Being vegan means it takes a few more moments to book a restaurant when you’re looking to let someone else do the cooking and cleaning up for a change.
Thankfully, most restaurants these days do tend to have a few vegan dishes on their menu or even a completely separate menu entirely – winning!
I’ve been living in Harrogate for 7 years and have been vegan for the last 4, which means I’ve got a bit of experience eating out here and, of course, I’ve built up a list of my favourite restaurants.
A menu to suit every mood if you will, a relative smorgasbord of tastes! We have enough restaurants here for it!
I’ve written previously about my favourite vegan cafés and vegan-friendly restaurants in Harrogate, but this time I wanted to expand slightly into other areas of Yorkshire as I’ve been travelling around these past few years and have found some really good restaurants in other cities, like York.
So sit back, grab a vegan cookie and enjoy as I take you around my favourite vegan-friendly restaurants in Yorkshire!
(*I use the term vegan-friendly to denote restaurants which have good vegan offerings available alongside their normal menu/s*)
York
I’ve been to York a fair few times since I moved up North and I have to say I absolutely love it as a city.
There are plenty of things to see and do, including walking the famous walls, which I suggest you put on your to-do list should you ever find yourself in the city!
It’s also a foodie's heaven, with plenty of independent and chain restaurants and cafés to suit almost every taste. I’ve sampled a few over the years and here are just some of my favourites:
I wanted to mention Source here, but sadly they’ve since closed their doors, which is such a shame because they were a wholly vegan restaurant and their food was delicious!
There are plenty more of course and I shall endeavour to try out more on my next visit!
Orchid Vegan is one of my favourites because it’s another wholly-vegan restaurant, so I don’t need to do any research beforehand to decide what dishes there are for me.
Chinese was one of my favourite takeaways in my previous life with Beef in Black Bean Sauce being my top choice along with spring rolls, water chestnuts and, of course, duck pancakes! Thankfully, I can indulge in all of these at Orchid Vegan with no worries whatsoever!
Ambiente Tapas was a new find on my last trip to York and my oh my am I pleased I went! I love Spanish Tapas – the opportunity to try a few different dishes in one sitting, whilst sipping on a tasty cocktail or glass of wine really appeals.
I’ve previously tried vegan tapas in Manchester and loved it, so although it's a different restaurant, I knew I’d enjoy it all.
I sampled three different dishes, namely Calamares Veganas (vegan calamari), Chorizo y Patatas Veganos (vegan chorizo) and “Sham-Bas” Gambas Veganas (vegan prawns).
I deliberately chose dishes which I hadn’t tried vegan-ised before to see what they’d be like and my oh my oh my…...10\10! I thoroughly enjoyed each and every dish I tried and am desperate to go back and try more! Highly recommend! (Separate vegan menu available).
Double Dutch Pancake House is a good choice if you’re looking for pancakes as big as your head, which will leave you struggling to walk back down the stairs afterwards because you’re so full, then head here!
I found them on Instagram whilst researching vegan-friendly restaurants in York, so I planned to go there for breakfast. They have a separate vegan menu available which as we know, makes everything a lot easier!
Middle Feast Yorkshire is a traditional authentic shawarma serving kebabs, wraps and falafel dishes. There’s no separate menu here, but as I recall the vegan options were clearly labelled on the chalkboards outside which helped me to decide what to have.
I went for a falafel wrap with salad washed down with a cold cider. Perfect for a quick bite to eat as you’re wandering around the city or before you check into your accommodation.
Ripon
Now, I’ve only been to Ripon once so I can really only recommend the Claro Lounge, but I also went to the Pub – The Royal Oak - and checked out their vegan menu.
I’ll add that in as another place for you to try out if you happen to find yourself there!
Claro Lounge is a home-from-home, offering delicious food and drinks all day. They endeavour to bring people together, and their unique atmosphere changes hour by hour. They cater for everyone no matter your dietary requirements and they’re even dog friendly!
There are plenty of deals and offers to be had here so be sure to check before you book! I had their Beyond Meat Cheeseburger with chips and it was absolutely delicious! Well worth trying.
The Royal Oak is situated in a beautifully renovated 18th Century Coaching Inn, right in the centre of Ripon.
A perfect base for exploring Yorkshire being close to the beautiful spa towns of Harrogate and Knaresborough, the market town and racecourse of Thirsk and not too far from York.
It’s a ‘proper’ pub which even has its own dog! I didn’t eat here, but I checked out the menu and there’s plenty of choice if you’re vegetarian, but if I’m honest, I felt a little deflated trying to choose which of the 6 dishes I would have if I were to eat there.
But saying that, I’m just grateful there are options for me here! I’ll definitely be back!
Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Manchester
Bundobust serves vegetarian and vegan Gujarati street food 7 days a week, beer is brewed at Bundoburst Brewery and served here exclusively, alongside the best modern beer from domestic and international breweries.
I tried this place a few years ago after researching vegan restaurants in Manchester and I was very impressed!
Vegan Shack is like McDonald’s, but vegan! Again I found this whilst researching vegan places in Manchester and I found it on the morning of my last day and boy oh boy am I glad I did!
Their mission is simple: make delicious tasting plant-based alternative fast food accessible to as many people as possible. With no compromise on taste and or the planet!
With burgers, fries, wraps, shakes and apple pies, you’ll not be missing out if you happen to be a plant-based junk food eater!
I would highly recommend stopping by here if you’re in need of a hangover cure or a quick breakfast before your train!
The Koffee Pot Bar & Café serves up hearty no-nonsense breakfasts and other much-loved British classics to the good people of Manchester.
Café by day, Taco bar by night, their fry-ups have been known to cure the worst of hangovers and being able to have a pint with your fry-up has made the Koffee Pot the go-to for the best brekkies in Manchester.
I’ve been here a few times and can attest to the fact that their pancakes & waffles are delicious and would definitely cure any hangover you have!
Ilkley
The Veggie Café is a really cute family-run vegan and vegetarian café serving up delicious sandwiches, cakes, pizzas, wraps, burgers and more!
I visited here when I was on a day trip to Ilkley after finding them whilst researching vegan cafés/restaurants. It was really cute and I was relieved to have found a place where I didn’t have to dig through 100 menu items to find the small number of vegan options available!
I, of course, had to sample the dairy-free vegan cake here and wow! Absolutely delicious and 100% worth the trip here just for this!
So, there you have it - a round-up of just a few of my favourite vegan/vegetarian cafés and restaurants in Yorkshire. Let me know if you’ve ever visited any of these places before!
Love, Sarah
xoxoxo
