Edinburgh City Guide: The best vegan spots

Over the last decade the popularity of the vegan lifestyle has exploded, meaning there are now lots of places that cater for vegan and plant-based diets across the UK. 

Edinburgh has some fantastic eateries across the city, serving a range of different cuisines with a lot of them offering veggie and vegan options too. 

But what about those restaurants and cafés that are focusing on serving up the most delicious vegan dishes and snacks? Here are our picks for the best vegan spots in Edinburgh...

Considerit

Got a sweet tooth? Then Considerit is the place for you. The vegan café specialises in artisan chocolate, doughnuts and ice cream. The flavours of their doughnuts are changing all the time so you'll never get bored of the selection, and they also do seasonal flavours for Christmas, Easter and even Halloween! Some of the mouth-watering doughnut options available right now include Strawberry Shortcake, Cherry Bakewell and Rocky Road. Yum!

Where: 3-5 Sciennes, Edinburgh EH9 1NJ
When: Weds, Thurs: 11:00 - 1600
Fri, Sat and Sun: 11:00 - 1700

Sora Lella

Sora Lella is the first 100% vegan Italian restaurant in the Scottish capital - right down to the wine! They've recreated lots of Italian classics such as lasagne, carbonara and 'meat feast' pizzas without the meat or dairy but maintaining the taste, with the fresh and organic ingredients that are used. Enjoy a little taste of Italy, without having to leave the country!  

Where: 13a Brougham St, Edinburgh EH3 9JS
When: Tues - Sun: 12:30 - 21:30

Holy cow

Right in the heart of the city is the fully-vegan Holy Cow café. Whatever mood you're in you'll find something that hits the spot here. The chefs bake fresh, organic and gluten-free rolls daily, and there are plenty of main dishes including their popular burgers. If you've still got some room left why not get one of their sweet treats to finish off? Check out the menu here.

Where: 34 Elder Street, EH1 3DX
When: Mon-Sun: 10:00 - 22:00

Harmonium

Harmonium's focus is to deliver tasty and filling vegan comfort food, so this is the perfect place to go if you're nursing a hangover!  Their menu is true to the area, with a fair few seafood options across the menu including scallops and crab cakes. They use banana blossom for the fish in their classic fish and chips too which has received rave reviews. Other options on the menu include pizzas, burgers and delicious desserts. What's more, they're dog friendly - so if you're out pooch-spotting, you should be in luck here! 

Where: 7-11 East London Street, EH7 4BN
When: Daily: 1200 - 1600 and 1700 - 2100

Missy's Vegan Cupcakes

Missy's Vegan Cupcakes opened its doors right in the middle of the pandemic last year and has gone from strength to strength. The outlet offers lots of vegan sweet treats such as cupcakes, cookies, cheesecake and pastries. If you're into your art, they have a little art gallery that displays and sells lots of crafts from local aspiring artists. The shop is also on Etsy so you can buy boxes for you and your friends with blondies, brownies and tiffins and more up for grabs!

Where: 34 Buccleuch St, EH8 9LP - Also at the Grassmarket on a Saturday and Leith Vegan Quarter on the first Saturday of every month.
When: Weds - Sun: 1100 - 1700

Seeds for the Soul

This cute café is located in Bruntsfield, just a short walk away from Bruntsfield Links and offers breakfast, brunch and a whole host of options for dinner. For breakfast, you can get a full vegan breakfast, eggs benedict, a selection of bagels and if you fancy something sweeter - pancakes! If you're a sucker for a hot drink, they're now also serving a Biscoff hot chocolate and Biscoff flat white too. 

Where: 167 Bruntsfield Pl, EH10 4DG
When: Daily: 1000 - 2200

Why not try one of these brilliant vegan outlets the next time you eat out?