I used to dream of being a fine dining chef, but now I just spend my time eating tasty vegan fine dining food in London (and beyond). The vegan scene has really grown in London and with it we have seen numerous 100% vegan fine dining restaurants open up around the city. Not to mention the plant-based tasting menus that you’ll now discover in well-established fine dining establishments.
This is my personal favourite list of vegan fine dining spots around London. It is predominantly made up with fully vegan restaurants, but there are a few non-vegan spots that I wanted to mention too.
I’m certain you’ll find some delicious looking vegan fine dining food that’ll wet your appetite! If you have any further suggestions on places to add here then let me know in the comments below.
EDIT
- Best for: Hyperseasonal cooking
- Dietary: Vegan
EDIT is a fully vegan restaurant that focuses on serving hyperseasonal dishes using ingredients that are grown as locally as possible. When dining at EDIT I’ve had the chance to try some incredible wild ingredients that I’ve never tried before, like the beautiful Alexander Bud foraged from North Wales.
Because they are hyperseasonal, they feature a lot of fermented dishes on their menu which I particularly love! I find their flavour combinations are also really well thought out and allow the incredible local ingredients do the talking.
They only offer a tasting menu with either 5 (£48pp) or 7 courses (£57pp). Considering the sustainability of this restaurant and the quality of these dishes, it is really reasonable priced. You could easily spend that amount ordering a starter, main and dessert at a chain restaurant.
Plates
- Best for: Creativity and ingenuity
- Dietary: Vegan
The food I have eaten at Plates was some of the first vegan fine dining food that I’ve had that has matched the creativity and ingenuity of some of the non-vegan Michelin star restaurants I used to eat at in my pre-vegan days.
You can tell that the chef behind Plates, Kirk Haworth (winner of Great British Menu 2024), has a classic chef background with a lot of experience cooking non-vegan food. All of which he now pours into creating his delicious 100% vegan dishes.
Plates used to run as a pop up restaurant, showing up in multiple locations across London, but they are currently building a permanent location on Old Street. It is due to open in July, but tables are hard to come by. Which is testament to Kirk’s incredible cooking.
I managed to bag myself a table for 1 at the Chef’s Counter in August, so watch this space for a full Plates review!
Studio Gauthier
- Best for: Relaxed fine dining
- Dietary: Vegan
If you want to enjoy a refined plant-based dinner but in a more relaxed setting then get yourself on down to the BFI building off Tottenham Court Road to enjoy a tasting menu at Gauthier’s new establishment, Studio Gauthier. Read my full Studio Gauthier review here.
The food is similar to what you will eat at Gauthier Soho (mentioned below), but you will also find some other exciting dishes like vegan sushi on the menu.
They have an open kitchen which is good fun to watch mid service. The restaurant setting itself is nice enough for a fancy night out, but it also feels quite relaxed and easy going. They do use the space to serve up the food from their other off-shoot brand, 123V, so do expect to see plenty of vegan sushi flying out of the kitchen.
Tendril
- Best for: Non-vegan diners
- Dietary: Vegetarian
Tendril is a vegetarian restaurant but the majority of their dishes are actually vegan. They include just one or two vegetarian options on their menu which are interchangeable with a vegan option. I personally would love to see them go 100% vegan, but I can see how this approach has helped them to grow.
The food is also delicious and I’ve always been amazed at the creativity of their vegan dishes and the flavours they bring to the table. You can either choose from their reasonable priced discovery tasting menu or eat à la carte (Mon-Weds dinner).
You can expect to eat around the world all in one night with dishes like chipotle mushroom skewers, or charred celeriac with kimchi. I am also a big fan of their cocktails, plus their no-low alternatives.
Gauthier Soho
- Best for: Classic French cooking
- Dietary: Vegan
Gauthier Soho is something of an institution in the world of London fine dining. It was a popular spot serving up French cuisine, but in 2021 Alexis Gauthier decided to make the bold decision of changing the restaurant to be fully plant-based. It was evidently the right decision as I personally believe their plant-based food offerings improved vastly afterwards!
Their menu changes with the season and I like to visit every couple of seasons to discover the new dishes they are cooking up. I particularly enjoy ordering their tasting menu with the wine pairing, it will set you back a couple of hundred pounds per person, but you will have an enjoyable evening!
I’ve always enjoyed the service at Gauthier Soho and despite being an old school fine dining restaurant, they make the setting feel quite relaxing.
Pied a Terre
- Best for: Michelin dining
- Dietary: Vegan-friendly
Pied à Terre is the only non-vegan restaurant that I’ve mentioned here but I do believe it is worth including. The restaurant has 1 Michelin star and offers a fully plant-based tasting menu that can be complemented with a vegan drinks pairing.
If you are looking for the Michelin experience then this is a great option for you. But do be wary of the fact that animal products are still served here, so you may well be sat next to a table of diners eating dishes like foie gras.
I found the flavours of many of their vegan dishes to be daring and exciting. It was an enjoyable meal and a great experience.
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