Anyone that knows me will know that I have a taste for fine dining and that I have really struggled to find restaurants that live up to some of the establishments I frequented pre-vegan. I have been very fortunate to eat at 1-3 Michelin Star restaurants, but they all have the same thing in common – a reliance on animal-based products. Be it meat, fish, or dairy.
As a passionate vegan, I said goodbye to fine dining food for quite some years. That was until I started hearing about chefs making plants the star of the show.
As someone who worked as a professional chef, I know how important challenges are, to keep you on your toes and to ensure your food stays exciting. So it is no surprise that chefs are taking on the plant-based challenge and showing just how amazing vegetables are!
Fortunately, there are now quite a few establishments where you can try out vegan fine dining food in London. From both fully vegan restaurants and non-vegan restaurants. I have outlined the best below, and have noted which ones are 100% vegan and which ones aren’t. As well as showing which ones I’ve visited and tried out myself.
Bon appétit!
The stunning vegan-friendly fine-dining restaurants
Discover some of the best vegan food that London has to offer. These places provide you with an incredible dining experience, and food that will excite your tastebuds and keep you dreaming of the flavour combinations for years to come.
Gauthier
- 100% vegan
- Romilly St, Soho
- Visited
When anyone thinks of vegan fine dining, they’ll think of Gauthier. It is the most ‘fine dining’ of all the fully vegan restaurants here. The chef, Alexis Gauthier, used to hold a Michelin Star for a previous restaurant. So he knows a thing or two about fine dining food. I found all of the dishes really exciting, fresh, and inviting. I recommend going for the wine pairing also for an extra special evening!
Plates
- 100% vegan
- Kingsland Rd, Dalston
- Visited
Plates started out as a food studio and pop up concept and they are now housed inside Untitled bar in Dalston. They put together a 5 course set menu which comes in at a really reasonable £46 pp. And I believe that this is some of the most interesting vegan fine dining food that I’ve ever had, so I’d say the price is almost too cheap! I do love though that they are making innovative vegan food more accessible. I urge you to visit them.
Alter
- 100% vegan
- Leman St, Aldgate
- Visited
If you are after refined vegan Asian food in a trendy setting, then Alter is for you. I can’t get enough of this place. You’ll see me there at least once a month slurping down their Laksa. The small dishes are mini flavour bombs that will get you thinking differently about food. And with a great drinks list, this is the perfect fully vegan Asian fine dining spot.
Read my full Alter Restaurant Review to find out more.
Adesse
- 100% vegan
- Oxford St, Marylebone
- Visited
Located inside Selfridges, Adesse is another of Matthew Kenney’s (who created one of my favourite online vegan cooking courses) vegan restaurants dotted around the world. It has a very swish feel about it but when I visited it was nearly empty and had no real buzz to it. The food was excellent, I particularly enjoyed the jackfruit crab cakes and the chocolate dessert.
Tendril
- ‘Mostly vegan’
- Princes St, Soho
- Visited
Tendril are a ‘mostly vegan’ restaurant. I saw one dish on their menu which used cow’s cheese. So it is pretty much there (I just wish it was fully). But that being said, there is a real buzz to this place. It was completely packed out when I visited, so maybe this does have a more inclusive feel for non-vegans. The food was delicious and really reasonably priced. I know I’ll be going back. Read my full Tendril Kitchen review.
Pied à Terre
- Vegan options
- Charlotte St, Fitzrovia
- 1 Michelin Star
- Visited
The only Michelin starred restaurant on this list, but that does come at a price, you’ll have to eat amongst other diners eating animal-based foods like foie gras. If you are okay with this then I would recommend paying them a visit. Their food is innovative, even if it does sometimes just feel like they removed the meat off the plate and replaced it with a vegetable. Read my full Pied à Terre review here.
Apricity
- Vegan options
- Duke St, Mayfair
- Not visited yet
Apricity caught my attention due to its focus on food waste. Restaurant kitchens are huge food waste culprits so I’d love to try out an establishment where they really do make the most out of an ingredient. They have a few vegan options on their menu and have been told by my sister that the food is really tasty. This is another vegan-friendly fine dining spot that I’ll be checking out in the coming months.
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