Bath is a city in the Southwest of England that is steeped in history and culture. The Romans founded the city as a thermal spa in the 1st century AD, which is, in fact, where it gets its name: the roman baths – some of which have survived, although you can no longer take a dip in them. Full of famous landmarks, including the Royal Crescent and The Circus, architecturally based off Stonehenge, it was also once home to literary legend Jane Austen and was the city that inspired Mary Shelley to complete her literary classic, Frankenstein.
A vibrant city full of museums, theaters, and restaurants, it’s the perfect place to visit if you fancy a little culture. Likewise, you don’t have to wander far to find yourself in the depth of the countryside, amongst low rolling hills and green valleys.
Bath is also another city in the UK that secures top marks for its vegan eats, and joins the likes of Bristol and Brighton in the rankings for most vegan-friendly cities. Last year, it even scooped the title for best city for Veganuary. Being vegan in Bath has never been easier!
At Vegan Unlocked, we’ll walk you through the best vegan grub you can get your hands on in Bath.
Chai Walla
Price: $
Cuisine: Indian, Fast food
Website: https://chaiwalla.uk/menu
If you’re in the mood for fresh, delicious Indian street food that’s loaded with plant-based deliciousness, then Chai Walla is the place for you. Voted one of the best restaurants in Bath, this hole-in-the-wall haunt is a community favorite and super affordable, launched by Niraj Gadher back in 2016. Gadher opened the restaurant equipped with family recipes handed down by his mother and has been delivering gorgeous Indian classics such as samosa chaat, bountiful bhajis and chickpea curry, ever since.
Ever ambitious, the chain has launched in multiple locations since it first opened, including Cambridge, and has even attempted to launch a samosa into space, not once, not twice, but three times.
Whether you’re looking for a quick bite to eat on your lunch break, or taking some time to peruse the market, a visit to Chai Walla, with its flavorful bites and great service, will leave you satisfied and smiling.
The Green Rocket
Price: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Cafe, European, British
Website: https://thegreenrocket.co.uk/
The Green Rocket, found in the heart of Bath, is a multi-award-winning cafe and restaurant that serves up an unpretentious and mouth-watering menu, taking inspiration from cuisines around the world. With such a diverse menu, it caters perfectly to whatever you’re in the mood for, whether that’s a Katsu curry, vegan ribs (simply unmissable), or arancini.
With a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, and stylish decor, the Green Rocket is perfect for a catch-up lunch with friends, or a spot of people-watching, with a delightful view overlooking the Abbey.
Cascara
Price: $$
Cuisine: Healthy, European
Website: https://www.instagram.com/cascarabath/
This cozy cafe in the center of Bath is quite the hidden gem and offers its clientele an impressive array of plant-based sweet and savory treats. While its Oreo cookies and loaded toast are rather spectacular, its kimchi and cheeze toastie is an absolute taste sensation that thinks outside the box and delivers on flavor.
This little cafe has a big heart, too, as one of the first cafes in Bath to sign up for the Billy Chip. The Billy Chip is Britain’s first token scheme which enables people to give rough sleepers plastic “chips” they can exchange for food, drink and shelter.
Great for a morning coffee buzz, and a brilliant lunchtime spot, make sure to grab one of Cascara’s marvelous milkshakes – you won’t be disappointed.
Oak
Price: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Healthy, British
Website: https://www.oakrestaurant.co.uk/
Oak is a plant-based restaurant and grocer that’s found tucked away on the cobbled streets of North Parade Passage in the center of town. Creating modern, innovative dishes with organic, local and artisanal ingredients is its specialty, and it has even been awarded a Michelin green star for sustainability.
Oak’s dishes take you on a journey and delight your taste buds, showcasing how powerful simplicity can be when cooking plant-based. Offering a range of small dishes, it’s a good idea to choose between two to three per person. We’d recommend the roasted Jerusalem artichokes, and make sure you order the leeks, too!
With quaint, cozy interiors, and thoughtfully crafted dishes, this little restaurant is great for special occasions or if you fancy treating yourself. Make sure to check out their selection of natural and local wines and ask the staff what pairs best with what.
Top vegan-friendly establishments
While these restaurants aren’t exclusively vegan, they offer some absolutely killer vegan options and should be top of your list when visiting Bath.
Dough
Price: $$
Cuisine: British, Pizza, Italian
Website: https://www.doughpizzarestaurant.co.uk/
Dough’s philosophy is that pizza is for everyone, and as a family-run business, it certainly does pizza differently, with an unmistakable and innovative twist, while staying true to its authentic roots. While founded by two friends, Emiliano Tunno and Massimo Nucaro, Tunno takes the lead at the restaurant, dubbed the ‘pizza acrobat,’ and is an expert in all things pizza. That said, the impressive variety of doughs is very much influenced by Nucaro’s gluten intolerance. The restaurant offers all sorts of weird and wonderful pizza bases for you to load up with delicious toppings. This includes:
- Sourdough,
- Kamut,
- Turmeric,
- Multigrain,
- Hemp,
- Grano Arso,
- Gluten-free seaweed,
- Gluten-free sourdough,
- Gluten-free turmeric,
- Gluten-free hemp and,
- Gluten-free purple corn.
The pizzeria offers two locations in both Bath and Bristol in either Kingsmead Square or The Corridor, but visit either, and you’ll find yourself welcomed by the restaurant’s warm atmosphere and good vibes.
Indian Temptation
Price: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Indian
Website: http://www.indiantemptation.com/
This delightful Indian restaurant found on High Street brings the taste of South India to Bath. Primarily a vegetarian restaurant, Indian Temptation offers a fantastic selection of plant-based curries, dosas, and thalis and caters wonderfully to its vegan clientele, it’s no wonder it was voted the number one Indian restaurant in the UK.
When entering the restaurant’s doors, its friendly and attentive staff will welcome you into the stylish, airy restaurant with calming pastel green and white interiors. As you soak up the ambiance, be sure to order the Idli, steamed and crushed rice and lentil patties served with a tantalizingly spicy Sambar and chutney. Likewise, the kale and onion Bhaji is a delightful twist on a classic.
Rooted
Price: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Healthy, European
Website: https://www.rootedcafe.co.uk/
Launched in 2018, Rooted Cafe and Supper Rooms is an independent, family-run eatery that focuses on serving up seasonal, sustainable, and local plant-based food. This popular veggie and vegan venue on Newbridge Road boasts interiors that are as vibrant as its food and deliver deeply nourishing, tasty treats.
A personal favorite is the poutine, which is comfort food at its best. It’s available in two variations: the Indian poutine, which comes served as skin-on fries, dhal, mango masala mayo and vegan cheese (it’s to-die-for) and wild mushroom poutine that comes with wild mushroom gravy and a choice of truffle mayo or sriracha mayo… if you’re feeling adventurous, why not pick both.
While it’s a little bit of a walk outside the center of town, it’s 100% worth it for the poutine alone.
The Coconut Tree, Bath
Price: $$
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Website: https://www.thecoconut-tree.com/restaurant_bars/bath/
The Coconut Tree is a multi-award-winning Sri Lankan restaurant serving up authentic Sri Lankan tapas dishes that are perfectly spiced, affordable, and incredibly moreish. It has a presence across the country, but especially in the South West, including in Bath, Bristol, and Cardiff.
The pineapple curry is simply sensational, as is the Kaju Maluwa, which is a cashew and pea dish cooked in a fragrant coconut cream. All this is topped off with a vibrant, fun atmosphere, and friendly, fun-loving staff, who make it their mission to ensure you have the best dining experience possible. You also have to make sure you try the restaurants’ ‘cocotails’ and ‘mocotails’ (both are delicious), we recommend the Beach Boy and the Sunrise Surprise.
Madaline Dunn
Madaline is a vegan journalist, writer, and editor specializing in sustainability, current affairs, and social justice and the ways in which they intersect. Her work focuses on innovation and progress, prioritizing rigorous investigation. When she’s not writing, she’s in the kitchen experimenting with new plant-based recipes, reading a good book, or thinking about her next cup of coffee.
