The United Kingdom routinely receives top ranking as one of the most vegan friendly countries in the world, and London, it’s dazzling and sprawling capital, has topped Happy Cow’s list of vegan friendly cities for four years running. With 400 plus vegan establishments in the Greater London area it’s no wonder that it’s managed to claim and hold that distinction for so long. Of course there’s much, much more to London then it’s diverse and plentiful vegan food, but if you really want to get even a glimpse of the plant-based food scene here, you really need to make a dedicated food centric trip.

I visited London for the first time last summer as part of a two-month, ten country European tour. While I gorged on other aspects of the city, I had to be a bit more economical and conservative with food. London isn’t cheap, the exchange rate for CAD to the pound is brutal, and when I arrived in London I still had another month of travel to think about. So, it was a lot of quick meals from the grab and go section at Tesco. But I was so tantalized by the city and its food scene that I decided I had to return. Yet even with the intention of this summer’s week-long trip mostly revolving around food, I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface. The same can be said for the city itself – a constantly evolving metropolis throbbing with life, art and culture – that is compulsively walkable and endlessly fascinating.

The recommendations in this guide are based on two visits – cumulatively about two weeks – if you’re only able to visit London for a few days, don’t try to cram too much in! London is best enjoyed leisurely, with time to savour it’s many museums, gardens, parks, and of course the food.

WHERE TO STAY
On my first trip to London, I stayed at an Airbnb in Hoxton, a neighbourhood on the east end of London, and I really enjoyed the eclectic mix of shops and restaurants as well as the general atmosphere of the area. It was central without being overwhelmingly crowded or busy, and, with the Old Street tube station close by, it was easy to get to other parts of the city.  In my wanderings, I happened upon on Brick Lane, a once infamous slum, (favoured by Jack the Ripper) now a beloved market street full of vintage shops, street art, cafes, and some of the city’s most well-known Indian restaurants. I was very charmed by the area and for my second trip to London, I really wanted to stay near Brick Lane. As luck would have it, I found a perfect Airbnb right in the heart of Spitalfields. The Spitalfields neighbourhood is an ideal area to stay in for a number of reasons. Again, it’s central but sheltered from some of the crowds and chaos of downtown – the street I was on was particularly quiet – and is served by a number of tube stations, including Liverpool Station and Aldgate East, from which you can connect to most underground routes. There were eleven plus vegan restaurants within a short walking distance of my Airbnb, along with innumerable other vegan friendly establishments, cafes, shops, and Spitalfields Market. There are more glamourous parts of the city, but for me, this section of London’s east end felt like home.

WHAT TO DO 

Museums and Art Galleries
There’s no denying it; London is expensive, but the good news is that even as a budget conscious traveller, you can experience some of the best museums and galleries in the city for free. This includes world famous institutions like the British Museum, The National Gallery, the Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum. The queues tend to start before the museums even open, so make sure to arrive early and beat the crowds.

Royal Palaces and other Tours

Whether or not you’re a fan of the British royal family, and all the commotion that arises from their lives, there is a lot of historical and cultural significance tied to their existence. Many of the buildings they occupy, whether as residences or governmental institutions, are also architecturally noteworthy.  These buildings are also some of the most popular attractions in the city so booking tickets in advance is a must.  Westminster Abbey is a church and a World Heritage Site that has been the site of every coronation since 1066, as well as many royal weddings, and serves as the burial grounds for numerous prominent figures in British history, including Elizabeth I. Tickets are £27, which honestly is way overpriced (nearly $50 CAD), so unless you’re a history buff, an adamant Royal watcher or not concerned about the price, then I wouldn’t make Westminster a priority. Same goes for Kensington Palace. At £26.40, and very little of the palace open to the public, it wouldn’t be on my short list. I wasn’t able to get tickets to Buckingham Palace (you should book at least a couple of weeks in advance), so I can’t vouch for its quality, but ticket prices are £30.

Markets
You can spend an entire stay in London just exploring its many, many markets. Each has its own set of specialties and distinct atmosphere that is often reflective of the neighbourhood. Many also have strong historical ties to the city, with the oldest (and one of my personal favourites), Borough Market, having a lineage that stretches back as far as the 10th century. I am by no means an expert on London’s markets, but my other favourites are Spitalfields Market, a covered market with an eclectic mix of food, fashion, and art, and the New Covent Garden Market, the United Kingdom’s largest fruit, veg and flower market.

Parks

For such a sprawling and dense metropolis, London is a very green city, and there seems to be an endless amount of parkland to explore. What’s most magical about London’s parks is that there are several in which you only have to venture a short distance to completely separate yourself from the city. Hamstead Heath, Hyde Park, St. James Park, The Regent’s Park are just a few of the expansive flora and fauna filled parks that you can retreat to when the city’s buzz and hot, stuffed tube trips graze your last nerve.

Theatre
London has one of the largest and most electrifying theatre scenes in the world, and seeing a play, whether it’s one of the big West End shows, or something equally as stellar, though perhaps more affordable, at a smaller venue, seeing a play in London is a must. The options at any given time are overwhelming and again you could dedicate an entire trip to exploring the various productions happening in the city. I don’t really have any advice on how to make that difficult decision, but I can vouch for Wicked, which I saw the first time I was in London. This time around I had the privilege of seeing A Little Life, the newly adapted play of Hanya Yanagihara’s best-selling novel, and I highly recommend it, though it is 3 1/2 hours long with challenging and emotionally draining content.

Day Trips

The United Kingdom is a compact country with an astonishing diversity of landscapes. The famously bucolic British countryside is easily accessible using the National Rail Service, as are several nearby cities that are worthy day trips.  A 90-minute ride on the Southern rail line will bring you to Brighton, a busy, vibrant and funky beach town that has been a seaside retreat for the British since the 1700s and has been called the “Vegan Capital of the World”. Bath, a city west of London with a rich cultural history, ancient roman architecture, and a lovely array of shops, cafes and restaurants is about the same distance. The list goes on – Oxford, Canterbury, Dover, Windsor – all reachable by train. As I Canadian, especially as one that doesn’t drive, I am deeply envious of the UK’s rail system. The other option is to book a day trip tour. I recommend this Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor tour. While by necessity, you don’t get a lot of time at each location, but if you’re on a time crunch and only have one spare day away from London, this tour will give you a good taste of all three.

WHERE TO EAT

Wulf and Lamb

Wulf and Lamb is a plant-based fine casual restaurant with locations in Chelsea and Marylebone that specialises in vegan versions of comfort food classics. Mac N Cheese is one of their house specialties, but you can also indulge in the Wulf Pie, a jackfruit and lentil-based pot pie, or a Big Wulf Burger with all the fixings. Looking for a boozy brunch spot? Wulf and Lamb also has a breakfast menu, and a peach Bellini that will spruce up your day.

Unity Diner

Unity Diner, a not-for-profit restaurant in Spitalfields, was started in 2018 by a group of friends and animal rights activists, including notable youtuber and author Ed Winters (aka Earthling Ed). Their mission, broadly, was creating a more compassionate future for animals, but specifically they wanted to raise funds to start an animal sanctuary. Flash forward to 2020 and that ambitious dream has come to fruition in the form of Surge Sanctuary, an 18-acre haven in the Midlands.
Unity Diner’s success comes from its ability to translate its activism as an organisation into genuinely delicious and innovative cuisine. The menu has all the diner classics like burgers and hot dogs, but also incorporates more unique dishes, like a lobster mac n cheese, and even a 3D printed sirloin steak from Israeli company, Redefine Meat. I had the Pan Seared Cod Fillet, and the texture was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in vegan cuisine – tender, flaky, and of course delicious.

What the Pitta

What the Pitta is a popular and growing takeaway chain specializing in vegan doners and kebabs with locations in Brick Lane and Camden. The menu is what you’d expect – a mixture of doner wraps and boxes – but their soya-based meat alternatives, along with the fixings, are prepared and flavoured to perfection. If you’re looking for a quick food fix, you can’t go wrong with What the Pitta.

Purezza
Purezza’s story begins in Brighton, where their initial restaurant was opened on St. James Street in 2015. They were the first vegan pizzeria in the UK and helped push the boundaries of plant-based cuisine and redefine what vegan food could be. The restaurant’s popularity speaks for itself, and they’ve now expanded their enterprise to London, with a location in Camden. Purezza also strongly advocates for sustainability in all they do, not only with careful sourcing of ingredients, but the seats are also made with recycled plastic bottles, and the walls are plastered with a sustainable hemp-based product. This is definitely one of the must try vegan restaurants in London.

Crosstown Donuts

The popular and lauded Crosstown Donuts is not a 100 percent vegan company, but are exceptionally vegan friendly. They can be found all over the UK, in various storefronts, trucks and stalls, but their location in Marylebone is a dedicated vegan space, offering a wide range of plant-based treats and drinks.

Dauns
Dauns is a Scandinavian inspired cafe that offers veganized versions of Scandi dishes, drinks, snacks and treats.  They have a full food menu that includes items like Skagen toast and Smorrebrod (an open-faced sandwich) and Swedish meatballs, but there is also a grab and go selection along with a small pantry store, and lots of coffee.

Mildreds

Mildreds is one of London’s oldest and most popular vegan restaurants.  Since 1988, the restaurant has been dishing out stellar innovative plant-based cuisine in a stylish, upscale but approachable environment. Mildreds has been a forerunner in bringing vegan cuisine into the mainstream in London, and the restaurant’s popularity – reservations are recommended – is a testament to the quality of their food and the strength of the branding.  The Soho location is the original Mildreds spot, but they also now have locations in Covent Garden, Dalston, King’s Cross, and Camden.

Neat Burger

London has a good mix of fine dining restaurants and fast food, quick serve type establishments. As much as you may like the idea of sitting down to a long leisurely meal, sometimes it just isn’t realistic, especially when you’re travelling. If you’re in a hurry, or just too tired to go through a more formal dining experience, Neat Burger has got you covered. With seven locations all around London, a Neat Burger fix is never very far away.

Pastan

Vegan Italian food is really thriving these days, and nobody does it better, with more class, panache and sumptuous flavour than Pastan. With three locations in the UK and one in Barcelona, it’s clear that the brand is thriving.  Must tries include the deep-fried gnocchi, the “Portofino,” a selection of tomatoes, with Buffalo mozzarella and a scoop of avocado & lime ice cream, and the OMNI “tuna Caesar Salad – and that’s just from the appetizer menu. Also, a special shoutout for making the best aperol spritz I’ve ever had.

The Vurger Co

While there is currently only one Vurger location in London (they also have locations in Brighton and Manchester), it is worth making a special trip to Shoreditch to indulge in one of their decadent and flavour-packed burgers. I would put The Vurger Co. in my top three best burgers out there, so definitely put this one on your short list.