With 10% of Europe’s population cutting out meat from their diet completely, vegetarian restaurants are becoming more common in our towns and cities, and the city of Edinburgh is no exception. The Scottish capital is home to a wide array of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and cafes, many of which even cater to other dietary requirements as well as offering exciting and colourful meat-free dishes. So here are the top 10 vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh.

1. Holy Cow

holycow

This small café offers vegan, Fairtrade and organic dishes from their delicious menu. Their menu itself is based on what seasonal, local products are available to the café and as well as offering meals, also has smoothies and desserts on offer. All of this amazing food is served in a fun and bright setting, making the entire experience at Holy Cow a fun and memorable one. This hidden gem is also participating in the ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme, so you could get up to £10 off your vegan treats!

2. David Bann Restaurant

David Bann Edinburgh
Source: SquareMeal

This well-known vegetarian restaurant serves vegetarian and vegan food in a stylish setting. The restaurant also does takeaway, but to do so would be to miss out on their splendid maroon décor and enjoyable dining experience. David Bann has a wide range of meat-free meals to suit everyone, as well as an even more extensive wine list to accompany them. The restaurant also has dairy and gluten-free options available, so they are really able to accommodate anyone with any dietary requirement.

3. Novapizza Vegan Kitchen

novapizza
Source: Quandoo UK

This Italian restaurant serves authentic vegetarian and vegan Italian food, mostly consisting of pizzas and pasta (well, what else would you expect?) The restaurant’s website also hosts a small blog which contains articles for their customers on how to begin and continue a plant-based diet and how to make crusty Italian bread. The restaurant was the first of its kind in Edinburgh and even received The Scottish Food Awards & Academy Vegetarian Gold Medal in 2017.

4. Harmonium

Harmonium Edinburgh
Source: Euan’s Guide

Well-known for its stone-baked pizzas and organic wines, Harmonium is a restaurant that is committed to creating tasty food that is cruelty-free and plant-based. There is something on the menu to suit everybody, from pizza, burgers, coffee and waffles. The relaxed vibe in this restaurant makes it an excellent place to go for a catch-up with friends or a meal out. The restaurant is also well-known for its cocktails and beers.

5. Hendersons Salad Table Restaurant

This is an established vegetarian restaurant that really goes the extra mile for its customers. The restaurant’s bakers make their organic loaves, scones and rolls every morning fresh, so you are greeted with an amazing smell as you enter the building. The restaurant hosts live jazz music on a Friday night but their morning breakfasts are also not to be missed, with a range of fairtrade coffees and organic teas on offer, you would be missing out on a great breakfast that will see you through the morning. They even offer a 10% student discount!

6. Kalpna

Kalpna

Kalpna has been serving the people of Edinburgh for 40 years and consequently, is now one of the cities most prestigious restaurants and is an excellent example of vegetarian and vegan Indian food. Kalpna uses locally sourced ingredients and is well-known for its thali and lunch deals.

7. Paradise Palms

paradisepalms

This restaurant is not only dedicated to providing tasty meat-free meals, but they are LGBT+ friendly and even run all of their venues and offices on 100% renewable energy. They have banned all single-use plastics from their premises and source their materials from local and ethical suppliers. As well as doing their bit for the planet, they produce American diner-inspired vegetarian and vegan food and even won the best vegetarian award in The Scottish Food Awards in 2017.

8. The Forest Café

This café is part of a volunteer-run events space that contains a performance and workshop programme. They serve vegetarian treats and meals and offer a genuine “human connection” according to reviews on TripAdvisor.

9. Black Rabbit

blackrabbit

This vegan deli and coffee shop offers a range of cupcakes, scones, chocolate, sandwiches and salads. Black Rabbit also does their bit to help the environment, running on 100% green electricity and using compostable takeaway packaging wherever possible. They will even reward you if you bring your own reusable coffee cup with a 10% discount on your purchase!

10. Naked Bakery

Naked Bakery
Source: HappyCow

This 100% vegan café and bakery offers treats and goodies that are entirely plant-based and also offers gluten-free versions of their products. The bakery even produces vegan wedding and celebration cakes that look amazing whilst providing a product that is kind to the environment and your body.