Whether you’re a die-hard vegan or cutting down on your animal consumption, these are the best vegan spots in Leeds
Spotlight on:Assembly Underground
12 Great George St, Leeds, LS1 3AL
Ok, so… this place isn’t strictly vegan. However, this underground offering of street food vendors and bars is immensely popular city wide and offers remarkable vegan options including award-winning Indian food and what could be described as Leeds’s best vegan burger (and the competition is fierce). Found on Great George Street where the old Carpe Diem pub used to be (RIP Carpe, £1 a pint night lives on in our hearts) this place is the perfect spot for dining out with vegan and non-vegan pals. On offer you have a micro-American diner at Slap & Pickle, where every dish on the menu can be made vegan, and we have it in good authority that you won’t get a better vegan burger anywhere else. Their ‘plant-powered patties’ are made from a blend of ‘ancient grains’ and they offer vegan bacon and vegan Chilli Cheese Fries. You could also try something from Jah Jyot, an Indian street food vendor offering the best of dishes originating from Punjab. Their authentic dishes have won food awards UK wide and they offer four vegan options on their compact menu.
As with any vegan option, falafel is always on the menu. Falafel Guys are Leeds legends and after a long history serving food on Briggate they now hang their hat at Assembly Underground. Their classic falafel wrap has a wild three different types of salad and is the perfect lunchtime treat. For those meat eaters or simply vegetarians amongst your friendship group, The Pizza Authority is the local authority on pizza, and we’re pretty sure they’ll do you a simple pizza without cheese if nothing else is taking your fancy. You’ll also find two bars down there, Vocation Brewery (with 50 taps of beer on offer!) and The Staff Room (expert gin and cocktails). The only problem with a trip to Assembly Underground is having to commit to just one dish… feel free to keep coming back till you’ve tried it all!
Image credit: Bundobust Leeds via Facebook
Best of the rest:
Bundobust
6 Mill Hill, Leeds, LS1 5DQ
What? Indian street food curtesy of Prashad and craft beer curtesy of Bradford’s The Sparrow.
Where? Just off Boar Lane, pretty near the train station.
Why? They’ve featured in both Time Out’s top 10 UK Indian Restaurants and The Sunday Times’ Top 25 Vegetarian Restaurants since their proper formation in 2014, so they’re not messing about in taste and flavour. Their entire menu is veggie so perfect for people who get the ick from looking at meat, and there’s more than 10 vegan options on offer.
73 Great George St, Leeds, LS1 3BR
What? Organic coffee shop offering breakfast, lunch and the occasional posh dinner.
Where? Just down the road from Millennium Square.
Why? Organic and healthy dishes created in a friendly and loving environment. Whilst they still offer obligatory smashed avo on toast they do also branch out a little bit, in particular with their Forrest mushrooms, toasted pumpernickel rye and cashew nut cream!
92 Kirkgate, Leeds, LS2 7DJ
What? A little bit of everything, artisan bakery, café and bar.
Where? Close by Kirkgate market.
Why? Vegan Yorkshire Pudding Burger. That is all we have to say on the matter.
Knave’s Kitchen
31 Call Lane, Leeds, LS1 7BT
What? Straight up vegan junk food.
Where? Inside indie bar Oporto.
Why? They make seitan in-house with a secret recipe and excel at fake chicken. Try the CFC which is essentially a chicken goujon wrap but obviously without a chicken in sight. They also do a side dish of Mac Fries which is exactly how it sounds. The kitchen closes at 10pm most nights, but the smell of juicy, juicy food lingers on whilst your night continues.