Manchester, once the engine of the industrial revolution, is also the beating heart of Veo HQ. We may have less chimneys around the city than we once did, but our city’s hunger for innovation is still firmly rooted in our identity. Today, Manchester is driving a different kind of revolution…
From the bohemian charm of the Northern Quarter to the historical richness of Castlefield and beyond into Greater Manchester, our city’s streets are sprinkled with thrilling and quirky eateries that champion vegan-friendly cuisine!
Vegan-friendly options for eating in and out have never been more plentiful. As the annual Veganuary challenge draws to a close, we felt it was the perfect time to shed a spotlight on some of Manchester’s best vegan gems, and keep the plant power going.
Is there a difference between plant-based and vegan?
Plant-based and vegan are often used interchangeably, but they can have slightly different meanings. Plant-based refers to a diet or lifestyle that primarily relies on plants, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, for nourishment. It can also be used to describe products or items that are made without animal-derived ingredients.
Vegan, on the other hand, refers to a lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. So, someone who follows a vegan lifestyle would also eat a plant-based diet, but someone who eats a plant-based diet may not necessarily be vegan.
Manchester is officially a vegan hot-spot
Did you know that 22% of people in the city claim to be vegetarian or vegan whilst 41% of meat eaters are wanting to reduce their consumption? It’s growing popularity is also evident in those who come to Manchester to study as it’s estimated that 7 out of 10 students in Manchester want to eat more plant-based food. Our growing appetite for all things plant-based has seen our city clinch the second spot in the quest for the UK’s vegan crown (Brighton snagged the top position, but we’re not bitter).
So, from the seasoned meat-free Mancunions to the quietly curious plant-based beginners, here’s a selection of some of the city’s vegan-friendly hot spots.
1. Bundobust
61 Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2AG
The Original Indian Street Food & Craft Beer Hall that serves Gujarati street food 7 days a week. Everything on their menu is vegetarian or vegan and most people don’t even notice!
The Veo team also took to this wonderful eatery for our 2023 Christmas meal, where we bought the whole menu (yes you can do that) for a festive plant-based feast!
2. Wholesome Junkies
Unit 4 Mirabel St, Manchester M3 1PJ
Renowned for award-winning vegan burgers, as featured on on Netflix and BBC2’s Million Pound Menu, Wholesome Junkie’s mouth-watering plant-based menu currently features seasonal specials like Truffle Gyoza’s, Miso Corn Ribs and Korean Cauli Poppers.
3. The Vurger Co
Unit 2 Transmission House, 11 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1AE
Offering a range of ‘meat-like’ patties from ‘chicken’ to ‘beef’ and a veggie option, this spot caters to everyone. With an allergen-friendly menu, they’re all about inclusivity. Inspired by the struggle to find quality vegan food, the mission here is accessibility through delicious innovation, aiming to positively impact the food system for generations to come. Starting as a humble market stall in 2016, they’ve evolved into three vibrant restaurants in Shoreditch, Brighton, and Manchester. From small beginnings to big flavours!
4. Purezza
75-77 High St, Manchester M4 1FS
“But what about pizza?”, we hear you ask! Well, you need to check out award-winning Neapolitan vegan pizza restaurant Purezza. That’s right, 100% plant-based pizza with a huge array of toppings to choose from.
5. Greens
54-55 Stanley Square, Sale M33 7XZ
With the motto ‘Terrifying Carnivores Since 1990’, now an acclaimed TV chef, Simon Rimmer continues to pioneer the very best in fresh, inventive vegetarian dishes for Greens, which are loved by veggies and non-veggies alike, thanks to their central ethos: “It’s not your lifestyle, but your taste-buds we care about”. Despite recently having to close doors to their Didsbury location amid soaring rent prices, their Sale restaurant remains a hub for sensational plant-based dining.
6. HOME Cinema
2 Tony Wilson Pl, Manchester M15 4FN
A cinema may not seem like a conventional place for discovering plant-based food but HOME’s first-floor restaurant offers a wonderful dining experience with a menu packed with vegetarian and vegan options- including Korean Vegan Fried Chicken and Chargrilled Hispi Cabbage. After your meal, enjoy a movie of the best offerings in contemporary and classic cinema.
7. The Allotment Vegan Eatery
1-3 Cathedral Gates, Manchester M3 1SW
In their culinary endeavours, they craft vegan food that defies expectations – a fresh, engaging, and locally sourced symphony of flavours. Leveraging the best offerings from each season’s harvest and prioritising local, sustainable growers, The Allotment introduces a completely novel plant-based experience to the table.
8. Vegan Shack
One Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester M1 1RG
In their own word “Welcome to The Future of Fast Food! Delicious vegan burgers, loaded fries, vegan fried chicken all in the heart of Manchester“. Vegan Shack’s journey began in Dimeji & Saffron’s 1-bedroom apartment in Salford Quays, where they embarked on a mission to bring delicious plant-based fast food beyond the confines of Manchester City Centre. With a modest start using ingredients from Tesco, Dimeji crafted a simple 3-item menu. A taste test among friends in the apartment building revealed they were onto something. Launched on Instagram on March 30, 2019, Vegan Shack received its first order around 9 pm. Delivering in a Vauxhall Corsa with food wrapped in a Tesco for Life bag, the customer, undeterred by basic packaging, became a repeat customer, ordering for the next four evenings.
9. Peter Street Kitchen
Free Trade Hall, Peter St, Manchester M2 5GP
Peter Street Kitchen is one of the best restaurant experiences in Manchester, serving contemporary Japanese and Mexican cuisine and signature cocktails, with a specially dedicated vegan menu available.
10. Ice Shack
1c, 160-164 Wellington Rd, Withington, Manchester M20 3FU
To end on a sweet note, Ice Shack is the North’s first all-vegan desserts parlour in Withington. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, this one is for you!
Go on! Give plant-based a go
Live in Manchester? Why not also check out these accounts for updates on the latest plant-based, vegan hotspots and hidden gems:
If you’d like to bring more plant-based living into your life at home, whether that’s through diet, your beauty routines or general lifestyle, you can discover 350+ vegan-friendly independent brands that will help you do just that right here at Veo. When it all boils down, we don’t need a few people doing veganism perfectly, we need millions of people incorporating plant-based imperfectly. So, will you be giving plant-based a go?
