Best veg-focused restaurants in London for anyone trying to eat more plants

Originally founded in Spain, Honest Greens (branded as Hg in the UK) has seen huge success on the Iberian Peninsula and now is bringing some of that brilliant Mediterranean sun to our windy shores, courtesy of rainbow salad bowls, thick slabs of fresh tuna and spectacularly seasoned cauliflowers. Everything is made in house, from the tables to the moreish sourdough, and is refined sugar-free. Just don’t fill up too much on the crispy green-centred falafels; with such a smorgasbord of date-sweetened desserts on offer, you’d be a fool to only sample Hg’s savoury options. In fact, the shoyu pecan pie was so good, we ordered it twice.

Hg is all about real food and while there are plenty of plant-based dishes on the menu (the Latin Lover bowl is phenomenal), it also has well-loved meat options (we hear the piri piri chicken is not to be missed) and fish dishes too. Head downstairs and you’ll find a juicy water station where you can refill your glass with all kinds of antioxidant-rich concoctions. Think Nandos, but for people who are aiming to eat over 30 plants a week. When we visited mid-week, the place was heaving (but in a good way) – you’re bound to hear far more about these guys over the coming year.

Veganism has a long history in the Caribbean, with the Ital diet focusing on meat-free, high vibe ingredients. The best known dishes in this country, however, tend to be animal-based. So what do you do if you’re plant-based or trying to eat more plants but want a plate of salt fish or curried goat? Head to Jam Delish, of course!

Based in Angel, this modern Caribbean kitchen has already become legendary. We visited early one Saturday evening and people were queuing to get in – it’s that good. 

Start with a sorrel margarita (pink, sweeter and more delicious than the classic), before diving into a plate of jerk ‘pork’ belly tacos – packed with slaw, pickles, salsa and crispy onions. For mains, you can choose between classics like ‘oxtail’ chow mein, jerk ‘chicken’ skewers, grilled ‘codfish’ and callaloo fritters (incredible), curried ‘goat’ and fried ‘chicken’ with Jamaican gravy. Be sure to leave room for a go at that week’s cheesecake.

Setting out to help Londoners to eat less meat and to move away from heavily processed fake options, Tendril is all about celebrating the power of veg. Everything about the place is plush, from the upmarket décor to the well-stocked bar (the cocktails are sublime) - and that’s before you get onto the food. It’s mostly small plates (think: white bean and tahini spread; beetroot ‘ndjua; grilled chimichurri melon) with a few larger mains (beetroot feta borek).

The odd splash of cheese is great for keeping non-vegans happy but the key things – like pudding – are pure plant-based magic. 

Whether you try Mallow in Borough or Canary Wharf, you’re guaranteed to have a great evening. It’s a fully vegan restaurant loved by plant eaters of all persuasions. It’s minimal waste, locally sourced and beautifully appointed – it’s worth going for the décor alone.

The menu has so many delicious dishes to choose from – so there really is something for everyone. Our top pick? Opt for the ‘market menu’ so you can sample all the restaurant’s most iconic dishes, including mojo rojo croquettes to start and Kashmiri gobi served with fragrant carrot pilau and smashed potatoes to feast on afterwards.

Mallow is also famous for its excellent cocktail menu, so make sure to order an apricot negroni or a watermelon basil margarita to accompany your meal.  

Canary Wharf isn’t a place traditionally associated with vegans but it seems to be undergoing a mini plant-based revolution. Mallow opened up a second site in the middle of the financial hub and now, Bokan 37 – an elegant, skyscraper restaurant overlooking the Thames – has a seven course vegan tasting menu. 

From high in the clouds, sit back and warm-up with a golden pumpkin soup before enjoying spoonfuls of winter truffle and black trumpet risotto (which the non-vegan we took said was “the best risotto” he’d ever eaten). 

It’s on the pricey side (£99pp) but if you’re after a celebration meal somewhere fancy (perhaps you’re treating a vegan or looking for Veganuary inspiration), then this hive of high-end dining is ideal. We especially loved the tropea onion and tomato vol au vent which burst with late-summer fruitness and almost pizza-like flakey pastry.

Seven course might sound like a lot but you’ll leave feeling comfortably full and inspired.

If you’re looking for fast food that doesn’t cost the planet, then Neat Burger’s for you. With four locations in London, you’re never that far from a brioche bun burger, an artisan ciabatta or fully loaded super salad.

Choose between crispy chick’n, chickpea patties and plant-based versions of familiar American-style burgs. The standout offering, however, has to be the chopped seasonable supergreens bowl. It’s a fact that vegans do salads better than anyone else and this number is overflowing with crispy fried courgettes, plant-based feta, loads of zingy green goddess dressing and, of course, a load of veg. It’s a meal in its own right but if you need a little extra something on the side, then go for the hummus and baked pita chips or za’atar coated skin-on fries.

Down in Peckham, Naifs is a shared family meal-style place which focuses on showcasing “the abundance and beauty” of plants and pulses. The bar is stocked with natural and biodynamic wines, ciders and beers, and there’s plenty of homemade kombucha and soda for no-alcohol dining.

There’s one set meal (£30) that’s served ‘family style’, with desserts and digestifs served separately. Look forward to grilled mushrooms with cauliflower skordalia (a creamy, garlicky Greek dip) and salsa verde, warm butter bean salad and a sticky, sweet french bean and aubergine agrodolce with tahini sauce. 

If you’re looking for plant-based fine dining, then hot foot it over to Fitzrovia, where Pied à Terre – a Michelin Starred restaurant whose kitchen is run by Greek chef Asimakis Chaniotis. It’s got a pair of omnivorous menus and two fully plant-based ones, and the latter is so good that it’s recognised as the “No 1 Vegan tasting experience in the UK”.

Choose between A La Carte or a tasting course (10 plates comes in at £120), where you’ll be treated to a beetroot meringue canapé, oven-roasted celeriac scallops and a blood peach, lemon verbena, fig and basil sorbet. 

Tel Aviv-inspired Bubala has two sites (Spitalfields and Soho), but that doesn’t make it any easier to get a table. You’ll have to book way ahead if you want to have dinner on a Friday or Saturday but it’s worth the admin. Choose from a set menu or pick your choice of small plates, starting with a range of dips (arguably the best hummus in London) and pickles, before moving onto crunchy falafels, fennel-soaked halloumi and smoked Jerusalem artichokes.

The menu’s mostly vegan but there’s one veggie option per ‘course’. You can order The Bubala Knows Best sharing menu (£42pp) as fully vegan or mixed. 

Japanese food is largely plant-based but it can be tricky finding enough fish-free dishes in your typical UK restaurant. Over in Kings Cross (other branches can be found in Paris and Shrovesbury), Itadakizen solves that issue with an extensive menu of vegan tapas dishes, from teriyaki tofu steak and mixed veg ramen to irini, gyoza and seaweed salad.

Prices range from around £4 for stir-fried veg to £10 for curry and soboro don (finely scrambled organic tofu with marinated carrots and sweetcorn).