Must-Try Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes
Top Picks
Keeping up with a vegetarian or vegan diet when you go on holiday can often be very difficult. The lack of options in certain destinations can make eating out a lot harder than expected. Whether due to the location, the restaurant, the chef or even the culture, meat plays a huge part of a dish in most places. However, the world is slowly catching on to this trend and are now introducing vegetarian/vegan-friendly options or alternatives on their menus! To make it easier, we’ve compiled different menus and popular dishes around the world which are suitable for vegetarians and vegans:
Vegetarian Tasting Menu - Baluchi (The Lalit London), United Kingdom
Located inside the beautiful LaLiT London hotel near Tower Bridge, Baluchi is a spectacular restaurant which strives to serve a contemporary take on impeccably executed Indian dishes. Their menu takes inspiration from the major food regions in India, a combination of carefully crafted elegant cuisine, made with all organic ingredients. Baluchi hosts an incredibly vibrant menu sporting a wonderful selection of vegetarian/vegan-friendly dishes. Recently introducing a full seven-course vegetarian tasting menu with vegan options to the table, the array consists of dishes such as; grilled tofu with coconut sukha, tandoori roasted cauliflower with paneer and mushrooms, saffron-infused compressed tandoori apple desserts and many many more! This menu can also be paired with vegan-friendly wines. If you’re in London and the chance to visit beautiful India anytime soon isn’t an option but you still want a taste of the pan-Indian fine dining, Baluchi restaurant in the LaliT Hotel really is the only place to be.
Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Steak - Hurley House, United Kingdom
A former pub turned into a multi-award winning boutique hotel of excellent reputation, Hurley House is the go-to escape for foodies and luxury lovers and their incredible restaurant is where all the magic happens!
The Hurley House all-day menu is split into dietary categories, with a vegetarian-friendly section. Although there are a ton of dishes to try, the one we’d highly recommend is the chipotle cauliflower steak; topped with sweetcorn salsa and avocado pieces, this dish is just purely incredible. Not only does the dish have a refreshing flavour with a hint of spice from the chipotle, but it also leaves you just the right amount of full. Even though this dish is in the vegetarian section, it also notes that it’s vegan-friendly, so for all you vegan foodies out there, this is a must-try.
Fettuccine with Mushroom - SEKI Restaurant (argos in Cappadocia), Turkey
With beautiful views of the sunset over the iconic mountain rocks from the SEKI restaurant terrace, argos in Cappadocia gives you the most authentic experience. This menu features fresh produce, local flavours with modern techniques and traditional Turkish dishes.
This menu is a great representation of authentic Turkish dishes, although there are a select few delicious vegetarian options available. With an array of fresh spinach salads with fruits and vegetables, the one that caught our eye was the fettuccine with mushroom. This is a homemade fresh pasta dish with roasted squash seeds, spinach sauce and parmesan, with the alternative option of having a Roquefort sauce with parsley. Even though this vegetarian-friendly dish may not be the Turkish cuisine you were thinking of, it’s definitely worth a taste.
Baklava - Dar Assiya, Morocco
In the heart of the 1,000-year-old souk complex known as the Medina, Dar Assiya is the Moroccan majesty in the Middle East. Morocco has a very varied cuisine, with influences from Arab, Berber and Mediterranean flavours mixed in one, offering an experiential journey through different regions. With lively colours, intense scents and a mixture of spices, Dar Assiya’s restaurant offers highly sophisticated dishes utilising local produce.
Whilst we’ve mainly focused on recommendations for vegetarian mains, there’s something we couldn’t miss out. As you may or may not know, Middle-Easterns are known for their sweet tooth, so we’d like you to say hello to baklava, an all-time favourite; a rich, sweet dessert filo pastry filled with various nuts and syrup or honey. If you haven’t tasted this dessert before, we can assure you, there is nothing quite like it. It’s one of those hearty, moreish desserts with a taste like no other.
Whether it’s in the Dar Assiya, or at home, baklava is something everyone should experience.
Gaeng Luang Phak Ruam - CHON Thai Restaurant (The Siam), Thailand
Amongst Bangkok’s skyscrapers, along the Chao Phraya River, The CHON Thai Restaurant is discovered, located inside the luxury villa, The Siam hotel. Whilst their menu is filled with delicious traditional dishes and a selection of vegetarian-friendly starters and wok-fried mains, this particular classic dish stands out.
Thai curries are an extremely popular delicacy around the world, especially within its own country, which consists of different types of curry pastes, coconut milk, herbs and vegetables as well as having the option to add any meat or fish, with a side dish of rice. ‘Gaeng’ or ‘Kaeng’ means curries or soups, and are usually added at the front of the dish name so consumers know what type of dish it is. The ‘Gaeng Luang Phak Ruam’ is a vegan-friendly Thai coconut curry with cumin powder, coconut milk, mixed vegetables, palm sugar, mushroom soy sauce and betel leaves. It’s a very hearty and filling dish, leaving you with traditional and local tastes in your mouth, and a hint of spice.
If you try this dish, the CHON Thai also offers cooking classes so you can learn how to cook some fabulous cuisine straight from their menu. It’s not often that you can learn how to recreate your favourite dish!
Tapas - Pandano Restaurant (Jashita Tulum), Mexico
Located on the edge of the beach overlooking the Caribbean sea, Jashita Tulum has that secluded desert-island feel mixed with luxury and tranquillity. The Pandano restaurant is part of this stunning hotel, with a menu where you can taste the real flavours of the Mexican and Italian cuisine. Think homemade pasta and fresh local produce whilst enjoying a cocktail or two on the beach.
This menu has a lot of different varieties including international delights, homemade pasta, soups, fish and meat main dishes, desserts and a whole section for vegetarian guests consisting of a selection of tapas, salads and pasta dishes. What a better way to spend your holiday in Mexico than being able to try the local cuisine which is all vegetarian-friendly! The tapas are highly recommended; dishes include zucchini carpaccio, eggplant salad, Pandano hummus with homemade bread and cucumber carpaccio with goats cheese, roasted almonds and fresh mint. These dishes, the cocktails and the view on the beach will all make your evening even more special.
Cretan Meze - Zeen (Domes Noruz Chania), Greece
Taking gastronomy from magnificent to “crete-ficent”, Domes Noruz Chania is an adults-only hotel priding itself in utter pampering pleasure. Located in Chania near the pink sand beach of Elafonisi, this resort really is something special. With the option of two different dining experiences within the hotel; Raw Bar is where you can experience sushi, sunsets and music, or the Zeen restaurant, which completes the palette with more traditional and experimental dishes.
Although the Zeen lunch and dinner menus are pretty similar, the best way to experience the traditional Greek cuisine as a vegetarian or vegan is to try the selection of meze dishes on the lunch menu. There are many options to choose from, but those that shine through the most are: smoked eggplant spread salad with oregano and pita bread, the classic tzatziki with cucumber, dill garlic and grated carrot served with pita bread and fried courgettes with a garlic and walnut sauce. And to top it off, Zeen has over 160 different wines to try with your meals.
Think sun, beaches, great wine and incredible traditional Greek dishes all at your fingertips.
Asia Burrata - GRACE Restaurant (Hotel Zoo), Berlin
Located in Berlin’s favourite shopping boulevard of Kurfürstendamm, Hotel Zoo is the perfect mixture between quirky and grand. Its famous restaurant GRACE, is a synonym for casual fine dining, with a hugely creative menu inspired by their chef’s most recent trip to Southeast Asia. This menu is everything Southeast Asian with an urban twist; of-the-moment and sleek ingredients with a modern arrangement.
The menu has so much to choose from, with a long list of vegetarian/vegan options in the snacks and sides and small and salads section. The one to try is their signature dish; the Asia Burrata, which is a vegan Asian-inspired dish with zucchini, cherry tomatoes and figs laying on a bed of yuzu and smoked almonds.
Whilst these are just the top of what’s on offer, chef, Martin Bruhn really does know how to cook up a good meal. The GRACE restaurant is the hip place to be in Berlin; with an incredible atmosphere, it’s the ideal spot to unwind for the evening.
Spaghetti “Pomodoro e Basilico"- Le Jardin De Russie (Hotel De Russie), Rome
Located in the centre of the city of Rome, Hotel De Russie is the perfect romantic Roman escape. With an elegant dining room, classically Italianate architecture and a beautiful terrace surrounded by pine trees and the smell of citrus, Le Jardin De Russie is the perfect place to dine for a stylish Italian cuisine.
Revelling in Roman influences and ingredients, the celebrity Chef Fulvio Pierangelini’s gourmet a la carte menu showcases a tantalising array of local dishes. There are many vegetarian and vegan options, but we’d highly recommend the classic Spaghetti Pomodoro; you can’t go wrong. Freshly prepared Italian spaghetti, garlic, cherry on-the-vine tomatoes and basil, topped with some Parmigiano cheese. This dish can also be made vegan, depending on how you wish the pasta to prepared, but the simple deliciousness of the famous Spaghetti Pomodoro is timeless.
If you’re visiting Rome, relax on the magnificent Le Jardin De Russie terrace and enjoy Fulvio Pierangelini’s Italian favourites. The Hotel De Russie grounds really are the highlight of any visit.
