London’s top vegan dining spots

From CBD burgers and seitan curries to refined salads and gut-supporting tagines, we select London’s best vegan offerings

Food and Drink 15 Jan 2020

Le Zinger vegan burger at Le Bun at Rotate
Genesis is known for its 100 per cent plant-based organic fare
Daisy Green’s Vegan Sharing Board
Spanish avocado, artichoke and hazelnut salad at 5 Social
The Gut menu at Petersham Nurseries focuses on seasonal ingredients that work to aid digestion

Le Bun at Rotate

In the warren of cobbled streets around one of Shoreditch’s graffiti hot-spots sits Le Bun at Rotate – a cool industrial-chic space with natural wood panel ceilings, concrete floors, greenery and neon lights, serving quirky burgers and a selection of mostly vegan sides. For January, the lunch spot’s entire concept will be turning vegan and chef and owner Andy Taylor proves environmentally friendly dining can be anything but boring with a menu including Le Zinger – fried chick’n, hash brown, chipotle Zinger sauce, vegan cheese, v-ranch and served in a potato bun and, exclusive to Rotate in Shoreditch, a vegan patty, served with Le Bun CBD burger sauce, vegan American cheese, confit beer onions, ketchup and mustard in a potato brioche bun.

1 Bath Place, London EC2A 3DA; lebun.co.uk/rotate-shoreditch

Genesis

Officially one of the hardest restaurants to walk past without going in, Genesis is an inviting haven of cool pink interiors, quirky illustrated menus and 100 per cent plant-based organic comfort food. The extensive menu offers something for everyone, including its moreish jackfruit hoisin taco, seitan chicken curry bowl and kimchi fries with mayo. Until 2 February, Genesis has joined forces with All Star Lanes for the American-style bowling alley’s Veganuary Special, so you can enjoy a selection of the restaurant’s organic comfort food as you bowl, including Korean BBQ seitan wings and a side of deli fries topped with seitan pastrami, fresh pickles, mustard and a spicy chipotle mayo.

144 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London E1 6NU; eatgenesis.com. Genesis x All Star Lanes available at four London sites; allstarlanes.co.uk

Daisy Green

Anyone who has ever frequented Soho’s Scarlett Green will know that it already has a delicious vegan selection (we’re looking at you, Vegan Sharing Board with fire-roasted aubergine and smoky BBQ tofu steak) and its new offering for January continues to explore innovative plant-based dishes. Throughout the month, the Daisy Green Collection has teamed up with chef Kirk Haworth and nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert on a series of limited-edition vegan dishes to be served across its portfolio of London restaurants, including green shakshuka, smoked aubergine tacos and a rich vegan bolognese.

4 Noel Street, Soho, London W1F 8GB; daisygreenfood.com

5 Social

Jason Atherton’s recently opened restaurant in Mayfair’s Pollen Street includes nods to nature the moment you walk through the door (wood panelling, green walls, relaxed duck-egg banquettes and rattan ceiling lamps) and its seasonal menu is no exception. For Veganuary, the restaurant is offering a fully vegan menu alongside its regular à la carte, created in collaboration with head chef Kostas Papathanasiou (formerly of The Fat Duck, The Ledbury and Pollen Street Social) and includes Spanish avocado, artichoke and hazelnut salad, and celeriac salad with Granny Smith apples, Madeira emulsion and truffle jus.

5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE; 5social.co.uk

Petersham Nurseries

Highlighting the health and wellbeing benefits of a vegan diet, Petersham Nurseries’ January offering focuses on dishes created using seasonal ingredients to reinvigorate the microbiome and enhance the functioning of digestive and immune systems after the indulgence of the festive period. Created in collaboration with The Petersham head chef Martin Sweeney and nutritionist Hannah Richards, The Gut Vegan Menu consists of three courses including a healing mushroom broth with Jerusalem artichokes and a purple potato and chickpea tagine with lemon and olives.

Three-course set menu, £38pp; Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AB; petershamnurseries.com