I will keep adding to this blog-post as I discover more great restaurants throughout London and will list them according to the places I enjoyed the most - please check their websites to ensure that these restaurants are still open (all of them were open in June 2019 at the time of writing this.)
My ultimate favourite restaurant is Ethos at 48 Eastcastle Street in Fitzrovia. I was simply blown-away by the food here. The style is buffet and there are many vegan options with lots of veggies in all different colours of the rainbow. Once you have filled up your plate (or take-out box) it is then weighed and you pay at the till. The food was sublime and I would recommend the restaurant for the food, the staff and the ambiance - there are lots of tables where you can find a quiet place to sit with friends and it is full of the bark of birch trees, giving a soft texture to the room. I tried the Dengaku roasted aubergine, bbq seitan ribs, broccoli & cauliflower fritters along with lots of veggies such as broccoli salad and sweet potato crisps. They also have a lovely desert range. I found the vegan doughnut slightly dry, but the other vegan options looked really creamy.
To check out their amazing menu please visit: http://www.ethosfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Ethos-Lunch-Dinner-Dessert-2019.pdf
(Images from ethosfoods.com)
Next is All Nations Caribbean Vegan House in Dalston. It's quite a small place yet the atmosphere is lovely - full of heart-inspired quotes and books and a relaxing vibe - the lady who served us was friendly and we felt at home, sat at one of the tables. The food is also cooked from the heart and feels really healthy and nourishing. The chef Atrika has been cooking for over 10 years with Caribbean staples, spices and herbs and the menu changes often. I enjoyed the plantain chips with bean and jackfruit curry and side salad. It felt healthy and light and the combination of savoury and sweet (from the plantain and jackfruit) was lovely and good value (all under £10.)
(Image from allnationsdalston.co.uk)
The Old Baths in Hackney Wick has a delicious Greek cafe called Gaia Pulses which serves breakfast and lunch until 3-4pm depending on the day and has delicious vegan and healthy food. They have lots of nooks and crannies full of tables and sofas as well as an outside space to eat. Gaia Pulses also provide ready meals in compostable packaging. The food is absolutely the food of the gods - very hearty and warm with lots of beans and rich in colour and spice. I enjoyed eating the Ygantes - a stew-like dish made with organic giant beans, red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. Their full menu can be found here: gaiapulses.com/menu They also sell lots of amazing medicinal and herbal teas with descriptions on how they can aid the body - their sage tea was very relaxing.
(Images from gaiapulses.com)
I had a lovely lunch with an old friend at Lu-Ma Restaurant on Worple Road in Wimbledon and enjoyed the lay-out of the place which had plenty of tables to sit at for some privacy and good conversation - they also have outside tables and the staff were really friendly. They serve breakfast and lunch and also have a selection for desert. Describing themselves as an independent, healthy-eating cafe with vegetarian and vegan options they also do not serve any refined sugar or dairy. As well as lots of yummy herbal teas and smoothies they serve delicious lunches such as falafel burger, vegan thai curry, bean burritos and jackfruit burger. My friend and I shared a platter for two of corn chips, bruschetta, falafels, stuffed mushrooms, lemon infused homemade hummus, tomato salsa dip and olives with a side-order of tempeh - we also shared a delicious raspberry desert. The main meal was tasty with the tempeh but I wouldn't order it again to be honest - I would definitely go back to explore more of their menu (our neighbour's food looked lovely) and highly recommend the place: www.lu-ma.co.uk/menus
(Image from lu-ma.co.uk)
Spice Box in Walthamstow make lovely and unusual curries. The restaurant started a test kitchen at Hornbeam community centre which had a nice vibe with interesting people often hanging out there and doing activities such as weaving. Hornbeam still have a vegan cafe and I would recommend visiting this place - they have a good noticeboard and seemed to be engaged in lots of eco-friendly and social initiatives: hornbeam.org.uk/cafe/
Spice Box has now moved to 58 Hoe Street and it is possible to eat there in the evenings and also to collect take-aways. The food is good value with curries ranging from £7-9.25 and to see their full menu please click: eatspicebox.co.uk/dinner-menu/
(Image from eatspicebox.co.uk)
Govinda's Restaurant, near Soho Square and Oxford Street has been running since 1979 and offers sattvic food following the ayurvedic tradition which means the food is high in prana (life-force) by containing lots of wholesome ingredients and vegetables and no meat, eggs or fish - they also have lots of vegan options. The food is great value considering its location - £6.95 per 5 items and the full menu can be found here: https://www.iskcon-london.org/visit/govindas-restaurant As well as serving Indian thali (a meal made up of various dishes,) they also include international meals such as lasagne and pizza.
(Image from iskcon-london.org)
I visited the Wildfood Cafe at Neal's Yard in Covent Garden and was initially impressed by this "wellbeing oasis" in the middle of a very busy area of London. Although it seemed like there was good intention behind this space I felt as if the restaurant was compact - there was something about the busy ambiance that I didn't find relaxing with the open kitchen so near - but it is a good place to make friends since it's likely that you will be sat at a table with strangers and the staff were friendly. The food is all plant-based and many are raw and they include foraged food as well as organic. It is a great initiative to support, however, it is also expensive, probably because of its location - there were three main options for dinner all around £13 or £14 each. I chose a smoothie for £8 - I definitely would not go back for it but the dinner options did look tasty so I would still support this place and I think that their aims at running a sustainable business are very commendable.
(Image from wildfoodcafe.com)
A photo taken in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden