I recently took myself on a mini city break in Manchester. I was in the mood for delicious plant-based foods and the restaurants I visited didn’t disappoint! Here are my top picks from my recent trip.

Best vegan pizza in Manchester: Purezza

Established in 2015 in Brighton and now implanted in various cities including Manchester, Purezza holds the distinction of being the first vegan pizzeria in the country.

The whole menu offers a plant-based approach to traditional Italian cuisine with innovative ingredients and techniques, such as their own vegan mozzarella made from brown rice.

It was actually my 5th time at Purezza. I went to their Brighton and London locations a few times and loved all the pizzas that I tried. The dough balls are also to die for.

This time in Manchester, I decided to try the lunch deal: a side, a small 7 inch pizza and a drink for £15. I went for the courgetti spaghetti with pesto and Sundried tomato, which was full of flavour and the perfect side of greens with my Black Truffle Pizza.

It has to be my favourite pizza from the menu. The combo of Black truffle base, vegan Mozza & “Shamembert” with wild mushrooms is divine.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing Elderflower spritz and found that the lunch set menu was a great deal. Getting a small pizza meant that I still had some room for dessert and it was the perfect opportunity to try the tiramisu.

Truth be told, I wouldn’t have believed it was vegan if I wasn’t in 100% vegan restaurant. It was incredibly thick, creamy and tasty, and very much reminded me of the mind-blowing vegan tiramisu I tried in Athens.

Best vegan Indian food in Manchester: Dishoom

Dishoom is a chain of Indian restaurants in the UK, inspired by the Irani cafés of Bombay. Since the first Dishoom opened in London in 2010, the restaurants have been known for blending authentic flavours with contemporary Indian dishes in a warm, inviting ambiance.

I went to Dishoom Manchester for dinner on a weekday and it was very busy, I would highly recommend booking a table in advance, even for solo dining!

Whist the menu isn’t fully vegan, there’s plenty of choice for plant-based foodies. I personally love small plates over a main dish, so I ordered the vegetable samosas, filled with pea and potato and hints of spice. Nothing too hot to handle, but if you’re definitely not keen on even the smallest dose of spice, avoid dipping your samosas in the Tamarind chutney they come with.

I also got the Dishoom House Chat which has the perfect fusion of flavours, textures and colours. Imagine sweet but slightly tangy fried sweet potato dipped in oat yoghurt and garnished with crunchy pomegranate, beetroot, radish and carrot. I could have eaten another plate of this divine combo.

I rinsed this off with a Passionfruit alcohol-free cocktail, perfect to cool my tastebuds off after some spicier dishes than I am used to.

Dishoom also have a couple vegan desserts on the menu. Your sweet tooth will love the caramelised rice pudding with blueberry compote.

Best vegan pancakes in Manchester: The Green Lab

I stumbled upon The Green Lab whilst walking in the Northern Quarter in the afternoon. This wellness-focused spot seemed right up my street and it was rather packed, so I decided to go there for breakfast the next morning. Thankfully, it was much quieter at the opening at 8am and the service was quick.

There’s a handful of vegan options on the menu, including an Acai bowl and the Elvis pancakes which I ordered. I had been craving good vegan pancakes for a little while and The Green Lab absolutely delivered.

Whilst the texture was more spongy than regular pancakes, they were really tasty and filling. I enjoyed the combo of almond butter & raspberry chia jam for toppings, alongside crunchy dried banana chunks.

The coffee was great too, but I thought charging an extra 45p for oat milk was pushing a little!

Best vegan brunch in Manchester: Ezra & Gil

Ezra & Gil is a popular café and restaurant located with two locations in Manchester, the OG one being in the Northern Quarter.

Known for its laid-back atmosphere, it offers a contemporary menu that changes seasonally and great coffee.

This spot is especially famous for its all-day brunch, with staples such as beans on toast, porridge, granola bowl and French toast which is sadly veggie, not vegan.

Their Winter 2024 porridge creation is a deliciously festive Gingerbread porridge, which I would highly recommend. The portion size was decent and I paid £10 with some change for the porridge plus an oat flat white, which is fairly reasonable in the NQ.

Made with coconut milk, it is topped with gingernut biscuit crumbs, dried cranberries, blueberries, almond flaked and last but not least, gingerbread syrup.

It’s your perfect hearty, comforting breakfast to put you in a good mood when it’s so cold outside.

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