Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen
Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen
Whether you do it for health reasons or by choice, sticking to a particular dietary requirement while travelling is no easy feat. And don't even get us started on finding something that actually tickles your taste buds! So where do you go if you are a vegetarian or vegan travelling in Scotland?
Meat eaters, don't turn away just yet. It’s worth reading on. Some of these restaurants have such a mouth-watering selection of dishes, you might feel tempted to change your ways, even if only for a meal.
While staying in a serviced apartment helps, as it allows you to cook your own meals, it’s not every day that one fancies cooking a three course feast. Sometimes we just want to treat ourselves and enjoy the social scene. If you are traveling to Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen and cannot stand the thought of another veggie lasagna, here is a list of places where you will have so much choice, you won’t know what to pick!
GLASGOW
Named the UK’s most vegan friendly city by PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals), Glasgow not only offers a wealth of choice, but a wealth of veggie cuisines! Go on… Feast your eyes, eat to your hearts content and revel in the local scene.
1. Tchai-Ovna Tea House [Vegetarian & Vegan]
Inspired by Czech Cajovny (tearooms), Tchai-Ovna is the home of a hundred tea varieties from across the globe as well as a vegetarian and vegan café. You are literally traveling the world while in this tea house. Yes, tea lovers, we present to you the ultimate vegan afternoon tea destination.
Address: 42 Otago Lane, Glasgow G12 8PB Phone: 0141 357 4524 Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm *Prices: £3.00 to £12.00
2. Ranjit’s Kitchen [Vegetarian & Vegan]
Ranjit’s Kitchen serves authentic Punjabi cuisine that follows the Indian recipes to the letter. Sourcing goods from local fruit and veg grocers and working with what is available during the seasons, it has a small, but perfectly formed and ever changing menu. They even do takeaways! So you can take some nibbles back to your apartment if you don’t fancy going out, but don't want to cook.
Address: 607 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 2QG Phone: 0141 423 8222 Opening Hours: 12pm – 8.30pm (closed on Mondays) *Prices: £3.95 to £11.95
3. The 13th Note [Vegetarian & Vegan]
Not only a vegan and vegetarian restaurant, 13th Note is also home to a bar and music venue that hosts a variety of events every month, from music to art and theatre. Because it also has a busy nightlife, children are welcomed during the day, but politely asked to leave the venue by 6.30pm. Check the calendar and book yourself a night of culture and good food.
Address: 50-60 King Street, Glasgow G1 5QT Phone: 0141 553 1638 Opening Hours: 12pm – 9.00pm *Prices: £2.50 to £9.00
4. Mono Café Bar [Vegan]
An art, music and community venue as well as the big brother to Stereo, another Glaswegian vegetarian restaurant, Mono hosts several events a month and even has a record store! It’s also one of the best known vegan restaurants in town.
Address: 12 Kings Court, Glasgow G1 5RB Phone: 0141 553 2400 Opening Hours: 12 - 9pm *Prices: £3.00 to £11.00
5. The Hug & Pint [Vegan]
Bar and music venue hosting an array of events and serving Asian vegan cuisine, The Hug & Pint is also home to a large range of craft beers and wines by the glass. If that is not enough to convince you to pay them a visit, the menu is always changing, so every time you walk in, they will have something different on the menu.
Address: 171 Great Western Road, Glasgow G4 9AW Phone: 0141 331 1901 Opening Hours: 12pm - 9.30pm *Prices: £2.00 to £10.00
EDINBURGH
There is no need for vegetarians or vegans to miss out on one of Edinburgh’s famous assets – its nightlife and social scene. Edinburgh even hosts a two day Vegan Festival every year, definitely worth checking if you are in the area at the right time.
1. David Bann [Vegetarian & Vegan]
Here, fine dining meets vegetarian cuisine. Each plate is not just mouth-watering, but a little work of art and the ambience matches the intent and style. Who said tasty indulgencies could not be a cultural arty affair?
Address: 56-58 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SX Phone: 0131 556 5888 Opening Hours: 12pm -10pm *Prices: £3.95 to £13.95
2. Novapizza Vegetarian Kitchen [Vegetarian & Vegan]
The Italian restaurant you wish you had on your doorstep, twisting classic Italian dishes to create vegetarian options. Just one look at their Facebook page will have you salivating, regardless of being a vegetarian or not.
Address: 42 Howe St, Edinburgh EH3 6TH Phone: 0131 237 5695 Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm (closed on Tuesdays) *Prices: £3.00 to £8.50
3. Kalpna Vegetarian Restaurant [Vegetarian & Vegan]
One of the first vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh and inspired by Punjabi, Gurujabi and South Indian cuisine, Kalpna aims to bring the real taste of vegetarian India to Edinburgh. If you are feeling particularly ravenous, head this way for lunch and take full advantage of their eat-all-you-want lunch menu.
Address: 2-3 St Patrick Sq., Edinburgh EH8 9EZ Phone: 0131 667 9890 Opening Hours: 12pm – 10.30pm (closed on Sundays) *Prices: £4.95 to £18.00
4. Moon & Hare [Vegan]
The Moon & Hare is not only vegan, it’s also gluten free. Beautifully decorated, both the food and the deli look amazing, inviting and cosy. From smoothies to cakes, from soups to wraps, they have it all. The perfect place for brunch or to spend a lazy (or naughty, if you have a sweet tooth) afternoon. Just have a look at one of the cakes… delicious doesn’t quite say it. Finger and plate-lickable is more like it.
Address: 167 Brutsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10 4DG Phone: 0131 228 9250 Opening Hours: 12pm – 5pm (extended hours over the summer) *Prices: £3.50 to £10.00
5. Henderson’s [Vegan]
Established in 1962, Henderson’s is one of Edinburgh’s most established vegan restaurants and your destination if you want to stock up the fridge as well as eat out. Together with their 3 eateries, they also have a shop and deli next door to their original address in Hanover Street. Now, here is the treat, for a dedicated table service vegan restaurant, head over to the Thistle Street branch. And if all this choice isn't enough, you might even bump into Henderson's at an event, as they take their food out to the streets and even abroad! Serving from 8am, you can eat with them at all hours of the day. Their aim is to offer fresh, organic, vegan and vegetarian food that is locally sourced, but even if you put that aside for a moment… just have a look at the food!!!
Address: 25c Thistle Street EH2 1DX Phone: 0131 225 2605 Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm *Prices: £3.40 to £12.00
ABERDEEN
The furthest North of our Scottish destinations, the ‘grey-eyed city’ doesn’t have as many vegan and vegetarian dedicated restaurants as Glasgow and Edinburgh, but you can still find places with a decent menu selection.
FUN FACT: Aberdeen is nicknamed ‘the grey-eyed city’, ‘granite city’ and ‘the silver city with the golden sands’ because a lot of its buildings were built with local quarried granite, which has a grey colour and sparkles liked silver in the sunshine due to its high mica content. Aberdeen granite was so famous during its heyday that the entrances to the Houses of Parliament and Waterloo Bridge in London are both build with it.
1. Bonobo Pop-up Vegan Cafe [Vegan]
Bonobo is Aberdeen’s first vegan café. As a maverick in its genre, it started as a pop-up at the Aberdeen Wellbeing Centre, opening only limited hours on Saturdays. It has since succeeded on its mission to become a full-time eatery and you can now find it at its own address, open six days a week! The menu is small, but delicious. For a taster, have a look on their Facebook page. Definitely worth a visit.
Address: 73-75 Skene Street, Aberdeen AB10 1QD Phone: please contact via Facebook Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturdays 9am - 6pm, Sundays 11am - 5pm *Prices: £3.50 to £6.50
2. Foodstory Café [Extremely Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly]
Foodstory Café is the brainchild of a group of people who are not only passionate about food but experimental in their cooking. All their food is locally sourced, homemade and environmentally friendly. They are also always trying new recipes and aiming to create interesting and new vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. While this restaurant is neither solely vegetarian nor vegan, they take great care of where they source their goods from and the food produced here is considered artisan food.
Address: 13-15 Thistle Street, Aberdeen AB10 1XZ Phone: contact via Facebook or email Opening Hours: 8am – 9pm (please check their website as hours vary during the week) *Prices: £2.00 to £17.00
3. Musa [Extremely Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly]
While not solely vegetarian or vegan, Musa is a Scottish artisan eatery and they even host Aberdeen's Vegan Society every few weeks. There are a couple of vegetarian offers on the menu (famously their Roast Mushroom Burger!), but all their dishes can be adapted to be vegetarian, vegan or gluten free. If you need something specific, give them a call before going and they will make sure they are ready for you, as they are extremely accommodating to dietary requirements. Musa is very proud of being Scottish, so they offer quirky interpretations of Scottish dishes as well as craft beers, an exclusive wine list and a malt whiskey selection endorsed by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Adapting the old saying, ‘when in Scotland, do as the Scots do.’
Address: 33 Exchange Street, Aberdeen AB11 6PH Phone: 01224 571 771 Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 11am – 1.00am *Prices: £5.00 to £32.00
4. Shri Bheema’s Indian Restaurant [Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly]
Again, not solely vegetarian or vegan, but Shri Bheema’s has a vegetarian menu and even offers lunchtime deals or a lunch box to take away for a very reasonable price. Perfect if you are in the city for business and don't want to get stuck for food while attending meetings. You will find vegan options on the menu but, traditionally, Indian cuisine uses a lot of dairy products, so make sure to ask if unsure. Takeaway options are available and you can even order online. Please be aware they close from 2.30pm to 5pm daily.
Address: 15-17 Belmont Street, Aberdeen AB10 1JR Phone: 01224 645555 Opening Hours: 12pm – 11pm (closed between 2.30pm and 5pm daily) *Prices: £6.99 to £18.99
5. Dr Noodles Noodle Bar [Vegetarian Friendly]
Although not vegetarian or vegan per se, the chain of Asian Cuisine, Dr Noodles, allows you to create your own dish from scratch. You choose if you want a noodle or rice base, then the condiments and sauce. Vegetarian sauces are clearly marked or you can let them know you are vegetarian or vegan and they will make sure your dish follows your requirements to the letter. Can’t go wrong when you make your own!
Address: 345 Union Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6BS Phone: 01224 645555 Opening Hours: 12pm – 11pm (closed between 2.30pm and 5pm daily) *Prices: £4.00 to £8.00
Right... After looking at all this delicious food, we are now hungry and our bags are packed. Excuse us while we go on a vegetarian food trail to Scotland. Cheerio!
*prices last updated 18/09/17, use as a guideline only