Soho has always been a somewhat disruptive area in the West End of London, never going along with the times but instead subverting the zeitgeist and leading the rest of London into new eras and ideas.
Be it the rock music scene that ushered in an area-defining genre in the 1960s, with Soho opening the first rock club in all of Europe, or The Golden Mile of Vinyl that sported countless record stores before it was mainstream, Soho was a brilliant place to try new ideas and push society forward.
It makes sense, then, that Soho is such a hallowed location for vegan dining, with many restaurants offering meat-free options as early as the 80s, before the idea went mainstream in the UK.
Still relevant today thanks to its continuing history as a haven for bohemian and counterculture living, with it also being an entertainment district filled with upmarket bars, theatres, and clubs, it’s no surprise that regulars living in the area were one of the first to embrace a vegan lifestyle.
In the past, perhaps you’d have been lucky to get just one tasty and considered vegan option when dining out here. Now, a whole host of Soho restaurants have added colour and vibrancy to their animal-free offerings, making this famous London district a great place for vegan eating in London. With that in mind, here are the best vegan restaurants in Soho.
Gauthier Soho
Gauthier is a much loved vegan-only fine dining restaurant with an admittedly chequered history. As one of the few three rosette (former) Michelin-star restaurants focusing on vegetables and plant-based cuisine, Gauthier subverts the traditions of your classical French fine-dining experience.
The restaurant is headed up by Alexis Gauthier, a once-controversial figure who was an Alain Ducasse protege and has held multiple awards and accolades for over 12 years.
That controversy we mention occurred when Alexis suddenly switched to veganism after his restaurant was subjected to intense protests regarding his restaurant’s use of foie gras, that infamous, oversized duck liver obtained after force-feeding a duckling until its liver swells to over eight times its natural size.
Gauthier seemed to take these protests to heart – and fair fucks to him – at first removing foie gras from the menu, before committing to overhauling the entire thing, which is now an entirely vegan affair and serves as a testament to just how good vegan dining can be.
Unlike some British culinary institutions that tend to treat vegetables as an afterthought or distraction, at Gauthier they are everything – the main focus – paired with herbs and spices to create decadent combinations.
And in true decadent style, the food here is delivered as a tasting menu; one which at the time of writing includes hand-picked wild mushroom tortellini and fragrant saffron roasted butternut squash. You can also get the deviously delicate rainbow swiss chard parcels, given grandeur with a roasted chestnut velouté.
The interior takes up three floors of a regency townhouse and oozes a sense of traditional class, with an elegant look boasting with white-linen-cloaked tables, appearing somewhat like a dressed-up living room in a stately home. In the best possible way of course…
Gauthier Soho claims to be the first classical French fine-dining vegan restaurant in the world, and whilst many others have since followed suit, it still represents one of the UK’s best treats for vegans looking to dine out in style.
Address: 21 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AF
Website: gauthiersoho.co.uk
Mildreds
Mildreds, sitting proudly in an 18th century townhouse on Lexington Street, is all about challenging conventions, offering taste-bending experiences that go against the norm, and we’re very much here for it.
A wholly plant-based affair, a good slice of their cuisine is designed to be meat alternatives, with the restaurant serving up white bean ‘sausages’ and burgers made from soy or tofu, opening up new options of what ‘meat’ can taste like.
Mildreds is an institution in Soho, and has rubbed shoulders with the area’s distinct history for over three decades. First opened by the dynamic duo of Jane Muir and Diane Thomas in 1988, the idea behind Mildreds was to reimagine what vegan food can be, giving it a vibrant kick in the arse and moving away from the outdated beliefs that have lingered since the 60s. It’s certainly worked; there are now six outposts of Mildreds in the capital with more rumoured to be on the horizon.
Much like a lot of the area, Mildreds wears its building proudly and loosely, like your favourite jacket that’s getting a little frayed around the edges but looks all the better for it. A contrast to the elegance of Gauthiers, Mildreds has a more relaxed and bohemian feel, with potted plants hanging off the ceiling and large mirrors creating a light, inviting environment. It’s always packed, thanks to its prime location, considered service, and plenty of celebrity endorsements to boot.
Mildreds caters to all diners, offering wheat-free and gluten-free options, making it a popular spot for people with such dietary requirements looking to enjoy a meal in inclusive surrounds. What’s not to love?
The food here is creative and inspired, with the Mexican-influenced mango, brie and jalapeno quesadillas being a favourite among regulars, served with a softly whipped avocado and sweetcorn salsa. You can also pair your meal with vegan wine or vegan fizz, making it an all-around fantastic experience for vegan diners.
The vegan desserts at Mildred’s are something to write home about, too. The ginger sticky toffee pudding, in particular, is a thing of beauty. The same could be said for their caramel cheesecake.
For a touch of class, you can also book their more regal private dining room, perfect for a group of up to 14. Here you’ll get genuine Soho vibes thanks to the dark panels, quirky and clashing furniture and out-there artwork.
Address: 45 Lexington Street, London, W1F 9AN
Website: mildreds.co.uk
Ugly Dumpling
Ugly Dumpling isn’t an exclusively vegan venue like the last two options. They do, however, offer comprehensive vegan dishes and some of the tastiest plant-based meals in Soho.
An admittedly compact venue, dining at Ugly Dumpling becomes a communal experience organically, as you’ll be bumping elbows with other diners in the venue. With long rows of tables integrating separate groups with each other, this coming together is fitting for the restaurant, as its original intentions were to combine eastern and western cooking in perfect harmony, uniting to create something distinctive, bold and memorable.
It certainly succeeds in this aim.
When it comes food, order their vegan dumpling platter, which consists of tender, saucy dumplings filled with various exciting and out-of-the-box fillings.
The tempura aubergine is another great option, super crisp and coated in a slick of sticky, syrupy glaze and sprinkled with peanuts for that fatty mouthfeel sometimes missing in plant-based grub.
Experimentation and fun are the focus of head chef Andrew Mead at Ugly Dumpling, who harnesses the knowledge and experience of owner Ping Wong to create new and exciting options for their regularly rotating menu of dumplings filled with all sorts of intuitive, occasionally daring ingredients.
The forward-thinking New Favourites platter is a case in point. Boasting mushroom & truffle dumplings and courgette spring rolls, ingredients not usually associated with traditional dumplings, it somehow works, with all the produce hand-made and freshly prepared, offering crisp dumplings perfected to an art. We’re also huge fans of the spring roll dumpling; inside is a delicious medley of vegetables, its delightful miso dressing certainly doing no harm.
Their forward-thinking approach has garnered the restaurant recognition, as it was nominated as one of the New Casual Dining Concept of the Year in 2019 by Casual Dining.
Address: 1 Newburgh St, Carnaby, London, W1F 7RB
Website: uglydumpling.co.uk
Read: Where to eat near Soho’s Carnaby Street
Bone Daddies
With a name that seems to make more sense for a Soho sex shop, Bone Daddies fits in well with the tongue-in-cheek, frivolous vibe of this district of London. Devoted to creating the best ramen in London, Bone Daddies offers brilliant vegan options without compromising on ramen’s traditionally hearty tastes and textures.
The chefs at Bone Daddies are obsessed with their process, toiling over their plant-based broths for over 20 hours, declaring this liquid gold as an essential part of any good ramen bowl. For vegans, the mushroom ramen is as close as you’ll get to something meaty without it having moo’d or oinked in the not too distant past.
Scrap that last statement. If you’re keen to venture further into the world of meat substitutes, then the restaurant has recently released their notkotsu ramen, a vegan take on tonkotsu which harnesses the power of THIS™ vegan pork, providing plenty of umami and expansive mouthfeel while being entirely animal free.
You can also have a go at their extremely popular miso ramen, a spicy option served with delicious garlic chilli tofu, that’s punchy and assertive in all the right places.
Bone Daddies are serious about following the ramen tradition, yet also aim to give new life to the perception of this dish and how it’s viewed in the west. The founder, Demetri Tomazos has created a vibrant venue that syncs with the history of Soho, with the venue offering a slick, Shibuya-inspired interior and playing rock and roll music that serves a great backdrop to the encouraged slurping of ramen. Devil’s horn salutes at the ready, hey?
The drinks are great, too, with the painappuru and mint fizz soda a real winner, or a frozen yuzu margarita the right choice if you fancy going hard. Of course, there’s also ample sake that will see you stumbling out of Bone Daddies and into the Soho night a little wobbly but very happy indeed.
Address: 31 Peter St, Soho, London, W1F 0AR
Website: bonedaddies.com
The Ivy Brasserie
Although The Ivy in Covent Garden has more allure to it, being a prime location for theatregoers to dine and mingle, in recent times the younger, trendier sister in Soho has been attracting more of the hip crowd, thanks to its deep association with the West End.
The Ivy Brasserie in Soho looks the part and is an all-day dining spot adorned with beautiful, art deco stained glass windows that cast quirky and colourful light over the burnt orange leather and velvet banquettes. Artwork inspired by the Soho music scene and portraits of William Blake can also be seen all around, giving the Ivy Brassiere a keen sense of time, place, history and heritage.
The destination is definitely not a vegan-only restaurant, with the famous steak tartare all present and correct here. That said, it’s a more than appropriate spot for vegan diners, thanks to the separate vegan and vegetarian menus on offer here.
A perky salad featuring watermelon, pak choi, cashew nuts and sesame, all glazed with a hoisin sauce, certainly ticks the right boxes, whilst a sweet potato Keralan curry, one of the signature dishes here, a satisfying affair too.
For a more exclusive experience at The Ivy Brasserie, you can also get a private dining room that uses even more extravagant stained glass windows to create a sense of opulence not always associated with ascetic vegan fare. We’re so glad times are changing and such perceptions are shifting.
Address: 26-28 Broadwalk St, London, W1F 8JB
Website: theivysohobrasserie.com
Neat Burger Soho
One thing that vegan diners have missed out on over time is the authentic fast food experience. With this type of casual and convenient dining typically reserved for burgers and other protein-led options, it’s something that vegan culture hasn’t been able to embrace wholeheartedly.
Neat Burger came with the noble aim of changing all this and creating a fresh and exciting experience that can be used as an example for the rest of the world.
Sustainability is the aim of the game for Neat Burger, offering alternatives to the environmentally impactful beef industry. There’s a sense that owner Tomasso Chiabra wanted to prove the world wrong, showing that vegan fast food can be both tasty and potentially better for the environment.
Neat Burger’s main offering is its array of burgers that give off the recognisable meaty look and feel; however, all the typical sensory points have been achieved through a medley of plant-based choices only. The deep red colour of traditional beef mince has been achieved by combining beetroot, carrot, lemon and turmeric. At the same time, the familiar grilled flavours are brought to the bun via onion, garlic, and a blend of secret spices that give the burgers oomph and muscle.
Neat Burger goes beyond just sustainable burgers, though. Everything from their packaging to their culinary is compostable or biodegradable, demonstrating how ethical fast food can be. The interior of their locations are vibrant, with murals of leaves and plants all over, as well as a pastel green and pink colour palette that is reminiscent of 1970s fast food diners, giving the impression that Neat Burger wants to turn back time and rewrite what fast food could have been, changing it to its core.
The chain is backed by many famous faces, including F1 maestro Lewis Hamilton and Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, who are backing this business with the aim of it going global and increasing its influence beyond Soho and the UK. Voted as Deliveroo’s Best Vegan Brand in 2021, this one looks certain to catch on.
Address: 33 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5JU
Website: neat-burger.com
