If you were unable to participate in Veganuary due to your affinity for cheese, cream, and eggs, fear not. March has been named UK Vegetarian Month, which means that you can enjoy your greens with a side of burrata if you wish. Creating satisfying meatless dishes is not an easy feat, but the UK’s talented chefs have shown that with fresh produce and skilled hands, they can deliver innovative and delicious plates with vegetables as the star ingredients. From a detox afternoon tea to delicate pasta dishes, we’ve picked out the best restaurants to dine in for UK Vegetarian Month 2019.
Franco’s
Considered to be one of London’s oldest Italian restaurants, Franco’s has been a staple on the Mayfair dining scene since 1946. Favoured by the elegant crowd of gallery owners and private members club regulars, Franco’s recently launched a full a la carte vegetarian menu that upholds the establishment’s commitment to quality and taste with items like burrata with roasted pumpkin, almonds and balsamic, and pappardelle with morel mushrooms and peas.
Address: 61 Jermyn St, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6LX
Phone: 020 7499 2211
Website: francoslondon.com
Scully
Ramael Scully’s eponymous restaurant in the new St. James development has been making waves on the London dining circuit for its inventive takes on traditional dishes from around the world. A spice wall with homemade pickles and preserves stands tall in the restaurant foyer as the open kitchen gives guests a glimpse into the workings behind the scenes. Scully’s team ensures that vegetables on the menu pack a punch, with some favourites such as the arepa with eggplant sambal and bergamot labneh, the char-grilled broccoli with Chinkiang vinegar and salted egg yolk, and the vegetable achar with peanut and apple.
Address: 4 St James’s Market, St. James’s, London SW1Y 4AH
Phone: 020 3911 6840
Website: scullyrestaurant.com
Anglo
Anglo, the modern British dining room just off Leather Lane creates a weekly changing menu that celebrates modern British cooking. Chef/owner Mark Jarvis has just launched a plant-based menu which includes dishes such as cauliflower with coconut and horseradish, the delectable cheese and onion on a malt loaf, and a parfait cone with aubergine and beetroot to mimic their popular chicken liver parfait offering. The relaxed atmosphere at Anglo and excellent service make it the perfect choice for a filling vegetarian meal.
Address: 30 St Cross St, London EC1N 8UH
Phone: 020 7430 1503
Website: anglorestaurant.com
Milk Beach
Milk Beach is an antipodean café and wine bar in Queen’s Park. Owner Elliot Milne worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Ethiopia where he set up the Coffee Initiative Project and now sources Milk Beach’s coffee from the farmers he used to work with. They take care in roasting their coffee beans in-house and have a selection of natural, organic wines available too. Their delicious brunch menu includes a tuna tamari and brown rice poke bowl with pineapple chili salsa and crispy shallots, a beetroot salad with quinoa and hazelnuts, and coddled eggs in a jar with cream and sweet potato purée served with sourdough soldiers.
Address: 19 Lonsdale Road Queen’s Park NW6 6RA
Phone: 020 8144 8277
Website: milkbeach.com
The Hind’s Head
If you thought you would never find suitable vegetarian fare in a pub, think again. Heston Blumenthal’s one Michelin star gastropub, The Hind’s Head in Bray, serves up a number of meatless dishes that are sure to satisfy your cravings. Their seasonal British menu showcases imaginative takes on traditional recipes. Bluemthal and his team treat vegetables like royalty, and this is especially evident in the confit butternut squash with goat’s curd, picked raisin, and Hedsor honey, and the goat’s cheese royale with Cevennes onion and butternut squash velouté.
Address: High St, Bray SL6 2AB
Phone: 01628 626151
Website: hindsheadbray.com
The Foyer and Reading Room at Claridge’s
The timeless 5-star Mayfair hotel Claridge’s is a symbol of authentic British luxury. Within its art deco walls lies the iconic Foyer and Reading Room. From the prominent Chihuly sculpture to the wandering sounds from the grand piano, a meal at Claridge’s is a truly remarkable experience. Ensuring that they cater to every single one of their guests, they have a full vegetarian menu available with items such as heritage tomato with watermelon, avocado and toasted almond, truffle ricotta ravioli with savoy cabbage and truffle butter, and Tahitian vanilla profiteroles with pears, grué de çacao ice cream and butterscotch sauce.
Address: 49 Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4HW
Phone: 020 7107 8886
Website: claridges.co.uk
English Tea Room at Brown’s Hotel
Tucked amidst Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace is a 5-star luxury hotel from the Rocco Forte group. Brown’s opened in 1837 as London’s first ever hotel. Previous guests have included royalty, presidents, and even inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who made the first telephone call at the hotel. For Vegetarian Month, we urge you to do as Queen Victoria did and pay a visit to Brown’s famous English Tea Room. Their Tea-Tox healthy afternoon tea includes festive fruit iced tea and a selection of vegetarian small plates that can be paired with the extensive tea menu. Dishes include cauliflower couscous with apricot, pistachio, honey and lime, passion fruit and coconut rice condé, and Matcha raspberry cheesecake.
Address: 33 Albemarle St, Mayfair, London W1S 4BP
Phone: 020 7493 6020
Website: roccofortehotels.com
