Hampstead has quietly become one of North London's best areas for plant-based eating, here's where to find the good stuff, from casual lunches to proper dinners.
Hampstead is an excellent place for vegetarians and vegans. The village's cafes, restaurants, and food shops offer plentiful plant-based choice, from dedicated meat-free menus to creative vegan dishes and well-stocked health-food shops. This guide covers the best vegetarian and vegan options in Hampstead and the surrounding area.
- Hampstead's cafes and restaurants offer strong vegetarian and vegan choice
- Many brunch spots excel at plant-based dishes
- The area's delis and food shops stock vegan and health foods
- Nearby Manna in Primrose Hill is one of the world's oldest vegetarian restaurants
- Plenty of options for picnics on the Heath
- Combine plant-based dining with a Heath walk for a healthy day out
Plant-Based Dining in Hampstead
Hampstead's health-conscious, cosmopolitan population has long supported good vegetarian and vegan food. Far from being an afterthought, plant-based options are well represented across the village's cafes and restaurants, and with the broader surge in plant-based eating in recent years, the choice has only grown.
Whether you are a committed vegan, a vegetarian, or simply looking to eat more plants, Hampstead delivers: creative meat-free dishes, dedicated vegan options, plant-based brunches, and food shops well stocked with everything needed for plant-based home cooking.
Vegetarian and Vegan Eating Out
Cafes and Brunch
Hampstead's cafes are strong on vegetarian and vegan fare. The contemporary brunch scene naturally suits plant-based eating, avocado on sourdough, vegan pancakes, plant-based cooked breakfasts, grain bowls, smoothies, and dairy-free coffee are widely available. Most cafes offer plant milks and clearly mark vegan options.
Restaurants
The village's restaurants increasingly cater well for vegetarians and vegans, with dedicated dishes rather than token salads. International restaurants are often particularly good, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines have rich vegetarian traditions. Bonoo Indian Tapas, for example, offers extensive and genuinely creative vegetarian and vegan small plates.
Manna in Primrose Hill
A short distance away in Primrose Hill, Manna claims to be one of the world's oldest vegetarian restaurants, serving accomplished plant-based food since 1967. For a dedicated vegetarian/vegan dining experience, it is well worth the short journey, see the Primrose Hill restaurants guide.
Priya Desai, a vegan who moved to Hampstead in 2021, was pleasantly surprised by the choice. "I expected to struggle, honestly, I'd had a hard time in other 'nice' areas," she said. "But Hampstead is brilliant. Every café has proper vegan options, not just a sad salad. The Indian places do amazing veg food, the health shops have everything I need, and Manna in Primrose Hill is a short walk. I eat better here as a vegan than I did anywhere as a meat-eater. It's never an afterthought; it's genuinely good food."
Food Shopping for Plant-Based Cooking
Health-Food and Wholefood Shops
Hampstead and the surrounding area have good health-food and wholefood shops stocking plant-based products, meat and dairy alternatives, wholefoods, pulses and grains, plant milks, supplements, and specialist vegan ingredients. These are invaluable for plant-based home cooking.
Delis and Food Shops
The village's delis and food shops increasingly stock vegan products alongside their traditional ranges, plant-based cheeses, vegan prepared foods, and the kind of quality ingredients that make plant-based cooking a pleasure.
The Farmers' Market
The weekly farmers' market is a vegetarian's and vegan's delight, abundant seasonal fruit and vegetables, fresh and full of flavour, direct from growers. Seasonal produce at its peak is the foundation of great plant-based eating.
Plant-Based Picnics on the Heath
Hampstead's food shops make assembling a vegan or vegetarian picnic easy, fresh bread from the bakeries, plant-based spreads and prepared foods from the delis and health shops, and fruit and veg from the market. Carry it up to the Heath for a picnic on Parliament Hill, a perfect, healthy day out.
A Plant-Based Hampstead Day
1. Brunch: A vegan brunch at a village café, avocado toast, vegan pancakes, or a plant-based cooked breakfast.
2. Shop: Stock up at the health-food shop and farmers' market.
3. Heath: A walk with a plant-based picnic.
4. Dinner: Creative vegetarian small plates at Bonoo, or a trip to Manna in Primrose Hill.
Practical Tips
- Look for marked menus: Most cafes and restaurants clearly mark vegan and vegetarian options.
- Try the international restaurants: Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines excel at plant-based food.
- Use the health shops: For plant-based products and specialist ingredients.
- Shop the market: Seasonal produce is the foundation of great plant-based cooking.
- Venture to Manna: For a dedicated vegetarian dining experience nearby.
Practical Information
- Best for: Vegetarians, vegans, and anyone eating more plants
- Eating out: Strong options across cafes, brunch spots, and restaurants
- Shopping: Health-food shops, delis, and the farmers' market
- Nearby highlight: Manna in Primrose Hill, one of the world's oldest vegetarian restaurants
- Getting there: Hampstead (Northern line) for the village
Hampstead is a genuinely excellent place to eat plant-based, not as a compromise, but as a pleasure. From creative vegan brunches and accomplished vegetarian restaurants to well-stocked health-food shops and a produce-rich farmers' market, the village and its surroundings cater wonderfully for meat-free eating. Combine great plant-based food with a walk on the Heath, and you have one of the healthiest, most enjoyable days out in London.
