Siblings Kirk and Keeley Haworth have created a one of a kind menu and vibe at this entirely plant-based Hoxton restaurant. Each dish combines highly seasonal, sustainable, occasionally unfamiliar ingredients which makes a fun journey of discovery. A tasting menu kicks off with – depending on the season – hibiscus and white tea granita with a beetroot and buckwheat truffle, savoury but surprisingly the exact texture of a rich chocolate treat. Laminated sourdough has both crunch and flakiness, served with a vibrant spirulina butter. You might recognise ‘lasagne’ from Kirk’s win on Great British Menu – his deconstructed version combines an umami-packed ragu with a miso and chive sauce. There’s no refined sugar but plenty of flavour in cacao gateaux with sour cherry, coconut blossom ice cream and caramel sauce. Low-intervention wines and cocktails are equally inspiring. Book a seat at the counter for a ringside view. plates-london.com

Previously rubbing shoulders with Harrods in Knightsbridge, fully plant-based Holy Carrot finds its new home on Portobello Road. The menu has been completely revamped – headed up by Acme Fire Cult’s co-founder Daniel Watkins – as has the décor, which is minimalist, chic and neutral, allowing the food to take centre stage. A pleasant smokiness permeates the restaurant from the coal-roasted leeks which are lifted from Acme’s Dalston menu. Ingredients from the seasonal menu are sourced from small-scale producers, including squidgy focaccia from Alma Bakery. The delicate grilled watermelon with cucumber, seaweed and togarashi is pleasantly refreshing, while hen of the woods with tofu soubise, mala sauce and kombu is umami heaven. For dessert, we inhaled the matcha tiramisu topped with candied pecans. The stellar credentials continue to the cocktail menu from Dalston’s A Bar with Shapes for a Name (one of the world’s 50 best bars, no less). The extensive wine list outdoes itself with bubbles, pink, skin-contact and orange wines from across Europe, including rare wines – all low-intervention, organic and biodynamic. For the teetotal there are low- and no-alcohol wines as well as a sprinkling of the more unusual with cordyceps and lion’s mane lattes. holycarrot.co.uk

The second spot from Marc Summers (Berber & Q) and Helen Graham (Palomar) is decked out in the same earthy-chic style as the original Spitalfields restaurant. Gather round the table at the back to get a slice of action from the open kitchen and peruse jars of ferments and infusions that make their way into dishes and cocktails. Peanut-infused bourbon is stirred with chocolate bitters for a warming old fashioned, blood orange syrup is shaken up with tequila in a rose petal and Persian salt-rimmed margarita, and citrus syrups are topped up with sparkling water and fresh herbs in the non-alcoholic gazoz options.

To start, order fresh laffa flatbread to dip into silky baba ganoush, followed by charcoaled leek swirl skewers and corn ribs, slathered in a punchy chipotle, Aleppo chilli, black garlic and cumin sauce. Lip-smacking mains include buttery hispi cabbage coated in a dried orange, nori and sesame crumb, and deep-fried, brined cauliflower served with caramelised spiced spinach bkeila. Potato latkes are given a modern twist, pressed with garlic butter into stacks and fried to order, and fresh vesuvio tomatoes and mango are soaked in a sweet and tangy tamarind and date syrup dressing. Finish with coconut and tahini fudge, subtly laced with blood orange and coated in crackly sesame seeds. bubala.co.uk

Tucked away on a quiet residential street in Peckham Rye sits vegan naïfs. Immediately warm and welcoming, it feels as though you’ve stepped right into the home of co-owner Anne Stokes, who runs the restaurant with partner Tom Heale. Subtle Japanese references in the décor - including garlands of origami birds - transcend into the food, through their Japanese grill in the kitchen as well as some of the ingredients.

The signature lentil pâté starter is an earthy foil for sweet fig jam, punchy pickles and a rye sourdough from renowned local bakery TOAD. The seasonal set menu of four dishes includes sticky glazed aubergines, smoky celeriac and crunchy sunchoke crisps. All the mains come at once, family style, creating a relaxed dining experience. For drinks, try the tall and refreshing Rhum & Ginger or a warming, gently spiced Paper Plane with bourbon. There are two dessert options, on our visit a feather-light filo with whipped almond custard and umeboshi alongside a silken chocolate mousse with yuzu curd. naifs.co.uk

Tucked down a quiet backstreet off buzzy Hackney Central lies a plant-based oasis. WAVE (We Are Vegan Everything) does exactly what it says on the tin and more: a fully vegan menu of brunches, pastries, bakes and drinks, set among Bali beach-inspired interiors with a neutral colour palette, rattan furniture and hanging macramé plants.

Deliciously cooked brunches are available until 4pm for laid-back weekends. The shakshuka with creamy butter beans comes topped with a convincing vegan egg made from whipped tahini yogurt and hollandaise. Eat the rainbow with the brekkie bowl of scrambled tofu, perfectly ripe avocado, roast tomatoes, hummus, sautéed kale and homemade barbecue beans. Açai bowls can be levelled up with Trip CBD, protein powder, maca powder and nut butters.

Daily fresh treats from the counter include pasty perfection from up-and-coming plant-based bakery Okja in Spitalfields. Don’t sleep on these – the pistachio and lemon one is zesty and refreshing, while the chocolate hazelnut pastry hits the vegan Nutella spot.

Standard coffee fare is available but it’s worth trying the salted coffee or peanut butter latte for a punchy caffeine hit, while the vibrant turmeric and beetroot lattes provide plant-powered goodness. Take it one step further with a medicinal lion’s mane latte or cordyceps chai – or make it a boozy brunch with a bloody mary. Walk-ins only. weareveganeverything.com

From the team behind Mildreds comes another fully vegan restaurant in London Bridge. Seasonal and sustainable ingredients are the threads that brings the menu together, which draws from a diversity of influences across the globe.

The Taste of Mallow tasting menu is front-loaded with small plates which shine brightest, starting with a flatbread with tempered curry leaf oil to dunk into a smoky sweet potato pepper mojo and creamy white bean and confit garlic hummus. Aromatic pickled seasonal vegetables and a charred fennel and citrus salad add welcome balance and crunch. These are followed by innovative root chop croquettes and a charcoal brioche, while the main to share is a creamy tomato and potato masala with a crisp pakora, dhal tarka and fluffy pea-studded pilau rice. The chocolate cherry truffles complete the meal when all you can manage is one last bite.

Take a break between courses to enjoy the warm low lighting and cosy velvet cushioned chairs. The extensive drinks menu includes cocktails made with Mallow’s own gin, such as the dry vermouth and chilli martini, as well as beers made in collaboration with UnBarred Brewery and Harbour Brewing Co. You won’t miss the booze with a non-alcoholic and utterly delightful citrussy and red chilli-spiced pineapple martini. mallowlondon.com

Chef/owner Rishim Sachdeva of plant-based Tendril in Mayfair (see our review below) has opened a new, similarly plant-forward, café in Somerset House. Enjoy a laidback lunch in the Old Navy Office overlooking the expansive courtyard or opt for a baked good à emporter. The air of French chic is spot on, with muted Renaissance-esque tones on the walls, pastel marble touches and large windows flooding the dining room with light. It would be easy to wile away the hours with a glass from its extensive (and not only French) wine list, or seek non-alcoholic refreshment from LA Brewery kombucha.

It’s pleasing to see vegan dishes are the norm, with the handful of vegetarian options such as whipped feta and baked brie marked as ‘NV’ (not vegan). It’s veg-first – from the specials we loved the cacio e pepe with courgette ragout and walnut purée as well as the silky aubergine with warming spices. The crispy leek fritter with fennel in a soft vegan brioche bun was a highlight among the sandwiches. Something sweet to finish is a non-negotiable – Tendril’s famous tiramisu with pillowy plant-based cream and a light cocoa and coffee sponge is a must-try, as was the pleasantly orange-spiked chocolate babka. cafepetiole.co.uk

Plant-based pioneer Palm Greens has popped up across London with a stint of residencies this year. In October 2024 it could be found at Neal’s Yard’s 26 Grains with a Mexican-infused, seasonal menu including crisp tostadas with sweet, earthy beetroot, a spicy and creamy vegan take on aguachile, salt and pepper mushroom tempura and a delightful, deconstructed pear cheesecake for dessert.

Similarly fresh, bold and exciting flavours and textures will be appearing on its four-course tasting menu at Loom Club in Islington. LA Brewery is providing the drinks and live music is from Patterns – a soothing blend of atmospheric jazz, soul, broken beat and hip-hop.

A mix of masterclass and supper club is in the pipeline at Fortnum & Mason's third floor studio in January around the theme of 'good mood food'. Think nourishing, vibrant and seasonal dishes inspired by sunnier climes, and owners Kali and Memby's passion for travel and heritage – which are as good for you as they are delicious. Later in 2025 promises to bring its own bricks and mortar space as well as more collaborations with like-minded brands – keep an eye on the website for the latest updates. palmgreens.co.uk

Sibling duo Jordan and Chyna have drawn upon their vegan upbringing to create a union of traditional Caribbean dishes with a modern, London twist in their restaurant and cocktail bar in Islington. Start with tacos with soft-shell tortillas, brown stew ‘codfish’, plantain crisps, avocado and coconut purée. Head chef Nathan Collymore (ex-Jamie Oliver's Fifteen)'s Caribbean fried ‘chicken’ with an umami-rich Jamaican gravy on silky garlic mash and tender vegan ‘goat’ meat in a thick, aromatic curry sauce are must-order mains. When it comes to sides, we particularly enjoyed the creamy mac and cheese with crispy ‘bacon’ and classic fluffy rice and peas. Try to keep a little room for the sticky banana sponge cake with caramelised bananas.

The extensive cocktail menu includes the classics as well as inventive sorrel margaritas with warming ginger, cinnamon and cloves and grown-up, Appleton Estate rum-spiked slushies. Intimate enough for date-night with the plush royal blue upholstery and gold fittings, offset by a vibrant green ‘living wall’, the restaurant also caters to larger groups (make the most of the ‘cakeage’ fee if you want to bring your own cake). jamdelish.co.uk

Brothers Nish and Harsh have come a long way since selling hot sauce at markets in 2016, expanding to a bricks-and-mortar in Clapham and, more recently, a plant-based restaurant in Peckham decked with plants, draped mandala tapestries and decorative cushions.

Sip on the watermelon juice with beetroot, apple, ginger and mint during summer evenings, or ask for the modestly priced cocktail menu, where juices are livened with rum. Nourishing vegan fare lies at the heart of En Root, offering Indian classics and street food nibbles infused with Gujarati spices. Start with sharing bites: puri is filled with beetroot, onion and chickpea and submerged in date tamarind masala water, while the plantain chaat – seasoned plantain on a bed of beetroot, onion, chickpea, ‘spice krispies’ and chutney – is an explosion of sweet crunch.

For mains, saag aloo-filled dosas come with lentil soup and coconut chutney. Or, for optimum health, try the buddha bowl, generously filled with rainbow salad, baba ganesh, sprouted lentils, curried chickpeas, plantain and avocado. To finish, the mango lassi cheesecake on an oaty coconut base offers a healthier twist on the original – best served with creamy chai. enrootldn.co.uk

Flat Earth Pizza has moved into its first bricks and mortar location, an intimate space with bottle green and rattan furnishings. This sustainable pizza joint puts veg at the forefront and dismantles the idea of pizza as ‘junk food’: the dough is neither refined or processed, while ingredients are sourced locally.

Drink natural orange wine on tap during summery evenings, or try the foraged fig leaf and sweet woodruff martini. Start with a selection of well-designed vegan small plates to share, such as pickled beetroot and turmeric-spiced white cabbage, roasted red onions with caramelised shallots, chives and soubise and hummus with sweet house pickles and springy house focaccia.

Experimental pizza lies at the heart of Flat Earth. The ‘Hackey hot’ – topped with sweet pickled beetroot, a mixture of three Somerset cheeses, jalapeños, fermented hot salsa and tomato passata – has sweet warmth, while the ‘Kimchi Fiorentina’ with kimchi, tomato passata, beetroot crumb and egg, is a Korean twist on a veggie classic (vegans have the option of a plant-based mozzarella pie). Finish with a gooey vegan sea salt brownie with salted caramel ice cream. flatearthpizzas.com

Chef Rishim Sachdeva’s mostly vegan menu is a masterclass in considered, delicate veg cooking. Dishes are vegan unless otherwise specified (dairy occasionally features) and sing with incredible balance. Small plates include crispy beetroot bao and roast squash tostada, and his vegan tiramisu is a must order. tendrilkitchen.co.uk

From miso-glazed aubergines with toasted cashews to stuffed plantains, the menu at at The Gate Hammersmith could not, in its fusion of global flavours, be any more on-trend. However, its owners, Adrian and Michael Daniel, have been cooking this way since 1989.

For the London-born sons of Indian parents of Iraqi descent, as Michael puts it, “Using chilli and spices is in our DNA. We grew up on a fusion of Arabic and Indian with local influences, so it was easy to mix cuisines”. The Daniels are pioneers in other ways, too: the Gate Islington was the UK’s first accredited, autism-friendly restaurant. 28 years in, they’re as focussed as ever. “If food doesn’t pass my test, it’s not served. If the passion goes, we’re gone.” says Michael. thegaterestaurants.com

Sitting on the corner of Homerton High Street, The Spread Eagle is London’s first 100% vegan pub serving Mexican inspired street-food, cooked by residents/vegan street-food specialists Club Mexicana. Sit around a rustic wooden table sipping on punchy Bloody Mary’s made with horseradish-infused vodka, tea mojitos brewed with earl grey syrup or funky, gently-spiced ginger kombuchas produced locally in Hackney Wick. The brunch menu takes Mexican and American classics like burritos and huevos rancheros and gives them a vegan twist. If you're after something really indulgent, go for the fluffy waffles drizzled with spicy chilli-infused maple syrup, smoky tempeh bacon and fried ‘chicken’. thespreadeaglelondon.co.uk

The Fields Beneath has three aims – to make great coffee and great food, and to make veganism normal. The colourful spot mixes exposed brickwork with mosaic tiles and blackboards with the menu written in vibrant chalk. For breakfast tuck into glossy baps filled with tofu, mushroom bacon and smoky tomato sauce, or cinnamon waffles with nut butter if you fancy something sweet. All day the counter is covered in tempting baked goods (a few of which are gluten-free, too), from peanut butter bars and chewy cookies to slices of quinoa and berry cake. In 2020, there are three Costa Rican coffees on offer, so fill your cup with natural, honey or washed beans. thefieldsbeneath.com

It’s no surprise that Sloane Square vegan restaurant Wulf & Lamb has gained such a big following given head chef Franco Casolin used to work at the groundbreaking vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black. Among Wulf & Lamb’s most popular dishes are the chilli ’non’ carne (made with kidney beans and mushrooms served on herb rice with cashew soured cream and lime) and the Wulf burger, a ‘meaty’ patty made with marinated seitan and cashew aïoli.

“We believe that food should be delicious, guilt-free and make you feel good,” says owner Rosanna von Zweigbergk. “With the growing interest in the benefits of a plant-based diet, more and more people are discovering that vegan food isn’t restrictive or boring but very tasty, indulgent and diverse.” wulfandlamb.com

With a second site in Camden opening on the back of the success of its pop-ups and the Hackney mothership, Temple of Seitan is a restaurant and takeaway that’s widely regarded as the mother of all plant-based fast-food joints. Since it launched three years ago, Temple of Seitan has gained a fanatical following for its delicious Temple Spicy Burger (crispy seitan fillet, cheese, coleslaw, jalapeños with hot sauce and chipotle mayo) and the proudly poultry-free version of KFC’s double-down fried chicken sandwich. templeofseitan.co.uk

The UK’s first 100% vegan pizzeria, Purezza specialises in plant-based pizzas that respect the Neapolitan heritage. Where possible, this means using alternative versions of animal products, such as a plant-based mozzarella, which took more than two years to develop – this organic cheese (that’s dairy-free, low in fat and allergen-free) is made with brown rice milk and is unique to Purezza. In 2018, the restaurant secured investment to begin producing the cheese from a factory for retail. The original Brighton restaurant opened in 2015 and was followed three years later by a Camden branch and plans for more later this year. In 2018, Purezza won National Pizza of the Year for its Parmigiana Party pizza, despite being the only plant-based entrant. purezza.co.uk

Pay a visit to Persepolis for a taste of Persia in the heart of Peckham. Beyond the deli’s impressive selection of tins, spices, Persian yogurts and display of shisha pipes, you’ll find a cosy hideout where diners feast on freshly made meze platters and veggie and vegan delights such as eggs scrambled with dates and fragrant spices, and dairy-free knickerbocker glories. This popular café is a favourite among locals for its no-nonsense, avocado-free breakfasts (think mango and tamarind smoothies and pots of Persian tea with cardamom), however the £20 tasting menu is the real standout: a colourful carousel of food spanning meze, soup, mains and a dessert platter filled with ice cream, paklava and fruit. foratasteofpersia.co.uk

Hewn wood, exposed brick and twinkling fairy lights adorn this charming vegan café in Camden. Its grotto-like interior and cosy secret garden isolated from Camden’s high street makes the perfect set-up to spend a leisurely lunch, whether it’s tucking into toasted halloumi wraps or grandma’s daily vegan soup. Or, if it’s just a cup of coffee you’re after, they’ll still bring you a tiny snack to enjoy with it. myvillagecafebar.co.uk

Starting out as a successful street-food concept, you can now find Club Mexicana serving its veganised versions of Tex-Mex classics inside a hot pink brick-and-mortar site at Soho’s Kingly Court. The vibrant and buzzy atmosphere matches the zingy flavours spanning the menu, with highlights including the buffalo fried chick’n burrito, loaded with buffalo hot sauce, ranch dressing, salsa verde, pink onions and pickled jalapeños. Beer-battered tacos and nachos are not to be missed either, with the latter resembling a mountain of tortilla chips, queso, ground ‘beef’, guacamole, salsa, pink onions and pickled jalapeños, finished with a drizzle of chipotle oil and sprinkle of chilli-lime salt. clubmexicana.com

If you’re looking for vegan chocolate, head to Copperhouse Chocolate near Angel, London. It's London's first fully-vegan chocolate shop, having made the change back in April 2019 (it was formerly known as Jaz & Jul’s Chocolate House). Try the vegan chocolate brunch for a plate piled high with Jaffa pancakes, drizzled with marmalade-maple syrup and chocolate sauce. Or warm-up with one of many vegan hot chocolates, including chilli con choccy, mintchievous, and cinnamon rose. All the drinks are made with single-origin chocolates from Colombia, Madagascar, and Ecuador. copperhousechocolate.co.uk

This simple takeaway-café on Shepherd’s Bush Market dispenses crisp, herb-laden falafel of staggering lightness. Packed into wraps with his zippy pickled veg, delicious additions such as fried cauliflower and dressed with various tahini, garlic and pomegranate syrup sauces, they abound in flavour. mrfalafel.co.uk