Eating Vegan in London

November 1^st celebrates World Vegan Day, which was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, who was at that time the president and chair of The Vegan Society in the UK.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, or travel with one, then having special dietary requests can be something of a concern when traveling abroad or to a city that you are not familiar with. However, London has a wonderfully diverse food culture with plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans, as well as those with an allergy or intolerance to wheat and those following specialist diets, such as a Paleo-style diet or those that prefer to consume mostly raw food. In fact, there are numerous vegan, vegetarian and raw food cafés, shops and restaurants in London and this article focuses on our favorites!

Vegan and vegetarian cafés
Central London is a great place to head if you are in search of a light bite to eat or a vegan breakfast. There are plenty of vegan cafés in the main shopping streets, such as Oxford Street, and in the popular tourist areas, including Soho, Covent Garden and the West End. Here’s our pick of some of the best!

• Vantra Vitao: 25–27 Oxford Street (nearest tube stop is Tottenham Court Road)

Serves organic vegan food, with a self-serve buffet and an a la carte menu. There’s also a juice bar and a separate raw food menu for raw foodists.

• Vegan Hippo Café: 52 Rupert Street (nearest tube stop is Piccadilly Circus)

This place is reasonably new but is making waves with the local vegans. It’s a small establishment but serves good lunch food, such as burgers, hot dogs and cakes; it’s also a good spot for a vegan tea or coffee.

• Wild Food Café: 14 Neal’s Yard (nearest tube stop is Covent Garden)

This mainly raw café is linked to the Neal’s Yard flagship store in Covent Garden. It offers a large selection of organic food, including vegan burgers, falafel, creative salads, hot soups and desserts. It’s not completely vegan but the vegan options are clearly labeled.

• InSpiral Lounge: 250 Camden High Street (nearest tube stop is Camden Town)

This is an extremely popular vegan café in the heart of Camden Town and is a favorite of the UK Tours & Vacations team. Their kale chips are divine and don’t even get us started on their raw chocolate and almond fudge! It serves mainly raw food, with a few cooked options, and it also serves vegan ice cream and cakes. If you’re looking for a chilled place for a casual meal in the evening, then this is a great choice as they sometimes have live music – note that it does tend to get busy!\

Vegan and vegetarian stalls
The trend in London these days is to grab a light lunch bite from a market stall and enjoy it al fresco. Fortunately, there are many options for vegans and vegetarians if you would like to eat like the locals. Here are a few pointers.

• Chickp: Outside St James Church in Piccadilly

As you may have guessed from the name of this stall, it specializes in falafel. It’s simple street food at its best and a great snack or light lunch option. Note that the stall is only there on Mondays but can be found at St Katherine’s Docks on a Friday.

• Old Spitalfields Market on Commercial Street (nearest tube stop is Liverpool Street)

There are plenty of vegan and vegetarians stalls operating in the Old Spitalfields Market so take a look around and you’ll be sure to find something you like. Rainforest Creations, which can be found there on Sundays, serves vegan rotis and wraps, raw vegan desserts and wonderful living food salads. Meanwhile, Koshari Street (which is a mobile van) serves Egyptian-inspired food.

• Markets off Brick Lane (nearest tube stop is Liverpool Street)

There are a few markets that take place off Brick Lane, including the Sunday Upmarket, Boilerhouse or Backmarket, that serve vegan options, such as Ethiopian food and raw vegan cake stalls.

• Chelsea Market on Kings Road (nearest tube stop is Sloane Square)

This market also has a selection of vegan stalls. Rainforest Creations can be found there on Saturdays.

Vegan and vegetarian restaurants
If you’re looking for something a little less casual then there are a selection of fine restaurants in London that serve vegan options – particularly Indian, Thai, Japanese and Chinese restaurants. Many of them are close to famous London attractions and popular hotels, meaning you won’t have to walk far. Here’s our selection of some of the best rated vegan and vegetarian restaurants but there are many, many more!

• Sagar: 17A Percy Street (nearest tube stop is either Tottenham Court Road or Goodge Street)

This is actually a vegetarian restaurant and there are four of them in London, but it has a separate vegan menu and also an a la carte menu. It’s a good place to head if you have a large appetite after a day of sightseeing as the portion sizes are huge!

• Mildreds: 45 Lexington Street (nearest tube stop is Oxford Circus or Tottenham Court Road)

This is a locally popular vegetarian restaurant with plenty of vegan options, including burgers, pies, salads, stir fries and desserts (try their tofu cheesecake)! One thing to note is that they don’t take bookings so it’s best to arrive early.

• Coach and Horses: 29 Greek Street (nearest tube stop is Tottenham Court Road)

Ok, this isn’t a posh restaurant but, if you’re looking for some British authenticity, then you need to have a pub meal during your UK vacation! Unfortunately, many traditional British pubs have a limited selection when it comes to vegan options; however, Coach and Horses has a vegetarian menu with a fair few vegan options and it can even arrange a vegan afternoon tea if booked in advance!

• Itadaki Zen: 139 Kings Cross Road (nearest tube stop is Kings Cross)

If you like Japanese food then you will love Itadaki Zen, which is a completely vegan Japanese restaurant that also does take away. It’s on the casual side when it comes to the ambience but is a good, if not a little pricey, option for a sit-down lunch.

Health food shops
If you’re eager to buy some vegan treats, clothes or accessories while in London then head to one of the city’s many health food stores, some of which have juice or smoothie bars, or buffet counters.

• Vx: 73 Caledonian Road (nearest tube stop is Kings Cross)

Vx, or Vegan Cross, sells a whole range of vegan items, including food (they have cupcakes)! They also sell some vegan clothing.

• Planet Organic: 22 Torrington Place (nearest tube stop is Goodge Street)

This is part of a small chain and there are other stores dotted around London, including one near Liverpool Street station. This store offers an extensive range of health foods, including raw foods and Paleo-friendly snacks. It also has a small health and beauty section, selling make up, bath products and vitamins. It also features a juice bar and buffet and has a small seating area.

• Whole Foods Market: 43 Parkway (nearest tube stop is Camden Town)

This is the same chain that can be found in the US and is a large health food supermarket with an extensive range of organic produce, prepacked food, books and vitamins. It also has an organic juice and salad bar.

• Bumblebee Wholefood Co-Op: 32–33 Brecknock Road (nearest tube stop is Kentish Town)

This co-op is spread over two stores, which one selling breads and cereals, and the other focused on organic fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s a good option if you’re staying in self-serve accommodation nearby.

London has a diverse food culture and, no matter what your food preferences or requirements, you'll be sure to find restaurants catered to your needs! If you would like to book a vacation in London, contact a member of our friendly team on 1-347-594-5500 or click here to send on online inquiry.