A student guide to the best veggie and vegan food in York, for every occasion

Meat and dairy free doesn’t have to mean less options…

2 months ago

| Guides

Finding a spot for vegetarians, and especially vegans, is not always easy. Thankfully, more and more options are becoming available worldwide – and York is no different. As a vegetarian, I was no stranger to having to make up my own meal consisting of various side dishes. These days are no more.

With some fully vegan spots and some regular spots with a nice range of options (for when you can’t convince your friends to go somewhere without meat on the menu), York offers something for every occasion. Here are some of the best vegan and vegetarian spots in York, ranging from quick bites to sit-down restaurants.

Quick bites – takeaways, street food, and fast food

Smokehouse Burritos in the Shambles doesn’t miss. Using its homemade Mexican marinades, their vegan and vegetarian options do not compromise on flavour. Its jackfruit al pastor burritos and tacos are just as smoky, rich and tender as the meaty counterparts. With vegan sauces available and tons of topping choices, it is a truly insane spot. Average cost: Burrito £7.50, taco £8.50.
Herbivorous in Spark is fully vegan, serving seriously indulgent food such as philly cheesesteaks, wings, and burgers. Spark houses changing vendors with no lack of options, open from Tuesday to Sunday, serving food from 12pm with free entry! Average cost: £10-15.
Sarras, also in Spark, serves Indian/Gujarati street food. It explains that Gujarat is a predominantly vegetarian state, and this is reflected in itd menu. A highlight is the vegetarian thali which comes with two curries, rice, a chapati, a veg samosa, and a poppadom with chutney. This can also be made dairy free by swapping out one of the curries! Average cost: £5-£15.

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Mexicano. Who needs Chipotle when you have Mexicana? Serving customised burritos, tacos, nachos, bowls and quesadillas, it offers delicious Mexican food to takeaway (with some tables inside). This is so easy to make vegetarian and vegan, so there is almost certainly something to please everyone and is perfect for a group trip. Average cost: £9.50.
Wawin Chinese is one of the best spots in York for a late-night takeaway/delivery. Fully vegan, its extensive menu serves all the dishes you would expect, made vegan. What I love about Wawin is the huge range of vegetarian/vegan proteins. As well as tofu, it serves vegan squid, beef, chicken, lamb, and more. Average cost: per dish, £6-£10.

Honourable mention: Donner Summer had a base in York for a long time, but has now unfortunately moved out. Famous for its vegan junk food, their juicy chicken burger cannot be missed on a day trip to Leeds.

Cafes, breakfast and brunch spots

Rise. The first thing you’ll notice about Rise will be the décor, even when simply passing it on the street. Rise is a trendy all day brunch spot (also serving breakfast and lunch) with a pretty pastel interior, self-described as vibey. It offers lots of interesting veggie and vegan dishes, highlights being the vegan acai bowl and mushroom dishes, topped avo toast, and Turkish eggs. It’s the perfect spot for a bite to eat when showing someone around the city, or if in dire need of updating your Instagram. Average cost: roughly £10-15.
Drift In is a personal favourite, also boasting a stunning interior with high ceilings and exposed brick. It has a large menu serving breakfast and lunch, serving interesting veggie and vegan dishes again such as chipotle pulled jackfruit sandwiches and falafel salad. It also offers lots of fresh fruit and vegetable smoothies, as well as sweet creamy vegan shakes. Average cost: £6-15.
Goji Cafe on Goodramgate is a fully vegan and vegetarian café that can’t be missed. You will be spoilt for choice with mains such as mushroom or tofu burgers, vegan and vegetarian all day brunches, and middle eastern/thali Indian platters. Average cost: Lunch mains £10-£15, platters about £15 each or £27 for sharing.

Restaurants

Orchid Restaurant is a fully vegan Asian fusion restaurant. With its menu, you can absolutely afford to be picky! It has loads of soups and starters such as Tom Kha and vegan prawns, and mains such as stir fries with a range of vegan proteins. Its lemon chicken is a customer favourite, well worth the trip. Average cost: Starters/sides £5-£10, mains £10-£15.
Cresci Pizzeria is an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria. It serves lots of vegetarian pizzas and even offer a vegan cheese pizza. It is the UK’s eighth accredited Neapolitan pizzeria, by the Association Verace Pizza Napoletana! Average cost: £8-£10.
Partisan offers it all – coffee or lunch in the daytime, and curated dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. It has a weekly changing menu, but consistently serves choices of interesting and seasonal vegan and vegetarian options. Past dishes include tofu and kraut kimchi dumplings, roast seasonal vegetables with chilli oil and tahini, and beetroot and blue cheese gnocchi. Average cost: Starters up to £10, mains £15-£20.
Sometimes, we just want to eat somewhere familiar. As far as chain restaurants in York go, there are lots of spots with a great vegan and vegetarian selection. Wagamama has recently added loads of new vegan dishes, on top of its already extensive vegetarian/vegan range. Highlights include vegan hot and sweet chicken, vegan chicken coconut kare, and crispy sambal yasai fried tofu. Average cost: Mains £10-£20.
Ask Italian also deserves a mention for the room alone, located in the grand assembly rooms, full of old-style decadence. As expected, it has tonnes of vegetarian pizza and pasta options, as well as a range of vegan options. There are sides such as spicy tomato dough bites and it now even offers a vegan cheese pizza option that can be swapped with any pizza. Average cost: Mains £10-20.