Best Places to go for Vegetarian food in Manchester

One of the Guardian’s Top 20 UK restaurants, Eddie Shepherd’s Walled Gardens is unique in that it’s literally set-up in his home kitchen. The entirely vegetarian concept combines the mastery of the award-winning chef, with exclusive, one-off dishes that promote social dining and passion for the entire cooking process. Expect dry ice, experimental cooking and a totally unique dining experience at this epic culinary adventure.

We all know about Bundobust now surely?  Head to their Piccadilly Gardens or Bundobust Brewery sites and you are welcomed by a fantastic space with a varied vegetarian menu of traditional Indian street food dishes. Many of the dishes are also vegan and gluten free so there’s plenty to choose from. If you’ve got some mates, or are a greedy bugger, you should get the ‘Bundo Combo’ which is every dish on the menu.

Eighth Day on Oxford Road offers a wide range of organic vegetarian and vegan food, as well as bodycare, medicines and household goods that are veggie friendly too. They also have a cafe on-site offering a range of daily specials, butties, salads and smoothies should you get peckish on the way to The Footage.

Located not just in Ashton anymore but also Chorlton and Ancoats, Lily’s is a vegetarian’s dream. The food here is about as authentic as you can get this side of the Suez Canal with many specialities including dosas, chaats and those vibrant, lovely looking sweets that you’re too afraid to try as you walk past on the Curry Mile. Everything in here is completely vegetarian and super tasty – you can’t go wrong.

Greens has been part of the veggie scene for absolutely ages now, and it’s still offering inventive gourmet vegetarian dishes in a nice, homely setting. Between presenting Sunday Brunch, Simon Rimmer owns Greens, so you can expect a large menu full of appealing veggie delights.

All-vegan restaurant The Allotment has become a firm favourite in recent years. Since opening, it’s picked up multiple awards and is regularly selected out as one of the best plant-based eateries in the country. Dishes change seasonally, so there’s always something new to try.

Opened in Manchester off Albert Square in 2022, following the wild success of its original site on Liverpool’s vibe-y Bold Street, Maray offers a huge variety of vegetarian dishes on its Paris-meets-the-Middle-East-inspired menu. Putting the emphasis on fresh, healthy ingredients, the dishes focus on vibrant, seasonal flavours. We cannot recommend the signature Disco Cauliflower highly enough.

From 100% vegan salt and pepper prawns to award-winning stacked burgers and chikn n waffles, Wholesome Junkies has grown to be a must-visit destination for veggies and vegans of Manchester and beyond. The junk food specialists have a site near Victoria Station with a relaxed, sit down vibe, instead of the grab and go takeaway set-up at its stalls in the Arndale and Warrington markets.

100% plant-based Neapolitan pizzas right in the heart of the Northern Quarter. Purezza took over the old Dough unit a while back and have been impressing vegans and meat-eaters ever since. Vegan cheese can sometimes be a struggle to get past – but the quality of their dough and toppings mean that these plant-based offerings are some of the very best in the city.

Located down Withington end, Lotus offers a massive selection of all of your favourite vegetarian and vegan Chinese dishes. You can eat in or get it delivered, and there is a huge selection of dishes to choose from. Many offer a selection of vegetarian and vegan ‘meats’ made with soya proteins, soya fibres, wheat proteins and mushrooms so if you’re a veggie or even vegan then there’s plenty of choice.