London Guide for Vegans

London Guide for Vegans

Being a vegan in London is the easiest thing in the world if you know what you’re doing and where to go. I would say that vegan burgers are all the rage across the city at the moment, especially since the release of the new Beyond Meat patties worldwide.

This is a plant friendly city, and if you read on I’ll tell you exactly where to go for everything from groceries to baked goods and even a traditional high tea.

Vegan Supermarkets in London

GreenBay

Surprisingly, London doesn’t have any solely vegan supermarkets like one finds in Paris and Amsterdam. Instead their health oriented supermarkets simply offer either mediocre to substantial vegan products and produce.

The best I’ve found would be GreenBay in West Kensington. Their range is far wider than any of the others around the city, especially for chocolates and cheeses.

The owners are vegan themselves, so they know what the people want. Definitely one of the top spots for travelers who need to stock their Airbnb with food.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 10am to 8pm

ADDRESS: Bramber Court, 228 North End Rd, Hammersmith, London W14 9NU, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: West Kensington

GreenBay – by GreenBay – Uploaded by them

Whole Foods Markets

There are Whole Foods Markets all over London and they too have an equally impressive array of vegan products to what GreenBay does. A lot of their stock is imported from the USA, which means it’s things you won’t usually see elsewhere in the city.

Whole Foods is also a great place for vegans to pick up ready made meals to eat on the go while sightseeing or en route to a guided walking tour.

Planet Organic

I suppose Planet Organic could be equated to the local version of Whole Foods. There are branches all over the place, but this particular one in the city center has my heart.

Their in-store cafe does some great acai! After that, you can shop health-oriented produce to your hearts content. They also have a bakery on site, so this really does become a one stop shop of vegan dreams.

Planet Organic – by Planet Organic – Uploaded by them

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 7:30am to 9pm

ADDRESS: 22 Torrington Pl, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HJ, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Goodge Street Station

Vegan Restaurants in London

Genesis Shoreditch

Shoreditch is another slice of vegan heaven, and there are eateries seemingly on every corner. Genesis needs to be taken very seriously when looking for plant based places to eat in London.

This is a retro themed restaurant that specializes in all of the street food you’ve come to love, but made entirely from plants. Tacos, burgers, shakes, sundaes, cheesy fries, brownies — you name it!

Their crumbed chicken burger has been known to convert even the harshest of critics.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 11:30am to 10:30pm

ADDRESS: 144 Commercial St, Spitalfields, London E1 6NU, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Shoreditch High Street

Genesis Shoreditch – by Genesis – Uploaded by them

Black Cat Café

Staying in Shoreditch, the Black Cat Cafe keeps veganism at its British roots. Back in the day, plant based eating was very much reserved for the bohemian communities around London.

This cafe runs as a volunteer based co-op; the staff don’t have to be there, they want to be there. The food is phenomenal, menu changes on the regular, the ambiance is unmatched and you can bring your own drinks if you like.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Wednesday to Monday — 10am to 9pm

ADDRESS: 76A Clarence Rd, Clapton, London E5 8HB, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Hackney Downs

Black Cat Cafe – by Black Cat Cafe – Sourced from their Facebook

222 Vegan Cuisine

222 Vegan Cuisine is another bohemian-style eatery in London’s West Kensignton. This one operates as a buffet by day, and a candle-lit dinner space by night.

The lunch buffet will cost you £11.50, and its all you can eat. I would happily pay £11.50 just to eat their potatoes. Evening dining switches to an a la carte menu.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 12pm to 3:30pm // 5:30pm to 10:30pm

ADDRESS: 222 North End Rd, Hammersmith, London W14 9NU, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: West Kensington

222 Vegan Cuisine in London – by 222 Vegan Cuisine – Uploaded by them

Vegan Bakeries in London

Ms. Cupcake

If I didn’t tell you these cakes were vegan prior to your first bite you’d absolutely never have known. Ms. Cupcake has outdone themselves with plant based baking; these are top quality baking techniques that completely outshine their dairy-using competitors.

Cakes, cupcakes, croissants, cookie sandwiches, brownies… it’s all here and it’s all guilt free.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 1pm to 8pm

ADDRESS: 408 Coldharbour Ln, Brixton, London SW9 8LF, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Brixton

Ms. Cupcake – by Ms. Cupcake – Uploaded by them

Vegan Sweet Tooth

This next vegan bakery is quite a journey to get to (it’s in Croydon) but it’s very much worth it.

This is an Italian chef who is dedicated to recreating all of the sweet treats we know and love in a purely plant based form. Everything is vegan, and there are gluten free options on the menu too.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Various

ADDRESS: 2 Gilsland Rd, Thornton Heath CR7 8RQ, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Thornton Heath

Vegan Sweet Tooth – by Vegan Sweet Tooth – Uploaded by them

Vegan High Teas in London

Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at The Sanderson Hotel

More and more high teas around London are adding a vegan menu to their daily operation. The famous tea at the Sanderson Hotel near Trafalgar Square recently did just that to their daily Mad Hatters Tea Party.

One can now enjoy this sought after experience with a 100% plant based menu. They’ve also done vegetarian and gluten free menus too. Bravo, Sanderson!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS: 50 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NG, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Goodge Street

Mad Hatters Tea at the Sanderson Hotel – by The Sanderson Hotel – Sourced from their website

Potion Room Tea at The Cutter & Squidge

If you’re not at least a little Harry Potter crazy while in London then you’re really missing out. Cutter and Squidge is a fabulous eatery in Soho that does a daily high tea to a wizarding theme.

This is the first time they have offered a vegan version of their famous tea; booking in advance is recommended to ensure availability of all menu items!

POTION ROOM TEA AT THE CUTTER & SQUIDGE – by CUTTER & SQUIDGE – Sourced from their website

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS: 20 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SJ, United Kingdom

METRO STATION: Piccadilly Circus