9 plant-based restaurants across Edinburgh

From list.co.uk/news

From Mexican classics to flourishing community spaces, there are plenty of opportunities for plant-based goodness in Edinburgh  

Antojitos Cantina 

Paradise Palms, 41 Lothian Street

The latest residence from the team behind Antojitos at Edinburgh Street Food is very much a hands-on experience as you tuck into tacos, quesadillas and other Mexican classics on a 100% plant-based and nut-free adventure. Credible meat substitutes really work, while taco wins include soya carnitas with a chilli-citrus ping and a rich vegan chorizo-fried potato combo. 

Hendersons

7–13 Barclay Place
Veggie with excellent vegan choices, this family-run spot has changed location and passed through the generations while consistently turning out fabulous food since 1962. Light and airy inside, wildflower-speckled dishes of salt-baked celeriac and foraged mushroom risotto don’t just look the part; they prove natural plant-based trumps faux-meat menus any day.

Nón Việt Vegan

23a Brougham Place
Nón Việt is fully vegan, but each flavour pairing and meat substitute has been so well considered that it can be hard to notice. Summer rolls are light and refreshing with a zappy peanut sauce that has lips smacking, while warming curries and noodle bowls are filling and flavoursome. For lunch, there’s a great selection of banh mi.

Sly Fox

16 Henderson Street
This cosy neighbourhood café is a haven for vegans and vegetarians and has a genuine community vibe, full of plants, art and happy people. The spicy goulash with potato pancakes is hearty and comforting, and the refried beans quesadilla with homemade pickles is excellent. Raw cakes are a speciality.     

Sora Diana 

19–21 Causewayside
Special occasion-appropriate Sora Diana is split into three dining areas, all brought together with rich wallpaper, comfy seats and plenty of natural daylight. It’s Italian with clear Roman leanings: carbonara and cacio e pepe are all present and correct alongside pinsa (Rome’s oval version of pizza). It’s a strong choice, especially when you want to relax into your meal.     

Soul Vegan 

46 West Richmond Street
With links to the beloved Kampong Ah Lee, this wee vegan Malaysian is picture-perfect, with attentive staff and a street-food slanted menu that leans towards deeply comforting, homely dishes. Popular with the city’s student population, essentially this is a place to fill up for a reasonable price, while receiving a cuddle in plant-based bowl-form.     

Also try... David Bann Restaurant for traditional dishes in a comfy setting, FacePlant Foods for hangover-busting mac ‘n’ cheeze and Novapizza Vegan Kitchen for excellent vegan pizza. 

https://list.co.uk/news/9-plant-based-restaurants-across-edinburgh-48347

The vegan Edinburgh hotspot that's winning over carnivores

From heraldscotland.com

By Alex Burns

As enthusiastic carnivores, my husband and I rarely (if ever) choose to dine in fully vegetarian restaurants.

But at Paradise Palms, a Mexican eatery in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town, we were so busy tucking into their amazing tacos, quesadillas and burritos that we barely even noticed the absence of meat.

                                                                                                        (Image: Paradise Palms)

This cult Edinburgh pub has long been popular for its extensive cocktail list and late openings (it shuts at 1am every night). But after a recent takeover of its kitchen by Mexican street food stalwart Antojitos Cantina, Paradise Palms is staking a strong claim of one of the capital’s hottest new food spots.

It marks the brand’s most extensive and elevated menu to date, mixing authentic Mexican ingredients with local produce while remaining 100% cruelty-free.

They have also refreshed their interiors in time for the busy summer season. The redesign reflects owner Trystan O’Brien’s fascination with surreal style, introducing Black Lodge–inspired flooring from Twin Peaks, while keeping the offbeat character of the pub’s interior.

                                                                                                (Image: Paradise Palms)

It’s certainly a unique space to sit in, with cuddly toys suspended from the ceiling and disco balls strung up almost everywhere you look. But in a world of increasing homogeneity and chain restaurants, it is a welcome relief to spend time in a venue that’s genuinely unique.

The food, too, is certainly memorable. Some highlights were the ‘Chorixo’ con Papas, made with crumbled vegan chorizo and fried potato, the Oaxacan ‘Ch*kn’ fajitas served with avocado crema and the vegan steak birria tacos. But arguably my favourite dish on the menu was one of the most simple – grilled sweetcorn ribs served with crumbled vegan cheese.

It was genuinely incredible, and it served as a powerful reminder that food doesn't need to contain meat to make an impression.

                                                                                              (Image: Paradise Palms)

Paradise Palms is also renowned for its cocktails, so I felt it was my journalistic duty to try several of the options on the menu.

I was particularly impressed with peach picante margarita – a truly original take on the ever-popular spicy margarita – made with tequila, peach, lime and red chilli. A special mention must also go to their caipirinha, a Brazilian cocktail that I have found poorly replicated in Scotland, but the Paradise Palms version was delicious.

Paradise Palms won’t disappoint – for both carnivores and herbivores alike.

www.theparadisepalms.com

https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/26055849.vegan-edinburgh-hotspot-winning-carnivores/ 

UK: Plant-based spots across Glasgow

From list.co.uk

The vegan capital of Scotland doesn’t disappoint. Here are a few options for those who favour plant-based options  

Thanks in no small part to Craig Tannock and his vegan venues Stereo, Mono, The Flying Duck and The 78 (The Old Hairdressers doesn’t serve food), Glasgow has had a reputation as a friendly city to those of a plant-based disposition since the early noughties. The former four still dish up reliably good food, particularly Stereo, which serves everything from pickled tempeh and dan dan noodles to seared mushroom steak. 

In 2013, Glasgow was named the most vegan-friendly city in the UK and, in the years since, there’s been an explosion in vegan and vegetarian eateries. The pick of the bunch is Sylvan, a natural wine bar and restaurant on Woodlands Road with a menu that straddles both Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. As a small-plates affair, not all dishes necessarily gel together, but each is delicious in its own right.

                                                                                                                              Sylvan

Continuing the Asian theme, long-standing Vietnamese restaurants Non Viet (on Sauchiehall Street and Great Western Road) now have their own vegan-only venue in Partick, where bowls of pho and hue noodle soup are deeply savoury; mushrooms, seitan and tofu delivering protein in heady, spicy broths. Perhaps the best vegan food can be found in an unassuming spot on Dumbarton Road, where Suissi Vegan Kitchen has been knocking out Asian-inspired cuisine under the radar for years. Try their lion’s mane mushroom rendang, gyoza and laksa ramen.

There are also several successful plant-based bakeries, in particular The Dorky French on Parnie Street and Honey Trap on Skirving Street. While the former’s focus is viennoiserie, the latter is more varied, with tarts, cakes, savoury pies, buns and pastries. Neither disappoints.

This TipList is taken from Eat & Drink 365 Glasgow, our sister mag recommending the best in restaurants, bars, cafés and more.

https://list.co.uk/news/plant-based-spots-across-glasgow-47540

King Charles Visits Luxury Vegan Chocolate Shop In Scotland

From plantbasednews.org

King Charles was presented with a vegan selection box during the visit 

King Charles III recently visited Fetcha Chocolates, a luxury vegan chocolate shop in Scotland.

The British monarch spent several days visiting different parts of Scotland as part of the annual Holyrood Week, or “Royal Week,” which celebrates Scottish culture and local people. On July 3, Charles arrived in Campbeltown, which sits on the south-western Kintyre Peninsula and is home to Fetcha Chocolates, a shop specializing in vegan confectionery.

King Charles visited the vegan chocolate shop earlier this month - Media Credit: Fetcha Chocolates / Facebook

Chocolatier Fiona McArthur founded Fetcha Chocolates in 2019 and opened the brick-and-mortar location in Campbeltown in 2022. In 2024, McArthur received widespread recognition after supplying movie-themed chocolates for the “Everyone Wins” Oscars gift bags, worth over USD $170,000 at the time.

When he met McArthur outside her shop, Charles said, “I’ve been hearing about your chocolates.” McArthur presented the King with a box of chocolates combining Fetcha’s Oscars-themed flavours along with The Cannes Collection, designed for this year’s festival.

The Cannes Collection includes Yuzu Ganache, Lucuma Caramel, Cappuccino, Matcha and Lime, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and even Haggis Spice, while the 2024 Oscars selection features flavours inspired by Poor Things, Killers of the Flower Moon, Barbie, Maestro, The Holdovers, and Oppenheimer, which combines dark chocolate, chili, and popping candy.

“Such a treat to welcome the King into our shop today. We discussed how far the business has come in these last few years, and he left with some of our Awards Collection chocolates,” wrote McArthur on the Fetcha Chocolates Instagram. “In a million years I didn’t expect to have actually royalty in my wee shop in the West of Scotland!”

Vegan confectionery and artisan chocolatiers

Fetcha ChocolatesFetcha Chocolates founder Fiona McArthur gifted King Charles with a box of vegan chocolates

Experts expect the UK’s vegan confectionery sector to grow to USD $80.3 million by 2029, making it a leading market for vegan chocolate products. With big brand and supermarket options multiplying, dairy-free chocolate has officially become mainstream. However, small businesses such as Fetcha represent an emerging field of chocolatiers emphasizing artisanal quality and sustainability.

In 2023, McArthur’s chocolate shop entered several competitions and came away with “a gold, 2 silvers, and recognition at the Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards,” where Fetcha Chocolates was the only vegan business shortlisted for the final stage within the Confectionery category.

https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/king-charles-luxury-vegan-chocolate-shop/

Scotland Vegan Festival coming to Paisley this summer

From the-gazette.co.uk/news

The Scotland Vegan Festival is due to be held at the Lagoon Sports Centre in Paisley on Saturday, July 12th.

Running from 10.30am to 4.30pm, the family-friendly event will feature over 80 stalls, world food caterers, and live cookery demonstrations, offering something for all those with an interest in a plant-based diet. 

Victoria Bryceson, festival organiser, said: "I'm really excited about this year’s Scotland Vegan Festival.

"I'm sure that people in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, and beyond will enjoy the stalls, talks, workshops, and atmosphere.

"We look forward to welcoming everyone, not just vegans, to the festival. Our goal is to continue to bring vegans and non-vegans together, to support local vegan businesses, and to show just how easy it is to be vegan."

Food stalls will be set up to offer visitors a variety of cooked foods, pies, cakes, chocolates, sandwiches, and salads.

Beauty and skincare products, candles, cheeses, jewellery, crafts, healthy treats, sweet treats, clothing, drinks, juices, smoothies, charity merchandise, and free samples will also be available.

Featured stalls include Miracle’s Mission, a non-profit animal welfare charity that works with sick, injured, and disabled animals throughout the world. 

Local stallholders include Lanarkshire's Baby Blue Bee Bunnies, a non-profit welfare organisation that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes rabbits across the country. 

Other local businesses include Glasgow's Nicki's Aromatics, which makes aromatherapy home fragrance products, and Of Loch And Sea, which produces handcrafted jewellery and accessories made from sea glass, sea pottery, and driftwood found on the beach.

The event is sponsored by Gut Punch, a Scottish company specialising in plant-based fermented foods and drinks.

Advance tickets for the festival are available from the Vegan Events UK website.

Standard tickets are £5 (under 16s free) and VIP tickets are £15, including fast-track entry and a goody bag full of vegan products, samples, discounts, and offers.

Standard tickets will also be available for purchase on the door. 

More information about the festival can be found on the Vegan Events UK website. 

https://www.the-gazette.co.uk/news/25179751.scotland-vegan-festival-coming-paisley-summer/