Veganuary: London’s 7 best plant-based restaurants and cafes to try this month (and or this year)

Veganuary is under way and London's meat-free food scene is more exciting than ever.

In 2022, the capital was crowned the world's most vegan-friendly city for the fourth year in a row and it is now home to more than 200 fully vegan restaurants.

Whether you're already committed to veganism or are simply looking to try new plant-based recipes this year, London's diverse and vibrant culinary scene has a lot to offer.

Here's a round-up of some of London's best plant-based restaurants to try this month and beyond:

Mildreds

Mildreds’ 100% plant-based restaurants have been dominating London’s vegan food scene since 1988 and it now has branches in Covent Garden, Dalston, King’s Cross, Soho and Camden. Its Veganuary specials draw on Caribbean flavours this year, taking diners on a journey through Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Puerto Rico. Dishes include fried plantain, vegan chicken skewers and a churro French toast.

Mallow, Borough Market

From the team behind Mildreds, Mallow is the first fully plant-based restaurant in Borough Market and takes its inspiration from fresh and colourful world ingredients. Its selection of Veganuary specials offers a "pan-Asian dining adventure", featuring black sesame shiitake toast, fried plantain and a pandan coconut parfait. Sustainability is also at the heart of the restaurant’s concept, sourcing its chickpeas from nearby restaurant Brindisa, tempeh from Club Cultured in Hackney and coffee from London’s Allpress Espresso. Mallow also has venue in Canary WHarf.

WAVE, Hackney

WAVE (or We Are Vegan Everything) has cafes in Hackney and Stoke Newington. It offers a seasonal menu ranging from vibrant breakfast bowls and pancakes to uncomplicated, yet comforting, dishes such as macaroni cheese and generous focaccia sandwiches. WAVE is also the place to go for a wide assortment of vegan pastries, smoothies and hot drinks, as well as more unique peanut butter and salted coffee varieties.

Purezza, Camden

Purezza is the UK’s largest vegan restaurant and became the country’s first vegan pizzeria when it first opened in Brighton in 2015. Its menu is creative and indulgent, including a vegan pepperoni and agave pizza topped with chillies and hemp parmesan and a black truffle pizza with vegan mozzarella and camembert, wild mushrooms and parsley.

Cafe Van Gogh, Stockwell

Stockwell’s Cafe van Gogh is a not-for-profit social enterprise known for its hearty and innovative dishes such as butternut squash, shallot and kale orzo with tahini and vegan parmesan, and a shiitake meat ragu served with braised butter beans and gremolata. Its Sunday roast is also not to be missed, which can be followed by desserts such as their black forest chocolate mousse. It also offers lighter lunch options as well as a brunch menu. True to its name, the cafe’s spiral staircase leads to an upstairs seating area with a Starry Night ceiling and sunflower wall art.

The Gate

Founded by Indo-Iraqi brothers Michael and Adrian Daniel, The Gate has been bringing flavourful plant-based dishes to London for more than three decades. Its celebrity chef Ken Hom has developed an entirely vegan menu for Veganuary, including a seitan and cauliflower shawarma and a Thai red curry, alongside a variety of small plate options which can all be enjoyed with a range of vegan wines. It has branches in Hammersmith and Islington.

Gauthier Soho

While French cuisine may not traditionally be associated with veganism given its partiality to butter, cream and cheese, Soho’s Michelin-starred Gauthier restaurant proves otherwise. It axed meat, fish, eggs and dairy from its menu in 2021, becoming the world’s first classical French fine-dining vegan restaurant. Award-winning chef Alexis Gauthier has long been focused on making vegetables the main focus of his food, and in 2016 became vegan himself. Offering a luxurious and refined experience for vegan diners, visitors to Gauthier can choose from a lavish eight-course "grand dîner" or shorter five-course "petit dîner" tasting menu celebrating the finest ingredients.