restaurant describes itself as an independent, multi-award-winning café and restaurant in central Bath. Its food is plant-based, with an emphasis on fresh and vibrant flavours.
I think this is particularly appealing for travellers who don’t necessarily want formal dining. You can combine a visit with a day exploring Bath’s historic centre and stop here for a meal or coffee.
The Green Rocket also makes its plant-based philosophy part of its identity rather than treating vegan food as a side option. That makes it an easy recommendation for visitors who want a dedicated vegan-friendly restaurant.
- Plant-based menu
- Independent restaurant
- Central Bath location
- Informal atmosphere
- Good option for daytime dining
- Best for: Sightseers wanting an easy plant-based stop while exploring Bath.
- Website: The Green Rocket official website.
5. Prashad – Leeds
If you enjoy Indian food, Prashad is one of the restaurants worth considering for a vegetarian food trip in northern England.
Prashad specialises in Gujarati vegetarian cuisine and has developed a reputation for bringing traditional flavours together with a more modern restaurant experience. VisitBritain also highlights Prashad among Britain’s notable vegetarian and vegan dining destinations.
The restaurant’s own material describes its menu as 100% vegetarian and rooted in Gujarati heritage. It has also offered a vegetarian tasting menu, which makes it particularly interesting for visitors who want to try several dishes during one meal.
For me, the biggest reason to consider Prashad is that it demonstrates how exciting vegetarian food can be when the cuisine already has a deep tradition of plant-based cooking.
- 100% vegetarian menu
- Gujarati Indian cuisine
- Strong traditional food heritage
- Tasting-menu experience available
- Great option for Indian food lovers
- Best for: Vegetarian travellers and anyone who loves Indian cuisine.
- Website: Prashad official website
6. Purezza Manchester – Manchester
If you love pizza, Purezza is an easy restaurant to consider. The Manchester branch is located on High Street and focuses on plant-based Italian food, making it a useful choice for visitors who want something familiar but completely vegan.
Purezza is particularly known for its vegan pizzas, with a menu built around plant-based ingredients rather than simply removing cheese from traditional pizza. Manchester’s plant-based dining scene has continued to grow, with local tourism guides highlighting Purezza among the city’s vegan-friendly choices.
- Fully vegan restaurant
- Italian-inspired menu
- Great choice for pizza lovers
- Central Manchester location
- Best for: Vegan pizza and casual dining.
7. Koocha Mezze Bar – Bristol
Koocha Mezze Bar is a fully vegan restaurant in Bristol, located on Cheltenham Road. Its menu focuses on colourful, Middle Eastern-inspired small plates and mezze, making it a good option when you want to share several dishes rather than order one large meal.
Bristol is one of England’s cities with a particularly strong plant-based food scene, and local tourism information highlights the wide range of vegan choices available across the city.
The relaxed style of mezze also makes Koocha a good choice for groups. You can order several dishes and try different flavours during the same meal.
- Fully vegan menu
- Mezze and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes
- Good for sharing
- Relaxed atmosphere
- Best for: Groups and travellers who enjoy sharing plates.
8. Down the Hatch – Liverpool
Down the Hatch is a popular vegan restaurant in Liverpool’s city centre. It offers a more casual style of plant-based dining, making it a practical option after a day exploring the city’s attractions.
The restaurant is on Duke Street and has become one of the city’s recognised vegan dining options. Liverpool has a growing selection of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, with current restaurant guides listing several dedicated plant-based venues.
- Dedicated vegan restaurant
- Central Liverpool location
- Casual atmosphere
- Good choice for lunch or dinner
- Best for: Travellers wanting relaxed vegan food in Liverpool.
9. The Orchid Vegan Restaurant – York
York is famous for its medieval streets, historic buildings and traditional food experiences, but it also has some excellent plant-based choices.
The Orchid Vegan Restaurant on George Hudson Street is a dedicated vegan restaurant in central York. Its location makes it convenient to combine with sightseeing around the city centre.
For visitors who want to explore York beyond its traditional tourist food, this is an interesting plant-based option to put on the itinerary.
- Dedicated vegan restaurant
- Central York location
- Convenient for sightseeing
- Good option for a plant-based dinner
- Best for: Vegan travellers exploring York.
10. Barsana Pure Vegetarian and vegan Indian Restaurant – Birmingham
For Indian vegetarian food, Barsana is another restaurant worth considering. Located in Harborne, Birmingham, it focuses on vegetarian and vegan Indian cuisine.
Indian cuisine is particularly well suited to vegetarian dining because many traditional dishes are naturally meat-free. At Barsana, visitors can explore a menu centred around Indian flavours while looking for vegan-friendly choices.
Birmingham also has a strong selection of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, with current plant-based dining guides featuring a range of dedicated venues across the city.
- Vegetarian and vegan Indian food
- Wide range of traditional flavours
- Good option for Indian-food lovers
- Suitable for a relaxed meal
- Best for: Travellers who enjoy Indian vegetarian cuisine.
11. Terre à Terre – Brighton
If you’re looking for creative vegetarian food in Brighton, Terre à Terre is a restaurant worth considering. It has been part of Brighton’s dining scene for many years and focuses on inventive vegetarian cooking rather than simply adapting meat-based dishes.
The menu draws inspiration from different cuisines, so you can expect plenty of interesting flavours and combinations. Vegan diners can also find suitable choices, although it’s best to check the current menu before visiting.
Its location in central Brighton makes it convenient to combine a meal with a walk around the city, the Royal Pavilion and the seafront.
- Long-established vegetarian restaurant
- Creative international influences
- Vegan choices available
- Central Brighton location
- Best for: Vegetarians looking for something more adventurous than standard café food.
- Website: Terre à Terre official website
12. 1842 Restaurant – Manchester
Manchester has become one of England’s most interesting cities for plant-based dining, and 1842 Restaurant is another option for vegetarian and vegan visitors.
The restaurant offers a range of plant-based dishes with an emphasis on flavour and presentation. Its menu makes it possible to enjoy a proper sit-down meal without relying on the usual limited vegetarian choices found at some restaurants.
Because Manchester has so many attractions, this can work well as part of a food-and-sightseeing day in the city centre.
- Vegetarian and vegan-friendly choices
- Contemporary dining
- Good city-centre option
- Suitable for lunch or dinner
- Best for: Visitors exploring Manchester who want a relaxed vegetarian-friendly meal.
13. The Gate – London
The Gate is another well-known name in London’s vegetarian dining scene. The restaurant has several locations and has built its reputation around creative vegetarian and vegan cooking.
Its menus take inspiration from different culinary traditions, which gives diners plenty of variety. Rather than treating vegetables as a side dish, The Gate puts them at the centre of the meal.
It can be a particularly good choice if you’re travelling with a group where some people are vegetarian or vegan and others simply enjoy trying new food.
- Vegetarian-focused restaurant
- Plenty of vegan options
- Creative international flavours
- Several London locations
- Best for: Mixed groups and food lovers wanting creative vegetarian dishes.
- Website: The Gate official website
14. Mela – London
Indian food is naturally one of the easiest cuisines for vegetarians to enjoy, and Mela in London is another restaurant to consider if you want traditional Indian flavours.
Located in central London, Mela serves Indian cuisine with a selection of vegetarian dishes. The combination of spices, vegetables, lentils and other plant-based ingredients gives diners plenty of choices.
It’s also a useful option for travellers who want to explore Indian food while staying close to London’s main attractions.
- Indian cuisine
- Good selection of vegetarian dishes
- Central London location
- Suitable for casual dining
- Best for: Travellers who enjoy Indian vegetarian food.
15. Wulf & Lamb – London
Wulf & Lamb is a plant-based restaurant in London that focuses on comfort food with a modern twist. It’s a good choice when you want something filling and casual rather than a formal dining experience.
The restaurant’s menu includes plant-based versions of familiar favourites, making it especially appealing to visitors who are new to vegan dining.
With London being such a large city, having a restaurant where you can sit down for a straightforward plant-based meal can make planning a food itinerary much easier.
- 100% plant-based dining
- Comfort-food style menu
- Casual atmosphere
- Good choice for vegan visitors
- Best for: Travellers who want familiar comfort food in a plant-based format.
- Website: Wulf & Lamb official website
Final Thoughts
England has no shortage of excellent vegetarian and vegan restaurants, from creative plant-based dining in London to Indian cuisine in Birmingham and relaxed options in Brighton, Manchester and Bristol. Whether you’re fully vegan or simply enjoy eating more vegetables, these restaurants offer plenty of delicious choices to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best city in England for vegan food?
London offers one of the widest selections, but Brighton, Bristol and Manchester are also excellent choices.
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Are vegetarian restaurants suitable for vegans?
Some are, but not all. Always check the current menu and ask staff about vegan ingredients.
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Should I book a vegetarian or vegan restaurant in advance?
For popular restaurants, especially at weekends, booking ahead is a good idea.
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Can I find vegan food outside London?
Yes. Cities including Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and York have plenty of vegan-friendly options.
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Do restaurant menus change?
Yes. Seasonal ingredients, availability and restaurant policies can change, so check the official website before visiting.
I am Sabiq Hasan Rasel. Coffee with Travel, Recipes & Reviews is a cozy and engaging content space that blends a love of coffee with exciting travel experiences, delicious recipes, and honest reviews. It offers inspiration for coffee lovers who enjoy exploring new places, trying unique flavors, and discovering lifestyle tips along the way.
