It can be tough going, that old vegan game, can’t it? Well actually, not so much anymore. 

These days supermarket shelves are brimming with tasty vegan treats you might have previously thought were off-limits, comfort food purveyors have become wise to the huge vegan demand and the internet is alight with long lists of vegan eateries you just have to visit. 

But the one meal we just can’t do without? A gloriously tasty, steaming-hot Sunday roast. The best dinner of the week typically involves huge hunks of meat, but don’t let that scare you and your vegan or vegetarian self away, because we’ve sniffed out all the cosy pubs in London that know how to rustle up a bloody good meat-free Sunday dinner. 

From river-side pubs in the West to cool and cuddly haunts in the East, we’ve handpicked the 23 best restaurants, cafes and pubs offering veggie and vegan Sunday roasts across the whole of London. From packed-full nut roasts to smoked tofu delights, there’s loads of vegan menus to try out. And if you fancied giving a vegan recipe a whirl, be sure to try these vegan curry and comfort food recipes out for size.

Simply use this as your one-stop guide to the best vegetarian and vegan roasts in London.

Best vegan and vegetarian roast dinners in North London

The Gate, Islington

Offering a range of vegetarian world cuisines, The Gate’s informal, canteen atmosphere has made it an Islington favourite for years. Their pumpkin and beetroot tart is served with rainbow chard, salsify and gravy for the perfect nut roast alternative. Kick off the meal with the wild mushroom wellington and you’re set for a roast to beat all others.

The Bull & Gate, Kentish town

This beautifully decorated Kentish Town pub boasts wall colours to die for, and a cosy rustic environment that will make you want to stay all day. If you do, be sure to try the vegan roast, which offers freekah, mixed root veg and spinach wellington and all the vegan trimmings. What’s not to love?

The Spaniard’s Inn, Hampstead Heath

If a walk is what you’re after, head to Hampstead Heath for the ultimate North London ramble, and if you can get a table in The Spaniard’s Inn, their nut roast with baby potatoes and vegetarian gravy is something rather special. Wash it down with one of their specialty beers.

The Old Queen’s Head, Islington

You might only be familiar with The Old Queen’s Head as a Saturday night dance spot, but they’re more than just a party pub. Among the classic roast offerings, their mushroom wellington doused in veggie gravy is a must-try, for veggies, vegans and meat-eaters alike. 

Manna, Primrose Hill

Claiming to be the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the UK (and possibly Europe), you know you’re in good hands when heading to Manna. Their nut roast has been on the menu for more than a decade. Arriving in a disc-shape, the hazelnut, cashew, pea, mushroom and herb dish is suitable for vegans, so ticks all the boxes, and its accompaniments change regularly, so it’ll have you going back more than once.

Best vegan and vegetarian roast dinners in South London

Cafe Van Gogh, Brixton

Sit back in this artsy cafe and gaze into Van Gogh’s Starry Night above you while you tuck into the cafe’s vibrant, nutritious plant-based food. The cafe occupies a prime spot in vivacious Brixton and operates as a non-profit too, which gets bonus points from us.

Jam Circus, Brockley

Kitsch 70s decor? Tick. Live music? Tick. Delicious veggie roast? Double tick.

If you have a penchant for kooky decor and experimental food, South East London’s Jam Circus could be your new favourite haunt. Forget your traditional nut roast, the Sunday offering for veggies from this place will have your mouth watering almost instantly. The vegetable strudel served with roast pepper sauce will have all your meat-eating friends fighting back their food envy.

The Tiger, Camberwell

Camberwell’s The Tiger may look effortlessly cool thanks to it’s vintage Chesterfield sofas and quirky interiors, but rest assured, when it comes to food their approach is not so laid back. The menu has a selection of no less than two veggie Sunday roasts, both of which have us counting down the days ‘til the Sabbath.

Choose between chestnut mushroom nut roast or seitan joint, which both come with a hearty helping of roast potatoes, chantenay carrots, savoy cabbage, gravy and Yorkshire puddings. Exactly what you need after traipsing about in the cold all day.

Joanna’s, Crystal Palace

A family-run local favourite, Joanna’s is famous for its signature hamburger, but they welcome veggies with open arms. For a roast of dreams throughout the winter season, their veggie wellington with braised red cabbage is a winner, and for the rest of the year, the mushroom, spinach and cheddar puff pastry pie is a mouth-watering alternative to a pork belly.

The Rye, Peckham

A stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Rye Lane and overlooking the green expanse of the Rye, this aptly named drinking hole offers a lot more than just something to warm the cockles. Their culinary offerings are among the best of the pubs in the area, and the nut roast comes drizzled in a pesto sauce, served alongside all the usual accompaniments. What’s more, come closing time, they hand out Yorkshire puds as bar snacks. What’s not to love?

The Marlborough, Richmond

Nestled on Richmond Hill, a short stretch from the deer-filled park and the river, The Marlborough boasts a beer garden big enough for an entire wedding party, and interiors to boot. Their veggie roast is a cornucopia of delights, including a courgette tart, butternut squash and a slice of Barkham blue, finished off with lashings of gravy. We’d recommend sitting in the rustic side-return conservatory until you’ve digested the feast. 

Best vegan and vegetarian roast dinners in Central London

Norman’s Coach and Horses, Soho

London’s ‘first vegan and vegetarian pub’, Norman’s Coach and Horses is a no-brainer when it comes to veggie roast selection. Choose from a stuffed roasted butternut squash or sweet potato and spinach bake, and get stuck in to sides of brococli, kale, crispy roast potatoes with skin on and a Yorkshire pudding with lashings of vegan gravy.

Vanilla Black, Farringdon

If Heston Blumenthal were vegetarian, Vanilla Black might just be his thing. This experimental Clerkenwell eatery wows veggies and non-veggies alike. It’s not your classic roast, its better. With roasted onion puree and charred spring onions, this taste explosion is one for the very finest of Sunday lunches.

Mildreds, Soho

We couldn’t very well have a list of best veggie roasts and not include Mildred’s. A mainstay of vegetarian and vegan London, Mildreds is a go-to for every occasion and for all world cuisine, but it’s even better on a Sunday. Choose from the smoked tofu with fennel, apple and white bean sausages served in a cider jus and the wood roasted mushroom and ale pie. Both suitable for vegans.

The best vegetarian and vegan roasts in East London

Best vegetarian and vegan roasts in West London

Windsor Castle, Kensington

Sadly this is not an invitation to hang out with our Liz at the Windsor Castle, although we must admit this Kensington based pub has all the old English charm you would expect of her majesty’s abode.

As soon as you see the white-fronted, Tudor-esque building you’ll feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of central London. And the cosy, country feel of this establishment only gets better once you hear about its reputation as the city’s ‘friendliest pub’ and, of course, take a bite of the home-cooked grub. The carrot and parsnip nut roast is said to be legendary, probably due to the ever-changing, seasonal ingredients they use.

The Queen Adelaide, Putney

This country-style pub is a cosy place to while a way a Sunday afternoon, thanks to its comfy sofas and warming dishes - many of which are vegetarian. Try the nut roast, which comes with rapeseed oil roast potatoes, mushroom gravy and of course, a Yorkshire pudding.

The City Barge, Chiswick

Bored of a typical nut roast? Get yourself to The City Barge, a lovely river-side pub which serves up a cracking vegetarian Sunday dinner. The mushroom and pumpkin nut roast with onion gravy looks like it would go down a treat, particularly with sides like truffle wild mushrooms and buttered braised leeks and carrots. 

The Elgin, Maida Vale

Newly-opened hipster pub The Elgin gets top marks for decor and its Sunday roast menu, which features a delicious-sound vegan option. We love the sound of the mushroom and spinach wellington with vegan gravy, and the padron peppers with Hill Farm rapeseed oil and sea salt to start.

Images: Courtesy of venues