By Rachel Cronin
Veganism is more on-trend than ever (which is no surprise, given its numerous health, climate, and animal welfare benefits), and there’s nowhere better to try vegan restaurants than in Glasgow, the third-best city for vegan food in Europe (according to the 2020 Diet Destinations Report).
After lots of thought (and lots of food), we’ve managed to whittle down Glasgow’s many, many vegan restaurants into a list of our favourites. Only fully vegan restaurants have made it onto our list, but we’ve included a non-vegan restaurant with vegan options as an honourable mention. We’ve also taken into consideration restaurants in a student price range, as a lot of us are on a budget- Saving the Earth doesn’t have to cost it!
So, here is a list of our Top Vegan Restaurants for Students in Glasgow, in no particular order:
PUTI VEGAN CAFÉ- Located on Chambers Street, Puti Vegan Cafe is just a stone’s throw away from campus. Puti sells all manner of Asian dishes, including Thai, Korean and Japanese. The atmosphere in the restaurant is friendly and authentic, and you can also find them on Uber Eats and Deliveroo if you find yourself in isolation this semester! Our favourite dishes include: yellow jackfruit curry and any dish with the ‘’king prawns’’ (especially if you’re a vegan who’s missing seafood). The salt and pepper chips are also a favourite!
Find them on Instagram @putivegancafe.
THE GLASVEGAN- Perhaps more of a café than a restaurant, The Glasvegan serves milkshakes to die for, and a huge selection of cakes and pastries. If you’re peckish, they also serve great lunch dishes -try the chilli nachos- and they’re situated in St Enoch Square, which is perfect if you’re looking for an independent vegan place for lunch after you’re done shopping! We’re patiently waiting for the vegan pumpkin spice latté to return this month!
Their Instagram is @theglasveganfastfood.
MONO- Mono doubles as a restaurant and bar, and they’ve recently reintroduced live music events after a very long wait since lockdown! Surrounded by vintage shops and record stores, the King’s Court area has a unique atmosphere, with an extensive menu to match! They’re also dog friendly- great if you fancy food or drink after a walk round Glasgow Green. We recommend the reuben sandwich and the chocolate pot for dessert!
Book tickets for live events and find out more @monoglasgow on Instagram.
LOTUS VEGETARIAN CUISINE- The second Asian restaurant on our list, Lotus is a charming little restaurant with an enormous menu, and the friendliest staff you can find! We recommend the Kung Po Soya Ball and Tofu Black Bean, but there’s so much choice we’re sure there are many more dishes that are just as good or even better! Ask the waiter for what they recommend, and they might even give you something off menu! (The waiter may also give you a fist bump).
Find them on Bridge Street or @lotusvegetglasgow on Instagram.
HONORABLE MENTION: KENT CHIPPY- We couldn’t have a list of our favourite vegan places to eat without mentioning the Kent Chippy. Although not strictly a vegan chippy, they have several vegan suppers including, a ‘tofish’ (tofu fish) supper, sausage supper and black pudding supper. If you’re a vegan craving chippy chips, the Kent Chippy chips will satisfy your hunger (without harming animals in the process)! If you’re on a tight budget, all meals are cheaper at lunchtime!
Find them on Kent Road in Finnieston or on Instagram @thekentchippy.
We hope you’ve been left hungry and inspired by our picks, and if you try any of the restaurants in our list and want to write a review, email us at culture@strathclydetelegraph.com to share your thoughts!
**This story was originally published as part of our digital Freshers 2021 edition on 20/09/2021. Read the full edition here.**
