These venues are proving that vegan food is far from boring or unimaginative
Spinningfields Indian restaurant Dishoom is known for its top vegan delights(Image: Dishoom)
For many of us, the start of the year ushers in an opportunity to start anew and begin a resolution where we aim to better ourselves. Now, whether they’re successfully kept past the second week of January is a separate matter, but the point remains.
Alongside cutting out the booze, joining a gym and promising to read more, one of the popular resolutions adopted by people is to go vegan – or at least cut down on the amount of meat they eat. And, as such, Veganuary has been a thing for a good while now. Officially beginning in 2014, it’s thought that there’s millions of people around the world who have now participated in the challenge to go meat-product free in January.
The campaign, led by the Veganuary charity, is even backed by the likes of Billie Eilish and Joaquin Phoenix. With that in mind, it’s worth highlighting some of the many venues across Greater Manchester which are perfect for a vegan or a Veganuary adoptee to visit in the first month of 2026. Whilst they aren’t all fully vegan restaurants, bars or cafes, they at least have a decent vegan menu which goes beyond the typical portion of hummus and pitta bread.
And, remember, these places don’t just exist in January – they can be enjoyed throughout the year too. In fact, some of them have even been hailed as some of the best places to eat out in Greater Manchester as well.
The Pommes Anna’s – featuring layers of crispy potato and a rich mustard cream – from Soots(Image: Soots)Hinterland
Perhaps the most prominent of all vegan places in town is Hinterland, based within the basement of the Manchester Buddhist Centre on Turner Street, in the Northern Quarter. The alcohol-free café and bar first opened its doors in 2024.
Its current vegan menu, from Wholesome Junkies, stems across burgers, ramens, Nourish Bowls, and small plates, with particular highlights including the Korean Burger, featuring a Crispy Fried Oyster Mushroom in a sticky Korean glaze alongside Torogashi Pickles, Sesame Slaw, spring onions and spicy mayo.
There’s also the Tantan Ramen, which includes sesame peanut tare alongside szechuan minced tofu, crispy chilli oil, ramen noodles and cucumber. They also serve Sunday Mains from 12pm to 6pm, including a Sunday roast made up of a rotating choice of cuts alongside a wealth of veggies and sides.
16-20 Turner Street, Manchester, M4 1DZ
The Allotment
Overlooking the stunning Manchester Cathedral, The Allotment has been praised for its vegan and vegetarian dishes since opening back in 2018. Between Monday to Thursday, there’s even a 20% off food discount for students and seniors, or a soup and a sandwich deal from 11am to 5pm every day.
Its current main menu features a choice of tapas dishes, like tuscan butterbean and miso butter roast cabbage, as well as large plates including a plant ball arrabbiata and a Harissa Cannellini Bean Stew. If you have room for pudding, there’s a vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding.
1-3 Cathedral Gates, M3 1SW
Sanskruti Restaurant
Over in Fallowfield, Sanskruti has been praised by the likes of The Guardian and Time Out for its authentic South Indian, Indo-Chinese, Punjabi and Gujarati vegetarian and vegan cuisine. They even have a ‘no onion, no garlic’ menu especially for those adverse to such flavours.
Highlights include salt and pepper babycorn, the mild Kela Nu Shaak – featuring sauteed bananas with tumeric, curry leaves, and various spices – and the chickpeas palak featuring smoked spinach leaves alongside fresh garlic, onion and tomatoes.
95 Mauldeth Road, Fallowfield, M14 6SR
Ortica in Urmston has become known for its plant-based Italian specialities(Image: Ortica)Maray
At the start of the year, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired venue Maray, on Brazennose Street, will celebrate Green January with 50% off all vegetarian and vegan dishes between Monday to Thursday (reservations required).
Their vegan menu features the always-brilliantly-named Disco Cauliflower (featuring chermoula, harissa, tahini, pomegranate, parsley and almonds) and a spiced lentil and rice mejadara. There’s also Fattoush, with crispy flatbread, and a Falafel Sharer featuring lots of good stuff. For afters, there’s a Salted Chocolate Ganache alongside Biscoff, tahini, cherry and Chantilly.
14 Brazennose Street, Manchester M2 6LW
Ortica
If you’re in the Trafford area, then the independent spot Ortica in Urmston could be worth your time and money for its Italian dishes.
The bar and deli’s menu includes oven-baked gnocchi, a Parmigiana di Melanzane (oven baked layered aubergine in a tomato and cheese sauce) and the spicy Scialatielli Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino featuring semi-dried tomatoes, breadcrumbs, chilli and evoo cheese.
70 Flixton Road, Urmston, M41 5AB
Asmara Bella
Another Northern Quarter haunt is the East African-inspired Asmara Bella. Whilst it is not specifically a vegan restaurant, it has a good number of appropriate dishes which are packed with flavour.
The Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant’s vegan offerings include a spiced chickpea dahl Shero, a mild Alecha curry stew and the spiced lentil dish Timtimo. There’s also injera, a traditional type of flatbread, to help soak dishes up.
37 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EQ
Wholesome Junkies, based at Hinterland, serve vegan roast dinners every Sunday(Image: Wholesome Junkies)Purezza
If you’re in the mood for pizza then Purezza is a certified hit for its vegan dishes. The High Street restaurant in the Northern Quarter was even hailed as one of the best pizzerias in the country a couple of years ago.
Using a top-secret recipe to create a plant-based mozzarella for its pizza, their pizza bases are also made from gluten-free wholegrain sourdough with all toppings and ingredients ethically sourced. Current choices include the National Pizza of the Year Award-winning Parmigiana Party, the Veggie – featuring the likes of wild mushrooms and smoked beetroot – as well as the Lasagne Piccante, featuring smokey ragu, bechamel and a fiery Calabrian chilli.
75-77 High Street, Northern Quarter, M4 1FS
Soots
Located in the Northern Quarter, Soots is a new kid on the block having only opened up a few months back. They offer small plates and good vibes – all with a 100% plant based menu.
Recent dishes have included the likes of squash three ways with garlic, chilli and crispy leek, and a truffle ravioli with toasted hazelnut. There has also been the sweet potato gnocchi in a garlic and white wine sauce, and the Pommes Anna’s – featuring layers of crispy potato and a rich mustard cream. The poached apple with vanilla cream, ginger and smoked sugar is bound to go down a treat for dessert too.
108 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LR
Dishoom
Popular Indian restaurant Dishoom, in Spinningfields, also goes all out on its vegan dishes throughout the year, such as its Vegan Bombay Breakfast, which even features a vegan black pudding.
There’s the Chole Puri, made up of chickpeas and pickles with one big cackled puffy puri. There’s also the Bombay street staple of Vada Pau, featuring hot potato vada and chutneys inside a soft home-made bun.
32 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BT
Sanskruti is a well-loved plant-based restaurant in Fallowfield(Image: Sanskruti)Lotus Plant Based Kitchen
Coming up to nearly 12 years in the game, Lotus is a big hit amongst foodies for its vegetarian and vegan plant-based Pan-Asian dishes.
The Withington spot offers a wide menu. Appetisers include popcorn tofu and Cauliflower bites, whilst the main menu features the likes of crispy oyster mushroom bao buns, and a sweet and spicy szechuan crispy shredded ‘beef’.
536 Wilmslow Road, Withington, M20 4BY
Little Aladdin
Vegan café Little Aladdin, on High Street, has quietly been doing great things since opening in 1997. Known for serving curries, burgers, falafel wraps and other sundries, some of their highlights include the spicy Sabzi Mirchi, a mixed vegetable biryani and bombay potatoes.
72 High Street, Manchester M4 1ES
The Eighth Day Shop & Café
Within walking distance for any students at The University of Manchester, The Eighth Day is a popular spot for vegans and vegetarians with both its shop and café.
Using seasonal and local ingredients, there’s a range of classics like vegan pies and pastas, as well as tagines and other bakes. There’s also salad bowls, soups, sandwiches and sweet treats too. The menu is never the same.
111 Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7DU