Veganuary: The Best Vegan Restaurants in Manchester
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11 months ago
Plant-based hotspots in the northern city
The Manchester food scene has been on the up for many years now – spurred on by the arrival of its first Michelin star in 2019. Across the eclectic city you’ll find everything from authentic curry houses to glitzy sushi restaurants and cosy cafes – and if it’s plant-based food you’re after, there’s plenty of that too. Here we highlight the best vegan restaurants in Manchester, from an underground eatery in a chef’s own house to a US-inspired street food stall.
Best Vegan Restaurants in Manchester
The Allotment Vegan Eatery
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Matt Nutter’s plant-based eatery began its life as a pop-up, quickly developing a cult fan base and going on to open a permanent venture in 2016. Located opposite the Cathedral at the end of Deansgate, the restaurant focuses on locally sourced vegan fare, with a seasonally changing menu. Begin with the cauliflower wings (a fan favourite) and tofu satay skewers ahead of larger plates of beetroot risotto, jackfruit tacos and a twist on fish and chips made with battered banana blossom. There’s also a set menu offering three dishes for £28 – or you can try a bit of everything with the sharing platter, which is piled high with meat-free goodness: tomato and oregano ‘plantballs’, grilled vegetables, tabbouleh and cauliflower popcorn. Easily one of the best vegan restaurants in Manchester.
1-3 Cathedral Gates, Manchester M3 1SW, allotmentvegan.co.uk
Purezza
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Vegan pizza hotspot Purezza made a name for itself in Brighton before spreading its wings to four corners of the UK – including Manchester. Here cheese is swapped for a special vegan ‘mozzella’ made in-house from fermented rice milk. Pizzas are then jazzed up with an array of toppings: the BBQ Bourbon features mushrooms, kimchi and parsley, while the Parmigiana Party has a tomato base with aubergine parmigiana on top. Pair with some of the house garlic bread – but leave some room for the salted caramel brownie dessert. Who said vegans can’t have fun?
75-77 High St, Manchester M4 1FS, purezza.co.uk
Greens
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The story of Greens dates back over 30 years, when two friends – both called Simon – were enjoying a curry when they spotted a small vegetarian cafe in West Didsbury. They saw the potential of the unassuming spot as the location for a new plant-based restaurant, and, would you believe it, the next day it was up for sale. One of these friends happened to be the now acclaimed TV chef Simon Rimmer – and the rest is history. The pioneering spot is all vegetarian, and much of the menu is vegan: starters include pesto arancini and deep-fried oyster mushrooms, alongside mains of tofu katsu curry and sweet potato gnocchi. After years of success, the two Simons decided to open a second venue last year in Stanley Square – this one with its own roof garden.
41-43 Lapwing Ln, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2NT and 54-55 Stanley Square, Sale M33 7XZ, greensrestaurants.co.uk
Herbivorous
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Herbivorous founders Robyn and Damien spent years exploring the burgeoning vegan food scene in the US before returning to the UK to set up a food truck which focused on plant-based versions of street food favourites. They began by touring festivals before setting up camp in Withington in October 2021, with branches to follow in York Spark and Hatch Manchester. The menu focuses on vegan comfort food with an American twist: buffalo wings made with seitan, mac ‘n’ cheese (created with cashews and topped with a garlic bread crumb), harissa corn, burgers and ‘Philly Cheesesteaks’, served with a sub roll or paprika seasoned fries. As the tagline goes, it’s all designed to give people ‘vegan food envy’.
Multiple locations, herbivorous.co.uk
The Walled Gardens
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Plant-based chef Eddie Shepherd travelled the world running pop-ups before arriving in Manchester, where he spent some time at the aforementioned Greens before launching his own unique culinary concept. The Walled Garden is a restaurant set in the ground floor of Eddie’s own house in Whalley Range, where he cooks up a special 12-course tasting menu for just eight guests. Eddie is renowned for his unconventional style of cooking – previous dishes have included cured mushrooms with vanilla and beetroot, and a scotch bonnet and fermented passionfruit number. Reservations are released five months in advance, and naturally they sell out quickly.
Address given upon booking, veggiechef.co.uk
The Vurger Co
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Plant-based burger hotspot The Vurger Co began its life as a market stall in Bethnal Green, going on to open restaurants in Shoreditch, Brighton and Manchester. You’ll find the latter on Tib Street, serving a variety of vegan burgers including one created especially for the Manchester launch: the Hunny ‘Chicken’, perfect for plant-based diners who miss the taste of meat. Alternatively, the Smoky Shroom lets the mushrooms work their magic, topped with smoky chipotle sauce, crispy onions and gherkins. Alongside the burgers, you’ll find loaded waffles topped with vegan chicken nuggets and mini hash browns, plus sides of skin on and sweet potato fries.
Unit 2, Transmission House, 11 Tib St, Manchester M4 1AE, thevurgerco.com
