Veggie in London, UK: What I Found
- Aug 8, 2015
- 5 min read
London has often been voted as one of the best cities to live in as a vegetarian or vegan. When i'm there I am based in South East London so it's not easy for me to access all the wonderful veggie places but here is what I did manage to discover as a vegan in London, June/July 2015.
South London
Lighthouse Café
This café is situated in Catford. You may not have any reason to visit this rather uneventful part of town but this café certainly gives you a reason to. It has recently opened, at least as a vegetarian café. It’s modern, comfortable, clean and has an attractive and inviting design. The menu is outstanding. They do an amazing vegan breakfast as well as a filling and scrumptious vegan pancake and all of this is reasonably priced. They have vegan cupcakes. They do sell dairy but the menu is generally well catered towards vegans. They have a buffet from 12:30 until 3 PM which is outstanding value. They have some very tasty raw dishes as well as some interesting hot dishes and curries. The staff are also very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. This was our pick of the best for the South. Unfortunately they do not open in the evenings at the moment but we were told that they are hoping to be able to extend their opening hours.
Greenz
Greenz is a lovely little restaurant that is in Tulse Hill. They are just a few steps away from the station. The menu is not huge, but the options that they have will certainly satisfy. The dishes are not that cheap but they are generous portions. Loved the fact that they are 100% vegan. The kitchen is right in the middle of the restaurant and the one woman who serves you seems to run the entire operation which we found impressive. They do not serve alcohol here but you can bring your own which helps to balance out the cost.
UPDATE JUNE 2016: Greenz has unfortunately now closed down.
Honey Hive Vegan Café
This café is in the back of a shop and art gallery called The Calabash of Culture in Sydenham High Street. The title is off-putting but we only noticed honey as a tea flavouring. The menu items are impressive, they have raw salads – small, medium or large portions as well as a range of hot dishes such as noodles or sweet potato pie. They also have some fabulous sweets such as cupcakes and red velvet cake which can be served with vegan ice-cream.
The real special thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere and vibe. The owners make a very special effort to ensure that their customers are happy, in fact, they make you feel just like part of their family. They open late on Friday nights if you book and we understand they also have live jazz music nights sometimes.
There is only one negative point to discuss about this place which would be the price. The portions are not huge for the money that you pay. Also, they charge for water – and they don’t tell you that they do. 50 pence a glass is a con for warm tap water. This is a great shame because I would have otherwise given this place a five star glowing review.
Central London
Inspiral Lounge
This is my overall pick of the best. Camden is quite far from my home town in South London but when I heard about this place I knew I had to visit. Firstly, they are 100% vegan. The menu is large and full of so many interesting options. Portions are huge, too! They also serve alcohol and are open late and have live music and DJ nights! Amazing! A restaurant that understands vegans are not tee-totallers, we like to drink and party and just like everyone else. Great to know that all of their alcohol is certified vegan too, no need to check on Barnivore first.
The setting is right out on Camden Lock. Music is funky. Atmosphere is rockin’ and the vibe is good. I’m not at all surprised it is as popular as what it seems to be. The dishes taste amazing and not only do they have a selection of wonderful desserts but a huge range of health products, cooking ingredients and snacks available to shop too.
We love Inspiral Lounge. Can’t wait to go back when I’m back in London next year.
UPDATE JUNE 2016: Inspiral Lounge has closed down and re-opened as another vegan restaurant called Campbell's Canal Cafe.
Norman Coach and Horses
This place claims to be London’s first (only?) vegetarian pub. It’s a place that I’ve been coming to for a couple of years now. It is right in the centre of Soho, West End. Downstairs it will just feel like a normal pub, except when you see the menu which we are pleased to confirm is meat free and also includes vegan and raw vegan options all of which are clearly indicated in the menu.
Upstairs, however, is a quaint, countrified tea room. Here you can order anything from the drink and food menu and of course teas (cakes, etc.) You can book reserve a table up here so you can be away from the hustle and bustle of the unaware (of this pub’s speciality) after work crowd.
I found their range of food impressive although the raw options may leave you hungry as they are not that filling. I personally love the tofush and chips which was my first ever ‘fish’ experience since I’ve never tried the real thing in my life and I enjoyed this dish. The veggie burger is also good and can be vegan as goes for many of their main dishes.
Our only fault with this place is that on my last visit they seemed to have raised their prices and I’m not quite sure the increase is justified. This addition was made prior to the pictures.
Itadakizen
This is a 100% vegan Japanese restaurant in King’s Cross. The first thing I’d like to warn you is that it isn’t very easy to find if you aren’t familiar with the area, so check a map and get your bearings. It’s a small and pleasant place. I don’t have too much to say about here really. If you like Japanese food, you will like it. I’m kind of so-so about Japanese food, but it was nice to have something different as it’s not very often I get the opportunity to try vegan Japanese.
You order a set, it’s not cheap but the portions are quite generous. They have some pretty decent wine too. The sushi was nice, as were the noodles I got with my set.
If you like Japanese food you will like here.
For a video gallery of the above restaurants please click this link:
Other Veggie Places
Of course, it doesn't need to be a vegetarian restaurant to serve good vegan food. Here are some of the meals I got in other places including Wetherspoons pubs, Uskadar restaurant and several other restaurants and pubs.
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