Indian cuisine is perhaps the most naturally vegetarian-friendly cooking tradition in the world. With deep roots in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist practices, vegetarian cooking in India spans thousands of years and hundreds of regional styles.
The good news for UK vegetarians is that you don't need to travel to India to eat brilliantly. Cities across the UK have extraordinary Indian restaurants that take vegetarian cooking seriously โ not as an afterthought, but as the centrepiece.
What to look for
Not all Indian restaurants are created equal when it comes to vegetarian options. Here's what separates the great from the adequate:
A dedicated vegetarian section โ or better still, an entirely vegetarian or vegan menu. Restaurants where vegetarian options are scattered across the menu as token additions rarely give them the care they deserve.
Regional diversity โ Indian vegetarian cooking varies enormously by region. A restaurant that only serves generic "curry house" dishes is missing the richness of dosas from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat's thali traditions, Bengal's mustard-laced vegetables, or Kerala's coconut curries.
Clear labelling โ you shouldn't have to interrogate the waiter. The best restaurants clearly mark vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes.
Our top picks
Spice Garden, Shoreditch, London
Entirely plant-based and drawing on recipes from across the subcontinent. The dal makhani is slow-cooked overnight and the saag paneer uses locally sourced spinach. One of the finest vegetarian Indian restaurants anywhere in the UK.
Overall score: 5.0 / Exceptional
Mango Tree, Northern Quarter, Manchester
Creative fusion twists on North Indian classics. The signature mango lassi curry โ made with real Alphonso mangoes โ is unmissable. The lunch thali represents outstanding value.
Overall score: 4.8 / Exceptional
Tips for ordering vegetarian at Indian restaurants
- Ask about ghee โ many "vegetarian" dishes are cooked with ghee (clarified butter), which is fine for lacto-vegetarians but not vegans
- Check dals carefully โ some dal dishes use meat stock. Always worth asking
- Seek out regional specials โ if you see dishes from specific regions (Kerala fish curry aside, or Gujarati thali), these are often where the real vegetarian depth lives
- Order the thali โ a thali (assorted plates) is often the best way to experience the full range of a restaurant's vegetarian cooking
Indian vegetarian food at its best is extraordinary โ not just a collection of dishes without meat, but a complete culinary tradition with its own logic, techniques, and philosophy. The UK is lucky to have so many places doing it brilliantly.