The 6 Best Places To Get Vegan Food In Manchester

In 2024, vegan diners have more options than ever. Whether you’re someone who’s gradually substituting cheese for dairy-free or cutting meat altogether, it’s no surprise that more and more people are switching to plant-based diets.

While supermarkets make it easy for vegans to cook meat-free treats at home, when it’s time to dine, things get complicated. Ten years ago, many restaurants wouldn’t offer vegan alternatives, and even if they did, the options would be limited.

But not today! We’ve made a list of the best vegan food in Manchester and exactly where to find it. From authentic Indian street food to delicious Italian pizzas, vegans can join their friends in the fun by dining at any of the six top restaurants on our list. 

1. Via 

Take a walk down Canal Street, and you might stumble across Via. As one of Manchester’s most iconic vegan eateries, this live cabaret bar has been a city-wide hit since 1995. The ‘grande-dame’ of Canal Street offers great tunes, weekly quizzes, and lip-sync battles, all of which you can enjoy while tucking into dishes from their vegan menu.

Get your hands around their vegan ‘Crafted Burger’, served with a plate of crispy skin-on fries. Fancy Italian cuisine? Via’s stone-baked pizzas come loaded with vegetables and heaps of vegan cheese. With its diverse selection of ‘Rated Plates’ and sweet treats, Via is the perfect place for vegans who want to be spoiled. 

Website: Via Manchester

Address: 28/30 Canal Street, Manchester, M1 3EZ

2. Lotus Plant-Based Kitchen

After its grand re-opening in 2014, Chinese restaurant Lotus came back with a plant-based bang. The kitchen is now completely vegan-friendly, replacing vegetarian alternatives in their Asian dishes with plant-based foods. 

Lotus dishes are also excellent for those who don’t eat onion or garlic, as the company doesn’t use these in their meals. So, what better way to start your foray into vegan Chinese food than with Lotus’ starter menu?

Sample spring rolls, sesame toast or their filo parcels filled with mixed vegetables. On a cold day, enjoy their ‘Chkn’ and sweetcorn soup and, if you’re not already full, move on to the main event: Lotus’ sizzling hot pots. Finding the best vegan food in Manchester is easy when you know where to look: head on down to Wilmslow Road and let Lotus Plant-Based Kitchen expand your palette. 

Website: Lotus Plant-Based Kitchen

Address: 536 Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester, M20 4BY

3. Purezza

Purezza’s extensive menu proves that living a vegan lifestyle is anything but restrictive! First established in 2015, Purezza founders Stefania and Tim have been passionate about plant-based food since opening in Brighton.

Purezza’s goal is to open diners’ minds, create foods that inspire and help more people incorporate plant-based alternatives into their everyday. That’s why this entirely vegan eatery offers an impressive selection of fine dining choices.

Get the party started with some marinated olives or spiced corn. Then, choose a selection of small plates, a pizza to share (or to have for yourself), and a heaping bowl of their famous Mac ‘n’ Cheese.

Website: Purezza Manchester

Address: 75-77 High Street, Manchester, M4 1FS

4. The Allotment

Winning the title of best vegan food in Manchester is hard, but The Allotment is certainly tough competition. This all-vegan eatery uses locally sourced, fresh ingredients to create a flavoursome array of plates. Need a quick bite on your lunch break? Pass through The Allotment and try their signature stuffing, cranberry sauce and garlic aioli sandwich, sat between two slices of delicious focaccia. 

Bring a fellow vegan and tackle The Allotment’s sharing platter, chock full of beetroot fritters, soup, roast potatoes and crusty bread. Or, if you want something light, book a slot for afternoon tea. Feel civilised as you indulge in vegan finger sandwiches, dainty cakes and an all-included bottle of Prosecco! 

Website: The Allotment

Address: 1-3 Cathedral Gates, Manchester, M3 1SW

5. Bundobust

Salt and pepper, fish and chips, macaroni and cheese: what do all these things have in common? They bring out the best in each other, which is exactly what Bundobust founders Mayur Patel and Marko Husak discovered about curry and beer. With their Indian food heritage and love for flavoursome ale, the first Bundobust was born in Leeds in 2014. While primarily serving vegetarian dishes, most items on the menu can be made vegan per diners’ requests.

The now critically acclaimed street food chain offers a fascinating range of dishes. From compact ‘Munch’ bowls with Okra fries, Bhaji burgers and Paneer tikka to Bombay mix beer snacks, Bundobust knows all too well that variety is the spice of life. 

Website: Bundobust Manchester

Address: St James Building, 61-69 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EQ

6. Mowgli Corn Exchange

Nisha Katona founded Mowgli Corn Exchange in 2014 with a desire to bring authentic, home-cooked Indian food to the UK market. Today, you can find the chain in several locations nationwide, with restaurants in Liverpool, Birmingham, Brighton and beyond.

Serving some of the best vegan food in Manchester, the street-inspired cuisine spares no expenses when it comes to flavour. Mowgli’s ‘Vegan Yoghurt Chat Bombs’, packed with tamarind and coriander, will leave you wanting more. Move onto ‘The Hindu Kitchen’ vegan menu, and you’ll find chickpeas simmered in a rich tomato sauce, Mowgli’s signature ‘Picnic Potato Curry’ and their vegan showstopper: the ‘Holy Chow’. 

Website: Mowgli Corn Exchange

Address:16 Corn Exchange House, 37 Exchange St, Manchester M4 3TR

Looking for an apartment near Manchester’s best vegan restaurants? 

We hope your taste buds are sufficiently tantalised! Explore more of Manchester’s vegan-friendly sector and get to know more about your palette. If you’re moving to the city to be closer to the action, why not check out our Manchester apartments? 

Our Bromley Street complexes and Crown View apartments are perfect for vegans who want to enjoy the city and all its wonderful food.