Lentils? Mmmm. Alfalfa sprouts? Mmmm. Haricot beans AND spinach? Double mmmmm. The path of the vegetarian diner is littered with the jibes and snobbery of the steak-o-phile; "lettuce leaf" and "nut roast" are their most caustic ammunition... but when was the last time you saw "Lettuce leaf a la parsley" or "Nut roast a la more nut roast" in the vegetarian section of a menu? Exactly.
In truth you'll actually find your mouth watering at the prospect of baby cauliflower tart, black pea houmous and chargrilled spring onion with smoked onion sauce or chargrilled asparagus, summer truffle shavings and sweet cicely sabayon - and if you don't like the sound of that... well, there's probably something wrong with you.
Great restaurants for Vegetarians
This Hammersmith restaurant, situated in a bright artist’s studio, has been serving vegan and vegetarian fare since 1989. You’ll find European and Middle Eastern influences in dishes like aubergine schnitzel, dolcelatte and apple risotto and the intriguingly named Indo-Iraqi potato cake.
Vanilla Black does the unthinkable: hearty British food minus the meat. Their glorious concoctions include things like poached egg with hickory smoked potato croquette and pineapple pickle. The restaurant also benefits from being ultra-stylish, and it's garnered the praise of food critics and veggies alike. In 2012 they opened sister site Orchard in Holborn.
This is sustainable, locally-sourced dining in minimal Hoxton surroundings. It's trendy. But it's really very good. An ever-evolving menu and inspired cocktails are the chief reason that vegetarians should head for CUB.
Mildred’s does vegetarian and vegan dishes, influenced by both Asian and European cuisine. With dishes like sweet potato and cashew nut curry, and amaretto baked peach and nectarine it’s little wonder it’s always packed to the rafters.
This teensy eatery has been going since 1974, and the emphasis is on offering unprocessed, un-microwaved, fresh food. The menu changes daily, but you can expect things like curry, goulash and quiche, mostly for under a fiver.
At Wild Food Café everything is prepared freshly on the premises, from the shiitake mushroom and olive burgers to the ice cream, and the open plan kitchen means you can watch your meal being made. The delectable menu proves that raw vegan food can be both nutritious and delicious.
More of a café than a restaurant, Beatroot is ideal for a cheap lunch. Portions are huge and everything is served in a carton box; there are salads, vegan cakes, and hot dishes including moussaka, shepherd’s pie and veggie sausage rolls.
Dishoom is not a purely vegetarian eatery bu their vegetarian and vegan menus really are top-notch! Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner this is Indian cuisine to get your mouth watering.
This South Indian restaurant caters to both vegans and vegetarians. Extremely good value for money (takeaway lunchtime specials comprising salad, two types of curry, raitha, rice and naan bread start from £3.25) and with flavoursome dishes featuring creamy coconut sauces and plenty of spices.
Farmacy claim that their food is organically and biodynamically prepared between the soil and the sun, with every element of every recipe connecting us back to a conscious way of eating. Just as nature intended. So there.