The all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet, available from midday to 3.30pm, is good value for money: £7.50 to eat-in or £5.50 for a takeaway box. There’s a selection of tasty raw salads and hot dishes to choose from.

The evening à la carte service starts at 6pm, when the small restaurant fills up quickly. With its minimal decor and candlelit tables, 222 Vegan Cuisine has a cosy, unpretentious atmosphere. The menu is equally down to earth. Starters include homemade soup, a bean and tofu pancake, and pitta bread with dips. The hearty mains include a roast, pasta basilico, pumpkin and pine nut risotto, a tofu veggie burger and the customers’ favourite, seitan stroganoff. Simple dishes, but full of flavour. There are also salads and a couple of raw dishes, if you fancy something lighter. Desserts include tofu cheesecake, ice cream and raw chocolate torte. To quench your thirst: hot drinks, fresh juices and smoothies, and wine and beer with affordable organic options.

The wholesome, satisfying food at 222 Vegan Cuisine is no doubt what makes the restaurant so popular among vegans and non-vegans alike. It’s a big hit with families too. Make sure you book ahead for dinner – the word is definitely out.

When you arrive, staff ask you about your dietary requirements, so they can recommend suitable dishes. If you’re dining before 7pm, you can opt for the three-course set menu – at £13.50, it’s good value for money. Otherwise, with starters reaching £7.25 and mains at £13.50, Carnevale may be more expensive than expected, but the food is reliably good and substantial in size. All dishes are prepared to order with fresh, flavoursome ingredients.

Alongside veggie dishes, there are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. The starters include savoury pancakes filled with spinach and ricotta; and young artichokes stuffed with walnuts, lemon, parsley and breadcrumbs. The most popular mains are potato cakes with fennel, lemon and basil, served with a provencal vegetable casserole; a falafel, aubergine and red pepper harissa casserole; and a chickpea, lentil and spinach curry served with marinated halloumi and fig kebabs.

There’s a selection of desserts (the vegan chocolate roulade is a big hit), sweet wines and digestifs. And there’s all the tea, coffee, organic wine, spirits and soft drinks you need. There’s also a small deli at the front of the restaurant, selling pasta, grains and other Mediterranean foods to take home.

If you’re in the mood for hearty food in a homely setting, give Carnevale a try. Given the size of the restaurant – and the fact it’s just down the street from the popular Barbican Centre – it’s worth booking ahead to avoid disappointment.

That’s not all from Carnevale: if you’re passing on a weekday at lunchtime, check out its popular market stall, Saladin, just outside.

Inside, you’ll find a room of high contrast: a Scandinavian-esque decor of sharp blacks and white brick, marble tabletops and leather seats. Among the booths and tables stand a dozen birch trees – a surprising and striking addition that creates the atmosphere of an upmarket outdoor cafe. It’s a carefully crafted aesthetic that’s contemporary and minimal, with just enough low lighting and colour for warmth.

The food at Ethos is served buffet style. In the evenings, a table service is offered; a server will seat you and bring a menu with additional starters, drinks and desserts. Otherwise, the buffet is spread across three serving areas: cold salads, hot food and desserts. You help yourself and pay at the till; the weight of your plate will determine the cost.

All of the buffet dishes are made on the day and refilled until they run out (sometimes earlier than may be expected). The last top-up is 30 minutes before closing time. As with most buffets, the selections change depending on the time of day. In the evening, you might find Middle Eastern cuisine (baba ganoush, falafel, pitta), Italian (gnocchi, ricotta marinara, arancini), Asian stirfry, Thai corn fritters, sweet potato shepherd’s pie, and an impressive array of spinach dishes. And each week there’s a new ‘chef’s special’.

Breakfast is served on weekdays, brunch on Sunday, and takeaway is available daily. There’s even afternoon tea, with a changing selection of sandwiches, cakes, scones and clotted cream.

Ethos’s particular offering – a variety of healthy, tasty food and sophisticated presentation – has proven to be a popular combination. There’s often a queue, so get in early. It’s worth the wait.

The vegan market is a collaboration between Fat Gay Vegan (​vegan blogger Sean​ ​O’Callaghan) and EAT WORK ART, which runs Hackney Downs Studios. The stalls change each week – with the exception of a few regulars – but there’s always a good mix providing a range of tasty options. See Fat Gay Vegan’s website for details of who’ll be there next time.

You’ll find a good amount of ‘guilty pleasures’ among the healthier food options – and they really draw the crowds. There are cakes, donuts, cupcakes, ice cream and biscuits (Dough Society, Vegan Delice, Sourdough Mess, The Vegan Treaterie, The Sunny Spoon); gourmet burgers (Café SoVegan, Big V London); tacos and burritos (Club Mexicana); pie and mash (Young Vegans); Scotch eggless, sausage rolls (Food! By Lizzi); fried ‘chicken’ and ‘bacon’ (Temple of Seitan); and fishless and chips (Battered). Plus other stalls offering Vietnamese food, curries, waffles, mac ‘no’ cheese, salads and even a döner kebab.

The market is on from 11am to 5pm, but get there early as the most popular food can sell out in the first couple of hours when it’s busy.

And, don’t forget, it’s not all about the food: you’ll also find a vegan beer bar, refreshing gin cocktails, pop-up shops offering handmade vegan goods (such as soap and up-cycled clothing), and artists showcasing their work. The market is a brilliant addition to a new wave of vegan places in London and, hopefully, it’ll be the first of many.

Market stalls curated by Fat Gay Vegan are selected under an inclusive policy.

A change in post-war living and the counter-movements of the 1960s led many people to adopt vegetarianism. Manna is credited as leading the way from early on by promoting healthy and sustainable eating through a vegetarian diet. Today, the restaurant follows an animal product-free philosophy, providing a menu that is entirely vegan.

The food at Manna is international and varied with lots of interesting starters and sides. Menu items are often seasonal and there are daily specials, but on the starters list you might come across a cannelloni bean slider, cashew cheese croquettes or vegetable tempura. There’s also a mixed mezze (a choice of three starters), salads and sharing plates.

For mains, you might find fennel and pumpkin seed bangers and mash, Thai curry, an enchilada bake and a pasta dish, to name a few. The pasta is served with Manna’s signature ‘veatballs’. Chef’s specials are available, as well as a ‘build your own meal’ – a selection of four sides served as a main. To follow, there’s a selection of decadent desserts made with cashew cheese and ‘vice’ cream. There’s a good selection of organic and vegan wines and beer in-house, as well soft drinks and spirits.

The restaurant is cosy but not crowded, with a comfortable number of tables and a small conservatory at the front. The dark wooden furniture is contrasted by the white walls and accentuated by candles and decorative ceiling lights. As the acoustics are good, it’s easy to keep conversation.

After half a century in business, Manna still has a unique offering and is as popular as ever – something that many of London’s new veggie and vegan places will aspire to.

The menu is similar to Mildreds Soho’s, and most of the options are vegan. Some of the dishes have been tried and tested over the years, like the mushroom and ale pie with mushy peas and the smoked tofu burger. But there are plenty of new dishes to try as well, like the Vietnamese mock duck and rice noodle bowl, or the deep-fried buttermilk and polenta mock chicken. The tempting starters or small plates include hoummus with rose harissa and chargrilled flatbread, gyoza dumplings, and roasted miso aubergine. There’s a good selection of mouth-watering puddings, cakes and truffles that are mostly vegan. Cocktails, mocktails, organic wine, beer, cider, coffee and soft drinks are all available.

There’s a large bar area at the entrance, which, like in Mildreds Soho, is the best place to wait for a table when it’s busy. The bar also doubles as a serving table at lunchtime when salads, soup, quiche and daily specials are served. Bookings are only accepted for large groups, but the waiting times are reasonable. Staff are friendly and accommodating.

With a name and reputation firmly established, Mildreds Camden has had a lot to live up to; judging by the great food and full tables, things are going well. Good news, as a third restaurant followed in King’s Cross.

Housed in a boxy modern space with windows on three sides, the interior of Mildreds Kings Cross is a mix of modern retro and industrial chic. Canteen benches that comfortably seat 18 run down the middle, with smaller tables along the sides. It’s stylish and colourful with its posters, and its retro pink, plastic lampshades. Given the wooden surfaces and lively crowd, you might expect more noise, but the acoustics are good and it’s easy to have a conversation.

The menu offers a variety of cuisines and includes both healthy, creative dishes and more traditional comfort food. Nearly all the dishes are vegan or can be made vegan on request.

There’s a range of starters and small plates that are perfect for sharing, including watermelon, mint and tomato salad; hoummus with rose harissa and chargrilled flatbread; and roasted miso aubergine with ginger and spring onions. Of the mains you might enjoy a smoked tofu burger with cheese, a Tokyo bowl, a mushroom and ale pie or a Sri Lankan sweet potato curry, to name a few. If you have room for pudding, there’s plenty to tempt you, including a chocolate and hazelnut brownie, and a peach, strawberry and apple polenta crumble.

Bookings are only accepted for parties of 10–14, but there’s room to stand at the bar while you wait for a table. There’s a good selection of organic wines and beer, and an inventive cocktail menu. At busy times, the queue tends to weave around the tables and you can expect to wait 20 minutes or more, but it’s a testament to the quality of the food and the restaurant’s popularity. A high turnover of tables means staff are attentive and food is served quickly.

It’s hard not to compare Mildreds Kings Cross to its Soho sibling, but with the same reliable choices and welcoming attitude that has kept the original running for over 25 years, it’s doing well to live up to the well-deserved reputation.

The restaurant is housed in an 18th-century townhouse on Lexington Street: a small building, but one filled with character. The owners have always had a ‘no bookings’ policy, which means a healthy crowd inside and out. Tables, mostly set for two, are placed closely together. With a bar at the front (the best place to bide your time before being seated), the narrow space is lively and full of chatter, but not uncomfortable or too loud.

The daily specials chalkboard has been replaced in a recent refurbishment, but the menu continues to offer reliable, hearty mains like a mushroom and ale pie, Sri Lankan sweet potato and green bean curry, and smoked tofu burger. Most of the dishes are vegan or a vegan option is offered. The starters take inspiration from different cuisines; you’ll find small plates such as gyoza dumplings, pan-fried manouri cheese, artichoke crostini and pizzetta. There are also ‘superfood’ salads, and plenty of sides and desserts to choose from. A few options on the menu change seasonally.

The bar serves organic wines, beers and ciders alongside cocktails and mocktails. Most alcoholic drinks are suitable for vegans. There are fresh juices and soft drinks as well. At lunchtime, a takeaway bar offers salads, soups and quiches.

Mildreds is often said to be as popular with those who aren’t vegetarian or vegan as those who are, and it shows at the door. It’s always warm and friendly, with a busy cafe ambiance. The owners are now applying their winning formula elsewhere: a second Mildreds opened in Camden, and a third in King’s Cross.

This popular vegetarian restaurant was opened in 1994 by Das Sreedharan, who had come from Kerala, India, to study in London. Dissatisfied with the quality of Indian food in London, he wanted to bring the authenticity of Keralan home-cooking to the city. The result is a menu steeped in the flavours of the region, with an abundance of dishes to choose from. Vegan and gluten-free options are available, as are dishes free from onion and garlic.

There are pickles, chutneys and pre-meal snacks to begin with: poppadoms, banana chips and crunchy seed sticks. Then starters such as lentil cakes, fried plantains and a selection of savoury street snacks popular in South India.

The mains are split into dosas and curries. Dosas, a type of crispy pancake made of rice flour and stuffed with vegetables, come in different styles with fillings such as potatoes, beetroot or onion. The menu lists almost a dozen curries: from tangy tomato dishes to spicy aubergine to paneer and spinach. To compliment the mains there’s a range of rice dishes, side dishes, soups and breads. And to follow, a choice of sweet treats – many of which are made with fruit and flavoured with cashews and raisins.

The ‘Kerala Feast’ is a great option if you’re tempted by more than one dish. At £17 a person, it samples from the entire menu: it really is a feast.

There’s a lively yet relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant. Due to its relatively small size, the tables are set fairly close together, but the music volume is low and acoustics are good, so conversations feel intimate. The service is friendly and attentive, and the staff are happy to recommend dishes based on your likes or dietary requirements.

There’s now a chain of Rasa restaurants in London and India that, unlike Rasa N16, serve omnivorous options as well as vegetarian food (one of which, Rasa Travancore, sits across the street). But Rasa N16 was the first of them and, for veggies and vegans, it remains the best.

Inside, tables for two or four sit beneath dimmed pendant lights, creating a cosy, if simple, interior. Near the back, a spiral staircase leads upstairs to more seating. Enclaves in the wall house small statues and icons, and several gold-coloured textiles hang from the wood-panelled walls. If the surroundings are modest, the menu is a blazing contrast: a wide-ranging list of over 50 individual options.

To start, there are South Indian specialities such as: vada, a serving of lentil donuts soaked in warm soup or served on their own; samosas; and rice dumplings with spices, nuts and chutney. Along with other fried snacks and soups, you can find different types of puri, an unleavened bread served with vegetables or chutneys.

For mains, there’s a terrific choice of vegetable curries (over a dozen including bhindi bhaji, channa masala, saag paneer); thalis (huge platters of starters, sides, curries and desserts), and uttapams, a thick rice and lentil pancake similar to a dosa but topped, like a pizza, with vegetables and spices.

The dosa is perhaps Sagar’s signature offering; it’s stuffed with potato, onions and carrots, flavoured with different spices, and served with coconut chutney and soup. If you don’t mind upstaging those around you, try the impressive paper dosa, a table-sized crispy pancake.

Drinks-wise, you have the option of lassis (yoghurt and milk), soft drinks, vegan wine, beer and hot drinks. The dessert menu includes sweet puddings made with rice, raisins and nuts, and a selection of ice creams and sorbets.

Dishes on the menu are clearly labeled for allergies, and dedicated menus with lots of options are available for vegans and those wanting dishes free of onion and garlic. The standard menu doesn’t explicitly mention ghee (a dairy product), so ask your server if you’re unsure.

Its lively atmosphere, great food, and friendly, attentive staff, make Sagar the perfect spot for a relaxed lunch or dinner in central London, for tourists and Londoners alike.