Best London Vegan Guide: Restaurants, Shops, + More

What’s your favorite city? For me, I think London will always be at the top of the list and not just because of its amazing vegan food, but also for its incredible charisma and charm.

If this is your first-time visiting London get ready to be a little overwhelmed (but in the best way). It is a giant, fast-paced city filled to the brim with just about everything you can imagine, and it’s one of those cities where you can have serious FOMO.

I have visited the city multiple times and I even lived there for a couple of months, but there are still things that I want to see and do. Keep that in mind when planning and wearing yourself out trying to fit everything in — it’s just not possible.

Itadaki Zen

139 King’s Cross Rd, London WC1X 9BJ, United Kingdom
The best spot for affordable vegan Japanese cuisine — Itadaki was also one of Europe’s first vegan Japanese restaurant! It’s also located inside King’s Cross, a great place to stop if you’re coming into town or going.

Farmacy

74-76 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5SH, United Kingdom
This farm-to-table spot creates gorgeous veggie-forward dishes with ingredients grown on their farm in Kent. Everything is also made without refined sugars, additives, or chemicals.

The Gate

Locations in Marylebone & Islington
Delicious vegetarian and vegan food with French and Italian influences.

En Root

5, Ascot Parade, Clapham Park Rd, London SW4 7EY, United Kingdom
Indian-inspired vegan delights — go with friends and get a sharing platter!

Plant Club

They’re currently looking for a new location
The only vegan and gluten-free Italian restaurant in London! If you’re craving creamy pasta, chewy house-made pizza, or even focaccia, (seriously, it’s gluten-free!) come here.

Ruby’s of London

11 Durnford St, London SE10 9BF, United Kingdom
Absolutely gorgeous cupcakes, brownies, cakes, and more! They also do special orders for weddings and other occasions.

DAPPA

Ely’s Yard, 91 Brick Ln, London E1 6QL, United Kingdom
Outrageous creamy vegan ice cream creations — soft serve sundaes, milkshakes, and more.

Doughnut Time

Multiple locations throughout London
This vegan-friendly donut shop always has multiple fun vegan options like the David Hasselhoff filled with Biscoff buttercream and topped with caramel buttercream, or stay traditional with an icing-covered sprinkle donut!

The Egerton Hotel

17-19 Egerton Terrace, London SW3 2BX
This gorgeous hotel in Knightsbridge offers guests the opportunity to sample the best of Britain with its afternoon tea experience. They offer vegan and gluten-free options but need a 24-hr. notice.

The Ritz London

150 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9BR
Another fancy spot for vegan afternoon tea in London! The traditional tea service comes with 18 different types of tea, champagne, desserts, and sandwiches. The vegan option isn’t publicized on their website, but they are able to accommodate it as long as the booking is at least 48 hours in advance.

69b Boutique Sustainable Style

69b Broadway Market, London E8 4PH
This vegan-friendly clothing shop focuses on stocking sustainable fashion brands, many of which focus on using recycled materials to make their designs. The store carries brands like VEJA and Matt & Nat.

Hilton London Bankside

London’s first luxury vegan hotel suite. Everything in the room, from the pillows to what’s inside the minibar, is made with vegan-friendly products. The room was created in partnership with The Vegan Society. Aside from the vegan treats in the mini bar, guests can also enjoy an in-room vegan menu. The hotel is a five-minute walk to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Millenium Bridge, and Tate Modern.

Book Your Stay

Temple Lodge Club

This charming Georgian B&B was once the home of artist Sir Frank Brangwyn and today welcomes visitors for a peaceful stay in Hammersmith, West London. All the food they serve is vegetarian and organic, with options for vegans and others who have dietary concerns. It is only a few minutes’ walk to the Hammersmith underground and bus station, which will get you quickly into the heart of London.

Book Your Stay

#2 Take a vegan food tour

Overwhelmed by the massive amount of vegan food in London? Well, let a foodie expert help you! During this vegan food tour, you’ll explore hip Camden Town with a local and learn a little bit about the neighborhood while enjoying fried chick’n, cheesy pizza, breakfast baps, and more!

#3 Enjoy vegan afternoon tea on a double-decker bus

Enjoy London’s iconic sights on an iconic double-decker bus while enjoy a delicious afternoon tea service! Brigit’s Bakery and bus tours offers a fabulous vegan menu filled with classic cucumber, vegan cream cheese and mint finger sandwiches, quiche, pastries, and much more! When you book, write “vegan menu” under dietary options.

#4 Check out some of London’s amazing markets!

London is home to some of the world’s best markets! Whether you’re interested in antiquing or eating yourself silly, there are plenty of options here! A few of my favorites include:

Borough Market

Located next to The London Bridge and is full of all types of food (including vegan food!) — everything your taste buds could want. We found terrific Indian food, crepes, and more.

Portobello Market

Located in the chic neighborhood of Notting Hill and is one of the largest antique markets in the world. Aside from antiques, you will find produce, clothing, street food, and more!

Camden Market

Practically takes over the Camden Town Neighborhood! It’s home to more than 1,000 exciting shops, cafes, food vendors, bars, and more! But, one unique stop just next to Camden Market is the Buck Street Market — it’s London’s first eco-market. At Buck Street, you can find vegan pastries, smoothies, and more at The Clean Kitchen, enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine at Antojitos, or enjoy greasy vegan junk food at Bad Vegan. On top of the awesome vegan eats, all of the food produced here is converted back into energy for the national grid!

Old Spitalfields Market

Is set in a Victorian-era market hall and is home to mainstream shops along with independent boutiques, food vendors, and more. For vegan-friendly shopping, check out Inspitalfields, which sells sustainable, handmade products from local artists, and for food, stop by The Polka Dot Bakery and/or Merkamo Ethiopian.

Covent Garden

Was once a fruit and vegetable market; today, it is home to iconic British brands, popular shops, restaurants, and the antique-filled Apple Market. For vegan finds, you won’t have to look too far. Grab a scoop or two of gelato from Venchi Chocolate & Gelato, maybe a soft baked cookie from Ben’s Cookies, and after that, you’ll probably want a cup of tea, so don’t miss Whittard’s on the lower level. Just outside of the market, you’ll also find vegan and cruelty-free perfumes at Floral Street Fragrances.

Colombia Road Flower Market

Is one of London’s oldest flower markets. Colombia Road shuts down and is over flowering with fresh cut blooms, cacti, potted plants, and more. The market is every Sunday and for the best selection and lightest crowds (it’s popular), go early — it opens at 8 AM.

The Seven Dials Market is one more stop while you’re in the Covent Garden area. This market is an indoor space to bring together London’s bustling street food shops and pop-ups. It’s also home to the vegan Mexican hot spot, Club Mexicana.

#5 Take in a show at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

This is a reconstruction of William Shakespeare’s circular theatre, which was destroyed by fire. You can still take in a show in the theatre and experience it as the audience would during Shakespeare’s time! For a mere £5, you can purchase a groundling ticket (ground floor, standing ticket) and be right in the action.

#6 Take a walk in Hyde Park

The largest of the four Royal Parks — covering 350 acres, it’s a great place to stretch your legs, rent a boat, or take a nap. Many special events and activities happen throughout the year. While wandering around, stop by Speaker’s Corner and see what people are debating or publicly speaking out against.

#8 Check out Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament

Probably the most famous landmark in London, a trip isn’t complete without hearing Big Ben chime. Interesting fact, Big Ben’s chimes have rarely stopped; even during WWII, when a bomb struck the commons, Big Ben kept going. Tours are available to see the inner workings of the UK Parliament.

#10 BONUS idea! — at the holidays, check out the beautiful lights, markets, and NYE fireworks show

I’m not one for big NYE celebrations, I am usually in bed by 10 pm, but something was special about bringing in the new year with 100,000 other people on the Thames. The city is also aglow with beautiful lights and festivities — it is an enjoyable experience and a great way to welcome the new year. You must have tickets for the fireworks, and you’ll have to be quick; they go fast.

How to Get Around London

Getting from Heathrow to The City Centre

Getting around with public transportation is so easy. If you’re coming from Heathrow airport to the city center, you have a few options — train, bus or taxi. With the train you have two options — a one-way ticket to zone 1 on the tube is £5.60 if you pay with an Oyster Card or contactless payment, if you pay in cash it is £6.70.

You can also take the Heathrow Express which will give you nonstop service to Paddington Station, the ticket is about £25 one-way (you can save a little money if you book well in advance). The Heathrow Express is a 15-minute train ride, whereas the tube will take about an hour to get to central London.

Lastly, a taxi/Uber is about £60 (depending on the time of day, I’ve seen prices close to £100!) and will take around roughly an hour, depending on traffic. Taking either the tube or train is your best option for cost and efficiency. It’s also really easy — you don’t have to leave the airport, just follow the signs to the baggage claim and from there you will see signs to the underground and other transportation.

Do I Need a Visitor’s Oyster Card or Travel Card?

I used to suggest that people consider a Visitor’s Oyster Card or a Visitor’s Travel Card. Now that the TFL (Transport for London) caps daily and weekly fares, that’s not my first suggestion but first let’s look at both options.

Visitor’s Oyster Card

A Visitor’s Oyster Card works exactly like a regular Oyster Card. The only difference with the Visitor’s Oyster is that you can pre-order it, and it is delivered to your home before your trip; it’s also a little cheaper than picking up a regular Oyster Card at a Tube station. Both allow you to add cash to the card to pay for fares on the bus, Tube, tram, DLR (Docklands Light Railway), London Overground, and National Rail services within the London travel zones.

While you can add as much or as little to the card as you want, there is a non-refundable fee — the Visitor’s Card is £5 (plus shipping), and if you buy a regular one at the Tube station it is £7 — that is equivalent to multiple trips on the Tube!

Travel Card

The other option is a Travel Card, a paper ticket that you also pre-purchase and have mailed to your home (they are also available for purchase at ticket machines and visitor center’s in London) . It allows unlimited travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, and National Rail services within the London travel zones for 1, 2, or 3 days. The pass ranges from £16 for one day in zones 1 – 4 to £21.50 for one day in zones 1 – 6.

What Should You Choose?

If you’re going to be doing a heavy amount of travel using public transit throughout zones 1 – 6, you may want to consider the Travel Card, but I would advise against getting a Visitor’s Oyster Card because using contactless payment is just as efficient and will save you the £5+! Aside from being just as efficient as using the Oyster Card, fares are also capped daily and weekly using contactless payment.

Contactless payment can either be Apple or Google Pay or simply using your chip-enabled credit card at the station entrance. The key is that you must use the same method of payment for each swipe to be capped; otherwise, you will be charged the regular daily rate, which can get quite expensive!

What Did I Choose & How Much Did I Spend?

During my last visit (in 2022), I used contactless payment the entire time. The most I paid in a day was $15 (approximately £12), including a trip from Heathrow and another within central London. Over 7-days (non-consecutive) that I spent in London I spent $62 (approximately £50) which is much less than the travel card options. A travel pass for that duration would’ve run me about £68.

Looking for Other Vegan Travel Help?

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